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My Modest Proposal to Save the Republic

By James Banakis

June 21st, 2026

I was in high school when the film Goldfinger was released. I saw it and then saw Dr. No and From Russia with Love, back-to-back. I became obsessed with everything BOND. I read all 12 of Ian Fleming’s novels and 2 collections of his short stories all in one semester in study hall. I held the paperbacks inside a textbook to throw off the presiding teachers. I’ll admit something now for the first time publicly.  I went so far as to have my always co-conspiring grandmother, a great seamstress, make me a blue terry cloth swim cover-up like Sean Connery wore at the Fontainebleau.

Ian Fleming and his semi-autobiographic British agent have since been part of the background of my life story. Like most fans, I’m more than a little concerned that Jeff Bezos has bought the rights to all content. It may have something to do with his personal taste and style.

Then again, I just may be envious that I couldn’t buy it. I think the next film should be a period piece set in the sixties. I’ll get back to Mr. Bond in a few minutes but let me digress.

I plan on traveling overseas this fall. This morning, I went to the DMV to acquire a “Real ID.”  I produced all the required identification.  I’ll admit, it was all rather painless. I also needed to renew my passport, so it was off to the post office. Next chore was to trade-in my iPhone. I had to show my driver’s license. Next, I went to the bank to make a deposit. Again, I needed to show my I.D.  I politely told the teller that if anyone came into the bank wanting to make a deposit in my account, it was ok with me if they just deposit it even if they didn’t have ID. She smiled.

Maybe you can tell where I’m going with this, we need to prove who we are to make any transaction, gas station, restaurants, doctors office, airport, even to donate blood.  The average American probably must prove who they are at least 3 times on an average day.

There is one glaring exception, voting our most sacred right as a citizen. Those who oppose showing I.D. to vote cite the Jim Crow laws ruled unconstitutional 60 years ago. They also say minorities can’t always figure out how to get and keep a photo I.D. which of course is extraordinarily racist.

Americans are in favor of showing photo ID’s 80 percent to 20. Minorities favor it 70 to 30 percent. Most of us are concerned about the 20 million illegals Biden admitted unvetted. As far as I can tell the only people really against voter I.D. are Democratic politicians, and a few RINO senators.

Currently the SAVE AMERICA ACT is being bitch slapped back and forth in Congress. Opposed unanimously by all Democrats in Congress.  It would require states to collect and document proof of citizenship from voters.

As I type, they are still counting votes in California after their primary election. This is because they sent out mail-in ballots to anyone who ever voted. The polls were open all during the month of May, and now they wait for another week after.

California is the horrific liberal templet for the rest of the country.  Making the entire voting process so porous that it turned into just a useful tool to insure the election of the Democratic candidates. Blue states have enacted cheating on a massive uncontrollable scale. Florida has enacted a law to show whether a person is a citizen or noncitizen on their driver licenses, and the liberals have been driven to distraction by it. They need to cheat to win an election.

I have an uncle who died at 95 during Covid in New York.  As the executor of his estate, I had all his mail forwarded to my address in Illinois. I’m still getting New York state ballots that I suppose one could fill out and return. Keep in mind that Social Security benefits end the day someone dies, but for some reason in some jurisdictions, we can vote for eternity. Voting by mail started out as one of the many draconian measures thrust upon confused, terrified citizens during the Pandemic. Why are we still doing it? IT HAS TO STOP!

I may be in the lower 10 percent of all humans in technical knowledge, but I was always appreciative of the gadgets produced by Q-Branch.  Even the villains in SPECTRE had wonderful gadgets. Sixty years ago, when someone in a Bond movie wanted to gain access to a secret meeting, all they needed to do was scan their face or hand, and the door opened. SIXTY YEARS AGO!

As an amateur want-to-be secret agent, just this morning I asked AI, how accurate is facial recognition technology today.  The answer, 99.9 percent foolproof, and improving by the day.  If a technical dummy like me is thinking like this, why isn’t anyone else? Maybe I’m brighter than I give myself credit for.

Here is my modest, Jimmy Saves America Proposal. We immediately invest in face or hand recognition machines. Any American citizen who wishes to vote shows up like I did this morning to prove you’re a citizen, scan your face and you’re set for life. On election day, show up at the polling place, scan your face, all pertinent information appears on a screen, and just like Largo in Thunderball you’re admitted. Fill out your ballot by hand and you’re done. No more endless lines at the polling place.  The entire voting process is sped up.

