Why I'm a Mormon Democrat

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.

Quoting from the original article:

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.

The Democrats fiscal policies extended the depression. It's true they hung around until it was over. The American G.I. won the War. The fight for the 'rights of working people' led to the movement of industrial production to other countries and has finally brought about the bankruptcy of the U.S. Auto industry.

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.

The authors conclusion is not supported by the LDS Church position. The Church statement says "principles compatible with the gospel may be found in various political parties." It does not say which, if any, political party includes more, most, all gospel principles or which may include more anti-gospel principles. It also does not say whether either parties' plan to implement the gospel principles they espouse is also in line with gospel teachings.

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]

I can agree with these statements. Unfortunately, it's rare to have even one good candidate. And rarer still for them to remain true to basic principles after discovering the Washington Lobby and their Party Leadership.

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."

I'll agree with this, too. A balance of power slows down the pace of change. We have seen recently the pace of change without sufficient opposition. Unfortunately, the democratic process which once was about discussions on Constitutional principles has become a media campaign promoting the back-room deals of the Party Leadership.

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]

I can agree with this too. For this 'healthy outcome' to be realized, the Democrat party will have to abandon some anti-gospel principles and select issues to embrace that are within the bounds of the U.S. Constitution.

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."

True enough. That has nothing to do with Reid's statement.

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.

Now we get to some meat. King Benjamin, the Savior and other Christian leaders through the ages have decreed that Society has a responsibility to care for the less fortunate. It has never been stated that the State should confiscate from anyone to give to anyone else. This is an individual responsibility with individual accountability to the Savior. It's fine to preach charity and promote charity but when you implement welfare funded by manditory takings it's no longer charity. Not only does this destroy the agency of the 'giver' but it also denies him the blessings a charitable donation would ensue. Rather than producing empathy and love in both the giver and the recipient, you get distrust and resentment. Those are not gospel principles.

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]

That's all true, too. I believe those who would not want this outcome are very few, in either party.

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 don't see any connection here.

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.

This is another issue that is often confused. Should we be good stewards of environmental resources - of course. We should always be prudent in our actions, consider the consequences, and minimize harmful effects. But that is not what environmental activists desire. They desire turning technological progress back to the pioneer times. They would halt energy and land usage, population growth, and changes in the species inhabiting the earth. These changes, which have been taking place since before Man inhabited the earth, they would stop. Nowhere in the scriptures is there any reference to these natural changes being undesirable. In fact, the earth and everything upon it were given to Man for Man's use.

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.

Again, right on the desired outcome, wrong on the blame. I will agree that Reagan used deficit spending on DoD to force the economic collapse of the Soviet Union. And the Bush's spent on the Gulf War, and wars in Iraq and Afganistan. It's also true that all spending originates in the House and for most of that period, it was ruled by Democrats. Both parties have endorsed earmarks for their pet projects. Both parties have written a tax code full of special provisions for their donors. The only combination that made a significant change in the deficit was a Democrat president with a Republican congress. Recent history has demonstrated that turning it all over to Republicans or Democrats is not effective in producing fiscal restraint.

Many Mormon Democrats like me are pro-life, and find no pressure to change that view.

Of course not. They will allow you your pro-life position as long as you give them the votes and money to put their pro-abortion leadership in place. Once they have the leadership, they don't need your vote.

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.

And I applaud their efforts. I'm working that same battle within the Republican party. And while the GOP platform is not 100% within gospel teachings, I think I have a head start.

Found this article which is interesting, too:
War in Heaven Today on Latter-Day Conservative.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.