“In May of 1860, the votes of 233 delegates were required to win the Republican nomination. Abraham Lincoln arrived at that convention starting only with the support of the 22 delegates from Illinois. He went on to win the nomination.”
This is why a brokered convention is so important! Abraham Lincoln won with less than 10% of the delegates to start off.
David Davis (Lincoln's campaign manager) and Abraham Lincoln shared the same view when it came to the slavery issue. They both agreed that slavery was wrong. Abraham Lincoln chose his Supreme Court justices based on their points of view. That is why, when Abraham Lincoln became president, he appointed Davis to the Supreme Court.
Lincoln won the election with less than 40% of the vote. Six out of ten of the American people had not voted for him and did not like him. Almost all of Lincoln’s votes came from the northern states. Almost nobody in the southern states voted for Lincoln. In the southern states, most of the people voted for Breckenridge. Most of the voters in the South hated Lincoln.
One of the most interesting American political stories involves the nomination of Abraham Lincoln to be the Republican party’s candidate for President of the United States in 1860. This was the Republican party’s second presidential convention, and the man everyone expected to receive the nomination was the powerful and well-known William H. Seward of New York. (Sound familiar?)
Abraham Lincoln, although having recently been introduced to eastern audiences through a series of political speeches in New England, and prior to that having gained some fame due to his participation in “the Great Debates” with Stephen A. Douglas, was not considered a serious contender for the appointment. How he and his political team brought him from “dark horse” contender to the victor is the subject of the following article.
http://www.authorama.com/life-of-abraham-lincoln-20.html
The man who was, far and away, the most prominent candidate for the nomination, was William H. Seward, of New York. He had the benefit of thirty years of experience in political life. He was a man of wide learning, fine culture, unequaled as a diplomatist; he was a patriot, a statesman, and loyal to the principles of the republican party. He had a plurality of the delegates by a wide margin, though not a majority. It seemed a foregone conclusion that he would be nominated. (sound familiar?) Horace Greeley, who was determinedly opposed to him, gave up the contest and telegraphed to his paper that Seward would be nominated. The opposition, he said, could not unite on any one man.
Though Lincoln had much to cheer him, he had also his share of annoyances. One of his discouragements was so serious, and at this day it appears so amazing, that it is given nearly in full. A careful canvas had been made of the voters of Springfield, and the intention of each voter had been recorded. Lincoln had the book containing this record. He asked his friend Mr. Bateman, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, to look through the book with him. They noted particularly those who might be considered leaders of public morals: clergymen, officers, or prominent members of the churches.
When the memorandum was tabulated, after some minutes of silence, he turned a sad face to Mr. Bateman, and said: “Here are twenty-three ministers, of different denominations, and all of them are against me but three; and here are a great many prominent members of the churches, a very large majority of whom are against me. Mr. Bateman, I am not a Christian–God knows I would be one–but I have carefully read the Bible, and I do not so understand this book.” He drew from his pocket a New Testament. “These men well know that I am for freedom in the territories, freedom everywhere as far as the Constitution and laws will permit, and that my opponents are for slavery. They know this, and yet, with this book in their hands, in the light of which human bondage cannot live a moment, they are going to vote against me. I do not understand it at all.”
After a long pause, he added with tears: “I know there is a God, and that He hates injustice and slavery. I see the storm coming, and I know that His hand is in it. If He has a place and work for me–and I think He has–I believe I am ready. I am nothing, but truth is everything. I know I am right because I know that liberty is right, for Christ teaches it, and Christ is God. I have told them that a house divided against itself cannot stand, and Christ and reason say the same; and they will find it so. Douglas doesn’t care whether slavery is voted up or voted down, but God cares, and humanity cares, and I care; and with God’s help I shall not fail. I may not see the end; but it will come and I shall be vindicated; and these men will find that they have not read their Bibles aright.”
