With Abortion and Socialism, Democrats Are Peddling Slavery Again

In 1860, with the election of Abraham Lincoln as U.S. President, the newly-formed Republican Party controlled the U.S. House, Senate, and presidency. As was the case with most every state in what would become the Confederacy, my home state of Georgia cited slavery, republicans, and the election of Lincoln as its reasons for seceding:

A brief history of the rise, progress, and policy of anti-slavery and the political organization into whose hands the administration of the federal government has been committed [the republicans] will fully justify the pronounced verdict of the people of Georgia [who voted to secede]. The party of Lincoln, called the Republican Party under its present name and organization, is of recent origin. It is admitted to be an anti-slavery party. . . . The prohibition of slavery in the territories, hostility to it everywhere, the equality of the black and white races, disregard of all constitutional guarantees in its favor, were boldly proclaimed by its leaders and applauded by its followers. . . . [T]he abolitionists and their allies in the northern states have been engaged in constant efforts to subvert our institutions.

The Confederate States of America was formed at the Montgomery Convention in February, 1861. For the southern states—and anyone else in the world paying attention—the agenda of the newly formed (and electorally victorious) Republican Party agenda was clear. Every party platform since the creation of the Republican Party had forcefully denounced slavery. After the infamous Dred Scott ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1857, the subsequent Republican platform strongly condemned the ruling and reaffirmed the right of Congress to ban slavery in the territories. On the other hand, the corresponding Democrat platforms praised the Dred Scott ruling and condemned all efforts to end slavery in the U.S.

With its recent unashamed embrace of socialism—they used to avoid such talk—along with its decades-long devotion to killing children in the womb, the modern Democrat Party is again aligning itself with ideologies and institutions that have little to no regard for vast swaths of humanity. Since the dawn of the twentieth century, socialism—the economic system of communist countries—and abortion are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of millions of human beings.

As Breitbart reported late last year, with nearly 42 million killed in their mothers’ wombs, abortion was the leading cause of death worldwide in 2018. Since the infamous Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, the abortion holocaust has claimed the lives of over 60 million American children. Given such horrific numbers, with unborn children being the most innocent and helpless among us, and given that a mother’s womb should be one of the safest places in the universe, the plight of the unborn is the greatest civil rights battle of all time.

Yet the modern Democrat Party has never been more hostile to unborn children. As soon as they took control of the U.S. House this year, sex-worshipping democrats wasted little time in revealing their wicked and perverse priorities. In an attempt to end the partial government shutdown, democrats’ initial legislative funding proposal sent to the republican-controlled Senate repealed the pro-life “Mexico-City Policy” and provided $37.5 million for the pro-abortion United Nations Population Fund.

Days later, democrats in New York stood and cheered after Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law legislation that allows for the killing of children in the womb right up to the moment of birth. In other words, the culture and ideology that gave us the gruesome Kermit Gosnell passed legislation that will only create more infanticidal fools.

Not to be outdone in their efforts to kill the most innocent and helpless among us, soon after the New York infanticide bill was signed into law, Virginia democrats proposed their version of an after-birth abortion bill. Distracting from his blackface scandal, Virginia’s governor, democrat Ralph Northam, infamously defended the legislation. Republican Senator Ben Sasse put it well when he noted,

In just a few years pro-abortion zealots went from ‘safe, legal, and rare’ to ‘keep the newborns comfortable while the doctor debates infanticide.’

That democrats are now debating infanticide shouldn’t be very surprising, as no less than Barack Obama himself helped push them along this evil path. Hoping to follow Mr. Obama as the next democrat president, virtually every democrat candidate for U.S. President supports what could only be described as infanticide. Martin Luther King Jr.’s niece, Alveda King, was exactly right when she asked and answered:

How can the "Dream" survive if we murder the children? Every aborted baby is like a slave in the womb of his or her mother. The mother decides his or her fate.

