http://beehivestandardweekly.com en-us http://beehivestandardweekly.com N/A rgraham@lawyerswest.net Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:48:02 -0700 20 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/207/1/Romney-as-McCain%26%2339%3Bs-Second-Almost-a-Sure-Bet McCain-Romney Looks Like the Final DealThe fact that the Beehive Standard Weekly supports Mitt Romney on the national scene is more than obvious.  Not obvious is whether John McCain could overcome the hard feelings of the primary to include Romney on a ticket. Perhaps it has been the pain of the economy and the need for top financial talent, but McCain's cold shoulder has thawed. He is foremost a national hero that has always put his nation before his own best interest.  John McCain will choose Mitt Romney because America Needs them both.  It is McCain-Romney for the GOP in 2008 and that will cause the Democrats many, many sleepless nights. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/205/1/Chuck-Schumer-Source-of-Indymac-Bank%26%2339%3Bs-Premature-Failure Chuck Schumer Destroys Indymac's Chances for RecoveryBeing a bank in today's challenging economic times is tough, but with friends like Chuck Schumer in the Senate, who needs enemies?Late Friday, July 11th, Indymac Bank failed. The doors were shut and bolted and the Feds sent out press releases about FDIC insurance. Perhaps it would have been inevitable, but the Senator from New York made the bank's failure certain. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/201/1/Congratulations-Jamie-Lynn-Spears----Not Babies Having Babies -- Statutory Rape Doesn't Apply in Hollywood Splashed across the headlines this week was the announcement that Nickelodeon Teen Star Jamie Lynn Spears, sister of the infamous Britney Spears, delivered a baby at a Mississippi hospital. To every parent's delight, Jamie Lynn is 17 years old and the new father is her very adult 19 year old boyfriend. In most states, this pregnancy started as statutory rape. Of course, stardom saves Jamie Lynn's boy toy from a few good years in jail.  Her parents must be so proud. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/198/1/Romney-Wins-With-or-Without-VP-Spot By leaving the GOP nomination in a timely fashion, Mitt Romney is poised to win with or without a spot on the McCain ticket. Though Romney is certainly hoping to join the ticket as John McCain's presidential running mate, if he is not chosen, he is clearly the leading candidate going into the next election cycle, whether that is in four or eight years. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/196/1/Texas-Lawyers-Save-Constitution-in-Polygamy-Ruling Previously, the editors of the Beehive Standard Weekly expressed our opinion that the raid on the polygamy compound was clearly an infringement of civil rights upon the members of the FLDS church. The Texas Supreme Court agrees and now the unraveling of this ugly civil rights battle begins.This is not to say that there won't be specific charges eventually brought against individuals who have engaged in improper marriages with underage persons, however, as a whole, the Texas Child Protective Services and its henchmen should be held accountable for their atrocities. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/194/1/Opinion%3A-Unjustified-Opposition-to-New-GI-Bill President George Bush and John McCain's opposition to the proposed upgrades to the "21st Century GI Bill" is unconscionable. The bill upgrades educational benefits that would essentially adjust for inflation and provide GI's the same level of educational opportunity following their service as post-WWII GI's were given. jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/191/1/Why-The-Polygamy-Raid-Was-Wrong Several of our readers have asked for the Beehive Standard Weekly to speak out on the recent raids on polygamists in Texas. Uniquely, our staff consists of lawyers who also happen to be Mormon, who also happen to be journalists. To that end, perhaps we can't avoid having or expressing an opinion.To that end, we offer the conclusion before the commentary, so no one can misquote us without knowing that they are misquoting us.Conclusion:  Our conclusion is that though there may be specific and individual examples of violations of several laws of the State of Texas relating to underage marriage, the state and federal authorities have also violated the most sacred law of all, the United States Constitution. In the balance, religious prejudice and bigotry has tainted the actions of authorities, the media and the peeping-tom public. It may be one of the ugliest displays of religious intolerance since -- well, since the Mormons were driven out of the United States. With that said, this is not an apology for those who have violated the law or abused children. Those participating in such low crimes should be brought to justice. The FLDS cannot hide behind their faith for attrocities against children. Religion is not an excuse for violating the laws which are clear and unambiguous. Collective persecution, however, is not the way to obtain justice.  