On Friday, Paradigm’s D.C. authority Jim Rickards highlighted something from Capitol Hill: the Make Elections Great Again Act.

House Republicans dropped this bill Thursday. It’s their strongest swing yet at federalizing election standards — photo ID to vote, citizenship verification to register, plus federal restrictions on how states run their voting systems.

Most importantly, the bill mandates compliance across all 50 states.

“These reforms will improve voter confidence, bolster election integrity, and make it easy to vote, but hard to cheat,” says one of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Bryan Steil (WI-R).

This bill is an evolution from earlier Republican attempts like the American Confidence in Elections Act. But this version provides even more specificity.

The legislation doesn’t just ask for photo ID at the ballot box. It reaches into the voting machinery — the exact systems that became flash points in 2020.

The machinery Trump called compromised when he challenged the results.

Your Rundown for Monday, February 2, 2026...

A Paradigm Shift in U.S. Governance

For over 235 years, the Constitution has granted states election authority. And they’ve protected that turf like lions guarding a kill.

But the Constitution's Elections Clause lets Congress override state election rules. This bill would do just that — Washington sets the rules, states follow orders. That’s a tectonic shift in American governance. 

Jim isn’t tracking this bill just because he loves election policy. Bills — whether they pass or die in committee — reveal where the political energy is concentrating.

They show you which issues carry enough voltage to drive major policy proposals. They map the fault lines that could sway midterm elections.

The Make Elections Great Again Act targets the exact pressure points that exploded after 2020. Poll after poll shows GOP voter confidence in election systems cratered and never fully recovered.

This legislation is Congress codifying what Trump supporters have demanded for years.

Republicans control the House. They’re moving on this. Senate passage? That’s a different conversation entirely. But the signal is already sent.

The broader implication is what caught Jim’s eye: the federal government asserting authority over state-run election systems. Washington reaching into what has traditionally been state and local territory.

This is ultimately about paradigm shifts in governance. And this is the kind of constitutional tension that doesn't resolve quietly.

[Reader, in your opinion, does federalizing election standards restore integrity or create a different kind of problem? We want to hear from you — hit reply and let us know where you land on this.]

Market Rundown for Monday, February 2, 2026

S&P 500 futures are down 0.45% to 6,935.

Oil’s down over 5% to $61.75 for a barrel of WTI.

Gold’s up 0.45% to $4,770 per ounce.

And Bitcoin up almost 1% to $77,800.