After another pause: “Doesn’t it appear strange that men can ignore the moral aspects of this contest? A revelation could not make it plainer to me that slavery or the government must be destroyed. The future would be something awful, as I look at it, but for this rock [the Testament which he was holding] on which I stand,–especially with the knowledge of how these ministers are going to vote. It seems as if God had borne with this thing [slavery] until the very teachers of religion had come to defend it from the Bible, and to claim for it a divine character and sanction; and now the cup of iniquity is full, and the vials of wrath will be poured out.”
Lincoln carried all the free states, excepting that in New Jersey the electoral vote was divided, he receiving four out of seven. In the fifteen slave states he received no electoral vote. In ten states not one person had voted for him.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
And the two shall become one!
On the 23rd day of February in the year of our Lord two thousand eight,
Reagan Leigh Caldwell
&
Todd Allen Loughry
Will become ONE!
2/23/08
Genesis 2:21-24
21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
23 And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”
Genesis 2:21-24
21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
23 And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Monday, October 15, 2007
New Beginnings: Chapter 2
The Tale of Todd and The Two Reagan's (Part One)
While in Boulder, Reagan C. (whom I will dub "RC" for this blog post so you do not get confused.) and I stayed at the home of Reagan R's mom. Reagan R. is a man, ok got it. We will dub him "RR." He is also from RC's community of friends in Austin, Texas.
The first day we slept (after driving all night) relaxed and ate Ethiopian food (good stuff!). Day two RC and I hiked Glacier Rim trail. We hiked up above the tree line, elevation of 13,000 ft. above sea level, YA!!!
We had a great hike of talking, lots of praying, singing, shouting (not at each other) Praising, knocking down New Age altars that were on the trail, we ate (a rueben from Whole Foods) and some sweet encounters with the Holy Spirit. The views, and the fellowship with each other and the Holy Spirit were the best part of the day. And the fact that I held my own physically with a licensed fitness trainer (RC).
The next morning we didn't have a real plan but had some ideas. And that night we were planning on watching the meteor shower in the mountains, specifically RC and I had planned that. Also RC was meeting some old friends in Fort Collins and RR and I were planning to join her. Somehow we (RR and I) came to the conclusion the RC needed/wanted a day by herself in the mountains and that we would go hang out in the mountains and do some male bonding. Later we found out the conclusion we came to was wrong, by a long ways!
So RR and I borrowed his mom's brand new (or close to it) Mercedes Convertible and headed for Vail and beyond. We didn't have a plan and just drove. Supposedly we would make it back to meet with RC in Ft. Collins. But as the distance began to grow it wasn't looking good to get back and meet her. We sat on a dock at Dillion Reservoir and gazed at sailboats and mountains. We ate at Vail and drove through the mountains in this sweet convertible. My first call to Reagan to let her know we wouldn't make it was not good!
So you know, guys go into that damage control mode and try to salvage some of the situation. We decided to head back (there was NO CHANCE or slim to none that we would make it in time to even catch them on their third or fourth beverage refill) and feel like we were gonna help things out some.
On the way out of Dillion some wild things began to happen. First, major traffic jam, now we are done for, RC will not be happy. Then it began to rain, top had to come back on. We were on the west side of this tunnel and on the west side of some peaks. And then up on the right a sweet double rainbow formed. The main rainbow, was honestly the most brilliant and beautiful one I have ever witnessed. And they both came down and literally landed in the trees not far from us. I used my binoculars to spot the chest of gold, but there was a leprochaun or was that an elk protecting it. Ya right!
So God begins speaking about covenant (hmm) and about Noah. And here is a good nugget from His word. Every time there is a rainbow God himself looks at and remembers his covenant with man. "...and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all the flesh that is on the earth." -Gen. 9:16
Isn't amazing that God looks at each rainbow to remember? Why does he look at each one to remember? It is not like God will ever have a memory problem. It's one of those amazing God things that we do not have revelation or great answers as to why He does it that way. And that's ok, lets search it out and look for nuggets. But really who is like this God? He is totally other than.