Woody Allen once said something I found very insightful:

You can have all the talent in the world but if you never show up, it’s the same as having no talent. Some of the best things in life didn’t happen because someone had it all figured out. 90 percent of life is just showing up! 

Woody was right. What could be easier?

Here’s the rest of my proposal:

  • National elections are made a national holiday, one day only. Vote in person only. People who are unable to physically vote can ask for an absentee ballot in advance. No exceptions.
  • If you miss the election, just like before Covid, too bad. Ballots need to be counted in 24 hours or less. No need to check signatures or addresses.
  • If you move and wish to vote in the new jurisdiction, you update your information just like you do now, but you are only able to vote once. One face – one vote in a national data bank.

This makes too much sense to ignore, but I’m sure some will say it’s racist or fascist.  They always do. I honestly can’t imagine being against this ingenious solution. The wonderful thing about it is it’s the most democratic thing since the ancient Athenians dropped either a white or a black stone in a box to vote. So, there you have it…my contribution to our republic…free of charge. Let’s get it done!

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SHOW UP!

-30-

Jimmy Banakis is a life-long restaurateur.  He was an honorary batboy for the White Sox in 1964. He attended Oak Park River Forest High School, Nebraska Wesleyan University, and Chicago-Kent Law School.  He claims the kitchen is the room he’s most comfortable in anywhere in the world. He published an extremely limited-edition family cookbook. He’s a father and grandfather, and lives in Downers Grove Il.

Comments 39

  1. I agree 100% only here in the gulag of Illinois, facial and hand recognition is called biometric id and the trial lawyers have made it extremely difficult to use in the workplace ie punching in and out of the job. White Castle of mighty whitey one bite fame is potentially liable for millions of dollars because they use those reader in the workplace. In Il you must have the employees written permission in the proper format and language if not the plaintiffs bar will be all over you,

  3. Nice, but no! ANY system can be evaded. No matter what hoops need to be jumped as the Romans said: quis custodes custodiet? [who would guard the guards?] The two best hedges against fraudulent elections at the national level are the electoral college and the decentralized nature of the voting. The electoral college requires a MAJORITY [not a plurality] in 50 state elections. Rigging is only possible in a very close election [see 2000]. Decentralized voting requires rigging in too many locations to be done practically and secretly. Placing a major check in a ‘centralized’ data bank only weakens this; a data bank can be rigged to rig it all.

    1. Another Democrat ploy (Virginia just passed it as law) is to commit all electoral college votes in that state to the party that wins the popular vote. When enough states pass this law when it reaches 270 electoral votes, that will engage the law. Then, the big cities, who do not require voter ID will control the white house forever. People are not watching…..

  4. Voice voting is vulnerable to intimidation, Party tickets are a trap for the illiterate [both commonly used up to around 1900], and the Australian ballots used afterward [numbered to be tracked] can be beaten by the voter. My grandfather told me he voted 3xs in 1920 [long hair and beard, trim, shave] and my father voted 2xs after he died [his name was above mine in the book]. My name was misspelled in the book and it took 3 attempts over five years to correct it.
    The chief danger now is 20 million [?] illegals voting and willfully unrevised voter rolls. In person voting by all but a few [when we all have the same access to information] – yes, ‘no ballot harvesting’ – yes, better observation of highly ‘partizan’ districts [yes but that’s a party duty] – yes, and mandatory review and public correction of voter rolls after every census – yes, but even then, rigging will be possible.

  7. Agreed. Common sense. Reasonable and inexpensive technology in 2026.

    May I add, you’re my favorite guest columnist. For some reason I connect with your style.

  8. Since Democrats swear their generous open border policy was NOT about gaining votes, I propose this offer:
    Every illegal be given immediate citizenship with the right to vote with one caveat; they can vote Republican, or skip voting, for the next 20 years.
    Democrats would never go along with this generous path to citizenship for illegals because…why? Yes. It’s always been about the votes.

  12. Thank you for such an insightful article. I agree with you wholeheartedly. Thankfully, Republicans are not as naive as Democrats believe we are presently. Hopefully, we will continue to push for the Save American Act!

