Vice President Mike Pence, who proudly presents himself as a Christian, a conservative and a Republican in that order, predicted America is 33 days from a “great victory” for faith and family all across Iowa and all across America.
The 40-minute speech highlighted faith in American history, and faith in America today. Pence spoke at an event in Des Moines hosted by The FAMiLY Leader.
“Even a casual study of the history of this nation shows that people of faith have made the difference throughout our country’s history from the very founding of the nation,” Pence said. “It has been people of faith, I believe with all of my heart, who have led us toward a more perfect union.”
Pence said President Donald J. Trump has fought to keep the promises he has made to people of faith, people dedicated to the family and people who believe in freedom.
“I don’t know if you all had a chance to see that debate the night before last,” Pence said. “I’ll tell you what, if you ever doubted that we have a fighter in the White House, you don’t doubt it any more. President Donald Trump took our case to the American people and he took the fight to Joe Biden.”
Pence said he’ll head to Salt Lake City next week to debate Kamala Harris.
“And I promise you, president Trump and I are going to keep on fighting for faith and family and freedom,” Pence said. “We’re going to fight for 33 days for four more years in the White House.”
Pence rolled through the Trump Administration’s accomplishments.
“Four years ago we inherited a military that had been hollowed out by devastating budget cuts,” Pence said. “And an economy struggling to break out of the slowest economic recovery since the Great Depression. Terrorism was on the rise around the world. And, worst of all, we witnessed eight years of a steady assault on our most cherished values and liberties.
“And I’m here to tell you, three and a half years from when the people of Iowa said yes to President Donald Trump, I couldn’t be more proud to report, not just as your Vice President, but as the father of a Marine and as a proud father-in-law of a United States Navy pilot, we rebuilt our military.”
Trump has taken the fight to radical Islamic terrorists, Pence said. Biden, meanwhile, sent pallets of cash to the mullahs.
“President Donald Trump has put the security of America first,” Pence said. “And in our first three years, our President also took decisive action to revive the American economy. Where Joe Biden has plans to raise taxes across the board, President Donald Trump has cut taxes for small businesses. We rolled back in those first three years more federal red tape already than any President in American history. We unleashed American energy, we fought for free and fair trade and in just three short years, businesses large and small created more than 7 million good-paying jobs, including nearly 12,000 jobs right here in Iowa.”
Every step of the way, Pence said, the administration has stood for the rule of law and for the principles Republicans cherish.
“We’ve seen confirmed more than 230 conservative judges to our federal courts at every level,” he said. “And I can tell you, they are all men and women who will uphold our God-given liberties enshrined in our Constitution, like the freedom of speech, the freedom of religion and the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.”
Pence said Amy Coney Barrett is a “remarkable, principled, conservative woman of amazing intellect.” Barrett will be confirmed to the Supreme Court, Pence predicted.
“We have reason to be concerned,” Pence said. “You all remember her last confirmation hearing, just a few short years ago, when she was nominated to the Court of Appeals. During Judge Barrett’s confirmation hearing, the Democrat chairman of the Judiciary Committee criticized her Catholic faith, saying that ‘the dogma lives loudly within you.’
“And Hollywood elites have already begun to criticize her and her family for their commitment to their faith. Well, I got news for the Democrats and the Hollywood elites, that dogma lives loudly in me. That dogma lives loudly in hundreds of millions of Americans. And every American who cherishes faith has the right to live and work and worship according to the dictates of our faith and conscience enshrined in the Constitution of the United States.”
Pence said he and President Trump have stood without apology for the men and women who serve in law enforcement.
“President Trump and I, like all of you, will always support and defend the constitutional right of every American to engage in peaceful protest,” Pence said. “But rioting and looting is not peaceful protests. Burning businesses is not free speech. Violence against innocent civilians, or property or law enforcement will not be tolerated.”
A Biden presidency would double down on the policies that have led to violence in American cities, Pence said.
“When you withdraw support for those who serve and protect, I believe that you embolden those who threaten our families and our peace in the streets,” Pence said.