Back from the bunny trail (God is always a good bunny trail). Next there is some movement and we get through the tunnel and then stopped again on the other side. There we parked again but now we were right next to the reason for the traffic jam. A major accident. There were law enforcement people everywhere, emt's, and a flight for life helicopter, etc. It was mainly between a semi and a car. And there was hardly anything left of the car, really. You could feel death in the air. Soberness came flying into our car. Yet we looked up to the right and there was the other end of that beautiful rainbow. The glory of God and the death and pain of earth all right before our eyes. We began to get revelation on how it was in the days of Noah and how it will be during "The Day of the Lord." There will be God's promises and goodness and glory right before our eyes and then blood, death, and pain everywhere around us, all at the same time.
"For the Day of the Lord is GREAT and TERRIBLE; Who can endure it?" (joel 2)
It truly was a picture of what it will be like. Imagine seeing people from your town or neighborhood on one day at Wal-Mart or school, or church or work, etc and then on the next day find out hundreds were killed from
a tornado, flood, shooting,
etc.
We got back and Reagan C. was still in Ft. Collins and didn't care to see us any time soon so we (Reagan R. and I) went up to nearby (10min) mountain and watched the meteor shower. This turned into some intense intercession and a river of violent tongues which were definitely about the Boulder area. God was breaking our hearts for the city of Boulder and the University of Colorado.
The next day we all put the previous day's miscommunication on the table and made peace. Here was some beginning signs that Reagan C. and I were starting to like each other more than friends. She was mostly ticked because she wanted to be with me and I was actually restless and mostly unexcited and distracted about driving through the incredible beauty of the Rockies in a convertible Mercedes. Who would not be happy doing that? Me because I was missing her and wishing I had "chosen wisely."
We toppled a few Buddha's at Reagan R.'s moms house while there and then we doused the place in oil and prayer the whole time we were there. And yes we had to put all the Buddha's back in place before we left. But we had an encouraging dream the morning we left. In it a little green monster died. RR's mom is gonna get set free from darkness!!
We hit Whole Foods one last time and hit the highway, again driving at night, pulling into KC at 6am.
That is Part One of the Tale of Todd and the Two Reagan's but sadly the end of the Boulder part of the story.
While in Boulder, Reagan C. (whom I will dub "RC" for this blog post so you do not get confused.) and I stayed at the home of Reagan R's mom. Reagan R. is a man, ok got it. We will dub him "RR." He is also from RC's community of friends in Austin, Texas.
The first day we slept (after driving all night) relaxed and ate Ethiopian food (good stuff!). Day two RC and I hiked Glacier Rim trail. We hiked up above the tree line, elevation of 13,000 ft. above sea level, YA!!!
We had a great hike of talking, lots of praying, singing, shouting (not at each other) Praising, knocking down New Age altars that were on the trail, we ate (a rueben from Whole Foods) and some sweet encounters with the Holy Spirit. The views, and the fellowship with each other and the Holy Spirit were the best part of the day. And the fact that I held my own physically with a licensed fitness trainer (RC).
The next morning we didn't have a real plan but had some ideas. And that night we were planning on watching the meteor shower in the mountains, specifically RC and I had planned that. Also RC was meeting some old friends in Fort Collins and RR and I were planning to join her. Somehow we (RR and I) came to the conclusion the RC needed/wanted a day by herself in the mountains and that we would go hang out in the mountains and do some male bonding. Later we found out the conclusion we came to was wrong, by a long ways!
So RR and I borrowed his mom's brand new (or close to it) Mercedes Convertible and headed for Vail and beyond. We didn't have a plan and just drove. Supposedly we would make it back to meet with RC in Ft. Collins. But as the distance began to grow it wasn't looking good to get back and meet her. We sat on a dock at Dillion Reservoir and gazed at sailboats and mountains. We ate at Vail and drove through the mountains in this sweet convertible. My first call to Reagan to let her know we wouldn't make it was not good!
