Posted on 09/07/2009 11:23:19 AM PDT by Colofornian
When I was growing up in Utah, Calvin Rampton and Scott Matheson were our Governors, Frank Moss was one of our Senators, and Gunn McKay was our Congressman. All were Mormon Democrats. My father was a steelworker who believed that the Democrats were the party that ended the Depression, won the War, and fought for the rights of working people.
Evidently many Utah Mormons agreed with him. It was not until the mid- to late-1970s that the Democratic party fell out of favor among Utah Mormon voters. That shift resulted, I believe, because the public debate about morality became more narrowly focused on sexual issues like abortion. But the Mormon retreat from the Democratic party has been detrimental to both the party and the LDS Church. Furthermore, there are moral issues that, I believe, are better represented by the Democrats than by Republicans.
At election time each year, a Church statement of political neutrality is read in LDS congregations throughout the nation, which "affirms [the Church's] neutrality regarding political parties, platforms, and candidates." Importantly, it also stresses that, "principles compatible with the gospel may be found in various political parties." Implicit in this statement is the notion that gospel truth may be found in the Democratic party's platform.
In an interview in 1998, Elder Marlin Jensen, a Mormon Democrat, spoke of the need for political diversity in the Church. Jensen outlined three main concerns Church leaders have with the misconception that the Republican party is the Church party: First, the Church's reputation suffers with the waxing and waning tides of national political fortunes. "There is a feeling that even nationally as a church, it's not in our best interest to be known as a one-party church," stated Jensen.
The late Elder James E. Faust, also a Mormon Democrat and a counselor in the First Presidency, reiterated this point: "It is in the interest of the Church to have a two-party system . . . . Both locally and nationally, the interest of the Church and its members are served when we have two good men or women running on each ticket, and then no matter who is elected, we win."[1]
Second, Elder Jensen suggested that the overwhelming Republican affiliation of Mormons in Utah and throughout the intermountain West weakens the checks and balances of good democratic government. As Elder Jensen put it, "any time you don't have the dialogue and the give-and-take that the democratic process provides you're going to be poorer for it in the long run."
Third, Elder Jensen stressed that it would be "very healthy for the church -- particularly the Utah church" if the common misconception that one cannot be a good Mormon and a Democrat "could be obliterated." Elder Jensen continued, "everyone who is a good Latter-day Saint is going to have to pick and choose a little bit regardless of the party that they're in and that may be required a lot more in the future than it has in the past."[2]
Jensen's call for political diversity recognizes an important truth about political parties and public morality -- there are many moral issues and none of the political parties has a monopoly on them. "I am a Democrat," stated Senator Harry Reid, "because I am a Mormon, not in spite of it."
Like Reid, I believe that the Democratic party takes the strongest position on many moral issues. For example, King Benjamin's address in the Book of Mormon admonishes us to prioritize, "feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants" (Mosiah 4:26). I believe the Democratic party works harder to protect and defend these moral priorities.
Elder Faust stated that his reading of the Book of Mormon also influenced his political views: "I believe what is said in the Book of Mormon, that the Lord values all of his children equally -- black and white, bond and free, male and female, Jew and gentile." As a result, Elder Faust said, "I like to see all people enjoy every advantage, every blessing, every opportunity that comes to them by reason of citizenship."[3]
Furthermore, the LDS scriptures' call to educate ourselves, "to seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith" (D&C 109:7), is, I believe, more constantly supported by the Democratic agenda. I also believe LDS scriptures' insistence that the world and all living things were created spiritually prior to their physical creation calls us to environmental stewardship, another moral issue defended more robustly by Democrats.
Finally, I am a Democrat because I believe LDS scripture and prophets have urged us to live within our means, to be fiscally responsible. Democrats believe we need to pay for any programs we create, and Democratic administrations have, since the Great Depression, consistently lowered deficit spending, while the Reagan and two Bush administrations have greatly increased it. Democrats have a strong record of fiscal responsibility.
