Happy Thanksgiving October 3, 1863

I wasn’t going to post anything to our blog today, but since I posted a portion of President Abraham Lincoln’s October 3, 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation to our Facebook page I figured why not post the proclamation in it’s entirety. Here it is (with the portion I shared in bold):

Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

VIDEO: Progressive Group Floats Two Names To Challenge Van Drew

Jeff Van Drew

Congressman Jeff Van Drew has some trouble. Rumors he may flip, a potential serious challenger in the primary and most recently Indivisible Cape May, a progressive group, floated two more potential challengers to Van Drew in a Democratic Party primary.

First reported by InsiderNJ the group is not happy with Van Drew over his impeachment vote.

Here at The Bob & Steve Show we received a message about the issue of potential challengers yesterday. Usually, when a message begins, “Hello. I am not politically aligned with what you and your cohost blog or talk about but I do appreciate the political discourse on the radio every Saturday,” I assume it’s going to be hate mail. Shockingly, it wasn’t hate mail, it was video of the Indivisible Cape May meeting at which the names of two potential Van Drew primary challengers were floated.

Unfortunately, Bob and I were busy with our day jobs and couldn’t get it posted.

Yesterday’s InsiderNJ report got it right, those being vetted by Indivisible Cape May are Cumberland County Freeholder Jack Surrency and West Cape May Commissioner John Francis with the apparent leader of the group leaning toward Francis.

CD2 is going to be fun next year on both sides of the aisle. Enjoy the video:

PRESS RELEASE: Steinhardt to Murphy and Sweeney: Walk Your Block

NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt challenged “every politician in Trenton” to “take a walk down your block and find out how many of your neighbors plan to be here in 10 years.” His press release follows:

Trenton, NJ - According to a recent survey released this week by the Garden State Initiative and Fairleigh Dickinson University’s School of Public & Global Affairs, 44% of New Jersey residents are planning to leave the state. Most responders cited property taxes and the overall cost of living as the primary reasons for leaving. 

"The NJGOP is issuing a new challenge to every politician in Trenton, including Governor Murphy; take a walk down your block and find out how many of your neighbors plan to be here in 10 years," said NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt. "Phil Murphy's radical, liberal agenda is breaking up New Jersey families and forcing them into FaceTime relationships with their children and grandchildren. New Jersey’s 9 million residents deserve predictability, government reliability, and stability driven by honest answers to the state's real problems."

Over the weekend, Democrat Senate President Steve Sweeney proposed lifting the 2 percent local property tax levy in certain communities. 

Steinhardt reacted to that by saying, “Enough already. Take property tax hikes off the table. We can’t afford them, and those that can are leaving. We have a system in place now that allows communities to vote locally and decide if they really need tax hikes. Trenton needs to stop taking away from municipalities their ability to self-govern. Trenton Democrats have proven they can't be trusted with your tax dollars. Leave that power into the hands of the people most affected and invested in their local communities. In fact, Trenton should be working towards instituting a 2 percent cap on state spending to match the successful local law, instead of creating exceptions and loopholes to avoid it. New Jersey has a spending problem, not a revenue problem, and legislation like this pours salt in the wound of every New Jersey taxpayer. Enough already.”