90 % of Utah legislature are LDS

[Raylan Givens]

I saw this this morning, it wasn't surprising.

https://www.standard.net/news/governmen ... a7acb.html

I am actually thinking it isn't such a bad thing. My experience from living in Arizona has taught me that a Conservative majority can do really dumb things (just like a Liberal/progressive majority can do dumb things- Tucson, looking at you).

I now think the Church tempers the conservative law makers in the state. In Church, by and large, extreme positions are somewhat frowned upon. We all know the extreme conservative in our Ward, they usually get the side glance. My experience has been that they usually don't rise to prominent positions.

Utah is going to be Conservative whether it is LDS or not, but I am glad the Church has an inoculating effect on extremism.

Now if the state could strengthen hb54 and get a real general primary. That would help even further.

Thoughts?

[deacon blues]

Estimates I read say the general population is about 55% LDS.

"Religious Demographics Of Utah
A majority of religious adults in Utah are Christians (73%) of which 7% are evangelical Protestants, 6% are mainline Protestants, 5% are Catholics and 55% practice Mormonism. 4% practice other religions other than Christianity while 22% of the do not have religious affliliation. A large number of Utahns are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), popularly referred to as Mormons. About 55% of the state’s population are said to be members of the religion, the highest percentage in the country. Mormons make up between 34%–41% of Salt Lake City’s population. The LDS church has a high influence on the people of Utah and prefers conservatism rather that contemporary, a view clearly witnessed in the state's high birth rate that is 25% higher than the U.S average. The LDS church has a following of about 1.9 million people, the Catholic church 160,125, while the Southern Baptist Convention has a population of 12,593."

I wonder how many legislators have no religious affiliation?

[Just This Guy]

So the question is that even though the population that claim to be LDS is only 55%, why do they keep electing so many Mormons? At some point, the voters have to take credit for keeping this going.

[alas]

I saw this this morning, it wasn't surprising.

https://www.standard.net/news/governmen ... a7acb.html

I am actually thinking it isn't such a bad thing. My experience from living in Arizona has taught me that a Conservative majority can do really dumb things (just like a Liberal/progressive majority can do dumb things- Tucson, looking at you).

I now think the Church tempers the conservative law makers in the state. In Church, by and large, extreme positions are somewhat frowned upon. We all know the extreme conservative in our Ward, they usually get the side glance. My experience has been that they usually don't rise to prominent positions.

Utah is going to be Conservative whether it is LDS or not, but I am glad the Church has an inoculating effect on extremism.

Now if the state could strengthen hb54 and get a real general primary. That would help even further.

Thoughts?

In Arizona, the church has a tempering effect. In Utah, the church seems to have the opposite effect, with the more extreme conservatives being rewarded by the church. But then I grew up in Provo where every month Pappy Whitehead bore his testimony of the John Birch Society, and I currently live in Clive Bundy territory, so my view may be skewed by being one of three Democratic families in Provo (my Dad had the Utah Valley caucus at our house and three people came) and being the only “Never Trump” on my block. So, I have a liberal persecution complex.

a cartoon that showed up on my Facebook feed the other day by Pat Bagley shows the apostles looking down at the pea soup (inversion smog) at temple square and saying, “I wonder if all churches have their very own legislature.”

[RubinHighlander]

Utah politics are unbalanced. There's an interesting history as to how the state evolved into a republican majority. It's no surprise the church as always been a big part of the government in this state, but I think most would be surprised as to just how much the church controls it, especially where SLC is no longer majority LDS. The most recent example of blatant church interference in Utah legislation is the Prop 2 medial MJ bill. The public voted it in and the church immediately and directly gutted it and replaced it with what they wanted. Then they turn around and claim they are stepping out of it. Once again, talking out both sides of their two faces. If you get a chance, here's a podcast on what I'm talking about:

http://radiowest.kuer.org/post/lds-chur ... nabis-utah

They've done this type if legislating many times over Utah's history. It's one thing, as a non-profit corporation, to lobby for what you want and it's another to write up the legislation, hand it to your church broke cronies then they pass it with flying colors.

So why do all these church broke cronies keep getting elected? That's another form of control the church has over how the republican party controls the caucuses and districts; it's gerrymandering at it's finest. At least SLC elections are more balanced. In fact, Rocky Anderson, a former mayor of SLC, is suing the church over this last debacle with prop 2. He may not win against the Kirton and McConkie powerhouse, but perhaps he can shed some light on the blatant stepping over the line the COB continues to operate by when it comes to our state government.

[alas]

Utah politics are unbalanced. There's an interesting history as to how the state evolved into a republican majority. It's no surprise the church as always been a big part of the government in this state, but I think most would be surprised as to just how much the church controls it, especially where SLC is no longer majority LDS. The most recent example of blatant church interference in Utah legislation is the Prop 2 medial MJ bill. The public voted it in and the church immediately and directly gutted it and replaced it with what they wanted. Then they turn around and claim they are stepping out of it. Once again, talking out both sides of their two faces. If you get a chance, here's a podcast on what I'm talking about:

http://radiowest.kuer.org/post/lds-chur ... nabis-utah

They've done this type if legislating many times over Utah's history. It's one thing, as a non-profit corporation, to lobby for what you want and it's another to write up the legislation, hand it to your church broke cronies then they pass it with flying colors.