  13. Reading Banakis’ brilliantly conversational columns produces (for me, anyway) warm appreciation of the best 20th century values and cold disquiet about common 21st century ones. This one also had me comparing those stylish early James Bond movies in which evil set up Bond’s heroics to the later Bond movies in which a “re-imagined” Bond character set up boredom.

    You admire the way in which this writer — Banakis, JAMES Banakis — contrasts traditional bedrock standards with modern scams like California’s never-ending, never-legitimate elections and New York’s democracy by Marxists. Contrast the Democratic Socialist / We’re Not Really Marxist perspective with the Banakis perspective that makes “too much sense to ignore.” I vote for the latter.

  14. Amen, brother. What never gets mentioned in the 2020 election is the fact that it was a record year for mail-in voting. Bags and bags of paper votes. That some people question the results should not be shocking and dismissed as a bunch of crazies. I’m not a denier, but there has got to be a way. Your way is the right way.

  15. Social Security uses the Death Masterfile to know when you are deceased. It is updated only by cemeteries and funeral directors. Very accurate. It lists every person with a social security number with place of birth, date of birth, place of death and date of death and the person’s name.
    Anyone can buy this list. My company bought it in the 1990s and prevented thousands of fraud loans. Credit Bureaus were not using it. The IRS was not using it giving vast amounts of refunds to criminals. Congress ignored it as it prevented pushing money out to those who needed it.
    There are simple ways to stop fraudulent voting…..30 years later.

  16. Something is malignantly wrong when a Republican majority in the Senate is apparently unable to bring to a floor vote such a massively popular reform measure. Both ends of the Uniparty spectrum are served by it. For the majority it is their fence to straddle into the midterms. For the the goose lockstepping Democrats no dissent from their permanent majority drive can be brooked. Thune serves them better than Fetterman.

  17. Jimmy,
    Like all your suggestions except for the facial recognition. That sounds like Orwell’s “1984” world. We are already being tracked & “listened to” on our phones, tv, Alexa etc.

    HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL YOU DADS!!

  18. Mr. Banakis,
    First, let me say I support the Save America Act or something similar to help insure we have fair and honest elections. I believe there has been quite a bit of election fraud in our recent elections particularly by the Democrats and it needs to be corrected. Fair non gerrymandered voting districts would help as well.
    However, your discussion about your “Bond, James Bond” obsession was really interesting as I became addicted to everything Bond exactly the same way. I first saw Goldfinger during my high school years and then Dr. No & From Russia With Love in a double feature. I’ve read all the books even the new ones written (with permission by the Fleming estate) by other authors and I have purchased all the movies multiple times in multiple formats. Addictions can be expensive. I hope Bezos/ Amazon gets their act together and picks a new Bond and makes a quality movie. It’s been over two years and some of us aren’t spring chickens. Thanks for the excellent essay.
    Bob.

  19. Great idea – never going to happen. No way to harvest votes, and other methods of deceit.
    Just like my idea of creating software – if it doesn’t already exist – that would produce perfectly geocentric congressional districts based on census tract population data, and nothing else.

  20. My daughter still receives a mail in ballot request form sent to our address here in Illinois. She’s been living in Texas for 13 years and is registered to vote there. She hasn’t knowingly voted here since she moved. Key word there is “knowingly.”

    2. Same here. Moved and registered in her new residence but still get an application for a mail in ballot every election.

      And yes, when my mom passed away her SS was stopped immediately. In fact because she didn’t live the entire month, the SS amount was deducted from her checking account. But I’m sure she received ballot applications the entire and someone voted for her.

  21. Recalling Kass’ Wed column Americans are sick of paying the DEI blood price, and specifically his response to Mr. Diaz’s comment saying “the center will not hold”.

    Took me a day or so, as usual, but he’s dead on, as usual. But here is a solution

    If we as individuals, and as a Nation can outright abandon the two divides forced upon us by the Coastal scarecrow, New England and it’s stepchild California – if we can just abandon these divides forced upon us from 1860 forward purely for violent political purposes…

    Black, vs White – North vs South. WALK AWAY FROM IT FOR GOOD.
    I too am tired of paying this blood price.

    Then the center will hold. And the coasts and their revisionism will become appropriately vacuous.