As the Nazis did with the Jews, and as pro-slavery Americans did with black Africans, modern abortion apologists have de-humanized those they find undesirable or those whose lives they want complete control over. On Fox News’ The Story, author and commentator Rachel Campos-Duffy compared abortion to slavery:

Our country has been divided since [1973] when Roe vs. Wade was passed, and I believe that in my lifetime, the only way this is going to be resolved is Roe v. Wade [being] overturned. It’s going to go back to the states because this issue is as fundamental as an issue was back in the middle of the 1800s called slavery. This is an issue about who gets to decide who is human enough so they can do whatever they want with that person, or the person they’re saying is not a person. This is such a fundamental human rights issue.

Like abortion, socialism is a “fundamental human rights issue.” In the last 125 years, only socialism rivals abortion in the slaughter of human beings, and like abortion, socialism is a form of slavery. In 1884, in his seminal work The Man Versus the State, philosopher and political theorist Herbert Spencer warned of “The Coming Slavery.” He wrote,

All socialism involves slavery…The degree of his slavery varies according to the ratio between that which he is forced to yield up and that which he is allowed to retain; and it matters not whether his master is a single person or a society. If, without option, he has to labour for the society, and receives from the general stock such portion as the society awards him, he becomes a slave to the society. Socialistic arrangements necessitate an enslavement of this kind…There seems no getting people to accept the truth…that the welfare of a society and the justice of its arrangements are at bottom dependent on the characters of its members; and that improvement in neither can take place without that improvement in character which results from carrying on peaceful industry under the restraints imposed by an orderly social life. The belief, not only of the socialists but also of those so-called Liberals who are diligently preparing the way for them, is that by due skill an ill-working humanity may be framed into well-working institutions. It is a delusion. The defective natures of citizens will show themselves in the bad acting of whatever social structure they are arranged into. There is no political alchemy by which you can get golden conduct out of leaden instincts. [Emphasis mine.]

One hundred and thirty-five years ago, Spencer—one of the most widely read philosophers of his time and “the single most famous European intellectual in the closing decades of the nineteenth century”—warned the world of what socialists would bring and who was “diligently preparing the way for them.”

Nevertheless, thanks mostly to socialist regimes, the twentieth century was the world’s bloodiest. From China’s Zedong and the Soviet Union’s Stalin to Cuba’s Castro, the twentieth century is littered with godless socialists who attempted to enslave and murder their way to Utopia. Tens of millions died in the forced-labor camps that socialism requires. Tens of millions more died in the poverty and starvation that socialism inevitably produces.

Many leading democrats today unashamedly embrace socialism, including some running for president. Those democrats who have yet to stoop to praising socialism openly have many policy proposals that are indistinguishable from what one would find in a socialist state. Yet modern American democrats insist their version of state control of most every facet of our lives will be different.

Tragically, as has been the case with abortion, many Americans seem to have bought into democrats’ socialist propaganda. According to a recent Gallup poll, a growing number of Americans have embraced at least some form of socialism. This is mostly due to the increasing number of democrats who view socialism favorably. As the same Gallup poll also notes, since 2010, a majority of democrats have had a favorable view of socialism. A similar Gallup poll last year revealed that a significantly larger number of democrats (57% to 47%) now prefer (“have a positive view of”) socialism over capitalism.

All the information we now have at our finger tips—including the nasty scenes from Venezuela—and it seems the lure of spending other people’s money—like the lure of (supposed) sex without consequences—still proves too much for too many. It took a civil war to rid the U.S. of the institution of slavery. Let us hope and pray that, in spite of what some are forecasting, it doesn’t get to that with abortion or socialism. 

(See this column at American Thinker.)

Copyright 2019, Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor is the author of the The Miracle and Magnificence of America
tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com

Hollywood: Do You Know Why You’re in Georgia?

After Georgia lost out to Louisiana on the production of Ray (the film about Georgia native Ray Charles) in 2008, then Georgia governor—now U.S. Secretary of Agriculture—Sonny Perdue, a Republican, signed tax-incentive legislation that was intended to lure the film industry to Georgia. It worked, and in a big way. Georgia is now often referred to as “the Hollywood of the South.” However, the way things are trending in film production, California may soon seek to become “the Georgia of the West.”

Just a couple of weeks ago, a report by Atlanta’s NBC News affiliate “11-Alive” described Georgia as “the top filming location in the world.” In 2016 and 2017, Georgia led the U.S. in the number of top-grossing feature films produced. In that two-year period, Georgia produced 32 such films, while California was second with 22 top-grossing films. In 2016, Georgia led the world in the production of top-grossing films.