So you know, guys go into that damage control mode and try to salvage some of the situation. We decided to head back (there was NO CHANCE or slim to none that we would make it in time to even catch them on their third or fourth beverage refill) and feel like we were gonna help things out some.
On the way out of Dillion some wild things began to happen. First, major traffic jam, now we are done for, RC will not be happy. Then it began to rain, top had to come back on. We were on the west side of this tunnel and on the west side of some peaks. And then up on the right a sweet double rainbow formed. The main rainbow, was honestly the most brilliant and beautiful one I have ever witnessed. And they both came down and literally landed in the trees not far from us. I used my binoculars to spot the chest of gold, but there was a leprochaun or was that an elk protecting it. Ya right!
So God begins speaking about covenant (hmm) and about Noah. And here is a good nugget from His word. Every time there is a rainbow God himself looks at and remembers his covenant with man. "...and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all the flesh that is on the earth." -Gen. 9:16
Isn't amazing that God looks at each rainbow to remember? Why does he look at each one to remember? It is not like God will ever have a memory problem. It's one of those amazing God things that we do not have revelation or great answers as to why He does it that way. And that's ok, lets search it out and look for nuggets. But really who is like this God? He is totally other than.
Back from the bunny trail (God is always a good bunny trail). Next there is some movement and we get through the tunnel and then stopped again on the other side. There we parked again but now we were right next to the reason for the traffic jam. A major accident. There were law enforcement people everywhere, emt's, and a flight for life helicopter, etc. It was mainly between a semi and a car. And there was hardly anything left of the car, really. You could feel death in the air. Soberness came flying into our car. Yet we looked up to the right and there was the other end of that beautiful rainbow. The glory of God and the death and pain of earth all right before our eyes. We began to get revelation on how it was in the days of Noah and how it will be during "The Day of the Lord." There will be God's promises and goodness and glory right before our eyes and then blood, death, and pain everywhere around us, all at the same time.
"For the Day of the Lord is GREAT and TERRIBLE; Who can endure it?" (joel 2)
It truly was a picture of what it will be like. Imagine seeing people from your town or neighborhood on one day at Wal-Mart or school, or church or work, etc and then on the next day find out hundreds were killed from
a tornado, flood, shooting,
etc. We got back and Reagan C. was still in Ft. Collins and didn't care to see us any time soon so we (Reagan R. and I) went up to nearby (10min) mountain and watched the meteor shower. This turned into some intense intercession and a river of violent tongues which were definitely about the Boulder area. God was breaking our hearts for the city of Boulder and the University of Colorado.
The next day we all put the previous day's miscommunication on the table and made peace. Here was some beginning signs that Reagan C. and I were starting to like each other more than friends. She was mostly ticked because she wanted to be with me and I was actually restless and mostly unexcited and distracted about driving through the incredible beauty of the Rockies in a convertible Mercedes. Who would not be happy doing that? Me because I was missing her and wishing I had "chosen wisely."
We toppled a few Buddha's at Reagan R.'s moms house while there and then we doused the place in oil and prayer the whole time we were there. And yes we had to put all the Buddha's back in place before we left. But we had an encouraging dream the morning we left. In it a little green monster died. RR's mom is gonna get set free from darkness!!
We hit Whole Foods one last time and hit the highway, again driving at night, pulling into KC at 6am.
That is Part One of the Tale of Todd and the Two Reagan's but sadly the end of the Boulder part of the story.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
New Beginnings: Chapter 1
In the aftermath of the Call Nashville I was feeling it was time to step down from the position of Transportation Coordinator of the IHOP Missions Base. And I felt like I was suppose to step down from full-time staff to part-time staff. I didn't know what I would be doing next, but just to follow those instructions. So at the end of July I stepped down. Then one day the sitting in the prayer room after a day of standing on the wall, I said "Lord what do you have to say to me right now?" He began to speak about New Beginnings, and He took me to Romans 6:4.