Many Mormon Democrats like me are pro-life, and find no pressure to change that view. Senator Harry Reid once told how, when an abortion issue came up for a vote during his first year in the Senate, some senators were expressing to him the importance of his vote. Reid recalled how Senator Barbara Mikulski, "at that time the only woman in the Senate and one of the nation's feminist leaders, told everyone to leave me alone, my vote was a matter of character." Reid's pro-life stance in the Senate has not hurt his career -- in 2006 he became the Senate Majority Leader, the highest-ranking Mormon in Washington.
I believe Mormon Democrats can make a difference, not only like Reid in Washington, but in their own local party. I have witnessed first-hand how Mormon Democrats in Utah county have worked to make the county platform more in-line with LDS values.
Boyd Petersen is the Program Coordinator for Mormon Studies at Utah Valley University, the biographer of Mormon scholar Hugh Nibley, and a former candidate for the Utah State legislature.
[1] Quoted in James E. Bell, In the Strength of the Lord: The Life and Teachings of James E. Faust [Salt Lake: Deseret, 1999], 86.
[2] Dan Harrie, "LDS Official Calls for More Political Diversity," Salt Lake Tribune, 3 May 1998.
[3] Op. Cit., 86
This is so. Lds were highly focused on the Democrats going back to the late 1850s and early 1860s (even though they weren't officially a state until the 1890s). They were anti-Republican, in part, because the fledgling Repubs had labeled polygamy as slavery as the "twin relics of barbarism"
From the commentary: "I am a Democrat," stated Senator Harry Reid, "because I am a Mormon, not in spite of it." Like Reid, I believe that the Democratic party takes the strongest position on many moral issues. For example, King Benjamin's address in the Book of Mormon...
Hmmm...Doesn't take a cultural moral detective to render this statement as "suspect."
From the article: Finally, I am a Democrat because I believe LDS scripture and prophets have urged us to live within our means, to be fiscally responsible. Democrats believe we need to pay for any programs we create
(Oh yeah, that's what Dems are..."fiscally responsible...do we have "amens" from the Mormon Tabernacle?)
I thought it said “Why I’m a moron democrat.”
DEMOCRAT = No money for you. Fiscally greedy. (but it’s for the children /s)
ba
Whatever.
Oh, “Mormon”....
“I believe LDS scripture and prophets have urged us to live within our means, to be fiscally responsible. Democrats believe we need to pay for any programs we create, and Democratic administrations have, since the Great Depression, consistently lowered deficit spending, while the Reagan and two Bush administrations have greatly increased it. Democrats have a strong record of fiscal responsibility.”
How long ago was this article written?
BWHAHAHAHAHA.
Sooooo a Mormon is allowed to be a Communist???? Interesting, i *was not* aware of that.
Harry Reid is his hero?
Sir . . .Boyd Peterson - Sir . . . The Democrats feed the poor by taking money from people who have earned it. Jesus never taught that, Sir.
In other words, seek and value truth. Not a widely practiced virtue by most Democrats. Nothing like ignorance and self delusion supported by outright mendacity in the written form. What irony.
From the article: "I am a Democrat," stated Senator Harry Reid, "because I am a Mormon, not in spite of it."
Well, this was the same message he gave at a BYU speech in October 2007.
How are we to reconcile the following October 2007 headlines posted on Freepublic:
Oct. 21, 2007: The Las Vegas newspaper ran an article…the headline as it ran in a FReep thread (Nevada) Not so Wild about Harry Reid. [See: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1914425/posts ]
Oct. 10, 2007: The LDS church owned Deseret News in Utah ran an article…headline in FReep thread: Reid gets WARM reception at BYU [See: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1909140/posts ]
So, can anybody ‘xplain how it is that Reid is apparently more popular @ BYU—rated by the Princeton folks as being the third most conservative campus in the country—than he is in a state beholden to the gambling mecca, legalized prostitution?
How “warm” was the BYU response to Reid’s message by 4,000 of BYU faculty and students?