In the majority, the people who were subject to the raid were living peaceful lives, though their religious practices are clearly not mainstream. Some may view this act of Texas authorities as America taking a stand against abusive religious doctrines. In many ways, this is a test of the American system.  Either we believe in religious freedom, or we don't.  If we don't, then let's not act like hypocrites and let's rescind the right under the Bill of Rights. We can't continue to hold up litmus tests for public office and persecute those who don't hold mainstream religious beliefs and claim at the same time to have religious freedom.  We either do, or we don't. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/184/1/A-New-National-Covenant-of-the-McCain-GOP John McCain is headed for defeat in November. He has won over 40 percent of the Republican party, but will likely face a political rock star in Barack Obama who will not lose a single Democratic vote and might even get some Republican cross-overs. A McCain defeat will be devastating for the GOP and a last embarrassing blow to a once proud coalition of religious, financial and military conservatives.To avert this loss, Senator McCain, with the help of prominent conservatives, needs to make a New National Covenant filled with new ideas and a definition of conservatism. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/182/1/Obama-Could-Take-the-West-with-the-Help-of-Mormon-Vote  Shunned Mormons Could Serve Up the West for ObamaMormons learned a hard lesson from the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney. The message Southern Evangelicals made loud and clear was "you are not welcome." Despite sharing substantially similar values, Mormons and Evangelicals are deeply divided on the issue of theology. To Mormons, voting for Evangelical candidates is routine. For Evangelicals, voting for a Mormon candidate is now seen as nearly heresy -- hence the reason Mormons may abandon the Republican Presidential nominee in November As one blog contributor noted recently, this election was never about the Mormons supporting Evangelicals, as there is a history of such support coming from Mormons. This election was about turn about and fair play. Mormons believed that the Republican Evangelical base in the southwestern portion of the United States would accept a Mormon candidate on shared values, despite theological differences. In other words, Mormons incorrectly assumed that where common values prevailed over theology, Evangelicals would return the favor and vote for a Mormon candidate. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/181/1/Romney-Dominates-in-Maine-Caucuses Romney Dominates in Maine Caucuses Despite the State's Leadership Endorsing McCainMitt Romney is popular in Maine. Despite ice storms and dreadful weather, republicans turned out in record numbers to express their concern with the McCain Express -- and squarely rejected it. Whether this is a sign of a resurgence for Romney cannot yet to be determined, however, his win with 52% of the State Delegates is an important signal that Super Tuesday may not be Super after all for John McCain who came in a very distant second at 22%.Romney's win in Maine did not come from a "Mormon" base like Nevada or Wyoming, nor could he claim Maine as a home or neighboring state like Michigan. In short, Maine simply has fiscal conservatives who like Ronald Reagan.  This should have been a big win for the likes of McCain as Maine is considered fairly secular and independent, however, Romney wiped the slate with McCain.Admittedly, Maine is more of a beauty contest as the actual binding vote for delegates doesnt come until May from the State Convention; however, the people voting in that convention made their voice heard today by an early poll of attending state delegates who will be electing the national delegates who will attend the National Republican Convention. Even those attending the National Convention are not bound to vote for any particular candidate, but Maine has successfully chosen the eventual nominee of the party since 1988.That screeching sound you hear is McCain's Straight Talk Express getting derailed by the grassroot conservatives.In the Maine Presidential Selection, local delegates are selected for the state's convention which is held in May. During the local elections, the candidates are asked to express their preference among the presidential candidates. By rule, the delegates chosen at the local level and those eventually chosen to represent the state in the National Republican Convention are not bound by their earlier choice. The purpose of the early polling among the election of state convention