Romans 6:4-Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was rasied from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
He said new things are coming, the times and seasons are gonna change. And He specifically said "New Beginnings."
So I have this friend named Reagan from Austin, Texas, whom I met in Washington, DC back in 2005.
We connected there as friends and then we talked again at One Thing 2005. Then at the IHOP Baptism Service on November 12, 2006 I was baptized that night and she decided to do it too. And she asked me to walk with her through the procession, as she was a bit doused in the Spirit and needed some assistance.
That has been our friendship. Then on the six month anniversary (May 12) of our baptism she called and we have been talking and praying together on a weekly or bi-weekly basis since that time.
She was coming to a wedding in KC in August but was going to hike and climb some mountains and hang out in Boulder for a couple days first. Turns out she asked me if I wanted to go and on short notice I said sure.
So on Aug. 8th around the midnight hour we drove off to Boulder in a cool red Matrix rental car. The date was 8/8/7.
So on 8/8 two friends drive off to hike mountains and hang out in one of the coolest cities in America and one of the most wicked cities in America, Boulder, Colorado.
The saga will continue...
Romans 6:4-Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was rasied from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
He said new things are coming, the times and seasons are gonna change. And He specifically said "New Beginnings."
So I have this friend named Reagan from Austin, Texas, whom I met in Washington, DC back in 2005.
We connected there as friends and then we talked again at One Thing 2005. Then at the IHOP Baptism Service on November 12, 2006 I was baptized that night and she decided to do it too. And she asked me to walk with her through the procession, as she was a bit doused in the Spirit and needed some assistance.That has been our friendship. Then on the six month anniversary (May 12) of our baptism she called and we have been talking and praying together on a weekly or bi-weekly basis since that time.
She was coming to a wedding in KC in August but was going to hike and climb some mountains and hang out in Boulder for a couple days first. Turns out she asked me if I wanted to go and on short notice I said sure.
So on Aug. 8th around the midnight hour we drove off to Boulder in a cool red Matrix rental car. The date was 8/8/7.
So on 8/8 two friends drive off to hike mountains and hang out in one of the coolest cities in America and one of the most wicked cities in America, Boulder, Colorado.
The saga will continue...
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Oh ya I have a blog.
I am back to the blog.
First off, it is nearly impossible to type when the "e,d, c and 3" keys do not work. It makes emailing and blogging a difficult task to say the least.
Count it all joy!
One good thing is that not being able to use a computer pretty much leaves you with a Bible, books, and 20lb. commentaries. This allows (forces) you to dig into the Bible more.
I did miss being able to write about all the things going on in my life these last couple months. I will recap some of the last couple months in the next few days. It was a whirlwind of activity with many new things happening.
So welcome back Todd to the blog world, you left it, it never left you! There, now I feel better about it.
Some of the upcoming blogposts about my last two months:
First off, it is nearly impossible to type when the "e,d, c and 3" keys do not work. It makes emailing and blogging a difficult task to say the least.
Count it all joy!
One good thing is that not being able to use a computer pretty much leaves you with a Bible, books, and 20lb. commentaries. This allows (forces) you to dig into the Bible more.
I did miss being able to write about all the things going on in my life these last couple months. I will recap some of the last couple months in the next few days. It was a whirlwind of activity with many new things happening.
So welcome back Todd to the blog world, you left it, it never left you! There, now I feel better about it.
Some of the upcoming blogposts about my last two months:
- 8/8/7 New Beginnings (newness of life-Romans 6:4)
- I met a girl...
- The Tale of Todd and the two Reagan's
- The Texas License Plate Phenomenon (I see them everywhere at not just at ihop)
- Visiting and praying in two of the coolest yet wickedest cities in America (guess what they are; hint they are college towns)
- Mom's new hip and new home
- My brothers are coming back to Jesus
- Praying in tongues (some thoughts after habitually doing this for the last 9 months)
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Angels of Revelation
My friend Justin invited me to minister with him at a church in Wichita last weekend. We had the privilege of teaching on the prophetic to a group of people from various churchs who have been going through the School of the Spirit (a Morningstar class to equip believers in the prophetic).
