A grassroots effort to rediscover and champion principles in the 21st century #PrinciplesFirst
Joined February 2019
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Most just want a good life & a government they can trust. It’s not about red or blue—it's about protecting democracy & the rule of law. If you're concerned but new to politics, you're not alone.
Get involved with #PrinciplesFirst today: principlesfirst.us/get-invol…
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A verbal promise to Congress doesn't erase a constitutional overreach. Judge Leon just warned the DOJ "don't play possum," refusing to drop scrutiny over the $1.8B anti-weaponization fund. Congress holds the purse—the law demands a binding rescission, not a political pivot.
washingtonpost.com/politics/…
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Even John Thune knows Principle Three - that no one is entitled to their own facts – regardless of party. #PrinciplesFirst
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Join @Principles1stMN & @FairVoteMN Tuesday, June 16th for a nonpartisan deep dive into election security w/an incredible panel featuring Charlie Sykes, @MN_SecOfState Steve Simon, @stephen_richer, & more!
What to expect:
Insights on current voting safeguards
Addressing real risks for 2026
How to take action in your community
Get your tickets for this event here:
eventbrite.com/e/principles-…
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We're excited to have @stephen_richer as one of our speakers at next Tuesday's #PrinciplesFirst event in Minnesota. He brings a wealth of knowledge on election issues as can be seen below.
Get your tickets today!
eventbrite.com/e/principles-…
Sigh. Why won't anyone do research before posting?
Responding to your six points.
1. Yes. It is legal. States have different laws.
Still has to come from a registered voter, has to be returned in the return envelope assigned to that voter, there is no evidence of mass mail theft, and it has to have the voter's signature, which is checked (part of why it takes a long time).
2. California verifies identity through return envelope barcode and signature verification -- as is done for many financial and legal instruments.
This is the same way it's done in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, etc.
3. Unattended drop boxes. You do realize that every USPS box is an "unattended drop box," right?
That's why it's nice that all Californians can track their mail ballots. And so too can the election officials.
4. Homeless regularly paid to vote. I'll settle for 5 proven examples in recent elections. Also, homeless are allowed to register and vote.
5. You're just pointing out that California is an "all mail" state and that almost everyone votes by mail as a result. Yes. And that's part of why it takes so long.
California does voter list maintenance. Otherwise it would have a laundry list of lawsuits under the NVRA.
And, for better or worse, you can't remove somebody from voter rolls just because he doesn't vote. So if you, e.g., move out of an apartment, but don't tell the registrar, and don't fill out change of address with USPS, then a mail ballot is still showing up to your address. And if the new resident simply throws it in the trash, then you're not taken off the voter rolls just because you didn't return a ballot.
Now, if you're suggesting that states should share information with each other, such that they know when somebody registers in a different state, then I agree with you.
That's why California should join ERIC. And it's why it's a shame that some states have left ERIC in recent years. That's bad for voter list maintenance.
6. This is just comparing apples to oranges. And you can easily Google the differences in the two systems.
But first, as a factual predicate, you might want to be more careful. I'd suggest you start with this New York Times article: "Why Do Elections in India Take So Long?"
nytimes.com/2024/04/17/world…
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From executive slush funds to an overhaul of 8,000 career policy positions, federalism and the rule of law are facing unprecedented challenges. Watch Ep 2 of Principally Speaking w/@JoshGillespiePF as he audits the latest news against our founding principles. #PrinciplesFirst
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Trading $50B in federal contracts to corporate donors who funded the White House ballroom project is a text-book conflict of interest. True principles demand transparent, ethical governance—not pay-to-play schemes. Congress must exercise robust oversight.
#ItsTheCorruptionStupid
washingtonpost.com/politics/…
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At 5 AM, the Senate passed a $70B border package, but the real knife fight was behind closed doors. Lawmakers narrowly defeated a permanent ban on the admin's $1.8B slush fund. Why? Because Congress doesn't trust the Executive to leave the purse strings alone.
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"Then the right hand and the left hand need to figure out what the hell they're doing..."
@SenThomTillis on the $1.8 billion weaponization fund and the need to codify it's dissolution into law.
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As the Supreme Court heads into an explosive month tackling birthright citizenship, voting rights, and executive overreach (like the firing of Lisa Cook), the stakes for our republic couldn't be higher.
When we look at these monumental cases through the lens of #PrinciplesFirst a few non-negotiable truths stand out:
The Constitution & Rule of Law are Paramount (Principle 4): Challenging birthright citizenship tests the explicit, enduring guarantees of the 14th Amendment. We must defend the constitutional framework over political agendas.
Separation of Powers (Principle 6): Executive attempts to unilaterally strip independence from agencies like the Federal Reserve directly threaten our system of checks and balances. Congress writes laws, the executive executes them, and the courts interpret them—no single branch rules unchecked.
Human Dignity & Sovereignty (Principles 2 & 14): Protecting the integrity of our borders is a constitutional duty, but our laws must always ensure humane treatment and recognize that every single person possesses inherent dignity and worth.
True principled leadership means putting the country's institutional blueprint ahead of any politician or party name. This month, we need a court anchored to those enduring truths.
Context on the upcoming SCOTUS decisions: cnn.com/2026/06/03/politics/…
Read the core values here: principlesfirst.us/principle…
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Modern politics wants us to believe that a leader's character is secondary to their policy wins. But a republic built without integrity is a structure built to fracture. We must demand leaders w/the moral conviction to uphold our values. It starts with who we choose to trust. #principlesfirst
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The strength of our republic depends upon the moral conviction of our elected officials. If we don’t pick inherently trustworthy people to lead us, they will bring the character of the country down with them. Unethical and immoral behavior can never become the norm.
#PrinciplesFirst #ItsTheCorruptionStupid
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Watch the whole segment from the PBS NewsHour linked below.
pbs.org/newshour/show/trump-…
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At least 10 admin officials hold up to $43M in SpaceX/xAI stock just as an IPO looms. Even with "ethics waivers," this appearance of impropriety destroys public trust. Integrity & facts are non-negotiable. Public policy must serve the common good, not private portfolios. #PrinciplesFirst #ItsTheCorruptionStupid
nz.finance.yahoo.com/news/tr…
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A major retreat on the $1.8B "Anti-Weaponization Fund" is a massive win for fiscal responsibility & constitutional checks. Lawmakers drew a hard line: taxpayer dollars cannot be used as an unchecked payout fund without rigorous congressional oversight. A vital principled victory.
washingtonpost.com/politics/…
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Join @Principles1stMN in collaboration w/@FairVoteMN for an honest, nonpartisan panel discussion on election security — what’s working, what’s at risk, and what you can do about it. Our panelists include host of “To the Contrary” Charlie Sykes, MN SoS @MNSteveSimon, @stephen_richer & more.
Register today!
eventbrite.com/e/principles-…
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When the judiciary steps back, it reduces its own power as a constitutional check.
The Supreme Court’s recent procedural ruling on immigration judges has big implications for the rule of law and the separation of powers. What do you think? Watch.
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Principles First retweeted
Great way of showing how the 15 principles have so many real life applications 👏👏
The headlines say one thing, but what do our principles say? Join @joshgillespiePF for the premiere of "Principally Speaking". From the $1.8B standoff to USPS mandates, we’re auditing the weekend news headlines against the 15 principles that define our republic
#PrinciplesFirst
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The President's family—regardless of party—should never be getting special financial deals off the back of US taxpayers. The $620M Pentagon loan to Vulcan Elements just months after Don Jr. invested is a textbook conflict of interest. #itsthecorruptionstupid
propublica.org/article/donal…
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