Additionally, in the last decade Georgia has seen a massive investment in film and television infrastructure. U.S. News reports that, “According to Adweek, 16 film and TV studios announced plans to locate or expand facilities in Georgia since 2010.” In 2014, Pinewood Studios Group built its massive Georgia campus. According to U.S. News,

After two expansions, the 700-acre site now houses 18 sound stages with nearly 1 million square feet of covered space. Outside of California, Pinewood Atlanta is the largest purpose-built studio complex in the country, meaning it was built specifically to fit the needs of the film industry.

A Time magazine piece last year reports on “How Georgia Became the Hollywood of the South.” The piece contains several photos of the booming film infrastructure present in Georgia. The piece also notes,

In 2007, the film industry spent $93 million on productions in Georgia. In 2016, it spent over $2 billion. In the past decade, the tax perk has attracted the Hunger Games franchise, the Fast and Furious movies and superproducer Tyler Perry, who has made the state his base. Television hits like Stranger Things, critical darlings like Atlanta and reality series like The Real Housewives of Atlanta have all set up shop in the capital, often for years at a time. Georgia’s government estimates that in 2016 alone, the film industry gave the state a $7 billion economic boost through job creation and tourism.

In other words, the film industry and the state of Georgia have a nice little thing going that seems to be extremely financially beneficial to both sides. However, it doesn’t seem widely understood among those in Hollywood why things in Georgia are so favorable for their industry. This especially seems to be the case with those who make their living in front of the cameras. For those of you who need reminding or are confused or ignorant about why the film industry likes Georgia, allow me to shed a bit of light on the matter.

For over a decade, the Republican Party has dominated Georgia’s politics. The GOP in Georgia has had a “political trifecta”—control of the office of the governor, the state House, and the state Senate—since 2005. Republicans have won every state-wide race since 2010. Notice how GOP control of Georgia politics coincides with the meteoric rise of the film industry in Georgia. It was a GOP Governor, House, and Senate in Georgia that gave Hollywood the favorable financial conditions it now enjoys, and it is Georgia republicans who keep such conditions in place.

The Georgia GOP has won elections, not just by promising to govern as economic conservatives, but because of their conservative positions on the moral issues as well—especially the issues of life in the womb and marriage. Recall that like dozens of other U.S. states, the Georgia electorate—the voters, not the politicians or courts, mind you—overwhelmingly chose to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Unsurprisingly, for well over a decade now, these same voters have decided that they want politicians who share their worldview on the moral issues.

In other words, if you want the benefits of financial conservatism, then you’re going to have to be at least content with conservative legislation on abortion and the like. The same political worldview that has created an economic climate that allows for the creation of thousands of jobs and billions in revenue in the film industry is the same political worldview that protects life in the womb, believes marriage is the union of one man and one woman, believes that boys don’t belong in girls’ locker rooms, and so on. These positions have proved quite politically popular in Georgia, and that is why the GOP is in power here.

Ignorant of such facts, for weeks now dozens of Hollywood actors and actresses have threatened the state of Georgia over a recently passed—but yet to be signed into law—pro-life “fetal heartbeat” law. A few days after the Georgia Senate passed the LIFE Act, Alyssa Milano—who thinks MAGA hats are “the new white hood”—penned a brief and angry op-ed for Deadline. A day after Milano’s op-ed, the Writers Guild of America also took their “brave” stand against defending the most helpless and innocent among us. As if we all didn’t already know, Hollywood again made it clear that their “right” to do whatever they wish in the sexual realm trumps almost everything else.

Filmmakers may well decide that instead of making movies and TV shows in Georgia, they would rather take a “principled” stand in favor of killing the unborn and take their business elsewhere. If they hope to find another state that will give them a similar sweet deal on taxes as has Georgia, almost certainly such a state will also be filled with conservatives and conservative politicians who share Georgia’s views on the unborn.