delegates is to make an impact on the national election as to the preference of the elected delegates.It is anticipated that the early poll will ultimately translate into delegates for the preferred candidate in May, which is approximately 18 delegates to the national convention, with three super delegates. The caucus is closed to only registered Republicans. It is the first caucus that has been held in any state since conservative commentators and politicians have expressed their discontent for John McCain and endorsed Mitt Romney. On the other side, more liberal and moderate Republicans have lined up behind McCain, including Rudy Giuliani, as he stepped out of the presidential race.The Associated Press is projecting that all of the State's 18 delegates will be awarded to Romney along with at least one "super delegate" for a total of 19 delegates. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/180/1/Prominent-Lobbyist-Says-McCain-Was-Ready-to-Abandon-the-GOP A respected Washington, D.C. news source has resurfaced information from leading Democratic Leaders that Presidential Republican Frontrunner Sen. John McCain came close to abandoning the Republican Party in 2001.A Bob Cusack report in 2007 has resurfaced stating that several Democratic leaders were in discussion with McCain and his representatives to switch over to the Democratic Party after his defeat in the 2000 presidential campaign to George W. Bush. According to a well-connected lobbyist and former Senator, Tom Domney, the change in party affiliation was "almost a certain deal."Senators Harry Reid (Nev.) and Ted Kennedy (Mass.), were heavily involved at the time and their work with liberal members of the Republican Party eventually resulted in the defection of Sen. Jim Jeffords (Vt.) to a Democratic-leaning Independent status. McCain was considered an important and strong candidate for defection at the time by the senators and despite not making the switch, McCain did co-sponsor a great deal of legislation with Democrats immediately following his discussions with the Democratic leadership.Though McCain and Weaver deny the content of the discussions, Tom Daschle (S.Dak.) included the accusations in a book he wrote in 2003, which was not well circulated. According to the article, the Washington Post also ran a headline at the time speculating that McCain might jump parties.According to Domney, he and Weaver met in 2006 and wondered in awe and joked that the news regarding the defection had not yet been exposed by the popular media.Downey commented in the article that he was hopeful that McCain would be the Republican Nominee. Though he believed Sen. Hilary Clinton (N.Y.) would be the next president, if she did not prevail, Downey believed that McCain would be a good alternative."Although I think Democrats are going to win," Downey said in the article, "if they don't, McCain is the sort of man I would feel comfortable [with] as the president of the United States. I'm not trying to hurt him." rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/179/1/Building-a-Right-Wing-GOP-Ticket The loss by Mitt Romney to moderate and liberal Republicans in Florida should sound a very loud alarm to conservatives nationally. It is a call to action. If conservatives want to regain control of their party and ultimately have a chance at a real win in November, they must act now.The only logical course of action to preserve the conservative agenda and protect the party from a humiliating loss will be an alliance between Romney and Huckabee. To some, it may be like kissing an ugly step-sister, but it is the only way to preserve the ideals and character of the GOP. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/178/1/McCain-Taken-to-Task-for-Dishonest-Statements-on-Romney In his run for the White House in 2000, John McCain was angry. He was getting beat by the Republican Establishment and his frustration came out into the public and it cost him the election. In 2008, McCain has done a masterful job of handling his emotion and making himself approachable.Well, that was until now.In a tight race, McCain is feeling the pressure and convinced Florida Governor Crist that he needed Crist's endorsement to win in Florida. Crist gave McCain the needed endorsement, but then McCain did something that pundits will talk about for years to come, to wit, he sabotaged his own campaign about something that at the root would not have mattered over the next few days. He literally took an ax to his base and may have cost himself Florida, if not the entire bid. