Politics and views in the United States.

Trump promotes a government shutdown over false claims of noncitizens voting, Democrats say Project 2025 would harm the nation's most vulnerable public school students and Texas AG Paxton sues to shut down voter registration efforts.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2024 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

Let's do this until March, and let's attach the SAVE Act.

Let's keep spending frozen, and let's protect elections.

Texas Congressman Chip Roy urges his fellow House Republicans to attach legislation requiring voters prove their citizenship to a must-pass government spending bill.

The government would shut down at the end of the month without a continuing resolution.

But Democrats counter it's already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, and they argue the Senate won't accept a measure that would have the effect of suppressing the votes of marginal groups.

Former President Donald Trump supports the legislation.

He's repeated false claims that the Biden administration is bringing in migrants so they can vote illegally and throw the election.

I would shut down the government in a heartbeat if they don't get it, and if they don't get it in the bill.

Now, if they don't get these bills, they should close it down, and Republicans should not approve it.

Not all Republicans want to risk a shutdown, saying it could jeopardize vulnerable incumbents.

Congress resumes work next week.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing one of the state's largest urban counties to prevent it from mailing out thousands of voter registration forms.

Bexar County commissioners say the goal is to boost voter participation in and around San Antonio, but Paxton says it's an attempt to register more Democrats and noncitizens.

County Commissioner Rebecca Kay Flores says registering voters is nonpartisan.

I am continuously talking to migrants, and none of them are trying to figure out how to vote illegally.

They're concerned with getting food and closing their back.

Texas lacks automatic or online registration.

Civil rights groups say it's become one of the states that makes it the hardest to vote.

Tennessee currently ranks last in turnout, but advocates are working to register more voters.

Dawn Sluckabair with Think Tennessee says, while that doesn't automatically improve turnout, easy online registration can be a good first step, especially in rural counties.

Even just messaging in those communities that if you have a Tennessee driver's license and access to the Internet, you can get registered without even having to go anywhere.

The ACLU of Michigan is suing a Kalamazoo County election official after he said he wouldn't certify the 2024 election if it's stolen from Trump.

Robert Froman previously told "The Detroit News" he believes 2020 was stolen, which is why he ran for office.

Public education advocates are raising alarms about Project 2025.

The right-wing roadmap for a second Trump term would eliminate Head Start and the Department of Education.

Former teacher and Connecticut Democratic Representative Johanna Hayes says the conservative movement to slash and privatize education puts the nation's most vulnerable students at risk.

There's language in Project 2025 to roll back federal feeding programs.

Hungry kids do not learn.

I'm Catherine Carley.

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