Along with believing in capitalism and the free market, conservatives all over the U.S. generally also believe in the right to life, marriage as the union of one man and one woman, that science determines sex, and so on. We conservatives—especially Christian conservatives—reject the immoral “theology of self” that so permeates Hollywood. We believe that there is a higher Law that all other law and good government must be rooted in and subject to.

Thankfully—unlike Georgia’s last republican governor—in Brian Kemp it seems we now have a governor who’s actually willing to govern according to conservative principles. Though, signing into law a bill that almost certainly will—at least temporarily—be blocked by the courts is not the bravest political act Governor Kemp could—or should—perform. There are other grave moral matters that deserve his, and the Georgia legislature’s, attention.

A strong religious liberty bill (succeeding where former Governor Deal failed), protecting female athletes and students from the transgender madness that is sweeping the nation—these also need sound conservative action in Georgia. Such legislation will be much more likely to withstand legal challenges. And make no mistake about it, as is the case with abortion, Hollywood perverts will howl about any legislation that doesn’t conform to their immoral worldview.

On abortion, Governor Kemp—along with all Georgia republicans—should call the bluff of the Hollywood elite. Let’s see if they really are willing to abandon the tens-of-millions in profits that Georgia’s conservative tax laws allow them, along with the multi-million dollar infrastructure investments already in place in Georgia. In other words, if Hollywood wants to continue to do business in Georgia, they can surrender to the will of Georgians when it comes to our laws. If not, then good riddance, and good luck finding a political climate that will give you what you want on the economic and the moral issues. 

(See this column at American Thinker.)

Copyright 2019, Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor is the author of the The Miracle and Magnificence of America
tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com

Dear GOP: Stand Strong Against the Immorality and Lunacy of the Left

In today’s political climate, few things are as certain as this: Virtually every crazy policy, corrupt courtroom ruling, or depraved piece of legislation that plagues our political climate is a product of modern liberalism. Whether killing children in the womb, killing small businesses, legally redefining the oldest institution in the history of humanity, legalizing and promoting a wide variety of sexual immoralities, criminalizing (or attempting to criminalize) the life-blood of American industry, criminalizing Christianity, stealing money from one group of constituents to buy votes from another, and so on, liberals and their lackeys in the Democrat Party, the mainstream media, and academia have used their political, information, and entertainment powers in manners most perverse.

To a great extent, this is why the GOP is in unprecedented territory when it comes to political power. Except for the northeast, the west coast, and most large cities, whether local, state, or federal offices, across the U.S., the GOP brand dominates. I believe this has happened not because of any special degree of governing competence held by republicans (as their recent health care failure demonstrates), but because of the special degree of incompetence and immorality possessed by today’s democrats. As Marvin Olasky put it, “Republicans cannot be trusted to do the right thing. Democrats can be trusted almost always to do the wrong thing.”

I believe most Americans—especially those voting for republicans—would agree with me: A politician is like a plunger—a tool that you would rather not be without, but one that you almost never want to have to use. Even Christ-denier Thomas Paine understood, “Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.” Ironically, and contrary to one of their highest ideals, American democrats have simply made their politics “intolerable.” And currently, the GOP is the best tool we have to fix what the democrats have wrecked.

Granted, this is a tall task, for there is much to do, and in spite of their heavy losses, democrats seem determined to continue with their radical liberal agenda. There has been little self-assessment by democrats since November 8. On the contrary, the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States and the widespread electoral success of the GOP throughout America has led many liberals to new and greater heights of unhinged behavior and rhetoric.

Spurred on by virtually no real evidence, and because they have made a god of government (and thus, are almost completely incapable of handling political defeat), liberal pundits across the U.S. have spilled gallons of ink desperately attempting to blame Hillary Clinton’s loss to Donald Trump on some nefarious conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russians. Because they are devoted to the “theology of self,” fragile campus snowflakes across America are suppressing—violently in some cases—any form of speech (political, religious, et al) that they find “offensive.”

Nothing illustrates the lunacy and “unhingedness” of today’s liberals better than the newest front in the perverse LGBT agenda. Modern liberalism has gone so far off the deep end that we have “progressed” from debating the climate, guns, abortion, marriage, and the like, to debating what is a male and what is a female. I’ve chronicled this a couple of times recently, but it seems every week now there is a new story where those corrupted by liberalism have allowed men to take trophies from women, or violated the sanctity of bathrooms and locker rooms—even where children are concerned—all in the name of “tolerating” madness.