At the end of his speech, Reid earned a standing ovation from a small percentage of the crowd and applause from the rest. "I was impressed with him," said Stacie Borneman, a 22-year-old political science major from Farmington who said she is a Republican. "I thought he did a good job expressing his feelings and our responsibility to serve in our communities. It's good to hear differing opinions and to be respectful, even if you don't agree politically, and he gave both sides of the issues he raised."
I also found interesting this comment from the D.N. article: The Nevada senator attacked President Bush and evangelical Christians...Reid first spent 40 minutes delivering a well-received and sometimes tender BYU forum speech in the Marriott Center to 4,091 students, faculty, staff and visitors...Reid also told reporters the Republican Party has been driven by evangelical Christians for 20 years. "They are the most anti-Christian people I can imagine, the people from the Christian far right."
Wrong there and that's early in the article, gotta go back and see where else he's wrong.
Amen brother!
Mormonism is heresy, plain and simple. It’s central theological axiom of Eternal Progression is so far removed from the truth taught by Jesus that it’s unrepentant adherent will be consigned to a Christless eternity. On the political front- how can someone who claims to believe in God support a party which has been hijacked by Godless Marxists who support a whole host of positions that run contrary to the word of God? (abortion,gay marriage,etc.) Wake up and smell the coffee!! “You will know them by their fruit”
Anybody who sees himself as a member of an interest group rather than an individual is bound to feel more comfortable as a Democrat.
Wrong again and that's just within the first two paragraphs.
Seriously, this person is one delusional moron. I mean wow, just WOW.
This guy is an idiot.
No one of faith can honestly support the Democrats when one of their greatest goals is to eliminate belief in God.
The Democrats actually make more people poor by taxing them into poverty and by taxing their employers into bankruptcy. Then the poor reward them by voting more of them into office.
It is very easy to be compassionate and generous with OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY.
Wrong again. "Gospel" means good news, concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The democrat platform is utterly without that.
No one is good, no not one.
yeah, they believe democrats when they say we PAY for programs? Yes, WE pay and pay and pay and pay for them. Cheez.
this is almost laughable. Fiscally responsible? Who? It’s not the democrats. They tax us to death.
And you were right.
Reading the hysteric whirling spin in this article where he trys to label the Democrats as being "for" every policy position they are actually against is proof positive this guy is a moron.
Obviously this guy has who NO clue that the good old boy "moderate" Democrat he votes for back home in Nevada turns into a flaming leftist once he gets off the plane in DC.
Given the amount of available media out there, there is no excuse other then moron-ism for this level of fundamental political ignorance.
Bush's last deficit. $160 billion
The 0 1st Deficit $1.6 TRILLION
This guy is either totally clueless about what goes on in DC or he is out and out lying in this article.
Which wouldn't make sense - it's redundant.
Mr. Peterson must have no idea of the contempt liberals/post-70’s Democrats hold for Mormons. It is a bigotry that exceeds any other I have witnessed, including anti-Mormon animus I’ve seen on these boards. It is a bigotry expressed rather freely in liberal circles since they seldom have to worry about saying it within earshot of an actual Mormon.
The editor of the Utah paper Reid suggested should go out of business pointed out that Reid is one person in Utah but a Democrat Party hack once he gets to Washington D.C.
Wrong again. "Gospel" means good news, concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The democrat platform is utterly without that.
Good pick-up. Certainly the gospel is for Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike -- but to claim that "gospel truth" is in the Dem party platform?
But, let me guess...this guy probably got into office on the votes of a lot of conservative Mormons -- which, if the case, further reinforces my wonder if Utah is the "identity politics" capital of the U.S.?
These words were completely banished from sophisticated discussion of political and social issues and intelligent discourse. The use of “morality” was inflammatory, reactionary, right wing and reeked of religiosity and narrow mindedness. They also implied a set of absolute standards of behavior...and we all know how the libs feel about that.
