Supporting Traditional Marriage

Shortly after I learned that Governor Huntsman was now supporting “Civil Unions”; I changed my Facebook status to state: “Unlike the Governor; I still support traditional marriage.”

After I posted my update; a response came stating “The Governor only supports civil unions?”

What is the difference?

I personally can’t see any.

Ultimately I wish the government wasn’t involved in the marriage debate. Back in the 1800’s; government laws were aimed at ending polygamy which made many of my ancestors (who were good men) criminals. I wish the business of marriage were left to religions.

But whether I like it or not; government is involved in the debate. Government does sanction marriages now.

On matters such as these I have to turn to what I believe God’s will is. Ultimately I have to strongly believe that marriage should be reserved for a man and a woman.

It's For the Children

This has been the mantra of the left for years. Whatever they do "It's for the children."

If the left is so concerned about the children, then why are they so willing to let the children languish in debt.

I have heard some Republicans say that they are willing to forgive their Republican officials who overspend as long as they are right on abortion.

I am as pro-life as anybody out there (sponsor of numerous resolutions at county and state conventions and speaking at the legislature on the subject) and I would agree that abortion is perhaps the most important issue we face today.

But not far behind is the debt we are leaving to our children. Let's not only save the unborn, let's allow them to have a prosperous society when they grow older.

The Proper Role of Government

In this morning's Salt Lake Tribune it had an article about how Republican governers are attempting to get Republican members of the House to change their votes on the so called stimulus package.

This includes indiviudals whom conservatives are looking to for leadership and as possible presidential candidates.

I for one am disappointed in these governors. While I am glad House Republicans finally decided they believed in fiscal restraint, they should have shown it back in September when President Bush first proposed the bail out.

Below are links to one of the greatest speeches I have ever heard by Ezra Taft Benson on the proper role of government.

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gY8fRcXfHI&feature=PlayList&p=3C8AE6CD718FB7D0&playnext=1&index=96

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mjngR1j_Fk&feature=PlayList&p=3C8AE6CD718FB7D0&index=97

Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pMkTnOvtHc&feature=PlayList&p=3C8AE6CD718FB7D0&index=98

Part 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7EcXAnELEc&feature=PlayList&p=3C8AE6CD718FB7D0&index=99

Part 5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcxGThqaAaQ&feature=PlayList&p=3C8AE6CD718FB7D0&index=100

Part 6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiNhb9o5BBk&feature=PlayList&p=3C8AE6CD718FB7D0&index=101

I would highly recomend that all Americans listen to these inspired words and consider the road we are going down.

Hate Crimes

In today's Salt Lake Tribune Paul Rolly critisizes the state legislature for not passing hate crimes legislation.

In 2005; I wrote about the danger of hate crimes legislation in the annual GrassRoots report:

http://utahgrassroots.org/annual/2005/index.html#hate

The left is always quick to use hate as a reason that conservatives do what they do.

Look at the protests against the LDS Church because of their position on California's Proposition Eight. Those in favor of Gay Marriage were quick to say the Church had taken its position out of hate.

Anyone who has ever listened to Thomas S. Monson should know that he is not a man filled with hate. In fact, there is probably not a more compassionate loving man on the face of the earth. He is a great example for us to follow. From his story as a boy of giving away his railroad car to the numerous visits to the hospitals. He is a man who has truly followed to admonition of Christ to be like Him.

Getting back to the reason that hate crimes are bad (and I would anticipate that individuals will use the protests against the LDS Church to push hate crimes legislation at the state legislture). When you begin to look at someone's motives behind why they commit a crime; you begin to get on shaky ground. The only way you can look at motives is to look at thoughts.

Hence you begin to punish an individual because of the way he thinks.

And because those on the left think that those who want a certain level of morality in this country are filled with hate. It will not be a stretch before they begin to make these hate crimes.

We have seen what one bad judge who would rather create law than interpret law will do.

In the world we are seeing churches being punished for their teachings on homosexuality.

Hate crimes legislation is a Pandora's Box. Once you open the lid; the lid will not be shut.

The First Amendment will be on shaky ground.

Churches who teach morality will be on shaky ground.

Here's hoping the legislature says not to hate crimes legislation.

Things I am Thankful For

All to often we look on the negative things in life. Thanksgiving give us the opportunity to list what we are truly thankful for:

1) I am thankful to my Heavenly Father who sent me to this earth and has blessed me greatly.

2) I am thankful to my Savior Jesus Christ who sacrificed his life on my behalf. He truly is our best friend.

3) I am thankful for a loving wife and family who are always there to support me. I am grateful that my sick daughter that was made well.

4) I am thankful to live in a great nation. While we face severe problems, I am thankful for our founding fathers who sacrificed that we may enjoy this freedom.

5) I am thankful for a good job and the education I received from Utah State University which helped me obtain it.

6) I am thankful to those individuals who make the little sacrifices. The Utah woman who asked for her name to be listed amongst the Prop 8 donors in California and the family who had little but gave $50,000 to the cause. I am grateful for people like this that put their love of God above the love of the world.

