(Feb 4th, 1906 – April 9th, 1945)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (HERE) was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and anti-Nazi dissident. His writings on Christianity’s role in the secular world have become widely influential; his 1937 book The Cost of Discipleship (HERE) is described as a modern classic.

Apart from his theological writings, Bonhoeffer was known for his staunch resistance to the Nazi dictatorship, including vocal opposition to Adolf Hitler’s euthanasia program and genocidal persecution of the Jews. He was arrested in April 1943 by the Gestapo and imprisoned at Tegel Prison for one-and-a-half years. Later, he was transferred to Flossenbürg concentration camp.

Bonhoeffer was accused, tired, and convicted (with no evidence) of being associated with the July 20th, 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler … and hanged on April 9th, 1945 during the collapse of the Nazi regime.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is certainly someone in history to know (HERE). We need more like him today.

Bonhoeffer Wikipedia Article: HERE

Bonhoeffer’s Words To Live By

None of this political stuff is complicated. Politicians and others make it complicated in an effort to avoid the HARD decisions … and to do what they want vs. what they know in their heart is right.

Talk long enough … analyze a situation long enough … and otherwise rational and Godly individuals can “justify” anything. Group think and the echo chamber so many politicians seem to enjoy as they play their political games and try to climb the ladder is what got America in this problem … while following simple principles of right vs. wrong are the only thing that can get us out of this mess.

“Silence in the face of Evil is itself Evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to Speak is to Speak. Not to Act is to Act.”

We were introduced to Bonhoeffer’s above simple principle when we first got involved in politics and school choice advocacy … and it has been a guiding principle in all we do and how we MEASURE others.

How many people in the face of obvious evil speak up? How many politicians are silent when they see obvious wrongs? Children suffer while folks that can fix it fail to act. What type of person would do that?

Do we promote these people, or do we expose them for who they truly are?

Bonhoeffer died for his beliefs. It was the ultimate price, and he paid it because he remained TRUE while others failed to speak up and act out due to their own SELF-INTEREST and FEAR.

History … and God … will not hold us guiltless. ACT!!! SPEAK!!!

This past week the Illinois Democrat Supermajority failed to renew 5-year, $75 million per-year, school choice tax credit program serving 9,600 low-income children each year.

This was only the second state to “go backwards” … SC being the first in 2016 when the government took over the $8 million Exceptional Needs program making it the first 100% government run school choice tax credit program in the Nation – and now the worst rated private school choice program in the Nation as well. But Illinois is a SUPERMAJORITY Democrat legislature … both their House & Senate … so it is no real big surprise.  The only real surprise was Illinois passed it in the first place back in 2017.

Center Square Article:  HERE

Even the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board stepped into the conversation calling out Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzker (of the Hyatt family – see HERE) and the national and state teachers unions for killing the program.

9,600 low-income children in the program … 20,000 low-income kids on the waiting list … and the DEMOCRATS and a billionaire Governor kill it?!?!?

Sickening!!! #FollowTheMoney!!!

Wall Street Journal Editorial: HERE

Will SC Do Better?

Our SC Legislature will however have the opportunity to do better … better than an Illinois Democrat Supermajority … and put South Carolina at the top of the list in School Choice when they go back into session on Tuesday, January 9th, 2024.

What will SC House Leadership do? What will your SC House Rep. do?

It is going to be a very educational legislative session … and the first indicator will be the PACE / ACE Scholarship Bill (S 285).

Stay tuned … and call your personal SC House Rep to ask them what they think. It is a great opportunity to speak with your SC House Rep.

Find your legislators HERE.

Article: HERE

PDF Copy:  HERE

Election Results from SC Votes: HERE

First of all … congratulations to all your candidates that won their elections yesterday (or moved forward to a run-off) … and for those of your candidates that did not make it … just remember that it is easier to surrender than to fight the battle. #NeverSurrender!

Consider too that most of the elected officials you know today … the ones that seem so “in control” and just “could not lose” … check their electoral history. Most lost their first election, and maybe even their second. Don’t throw away the knowledge and experience you have gained even in a lose … RUN AGAIN!!!

Imagine the world today if Winston Churchill & Great Britain had decided to surrender to Nazi Germany …

Sept. 1, 1939 – Germany Invades Poland
Sept. 3, 1939 – England declares war on Germany
May 10, 1940 – Chamberlin resigns & Churchill becomes Prime Minister
June 4, 1940 – Churchill’s NEVER SURRENDER Speech
Dec. 11, 1941 – US Declares War on Germany

Finding Election Results

Now … where in the heck do we find election results?!?!?! One would think that it would be easy to find results, but it really isn’t.

(1) INTERNET SEARCH / SOCIAL MEDIA: Don’t trust it, verify everything … but the fastest and easiest route is a quick internet search, or “X” (fka Twitter), or your local news agencies. We hate to even suggest it, but as you will see below there is no consolidated and easy “official” route to find elections results here in South Carolina.

Millions & millions, actually tens of millions in tax dollars spent on elections … and no centralized and official one-stop-shop resource in South Carolina to find all election results. If they can’t do the simple things right, it really makes you wonder if the hard stuff is being done right.

[NOTE: It should also be noted that RESULTS ARE NOT OFFICIAL generally until they are certified by their respective Board of Elections, usually on Thursday or Friday after election day. These certification meetings are official and open to the public … you should go and watch.]

(2) SCVotes.gov: Our best statewide official resource is the SC State Election Commission (SEC) located at www.SCVotes.gov. There is tons of information there and if you are involved in politics in any form or fashion you should know this website backwards and forwards.

The ELECTION RESULTS are specifically located HERE. But be prepared, it is not as intuitive as it should be, so expect to have to “hen peck” around to find the specific races you are looking for … and even then, some municipalities & towns don’t report through the state website. Geez … wouldn’t it be interesting to know the “drama” behind that why.

(3) Local County Board of Elections: If the information is not on SCVotes.gov … like Greenville, Horry, Chesterfield, and the towns of Iva, Jamestown & Coward … check with your local County Board of Elections. You can find contact information for all 46 County Boards HERE.

As with the SC State Election Commission website which we should all know backwards and forwards … we should all know our local COUNTY Board of Elections website backwards and forwards as well. Knowledge is Power!!!

Have other suggestions? Let us know at team@mySCGOP.com