Nancy Churchill offers a conservative defense of rights and principles
Nancy Churchill
Dangerous Rhetoric
At a time when progressive state governments, like Washington’s, are trampling over our freedoms and ignoring constitutional limits, the federal government — energized by leadership aligned with President Trump’s vision — has stepped in with crucial pushback.
This isn’t merely politics. It’s about defending the birthright of American citizens. When Olympia tries to sweep aside Title IX safeguards for our daughters, impose unconstitutional electric-vehicle mandates, sabotage the Snake River dams, and erode trust in elections with lax standards, the federal pushback becomes nothing short of patriotic. What’s unfolding now is a clear reminder: We the people can’t let liberal bureaucrats in Seattle or Olympia rewrite the rules at our expense.
Here are a few examples of how the Trump administration’s bold defenses — protecting girls on sports fields, preserving hydropower infrastructure, stopping EV mandates, and demanding election integrity and voter-ID — are essential. Let’s dive into the showdown: the federal government versus Washington state’s progressive Democrats.
Protecting the Lower Snake River Dams
Washington state and environmental activists have long sought to breach the four Lower Snake River dams — destruction justified in the name of salmon recovery. But this plan was irresponsible and unconstitutional. In a forceful federal response, President Trump issued an executive order on June 12, 2025, revoking the 2023 Biden memorandum and affirming the federal government’s authority to protect essential energy infrastructure and uphold property rights.
The White House fact sheet emphasizes that the decision “stops the green agenda in the Columbia River Basin” and prioritizes “reliable, affordable energy resources” essential to the American people. By reversing Biden-era environmental mandates, Trump’s order ensures hydropower continues powering millions — 2.5 million homes — with over 3,000 megawatts of clean, baseload energy.
Representative Dan Newhouse echoed this federal stance, praising Trump’s move to reinforce hydropower reliability via bipartisan legislation like the Northwest Energy Security Act. In defending these dams, the federal government is not just preserving energy and commerce; it is upholding constitutional protections against forced destruction of infrastructure under state pressure.
Rolling back EV mandates
Washington followed California in adopting strict mandates requiring electric-truck usage by 2035. Yet these regulations threaten economic stability — especially for rural transport and agricultural sectors — and reflect an overreach that burdens consumers and businesses alike.
Responding to this, President Trump rescinded these mandates on June 13, 2025. Representative Michael Baumgartner aptly noted that the “totally unworkable” EV mandate would have “tank[ed] the state’s economy and raised inflation.” He wryly observed, “Big rigs can’t run on unicorn laughter and rainbows.”
Here, the federal government rightly asserts its supremacy. State-level green mandates infringe upon interstate commerce and infrastructure regulation — reserved domains of federal authority. By rolling back unrealistic policies, the federal government restores balance, prevents inflated costs at the pump and on the farm, and halts state-imposed economic overreach.
Election Integrity and Voter ID
While Washington State ranks 46 out of 50 in electoral integrity per the Heritage Foundation, largely due to its lack of voter ID requirements, a new initiative is offering corrective force. The state is now in the signature-collection phase for Initiative IL26-126, which — if passed — will require proof of citizenship (passport, birth certificate) to vote. Backed by Rep. Jim Walsh, IL26-126 aims to align Washington with national norms and requires just over 308,911 valid signatures by January 2, 2026.
At the federal level, similar measures are emerging to standardize voter verification. While a U.S. district judge recently blocked parts of Trump’s federal EO on election reforms, these federal initiatives underscore the legitimate role of national oversight in safeguarding the franchise.
States like Washington — with mail-in voting and lax ID rules — must be held to higher, consistent standards to prevent fraud while protecting civil rights. IL26-126 and federal reforms together illustrate how layering state and federal action is essential to secure elections.
Protecting Title IX and girls’ sports
Another battleground is Title IX and the integrity of girls sports. Washington’s education leaders — such as Superintendent Chris Reykdal — have pushed policies allowing biological males to compete in female sports categories, forcing girls into unfair and unsafe matchups.
Citing precedent established through Title IX jurisprudence, the U.S. Department of Justice recently sued Reykdal for violating the rights of female athletes — marking a critical intervention in favor of fairness and constitutional protection of girls’ sports. Federal enforcement of Title IX ensures that state educational agencies cannot override the statute’s plain language and intent.
Federal defender of the rule of law
In every one of these battles, the federal government has stood firm as the bulwark of constitutional order and individual rights. Washington’s one-sided power grabs threaten more than local policy — they jeopardize national standards, disrupt interstate commerce, and erode personal freedoms.
By stepping in to defend the Lower Snake River dams, reverse extreme EV mandates, back voter ID rules, and enforce Title IX, the federal government is exactly where it should be — reining in state overreach, protecting our citizens, and keeping the Union steady.
The takeaway is unmistakable: when progressive state leaders trample on liberty, federal oversight isn’t just smart — it’s absolutely essential.
Doing our part
Now is the moment for everyday Americans to stand up and make their voices heard. We can support strong common sense leaders in local races as well as continuing “off season” conversations with any conservative state legislators. For Congress, follow your favorite committee in the House or Senate, and communicate with congressional leaders who are leading the way back to the rule of law. You can even reach out to cabinet level leaders via social media!
To fight effectively against progressive states like Washington that are pushing radical, unconstitutional agendas, we need to become strong conservative champions who never give up. No one is coming to save us. We have to save ourselves! We need to stay engaged with the issues we care about and have calls and meetings with the leaders that impact those issues at each level of government.
Get involved, volunteer for campaigns, push your issue forward, and hold politicians accountable. That’s how real change happens.
Nancy Churchill is a writer and educator in rural eastern Washington state, and the chair of the Ferry County Republican Party. She may be reached at DangerousRhetoric@pm.me. The opinions expressed in Dangerous Rhetoric are her own. Dangerous Rhetoric is available on thinkspot, Rumble and Substack.
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