Liberals have even injected the politics of gender into the current NCAA men’s basketball tournament. After Duke’s loss to South Carolina in the second round of the tournament, many observers—fans and pundits alike—blamed the loss on the state of North Carolina’s “bathroom bill.” (The game was played in South Carolina instead of North Carolina because the NCAA is “discriminating” against the state of North Carolina.) Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski himself has called North Carolina’s common sense law against men using women’s restrooms “stupid.” Hey Coach K, the definition of “stupid:” To think that this man

is somehow now a “woman” and has the “right” to use a women’s restroom, etc.

However, the madness has only just begun. Just wait until there is consensus on real health care reform by Trump and the GOP-led U.S. Congress. Just wait until there is real tax reform. Just wait until construction on a border wall begins. Just wait until President Trump gets to appoint a second justice to the U.S. Supreme Court. And can you imagine the size of the “safe space” necessary if a conservative-led Supreme Court of the United States overturns the infamous Roe v. Wade and Obergefell rulings? If you think you’ve seen campus fires now, just wait.

As such things come to pass, the violence, riots, “nastiness,” and vile speech we’ve already witnessed will pale in comparison to what will come. We should expect nothing less from a movement that has abandoned virtually every measure of sound science and morality. So take heed, Washington republicans: be ready for attacks, protests, filibusters, lies, smears, irrational arguments, and dirty tricks of virtually every form imaginable. Be ready to defend yourself and conservative principles and policies. In other words, stand strong and be ready to fight. Whether it’s health care, tax law, foreign policy, the courts, the justice department, the military, and so on, we conservatives who voted for you want smaller, smarter, and moral government. This is exactly what republicans have been elected to do.

(See this column at American Thinker.)

Copyright 2017, Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor is the author of The Miracle and Magnificence of America
tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com

Across America, the GOP Dominates (Updated again)

The GOP victory on November 8, 2016 was historical in a multitude of ways. First, a little recap. At about 8:30 Eastern Standard Time Tuesday evening, when Trump took the lead in Florida, liberals started to get uneasy, if not nervous. Just before 9, when Trump’s lead in Florida was north of 100k votes, and he was shown to be performing well in Pennsylvania and Michigan, liberal commentator Peter Beinart tweeted out a “reality check:”

A little after 9, Trump had the lead in Virginia, and The New York Times election data guru Nate Cohn warned:

At about 9:30 Tuesday evening, election forecasts began to favor Trump. Closer to 10, women—and presumably men who pretend to be women (surely they were welcome to join in!)—in the ladies room of the Javits Center, headquarters of Hillary’e election night party, began to check on one another:

By 10:30, Trump was leading in Michigan and Wisconsin: 

By 11, Florida and Ohio had been called for Trump and for liberals, full-on panic began to creep in. Around 11:15, North Carolina was called for Trump. Near 11:30, when Ron Johnson was declared to have retained his U.S. Senate seat in Wisconsin, and Georgia was called for Trump, the election projections were overwhelmingly pointing to Trump. As of 1 a.m., according to 270towin, the electoral map looked like this:

For several hours, the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania were closely watched. When Pennsylvania was called, it was over. Upon his inauguration, Donald Trump will become the 45th President of the United States. In addition to Trump’s historic victory, republicans also had strong showings in the U.S. House and Senate races. For months Democrats were given a better than even chance of taking control of the U.S. Senate. Republicans had to defend 24 seats while the Democrats only had to defend 10. With a four seat advantage, and only two narrow losses, the GOP retains a 52 to 48 Senate seat advantage.

And their prospects for keeping control of the U.S. Senate are excellent. In 2018, Senate democrats must defend 25 seats (plus uber-liberal Bernie Sander’s seat), while republicans must defend only eight. Of the 25 seats democrats must defend, 10 are from states Hillary lost, and four of those are from states Obama lost twice (Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, and West Virginia). In addition, the House is solidly republican.