The Republican Party

Media pundits have been quick to state that John McCain’s loss is a death for conservatives.

Unfortunately the very fact that Republicans nominated McCain represents just how far Republicans had strayed from their core principals. McCain was the most liberal nominee Republicans had put forward in quite some time. Remember that McCain was so chummy with the Democrats that John Kerry actually considered him for his vice presidential nominee in 2004.

Any ties that McCain had to the conservative movement were shattered when President Bush put forth his $700 billion bailout of the financial industry. During the campaign McCain had vowed that he would veto any piece of legislation that carried pork in it. The $700 billion bailout was already a pork bill, and then Senators went and put $150 of additional pork in the bill.

McCain had the chance to back up his rhetoric, but sadly when it came time for his actions to match his rhetoric it was found wanting.

Matching actions with rhetoric has been an issue for Republicans for quite some time. During the election Republicans were quick to talk about how Barak Obama was going to bring socialism to America. Warning that now is not the time to experiment with socialism.

Unfortunately, Republicans had been experimenting with socialism during the Bush presidency. After all, the massive federal bailout involved the federal government buying up bank assets. McCain even went so far as to call for the government to purchase home mortgages. If that is not socialism, then nothing is.

All too many Republican stood idly by as Bush made the government larger and larger. One can not say they believe in limited government and have supported the Patriot Act. One can not say they believe in limited government and support the unprecedented amounts of foreign aid that the Bush administration dished out. One can not say they believe in limited government and support “The No Child Left Behind Act” which handed the federal government more control of our school system. One cannot say they support limited government while the Federal Reserve prints more and more money.

The time to fight against big government had already passed by the time the presidential election had come before us.

In an election, voters should have clear choices before them not choices of "Big Government" or "Big Government Lite". Because of the unprecedented enlargement of the federal government, our citizens have become all reliant upon the government to solve our nation’s woes.

It is time now for Republicans to look in the mirror and decide what their core principles truly are. All too many Republicans have allowed personality to come before principal. Putting the president above their core principals have driven the party far off course.

While protecting the rights of the unborn and other social issues should be at the top of the list for Republicans, they should not turn a blind eye to economic or rights issues. One should not overlook a liberal agenda, simply because one is pro life. Republicans must demand the whole package. Otherwise the party will find itself in the situation it is now, where they will be governed by social and economic liberals.

Our Recent Crisis

The recent actions of the executive and legislative branches of our government are most troubling. During a time of crisis one gets to see if individuals truly value our Constitution or whether they simply give it lip service.

I took heart when at the Republican National Convention John McCain talked about cutting government spending. He reiiterated that in the first debate when he said he would veto the first bill that came to his desk with pork in it.

McCain had the opportunity to walk the walk with the recent bail out bill. The bill was bad to begin with and was made worse with the addition of $150 billion in pork. It included six million dollars to help the wooden arrow industry.

This is a classic example of the type of bill that McCain vowed to veto. Instead he voted for the bill.

It was troubling during the vice presidential debate when Governor Sarah Palin said the government was responsible for the crisis because they had not done a good enough job of oversight. This was after declaring that the American public simply wanted government to get out of the way.

Republicans need to decide if they are going to be Republicans or be Democratic clones. The chair of the Utah State Republican Party sent an email out supporting the bail out. The vice chair was on the Doug Wright Show declaring his support for the bail out.

Are we following the counsel of Ezra Taft Benson?

Unfortunately, we as a nation have apostatized in various degrees from different Constitutional principles as proclaimed by the inspired founders. We are fast approaching that moment prophesied by Joseph Smith when he said: “Even this nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the Constitution is upon the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction” (19 July 1840, as recorded by Martha Jane Knowlton Coray; ms. in Church Historian’s Office, Salt Lake City).
For centuries our forefathers suffered and sacrificed that we might be the recipients of the blessings of freedom. If they were willing to sacrifice so much to establish us as a free people, should we not be willing to do the same to maintain that freedom for ourselves and for future generations? http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=632e79356427b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1


With the passing of each presidential administration more freedom is lost. All to often the executive branch has used the power of the presidency to erode freedom. Roosevelt used the depression to put our country further down the road of socialism. Truman used the horrors of World War II to establish the United Nations. In our day President Bush used September 11th to erode our Constitutional freedoms with such things as the Patriot Act.

Now during this economic crisis our leaders are pushing us further down the road to big government with the bail out package.

The days of personal accountability are gone. McCain "The Pork Fighter" even went so far as to suggest that the American public should buy out bad mortgages. Some individuals have lost their homes to bad circumstances, all to many bought homes they couldn't afford. Instead of saving to make a good down payment and buying a home they could afford, they bought homes that were beyond their means. Now our government is expecting those who played by the rules to bail them out.

Are we willing to make sacrifices to preserve our freedoms? Once given away our freedoms will not return.

It may require sacrifice but preserving our freedoms is well worth the effort.