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Sun, 27 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/175/1/Romney-Thompson-Looks-Like-the-Ticket-to-Beat (Las Vegas, NV) -- Save the laughs, we need to talk politics. Last summer, we cast and predicted a Romney-Thompson ticket. Later, as Mike Huckabee stepped up and became the Evangelical vote, and Fred Thompson never seemed to launch into the campaign, we recast our prediction of a ticket as being Romney-Huckabee.At the time, it made clear sense that Romney would win the north and Huckabee would then deliver the south. Together, this ticket would have been dynamic and very tough to beat. Then Huckabee got an attitude and an ego and surrounded himself with people who told him that he could win it all.He could have recovered from the ego after New Hampshire, but insisted on using Romney's religion against him. You may have heard the term "flip-flop," but that was really code-speak to far right-wing Evangelicals. It really means "you can't really vote for a Mormon can you?"That brings us to South Carolina. Thompson suddenly started attacking Huckabee and started looking like the political player many thought he should have been months earlier. The pundits said that he was doing his buddy McCain a favor, but the truth perhaps lies deeper. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/174/1/Mormons-and-Western-Evangelicals-Propel-Mitt-Romney-to-Nevada-Win MITT WINS NEVADA!Over a year ago, the Beehive Standard Weekly predicted that Mitt Romney's Mormon faith would not be a liability for him in the long run. Saturday's convincing win in Nevada, and the reality that none of the other candidates have yet campaigned in any western state with early primaries makes our early prediction even more convincing. The lesson learned is that Mitt's losses in the Southeast will be offset with wins in the west.Having first won Wyoming, and now with a solid Nevada win, Romney is showing the national audience that despite losing in states where far right-wing evangelicals may hold a solid voting block, he more than makes up for lost ground by winning western states that have large Mormon blocks and moderate evangelicals who have little fear of politicians with Mormon beliefs. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Charlie Montrose) Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/173/1/Obama-Campaign-Eyes-Mormons-in-Nevada (Las Vegas, NV) -- An important source at the highest levels of the Obama Campaign in Nevada said Thursday that the Obama Campaign is most fearful of Mitt Romney coming out as the Republican candidate as he is dynamic and has a command of economic issues. This revelation came about as the Obama Campaign was inquiring with some prominent Mormon civic leaders about a possible Mormon cross-over vote in the Southwest to Obama if Huckabee or McCain were to be the eventual nominee. The reliable source indicated that the Obama camp is currently implementing a plan to attract Mormon Moderate Republicans to their camp as a second choice to Romney, assuming he doesn't get the Republican nomination. "I have grown up with Mormons all my life," the source stated "and I do not see them following McCain or Huckabee, so Obama can capture those votes and carry many of the Southwest states, including Arizona, if Obama can shave away only some of the Mormon vote." Mormons represent an important voting audience in the West. Though only representing five to seven percent of the total population, the actual turn out of Mormons is nearly the highest of any major voting block. It is estimated that of actual persons voting, the Mormon block accounts for nearly twenty percent of actual voters. In the West, Mitt Romney is relying upon the Mormon block to help him carry the day.  With nearly twenty percent of the vote virtually in his pocket, he has the task of broadening his message to moderate evangelicals, and economic conservatives who are not of his faith. In a speech at Brady Industries Thursday night, Romney hit hard on Washington's failure to deliver any of the promises made in the past. The large banquet room was packed to capacity as former Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn joked to the crowd that he had asked a favor of the local fire marshal to turn a blind eye on the room capacity until Romney's speech was done. Not only was the room filled to capacity, but the staircase and lower lobby were also packed. Romney noted that he had received the endorsement of the main Las Vegas paper, the Review-Journal, earlier that day and then flashed the good news that he had just learned before the speech that the editorial board at the Reno Gazette had also endorsed his candidacy. Of important note, however, was that those filling the room were in the majority of the Mormon faith, though there were clearly many, many other groups represented. This block of voters will be Romney's mainstay in the Southwest and will give Romney an immediate lift as they will turn out in large numbers and they will deliver nearly a quarter of the total votes in some areas. Recognizing the significant disadvantage, the other candidates are noticeably absent and have all but conceded the race to Romney. Huckabee should also have a reasonable showing as there are many evangelicals in the southwest, but they are often less hostile towards Mormons, which means Romney should split that important vote. As to Obama, he is also counting on the Mormon vote. If Romney is not the Republican candidate, look for Obama to cater directly to Mormons with the message of inclusion in order to take important southwestern states. