Monthly Archives: October 2016

Today, the 178th anniversary of the Mormon extermination order in Missouri, is as good a day as any to remind Utahns for Trump why Latter-day Saints have deep concerns about his candidacy.

Well settled in the memories and histories of Latter-day Saints is Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs’ executive order to his state militia to remove Mormons, by deadly force if necessary, from the state. Mormon “crimes” included practicing a different religion and believing that slaves should be freed. Of course, the biggest crime for the Latter-day Saints was that they were different and they began to congregate in one place. read more

I felt a great sense of loss after separating from Sutherland Institute just over two years ago. A lot of work had been put into building its conservative brand and reputation. Furthermore, an impetuous and unceremonious firing only heightened my feelings of loss. It was stunning and it hurt. But, as with most of life’s trials, there was a silver lining, a liberation of sorts that perhaps many conservatives and Republicans should experience.

Shortly after separating I received a call from the Governor’s office inviting me to stand with Governor Herbert at his press conference introducing the Healthy Utah plan. Sutherland was opposing the governor’s plan. I accepted the personal invitation nonetheless. In fact, I went on to defend the plan rather aggressively. It was the right thing for Utah – and, as it turned out, it was the conservative thing. Opponents of extending eligibility for Medicaid ended up supporting “expanding” it anyway covering fewer people for more money. read more

Nobody could accuse me of being a lackey for public education. Not only did Sally and I home school our six children, K-12, but professionally I have pushed for parental rights, local control and self-reliance in education throughout Utah. I supported school vouchers and tax credits before that. I’m infamous for authoring a lengthy essay titled Saving Education & Ourselves: The Moral Case for Self-Reliance in Education.

In that essay I wrote, “government schooling does indeed have a proper role in society, but it is a limited and welfare role,” and I concluded the essay with the following recommendations: read more

Over my lifetime, like all of you, I’ve had the chance to work with great colleagues who have become dear friends. One of these friends of mine is Janice Shaw Crouse – a beautiful lady, inside and out. Janice has her Ph.D., was a presidential speechwriter for Bush senior, an appointee by Bush junior as an official US delegate to the United Nation’s Children’s Summit and the Commission on the Status of Women. Janice was a longtime senior executive for Concerned Women of America and she’s a very accomplished author and speaker. I trust her judgment and her heart. read more