Romney

[UtahDan]

"Don't you dare say we aren't Mormons!"

Ha! Good point. And there is a serious point to be made. When people say "Mormons" in this context they are talking about the church going crowd. But if you include all the people who are on the rolls, or even just non-church going folks who still say they are Mormon, your liberal/conservative ratio would change dramatically.

That is why the example of John Huntsman is interesting but not for the reason the author of the article intends. If you have heard him talk about his faith he is clearly very unorthodox and in that sense is not representative at all of participating church members. But is he representative of another group that is less visible?

[LA Ute]

I don't think he could be any more wrong. Is what he is saying ring true to you? Unless we are counting the inactive....

I'm not 100% with you on that. I think the Atlantic writer overstates his point, but there is something to it. I'll hypothesize that a well-designed poll/survey would show that by and large, practicing Mormons in America (the population he is really talking about) tend to be center-right as opposed to right-wing. I don't think the hard-core conservative types are a majority by any stretch. My hypothesis (if that's what it is) is based on my own anecdotal experiences.

Examples: On the major political litmus test issues of the day our church does not take the "true believer" position. Think abortion, for example, and end-of-life issues generally. Then there's immigration, and the First Presidency's opposition to the missile system President Carter wanted to base in Utah back in the late 70s. That angered many conservative Mormons but was overall pretty popular.

Utah County is not the church. Neither is the State of Utah.

[UtahDan]

Utah County is not the church. Neither is the State of Utah.

A dream is a wish your heart makes.

[LA Ute]

A funny bit on how William F. Buckley would approach the current group of GOP presidential candidates:

[H]e would have summoned the Republican stalwarts for catechismic instruction. Mitt Romney, invited to dinner at 73rd Street, would have been given a pass on gun control, abortion, immigration and universal health care. Bill believed that every human being is endowed by his Creator with the unalienable right to flip-flop, though Bill might have regretted, in Mr. Romney's case, that it had been exercised so vigorously.

Instead, Bill would have bored in on what he perceived to be a lacuna: namely, the widespread presumption that Mr. Romney can fix our broken economy with an economic plan that is manifestly inadequate to the challenge. Mr. Romney would have squirmed through the evening. Bill would have barely survived it. He hated to drink alone.

[myboynoah]

E.J. Dionne opines on how much religion should matter:

Election 2012’s great religious divide

The test should be: To what extent would a candidate’s religious views affect what he or she might do in office?

Many beliefs rooted in a tradition (the Virgin Birth, how an individual keeps kosher laws, precisely how someone conceives the afterlife) are not relevant in any direct way to how a candidate would govern. In the case of Mormonism, those who disagree with its religious tenets are free to do so but they should argue about them outside the confines of a political campaign.

Yet there are many questions — and not just concerning abortion — on which the ethical and moral commitments that arise from faith would have a direct impact on what candidates might do in office. Those should be argued about.

[calicoug]

Some very insightful commentary here. Borderline genius:

http://www.article6blog.com/2011/10/...ittle-clearer/

I checked out your blog. Looks interesting. I'm curious, though, what you think Article VI means with respect to "religious tests." Who do you view as being prohibited from applying the test? I get the sense your answer may be broader than what the Constitution would provide.

[YOhio]

[YOUTUBE]Bpt3esd93jo[/YOUTUBE]

[RobinFinderson]

[YOUTUBE]Bpt3esd93jo[/YOUTUBE]

Too funny. I was wondering who made this thing, and got a serious lol when JH's name popped up at the end. Not a bad ad at all.

[LA Ute]

I checked out your blog. Looks interesting. I'm curious, though, what you think Article VI means with respect to "religious tests." Who do you view as being prohibited from applying the test? I get the sense your answer may be broader than what the Constitution would provide.

Article VI restrains only the government from applying a religious test. Individuals are free to do what they want in that regard. My view is that Americans ought to follow the spirit of Article VI because it is (or ought to be) "the American Way," and because doing so is just good policy. BTW, it is interesting to read up on the policy goals underlying Article VI, which arise from the religious tests applied in England. The Founders were big on preserving freedom of conscience, and religious tests can be pretty hard on that freedom.

[oxcoug]

Too funny. I was wondering who made this thing, and got a serious lol when JH's name popped up at the end. Not a bad ad at all.

It's kind of a pleasant ad. I enjoy watching it.

I admit that it's weird that Romney hasn't gone on any of those shows. I expect that it's because he knows anywhere he goes the setup professionals in the media won't blow their chance to nail him on some of his contortions - but on the other hand, he's looked prepared and comfortable on his feet for most of this campaign season so I'd think he'd actually want a chance to address that stuff head on. Or maybe not.

Either way - the notion of Mitt being "scared" will be a difficult sell with people who watched his forceful, sure-footed debate performances.

But nice work Jon Boy - now tell me again - why are you here?

[LA Ute]

I admit that it's weird that Romney hasn't gone on any of those shows. I expect that it's because he knows anywhere he goes the setup professionals in the media won't blow their chance to nail him on some of his contortions - but on the other hand, he's looked prepared and comfortable on his feet for most of this campaign season so I'd think he'd actually want a chance to address that stuff head on. Or maybe not.

I think that if Mitt thought it would help his campaign to be on those shows, or that it's hurting his campaign not to be on them, he'd appear. Looks like a straight, cold political calculation.

[byu71]

Any of you know who Erik Erickson of Red State.com is? He shows up as the conservative analyst on CNN. I guess in his blog he torched Mitt and basically said he thinks Mitt will be the candidate, lose to Obama and in the process ruin conservatism.

Joe Scarborough was doing an I told you so. My conservative friends would rather lose to Obama than have Romney win, he says. Are these conservative types he speaks of just plain ole IDIOTS. You would rather lose than win with Romney.

Do we have any of those types on here. I would just like to see what your line of thinking is and then of course call you a dumb ass.

[LA Ute]

Any of you know who Erik Erickson of Red State.com is? He shows up as the conservative analyst on CNN. I guess in his blog he torched Mitt and basically said he thinks Mitt will be the candidate, lose to Obama and in the process ruin conservatism.

Joe Scarborough was doing an I told you so. My conservative friends would rather lose to Obama than have Romney win, he says. Are these conservative types he speaks of just plain ole IDIOTS. You would rather lose than win with Romney.

Do we have any of those types on here. I would just like to see what your line of thinking is and then of course call you a dumb ass.

Erickson has been torching Romney for years now. That purist attitude is a great example of the "perfect" (in their purist minds) being the enemy of the good.

[TripletDaddy]

That is some sweet footage of Mitt jogging. He looks really healthy. I think I will vote for him.

[Art Vandelay]

That is some sweet footage of Mitt jogging. He looks really healthy..

That is exactly what I thought. In fact, I honestly thought it was a pro-Mitt ad - "Look, I'm young, energetic, focused on going forward. I don't have time to answer petty questions..."

Does anyone know the Huntsman girls? They seem kinda saucy, not to mention anti-G-wearing, though their husbands look like the kind of guys who stare at the Victoria Secret billboards a little too long at the University Mall.