Biden has said America is systemically racist and that law enforcement has an implicit bias against minorities. He’s expressed support for cutting funding to law enforcement. Kamala Harris said it’s time to “re-imagine” policing.
“Well let me make you a promise, under President Donald Trump, we’re not going to reimagine anything,” Pence said. “We’re going to back the blue.”
Pence highlighted the administration’s success when it comes to creating the lowest unemployment ever recorded among African Americans, highest investment in historically black colleges and universities, 8,000 opportunity zones and parental rights in determining where their child goes to school regardless of income or area codes.
Other accomplishments included moving the American embassy to Jerusalem. Pence talked about the formal recognition of the Jewish state of Israel by two Arab nations a few weeks ago.
Life was another cause for celebration.
“On our fourth day in office, the President reinstated what’s known as the Mexico City Policy, ending taxpayer funding of foreign programs that provide or promote abortion around the world,” Pence said. “And it was this President, this President, who earlier this year became the first President since Roe v. Wade to go to the National Mall and address the March for Life in person. We stand with those who stand for life.
“Joe Biden and the radical left supports taxpayer funding of abortion all the way up to the moment of birth. Calling for historic increases in funding to Planned Parenthood of America.”
Biden has flip-flopped on the Hyde Amendment, which prohibited taxpayer dollars from going toward abortion.
Pence, who has cast the tie-breaking vote in the U.S. Senate frequently as Vice President, said the tie-breaking vote he is most proud of was the vote to allow states to defund Planned Parenthood.
Trump also stopped enforcement of the Johnson Amendment, which restored the right to freedom of speech for faith leaders. Pence said the conscience rights of Americans have been strengthened as well.
“It’s remarkable to think that a group of nuns that had taken a lifetime vow of poverty to support and help the underserved community were hauled into court when Joe Biden was Vice President for the sole purpose of requiring them to compromise their faith to live under the structures of ObamaCare,” Pence said.
Biden has already announced he’ll reimpose the mandates on the Little Sisters of the Poor if he wins, Pence said.
“These attacks on the freedom of religion must stop in America and with four more years we will stand for the religious freedom of every American of every faith,” he added.
Before a single community transmission of COVID, Trump suspended travel from China. Pence said that action saved untold American lives while being criticized by Biden as xenophobic, hysterical and racist.
The first Coronavirus vaccine, Pence said, is just weeks away.
After discussing COVID, Pence predicted Biden would be “nothing more than a Trojan Horse for the radical Left.”
“Joe Biden has said that democracy is on the ballot,” Pence said. “Certainly, our economic recovery is on the ballot. Law and order are on the ballot. But I also believe that there are things much more foundational and fundamental that are on the ballot as well.
“I think between now and Nov. 3, it’s not going to be so much whether we end up more Republican or more Democrat, more liberal or conservative, more red or blue. I think the choice we face in this nation this year is whether America remains America. It’s whether we are going to chart a course for our children and grandchildren and a future that’s based on the timeless ideals enshrined in our Constitution. Or whether we’re going to take that hard-left turn. That well-worn path to government control in a managed economy – the path to socialism.”
Pence finished with an encouraging message.
“I’m convinced of two things – that America is a freedom-loving nation and America is a nation of faith,” he said. “Everywhere I go, people speak to me about their faith. With a word of encouragement, the sweetest words I ever hear is when people will say – as they did over in Carter Lake earlier today – reach out maybe across a rope line and just say ‘I’m praying for you.’ I want you all to know, we feel those prayers every day.
“We think the American people know that the foundation of America is freedom. But the foundation of freedom is faith.”
Pence called for prayer. He talked about all the challenges facing the nation – health, economic hardship, violence, division.
“Let’s claim that ancient promise – that if His people, who are called by His name, will humble themselves and pray and turn, He’ll do like He’s always done in the long and storied history of this country. He’ll hear from heaven, and He’ll heal this land,” Pence said.