So why do all these church broke cronies keep getting elected? That's another form of control the church has over how the republican party controls the caucuses and districts; it's gerrymandering at it's finest. At least SLC elections are more balanced. In fact, Rocky Anderson, a former mayor of SLC, is suing the church over this last debacle with prop 2. He may not win against the Kirton and McConkie powerhouse, but perhaps he can shed some light on the blatant stepping over the line the COB continues to operate by when it comes to our state government.

I think it is Rocky Anderson’s lawsuit is exactly why the church is now saying it is removing itself from the issue. They can’t win a law suit saying they were improperly involved while they are still properly involved. So, by pulling out now, they look more innocent last year.

[moksha]

Raylan, did you have any experience with the former LDS Governor of Arizona, Evan Mecham?

[Raylan Givens]

Raylan, did you have any experience with the former LDS Governor of Arizona, Evan Mecham?

I only know he was impeached. He was definitely a good ol' boy

[Raylan Givens]

So the question is that even though the population that claim to be LDS is only 55%, why do they keep electing so many Mormons? At some point, the voters have to take credit for keeping this going.

How many are NOM, or just go for appearances...

[Raylan Givens]

Utah politics are unbalanced. There's an interesting history as to how the state evolved into a republican majority. It's no surprise the church as always been a big part of the government in this state, but I think most would be surprised as to just how much the church controls it, especially where SLC is no longer majority LDS. The most recent example of blatant church interference in Utah legislation is the Prop 2 medial MJ bill. The public voted it in and the church immediately and directly gutted it and replaced it with what they wanted. Then they turn around and claim they are stepping out of it. Once again, talking out both sides of their two faces. If you get a chance, here's a podcast on what I'm talking about:

http://radiowest.kuer.org/post/lds-chur ... nabis-utah

They've done this type if legislating many times over Utah's history. It's one thing, as a non-profit corporation, to lobby for what you want and it's another to write up the legislation, hand it to your church broke cronies then they pass it with flying colors.

So why do all these church broke cronies keep getting elected? That's another form of control the church has over how the republican party controls the caucuses and districts; it's gerrymandering at it's finest. At least SLC elections are more balanced. In fact, Rocky Anderson, a former mayor of SLC, is suing the church over this last debacle with prop 2. He may not win against the Kirton and McConkie powerhouse, but perhaps he can shed some light on the blatant stepping over the line the COB continues to operate by when it comes to our state government.

It will always be unbalanced as long as the maps are the way they are. I think the LDS version of conservatism is not as far right as many others. I can count on two hands all the blatantly racist bills that passed through a very Conservative Arizona.

Prop 8 seemed to make the Church pick more moderate issues to push forward. That left a lot of egg on their face...

[achilles]

I saw this this morning, it wasn't surprising.

https://www.standard.net/news/governmen ... a7acb.html

I am actually thinking it isn't such a bad thing. My experience from living in Arizona has taught me that a Conservative majority can do really dumb things (just like a Liberal/progressive majority can do dumb things- Tucson, looking at you).

I now think the Church tempers the conservative law makers in the state. In Church, by and large, extreme positions are somewhat frowned upon. We all know the extreme conservative in our Ward, they usually get the side glance. My experience has been that they usually don't rise to prominent positions.

Utah is going to be Conservative whether it is LDS or not, but I am glad the Church has an inoculating effect on extremism.

Now if the state could strengthen hb54 and get a real general primary. That would help even further.

Thoughts?

I appreciate your point of view, but I'm just not seeing it where I live in Utah. Cache and Box Elder Counties are filled with extremist conservative viewpoints, and I just don't see our state representatives casting moderate votes. They are "church broke" like the rest, which means that "officially" the Church isn't running things, but "unofficially" the reps are conditioned to pay, pray, and obey--and obeying means casting the right votes in the legislature.

[RubinHighlander]

I appreciate your point of view, but I'm just not seeing it where I live in Utah. Cache and Box Elder Counties are filled with extremist conservative viewpoints, and I just don't see our state representatives casting moderate votes. They are "church broke" like the rest, which means that "officially" the Church isn't running things, but "unofficially" the reps are conditioned to pay, pray, and obey--and obeying means casting the right votes in the legislature.

This is also my observation. I will say that Utah Democrats seem to be more moderate than their counterparts in many other states.

[Raylan Givens]

I appreciate your point of view, but I'm just not seeing it where I live in Utah. Cache and Box Elder Counties are filled with extremist conservative viewpoints, and I just don't see our state representatives casting moderate votes. They are "church broke" like the rest, which means that "officially" the Church isn't running things, but "unofficially" the reps are conditioned to pay, pray, and obey--and obeying means casting the right votes in the legislature.

This is also my observation. I will say that Utah Democrats seem to be more moderate than their counterparts in many other states.

They may talk like that, but when it comes time to cast their votes. They tend to follow their more moderate and Church instructed counterparts. Their crazy bills never make it out of committee, remember their is only so much time for bills during the 45 days.