Thursday Thoughts

With so much talk about politics swirling around these days I wanted to put in my two bits.

First bit: Ezra Taft Benson, former Secretary of Agriculture, under President Eisenhower, gave a speech to the Utah Forum for the American Ideal, 29 February 1968, in Salt Lake City, Utah, titled The Proper Role of Government. I don't remember when I first read it, probably thirty years ago, but it is as relevant today as it was the day it was given. All members of the Federal, State and Local governments should read it! Voters should read it or watch it so we can be on the same page, so to speak, about what government is and should be. After we're all on the same page then we can have some meaningful and intelligent discussions.

Second bit: Candidates for president get away with promising a whole lot of changes over which they have little to no control. For example, Ron Paul, a member of Congress, has had only ONE of his proposed bills passed in all the years that he has been in Congress.  What makes him think that when he is president he will be able to affect all sorts of change, including getting the Congress to vote on a pay decrease, and a part-time schedule? Wrongo, Ranger Rick! The men and women aren't about to give up the gravy train they are on. However, Congress is now and always has been the place where appropriations, budgets and taxes are handled. Charley Reese, a former columnist for the Orlando Sentinel, wrote an interesting essay on this very subject. (In the link it says publication date unknown-It was originally published in 1985, updated in about 1995, and republished again in about 2011). Congress is the place where changes involving money take place.

And one more little bit: The President is the Head of State. He should love this country and think that it is the greatest on earth. He should believe that this is a choice land above all other lands and that it has a divine destiny to fulfill (which does not include becoming a socialist state!).

This is the land of opportunity where millions of people have come to make their fortune and live a better life, millions still want to come here for the same reason. And there is enough for them and to spare! It is only through greed that some have lots and some have none; but it is not up to the government to redistribute the wealth. That is Satan's way of dealing with the problems, through force. The Lord's way of dealing with the problems is to change people's hearts and then they will solve the problems themselves.

Less government, not more, is the answer. "I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves," Joseph Smith said. Liberty and opportunity are such precious gifts. We will be held accountable for what we do with them.

Read, study, get informed, pray about the choices to be made. Then get out and vote!

For the truths which inform my political beliefs go here to Mormon.org.