    At a minimum this is an illustration of the magnitude of the challenge we face – no less than the challenge my ancestors faced while raising county militias in Virginia to set the stage for the Declaring Independence.

    In the meantime, as Mr Banakis concluded, just show up, AND VOTE.

  22. Thanks James Banakis. I hope everyone at John Kass News has a great Fathers Day.

    Ian Fleming’s books predicted some sinister current events. In “Goldfinger” Bond destroys a foreign narcotics lab where terrorists are financing revolutions with heroin-laced bananas.

    In “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” a bio-lab manufactures COVID-type toxins similar to Wuhan lab.

    In “You Only Live Twice”, Bond fights an oligarch who kills tourists in his Garden of Death filled with poisonous plants and animals. Similar to suicide cults of Jonestown, Waco and the Heaven’s Gate commune of California.

    In 1997, a guru convinced 39 well-educated Californians to take their own lives. Since then Democrats monopolized state government by promising open borders, enormous tax hikes & welfare expansion.
    They now suffer financial exodus similar to Illinois.

    Both states encourage suicidal protesters who confront ICE officers hoping for martyrdom. They want to die in a blaze of left-wing glory.

    Bond readers see an amazing similarity between oligarch JB Pritzker and the Bond villain who lures gullible idealists to suicide in his garden of venomous reptiles.
    The original cover of “You Only Live Twice” has artwork of a bloated Poison Dart Frog that looks exactly like Governor Pritzker.

  24. ” Save America Act” indeed. The Republicans failing to support this is why Trump is cleaning house before the Midterms. The simple solution is the Florida solution. Citizenship annotated on your license or state ID. Here in Texas, your state issued ID are scanned by election judges. No exceptions. These concepts wouldn’t work in California where ballots are being purchased on skid row for harvesting. I knew there had to be an end game for the Democrat run cities to lure and encourage drug addicts to live on their streets. EVERY Democrat city has the same policies that enable homeless residency and ballot harvesting. This is how they stay in power. They steal elections, like the recent LA election has proven. SAVE AMERICA INDEED.

  25. I recommend a State ID that shows if a person is a US Citizen or Not, available at every DMV, required for voting in an election, Federal or Not.
    Also, no more early voting, vote by mail excepting absentee voting.
    And I also have been suggesting a national holiday- one day for voting.
    -Nambi

  26. Bravo Jimmy B.

    To any RINO standing against voter ID I say karma will not be kind to you.

    ARE YOU LISTENING JOHN THUNE. You’ll be out of office.

    Happy Fathers Day all. Kids and grandkids are a wonderful blessing in my life from God.

  28. Foot note on absentee ballots.
    In the 1970s absentee ballots were for the most part for citizens who were too ill to leave their house to vote. These ballots were only granted if the ill/sick voter had a history and physical done by a licensed physician proving they could not leave their premises to vote. I and another physician worked for 11th ward Dems and were in charge in the late 70s of obtaining the histories and physicals. We would go out with city workers and visit the sick. If they warranted an absentee ballot the precinct captains would deliver the ballot to peoples homes and helped them vote “correctly.” After each evening of going out the city worker would take us out for a drink or two. He would slap down a $20 bill at local bar and we would drink til there was no more money left. If the our city worker really thought we did a great job of maximizing the number of absentee ballots he’d offer us treat. He would pull out his little black book and offer us one of his whores he used before going home to wife and kids. We declined.

  29. You’re giving Kasso a run for his money Mr. B! We even needed to show ID to get the stupid Covid shot. Liberals sure must think poor people are stupid. And I’m dead certain there cheating in red and blue, but the blue seem to have taken it to a new level.

    Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed something similar recently. Voter ID, non partisan redistricting, and a holiday for Election Day.

    It’s taken me a long time to see what phonies this two party system has foisted upon us. You also mentioned the division strategy.

    Good job sir

  30. Well the Dems will still find a way. LA is thinking of allowing non citizens to vote in city wide elections. And if California decides to do the same thing, state wide, the implications are profound. Why? Because under the plain text of the 17th amendment that would give non citizens – SAVE Act or No SAVE Act, the Constitution is supreme – the right to vote in federal Senatorial elections. Other deep blue states could follow suit as well. The SAVE Act is a mere band aid.

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