It was awesome to see people from all ages and all walks of life hungry to grow in the prophetic and not just grow but they are itching to get out of the four walls and go get the harvest. After teaching and prophesying to about 25 people we got a real treat. Ray Hughes and Leonard Jones were at the same church that night and the next morning leading the worship and preaching. Also two of Ricky Skaggs' children were playing with Leonard. They brought out the fiddle and the banjo and we got down with Jesus!!
The CauseUSA was also passing through this church. Leonard and Ray and many other annointed "worshipping fathers" were traveling with the Cause. Sunday afternoon we joined the Cause and Operation Rescue (based in Wichita) at the Tiller Abortion Clinic for a prayer vigil. What happened at this prayer vigil was one of the most amazing things I have experienced praying at abortion clinics...
There was an air show in Wichita that same weekend and as we were praying in front of this blood stained building the Blue Angels began to fly over the clinic! Not kind of over the clinic but directly over it again and again!! They would roar over us! There was such a feeling of victory in the air. Such a powerful sign in the natural that God is truly fighting for us, "The LORD Roars from Zion..." (Joel 3 and Amos 1). We felt that these were representing Angels of Revelation, that God is sending a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to His people and to mothers thinking about abortion and even to the doctors and nurses peforming the murders and to the church to awaken from its sleep of death.
You have to know the history of this paticular clinic in Wichita and some other disturbing news from the city of Wichita. This city has been known as "the abortion capital of the world." Because the doctor, George Tiller will do abortions right up to the last few weeks of a pregnancy, so people will fly in from all over the world because not very many clinics go to that level of depravity.
We are declaring that Wichita is now "the Life capital of the world." And this is already unfolding before our eyes. It is one of the few places on the planet where they are actually teaching the medical profession how to be pro-life. As we all know much of the thinking in the medical field is to treat symptoms and there are levels of greed that run deep in the AMA. And greed is the underlying foundation of most of the pro-death rationale. The Gideon band or intercessors in this city have been through a tough battle for LIFE but they are hanging in there and being strengthened and equiped to cross over in this very hour!
Wichita, Kansas- LIFE Capital of The World!
As I walked from the car to the clinic the first thing I noticed was a house right near the clinic. A guy was mowing his lawn in the middle of this prayer meeting. I couldn't help think of Psalm 37 and the future of the most infamous abortion clinic in the world.
7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the LORD,
They shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
The evil of abortion will be cut off; mowed down; whacked! If we wait upon the Lord and do not fret or worry (If we fast and pray and stay in the opposite spirit of murder which is meekness).
For soon; in a little while; in the near future! The George Tiller clinic will be NO MORE!!
Selah...
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Eagles removed from In-Danger List.
In 1963 Prayer and Bible reading were removed from U.S. public schools by the Supreme Court. That same year there were only 417 eagle pairs left in all of America.
In 1973 our country made it legal to murder babies, that same year bald eagles were put on the Endangered Species Act. This generation of babies (prophets) has been "In Danger" for 34 years. This is another signpost that abortion is gonna end and the babies will no longer be "In Danger." God is taking them off of the "In Danger" List!! (If the church prays!)
Now in 2007 there is more prayer among the youth in churches, schools and on campuses then ever before in history. At the same time there are 10,000 eagle pairs again flourishing on our soil.
Also Art Katz passed away on the same day June 28th, 2007. One eagle falls into the ground and dies and a whole generation WILL BE BORN to rise and fly!
I would love to hear some comments and more prophetic insight concerning this...
In 1973 our country made it legal to murder babies, that same year bald eagles were put on the Endangered Species Act. This generation of babies (prophets) has been "In Danger" for 34 years. This is another signpost that abortion is gonna end and the babies will no longer be "In Danger." God is taking them off of the "In Danger" List!! (If the church prays!)