However, while the overwhelming media coverage focused on the history made by president-elect Trump and the GOP hold on the U.S. Congress, other significant history was being made by the Grand Old Party. After Tuesday evening’s results, a stunning political outcome was revealed: At the national and state level, the GOP will soon control more of the U.S. government than at any other time in American history.

Going into the election, as the Washington Post noted, republicans occupied seats in 31 of 50 governor’s mansions. According to the Post, the GOP only needed to take one gubernatorial seat to set a modern-day record. They took three (with one—North Carolina—still in doubt). Republicans also won the last remaining legislative chamber in the south controlled by democrats: the Kentucky House. In addition, the GOP won control of the Iowa Senate, and per a likely favorable recount, the Minnesota Senate.

The wins in Kentucky and Iowa mean a political “trifecta” in those states: control of the governor’s mansion and both legislative houses. Upon swearing in next year, republicans will control every branch of government in 25 U.S. states. Entering Tuesday’s elections, democrats held the governorship, and both state houses in only seven states. That was their fewest number with such control since the Civil War, when there were 15 fewer states. After Tuesday’s results, democrats now hold total political control of only five states: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Oregon and Rhode Island.

In short, as noted yesterday in The Washington Post, under the watch of Barack Obama and his like-minded liberal cohorts, the Democrat Party has been "decimated."

With Donald Trump getting to nominate at least one Supreme Court Justice (Scalia’s replacement), and likely a few more (Ginsburg and Kennedy are over 80), the GOP has an opportunity to entrench conservatism as never before in U.S. history. My advice: don’t blow it!

Update (courtesy of Townhall): More details on "The Total Destruction of the Democratic Party:"

Republicans today hold 31 out of 45 lieutenant governor offices – with three open-seat victories and two re-elections on Tuesday.

Voters reelected Dan Forest as lieutenant governor in North Carolina -- the first time a Republican has ever been re-elected to this office in state history. 

Spencer Cox was elected as Utah’s lieutenant governor, to continue leading in this role in the state, alongside Governor Gary Herbert. 

State Auditor Suzanne Crouch was elected as Indiana’s next lieutenant governor, alongside Governor-elect Eric Holcomb, currently the state’s lieutenant governor. 

Mike Parson, an Army veteran and current state legislator will succeed Republican Lt. Governor Peter Kinder as Missouri’s next lieutenant governor. 

Alongside Governor-elect Doug Burman, Brent Sanford was elected as North Dakota’s next lieutenant governor. 

[…] 

Republicans will hold as many as 31 out of 50 secretary of state offices after four pickups, with one reelection still pending a final call. 

Oregon voters elected Dennis Richardson as secretary of state last night, marking the first time in 14 years a Republican will hold a statewide office in Oregon and the first time in 20 years that a Republican will hold this secretary’s office. 

Voters flipped the secretary seat in West Virginia, electing Republican Mac Warner and ousting Democrat Secretary Natalie Tennant from the position. 

Jay Ashcroft was elected Missouri’s next secretary of state, winning the seat back from Democrat control. 

The secretary’s seat in Montana flipped from blue to red with the election of Corey Stapleton. 

Although the race has not yet been officially called, Kim Wyman is in the lead to be reelected as Washington state’s secretary of state for four more years. 

[…] 

State Legislative Chambers: 

Just seven weeks ago, Democrats staked a claim projecting a net pick up of a dozen chambers. So far today, Republicans have flipped three new chamber majorities and brought the deep-blue Connecticut Senate to a split chamber, depriving Democrats of that outright majority. We currently remain at 69 of 99 legislative chamber majorities – an all time record for the party. Results in many chambers are still being finalized. 

Flips: 

Kentucky House: Republicans won the majority for the first time in nearly 100 years, to now give Republicans complete legislative control in all Southern chambers. 

Republicans also defeated longtime Democrat Speaker of the House Greg Stumbo, who had been in office since 1980. Now the GOP holds the trifecta in Kentucky: the governor, state House and state Senate. 

Iowa Senate: Republicans also completed a trifecta in Iowa, flipping the state Senate for the first time for outright control in 12 years. They also defeated Democrat Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, chair of the DLCC who had been in office since 1983, with a superior candidate in Dan Dawson. 

