Many are cynical regarding politics and politicians at any level, but we have some unalloyed good news proving Christian politicians can make a positive difference in people’s lives and the culture.
What’s the proof, you ask?
Today there are 9,799 people who are alive in Texas because of a law passed by the legislature.
The Washington Times sums it up, "Texas’ birthrate increased by 2% after state lawmakers banned most abortions in 2021 … they pointed to a July 2023 analysis by Johns Hopkins researchers that associated Texas’ law with 9,799 additional births between April and December 2022."
Proving the Texas Heartbeat Act was aptly named.
This law is the first step toward creating a culture of life in The Lone Star State.
A second step would be reforming adoption procedures so that birth mothers can give up their child — if they wish — and the child will be placed with a loving, stable family that will treasure the child as it grows up.
It’s always been a lie that Republicans only care about children until they’re born, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement in adoption and foster care.
Tax dollars spent there is money well spent.
Additionally, the law also proves the "you can’t legislate morality" crowd as being totally wrong. The law may not make people believe in morality, but it can make them behave morally.
"Texas Heartbeat Act, which restricted most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy in September 2021. As births started climbing in April 2022, the study found Texas’ fertility rate rose from 60.68 to 61.92 births per 1,000 girls and women aged 15-44 between 2021 and 2022 — the first annual increase since 2014. Teen fertility also surged for the first time in 15 years, even as the national rate fell."
And this, "Several leading abortion scholars interviewed by The Washington Times said the study confirms that Texas’ law has led to more women carrying their pregnancies to term."
That is a real praise God moment.
"'As these numbers show, state restrictions on abortion do save some unborn lives in the particular state where they’re enacted, although an increase in childbirths of only 2% in Texas is still fairly low,' said Daniel K. Williams, a historian and researcher at the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University, a private Christian school."
Two percent isn’t low to the babies that are here and alive today.
It proved to be 100% for them.
The law also sent a strong message to abortion providers.
Josh Blackman, a constitutional law professor at South Texas College of Law in Houston, explains, "The law had a chilling effect on abortion providers and the numbers show it has been successful. Now it’s costing women to leave the state, which discourages abortions further."
The inspiration behind the Heartbeat Act was making abortion providers and their wicked trade liable for deaths of the unborn.
"Most abortion clinics in Texas closed after the start of the 2021 law, which allows private citizens to sue providers who perform surgical abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detectable."
The closing of abortion clinics is a population exodus that won’t be missed.
"According to the conservative Christian advocacy group Texas Values, the number of reported abortions in Texas dropped from 52,495 in 2021 and 21,930 in 2022 to 49 last year."
And today in Texas "Clinical abortions now rarely occur in Texas outside of hospital emergencies."
That is a victory for the culture of life. A victory for the unborn. And a victory for morality.
Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Michael is an in-demand speaker with Premiere speaker's bureau. Read Michael Reagan's Reports — More Here.
Michael R. Shannon is a commentator, researcher for the League of American Voters, and an award-winning political and advertising consultant with nationwide and international experience. He is author of "Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now With Added Humor!)" Read Michael Shannon's Reports — More Here.