Now in 2007 there is more prayer among the youth in churches, schools and on campuses then ever before in history. At the same time there are 10,000 eagle pairs again flourishing on our soil.
Also Art Katz passed away on the same day June 28th, 2007. One eagle falls into the ground and dies and a whole generation WILL BE BORN to rise and fly!
I would love to hear some comments and more prophetic insight concerning this...
Bald Eagle Soars Off Endangered Species List
It’s official!
After nearly disappearing from most of the U.S., the bald eagle is now flourishing and no longer needs the protection of the Endangered Species Act. The nation’s symbol has recovered from an all-time low of 417 nesting pairs in 1963 to an estimated high of 9,789 breeding pairs today, and will be removed from the list of threatened and endangered species.
To ensure that eagles continue to thrive, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will work with state wildlife agencies to monitor eagles for at least five years. If it appears that bald eagles again need the protection of the Endangered Species Act, the Service can propose to relist the species. The Service is also making the draft post-delisting monitoring plan available and is soliciting public comment for 90 days.
The bald eagle first gained federal protection in 1940, under what was later named the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The law curbed illegal hunting and shooting of eagles for their feathers, but they soon fell victim to another threat: DDT. The widespread use of the pesticide DDT after World War II caused eagle populations to plummet towards extinction. When DDT washed off into waterways, it was absorbed by aquatic plants and animals. When eagles ate contaminated fish, they would then be poisoned. DDT prevented the proper formulation of calcium necessary to produce strong eggshells. Consequently, the thinned eggshells cracked when an adult bird tired to incubate them. Widespread reproductive failure and a precipitous decline in numbers followed. As a result, the bald eagle was protected in 1967 under the precursor to the Endangered Species Act. The eagle continued to be protected when the Endangered Species Act of 1973 was enacted.
The legal protections given the species by these statutes, along with a crucial decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to ban the general use of DDT in 1972, provided the springboard for the Service and its partners to accelerate recovery through captive breeding programs, reintroductions, law enforcement efforts, protection of habitat around nest sites and land purchase and preservation activities.
The bald eagle will continue to be protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
It’s official!
After nearly disappearing from most of the U.S., the bald eagle is now flourishing and no longer needs the protection of the Endangered Species Act. The nation’s symbol has recovered from an all-time low of 417 nesting pairs in 1963 to an estimated high of 9,789 breeding pairs today, and will be removed from the list of threatened and endangered species.
To ensure that eagles continue to thrive, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will work with state wildlife agencies to monitor eagles for at least five years. If it appears that bald eagles again need the protection of the Endangered Species Act, the Service can propose to relist the species. The Service is also making the draft post-delisting monitoring plan available and is soliciting public comment for 90 days.
The bald eagle first gained federal protection in 1940, under what was later named the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The law curbed illegal hunting and shooting of eagles for their feathers, but they soon fell victim to another threat: DDT. The widespread use of the pesticide DDT after World War II caused eagle populations to plummet towards extinction. When DDT washed off into waterways, it was absorbed by aquatic plants and animals. When eagles ate contaminated fish, they would then be poisoned. DDT prevented the proper formulation of calcium necessary to produce strong eggshells. Consequently, the thinned eggshells cracked when an adult bird tired to incubate them. Widespread reproductive failure and a precipitous decline in numbers followed. As a result, the bald eagle was protected in 1967 under the precursor to the Endangered Species Act. The eagle continued to be protected when the Endangered Species Act of 1973 was enacted.
The legal protections given the species by these statutes, along with a crucial decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to ban the general use of DDT in 1972, provided the springboard for the Service and its partners to accelerate recovery through captive breeding programs, reintroductions, law enforcement efforts, protection of habitat around nest sites and land purchase and preservation activities.
The bald eagle will continue to be protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
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