The elites disallowed the use of “morality and morals” and replaced it with their politically correct antiseptic term “values”. It's no accident that you are not hearing “values” any longer. At some level a strategic decision was made that it's time to bring back “morals and morality”. They want the power to say you are immoral if you do not follow them.
They also believe it gives them leverage with people of faith. They are desperate to gain influence with people of faith. They will use any trick in the book to gain a foothold in the religious community.
So now it should be obvious who are the real religious zealots, flying their banner of morality to justify their political agenda. But I guess it's understandable. After all they are on a mission to “save the world.”
NEVADA
The polling data I've posted on FR before & I can pull it up again -- indicated that of the three groups & how they would/would not vote for a Mormon POTUS broke down:
Conservatives -- by 9 pts -- were more likely to vote for a Mormon POTUS than liberals
But liberals still were 2 pts more likely than moderates to vote for a Mormon POTUS
So whatever people say about conservatives & their vote for Mormon candidates -- well, look @ the other two major groups -- liberals & moderates
(Certainly folks should keep that in mind before recommending Romney beyond the primaries, where he would encounter plenty more liberal & moderate voters)
Well its primary genesis was Election Week, 2004. The dems were wringing their hands over how the values voter made the election difference -- and all they could cry was, "Hey, we've got values, too." And so, that's been their gameplan from GroundZero of losing to Bush II, Scene II. They also believe it gives them leverage with people of faith. They are desperate to gain influence with people of faith. They will use any trick in the book to gain a foothold in the religious community.
He did, the moron can't spell.
Since ‘04 a plethora of left wing religious groups have arisen, and the one or two that were around before that have been given more prominence. Their idea of ‘morality’ is feeding the poor, clothing the naked, etc. on YOUR dime.
Dumber than dog crap. That’s why.
They can throw in "Sophist" and hit this.
Problem is that you cannot be a good CHRISTIAN and a Democrat. You can only serve one master. God or Baal.
Sept. 1, 2009
Author: Boyd Petersen is the Program Coordinator for Mormon Studies at Utah Valley University, the biographer of Mormon scholar Hugh Nibley, and a former candidate for the Utah State legislature.
So much for mormon "discernment".
I generally join the strongest party wherever I am living. This gives me access to the primaries. If we can get the most conservative candidates on the ticket most likely to win, then conservatism ( and our nation) wins.
I'm sorry, but this defines "conservatism" by whatever canyon -- large or small -- existing in contrast to your "most conservative candidate" approach.
With this approach, you get your frog-in-the-kettle so-called "conservative" -- he just gets boiled a few degrees hotter every election -- until you wind up having 1960s Democrats who were on the average more "conservative" than your 2012 or 2016 "Republicans."
Just a couple of points.
Utah Mormons are generally conservative no matter which party. Reid of Nevada is really an exception.
There is a cadre of “Elitists” like Marlin who are oh so perfect and above it all, that we refer to that group of idiots as “Mormon Royalty”. Royalty in their own minds of course.
In general terms these Utah Dimmies wouldn’t know how to handle the Chicago mob. It would scare the living s##t out of them.
It was not until the mid- to late-1970s that the Democratic party fell out of favor among Utah Mormon voters.
_______________________________________________
Thius was becasue Jimmy carter was POTUS at the time and he presured them to change their racist stance against blacks...
In 1978 they introduced a nbew doctrine for political expediency and told the sheeple to hold their noses and vote for those evil republicans who had rejected the god-man George Romney twice...once in 1964 and again in 1968..
What were the numbers on Utah votes for Carter in 1976 ???
Ford took Utah over Carter 62-34% [nationally, Carter beat Ford by 2%]
So what you said wouldn't hold true unless Carter was pressuring them during the campaign -- which I don't believe he did.
It's possible that since some of the press was portraying Carter as a "born-again Christian" in the '76 race, that Lds voters, which took a much harsher anti-Christian stance at that time led by Lds apostle Bruce McConkie, didn't want to "hold their nose" and vote for a "born-again Christian." [Of course, we discovered more of Carter's faith-based beliefs as the years went by]
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