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Republican

Anti-Federalist vs. Mike Pence

Former Vice President

Mike Pence represents the religious right wing of the Republican Party — the faction that wants to use government power to enforce conservative Christian social values on all Americans. While he performed his constitutional duty on January 6th by certifying the election, his career has been defined by using federal and state power to impose religious values on communities that do not share them.

The Record

01

Religious Governance

Mike Pence's Record

As Governor of Indiana, signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act enabling discrimination against LGBTQ individuals. Supports prayer in public schools. Opposes separation of church and state in practice.

Anti-Federalist Position

Complete separation of church and state. Religious freedom means no government should impose any religious values — conservative or progressive — on any community.

Pence's Religious Freedom Restoration Act was so extreme that multiple corporations threatened to leave Indiana. He modified it under economic pressure — demonstrating that his principles yield to corporate demands.

02

Social Control

Mike Pence's Record

Supports federal ban on abortion. Opposes marriage equality. Supports conversion therapy. Wants federal power to enforce conservative social values nationally.

Anti-Federalist Position

Communities decide their own social policies. No federal government — progressive or conservative — should impose social values on communities that disagree.

Pence wants a national abortion ban. This is not limited government. This is using federal power to impose one religious tradition's values on 330 million people.

03

January 6th

Mike Pence's Record

Performed his constitutional duty by certifying the election, despite immense pressure from Trump and threats to his life.

Anti-Federalist Position

We credit Pence with this decision. It was the right thing to do. It does not erase decades of authoritarian social policy.

Pence deserves credit for January 6th. But constitutional duty should be the minimum expectation, not an exceptional act of courage.

04

Executive Deference

Mike Pence's Record

Served as Trump's loyal vice president for four years, publicly supporting policies he privately questioned. Only broke with Trump when his own life was at stake.

Anti-Federalist Position

Leaders should exercise independent judgment at all times, not only when personally threatened. Loyalty to a person above loyalty to principles is the definition of servility.

Pence supported every Trump policy — including family separation, the Muslim ban, and the Ukraine pressure campaign — until January 6th made loyalty personally dangerous.

The Verdict

Mike Pence wants to use the machinery of the federal government to enforce one religion's moral code on the entire nation. The Anti-Federalists fought a revolution against exactly this kind of centralized moral authority. He is a theocrat in a moderate suit.