Minnesota Senate: Republicans gained six seats in the chamber and will take control of the chamber. They will now serve as a legislative partner to the state House, also under GOP control, to provide balance to the governor’s liberal agenda. 

Retained: 

Alaska House
Alaska Senate
Arizona House
Arizona Senate
Arkansas House
Arkansas Senate
Colorado Senate
Florida House
Florida Senate
Georgia House
Georgia Senate
Idaho House
Idaho Senate
Indiana House
Indiana Senate
Iowa House
Kansas House
Kansas Senate
Kentucky Senate 

Maine Senate: Republicans defended the majority in a chamber heavily targeted by national Democrats, where the GOP was outspent 2-1. 

Michigan House: This chamber was heavily targeted by Democrats as a top-10 offensive pickup opportunity. 

Minnesota House: This chamber was heavily targeted by Democrats to flip, including endorsements in local races by President Obama. 

Missouri House
Missouri Senate
Montana House
Montana Senate
New Hampshire House
New Hampshire Senate
New York Senate 

North Carolina House: Republicans maintained a chamber supermajority. 

North Carolina Senate: Republicans maintained a chamber supermajority. 

North Dakota House
North Dakota Senate 

Ohio House: Republicans gained enough seats in the supermajority to reach an all-time party high. 

Ohio Senate
Oklahoma House
Oklahoma Senate
Pennsylvania House
Pennsylvania Senate
South Carolina House
South Carolina Senate
South Dakota House
South Dakota Senate
Tennessee House
Tennessee Senate
Texas House
Texas Senate
Utah House
Utah Senate
Washington Senate
West Virginia House 

West Virginia Senate: Democrats heavily targeted this chamber which Republicans won for the first time since 1931 in 2014, but could not deliver the voters. 

Wisconsin Assembly: Republican gains will give the party its largest chamber majority since at least 1956. 

Wisconsin Senate: Republican gains will give the party its largest chamber majority since at least 1970. 

Wyoming House
Wyoming Senate 

The GOP controls of 66/99 of the state legislatures (Nebraska’s is unicameral). This is an all-time high. Check out the square miles of U.S. congressional districts under GOP control:

Update 2: It can now be safely said (as Rich Lowry points out in the New York Post), Obama's chief legacy is the total collapse of the modern Democrat Party.


Copyright 2016, Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor is the author of the brand new book The Miracle and Magnificence of America
tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com

Obergefell: The Dred Scott of Our Time

In 1854, around one single issue—opposition to slavery—the Republican Party was formed. As historian David Barton notes,

“The Republican agenda was clear, for every platform since its inception had boldly denounced slavery. In fact, when the U. S. Supreme Court delivered the 1857 Dred Scott ruling protecting slavery and declaring that Congress could not prohibit it even in federal territories, the Republican platform strongly condemned that ruling and reaffirmed the right of Congress to ban slavery in the territories. But setting forth an opposite view, the Democrat platform praised the Dred Scott ruling, and the continuation of slavery, and also loudly denounced all anti-slavery and abolition efforts.”

As I noted after Obergefell v. Hodges—or the modern day Dred Scott—where the perversion that is same-sex “marriage” was legalized across the U.S., there is plenty for Christians and other like-minded conservatives to do. Of course, this means action by elected conservatives. Today’s republicans can learn a great lesson from their political ancestors.

Over a century-and-a-half ago, the immorality of slavery was clear to those who supported (and wrote) the Republican platform. Likewise, today's republicans should have the same moral clarity when it comes to the perverse sexual agenda of today's left. Whether abortion, same-sex "marriage," gender distortions, and so on, the Democrat Party has sold itself out to the "Do as thou wilt" philosophy of modern liberalism. This wicked godlessness must be opposed at every turn.

From now until the Obergefell ruling is reversed (and perhaps marriage is properly defined in the U.S. Constitution) the Republican platform should, in the strongest terms--as it did in the Dred Scott case--condemn the ruling, and contain the proper definition of marriage. Whether by Constitutional amendment or judicial reversal, every effort to return our legal code back to supporting the laws of the Law Giver must be made.

Copyright 2015, Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor and his wife Michelle are the authors of: Debt Free Living in a Debt Filled World
tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com