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/172/1/Evangelicals-Show-Mormons-Who%26%2339%3Bs-Boss----In-Iowa Let's face the hard facts. Huckabee is the Evangelical Candidate for retaking America. There are a lot of Evangelicals in Iowa and they all came out to prove one point: "We Don't Want a Mormon President." Sadly, that is the bottom line.Mike Huckabee could have been missing two front teeth and still won in Iowa. That is clear. After one major political faux pas after another, Huckabee still garnered in excess of 55% of the Evangelical vote and the Evangelicals made up nearly half of the entire Republican caucus population.And that is why Mike Huckabee's candidacy is doomed. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/171/1/Huckabee-Has-Lost-His-Chance-at-Ticket-Run No one can fault an all-or-nothing strategy in sports. We all enjoy watching a football team go for the win rather than the tie. The difference, however, between sports and politics is in Sports you always have another season to play. Second chances don't often happen in national politics. For Mike Huckabee, he is missing a chance to be part of a Republican presidential ticket or perhaps a cabinet position. Instead, now he will be reduced to a regional broker of far-right interests. It is a sad ending to a promising political career. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/169/1/Opinion%3A-Universal-Baseline-Health-Coverage-in-U.S. It is interesting to note that the U.S. is the only modern industrialized nation that does not have some sort of universal health coverage.   Furthermore, as the cost of insurance coverage in the U.S. continues to rise far faster than inflation and benefits continue to decline, our society is facing an increasingly urgent crises-the number of uninsured continues to sky rocket, while the under-insured middle class continues to expand.   The result is record numbers of both children and adults who do not receive even basic timely medical attention, and when they do, they tend to run to costly emergency rooms in record numbers.  Right-wing conservatives love to demonize "socialized medicine," but certainly not all "socialized medicine" is the same.  In this country we pride ourselves on providing free public education for everyone, then why can't we provide at least some baseline level of medical care for everyone, especially kids?  Some such coverage already exists and could certainly be expanded.  This would not stop individuals from choosing to get additional private coverage, but it would provide a much needed benefit to those that cannot afford even adequate basic coverage.  Taxes would go up, but I would be perfectly happy to pay higher taxes if that means I can actually get decent basic coverage without paying thousands a year in insurance premiums for unused coverage that actually does not cover much. jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/165/1/Graham-Stand%3A-Romney-Strikes-Presidential-Chord-in-Speech Sounding presidential and firm, Mitt Romney addressed the religiously-based challenge to his candidacy from the Huckabee Campaign. In the end, the only candidate standing was the one who wasn't proclaiming his Christianity on television commercials. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Sat, 08 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/162/1/Answering-the-Romney-Theology-Problem Mitt Romney is finally defending himself from the attacks by Evangelicals. Sadly, he is still not explaining in detail the differences between Evangelicals and Mormons. Here is a little help for our political friend, Mitt. A real explanation for those who want it.If you love point-counterpoint, dig-in and see if you learn anything. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Emerson Chase) Sun, 02 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/164/1/Reid%26%2339%3Bs-Glorious-Plan-to-Lose-the-War Senator Reid likes having his own way, even if it means the United States of America loses the fight against terrorism. In his most recent efforts, he has pledged that the military receive no additional funding until President Bush outlines a plan of surrender and withdrawal.Thanks Harry. By the way, don't come over for Thanksgiving as I really want my team to win the football game and I can't stand it when all you can do is talk about the ugly uniforms. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/163/1/McCain%26%2339%3Bs-Mom-Slips-%26quot%3BMormons-to-Blame-for-Olympics-Scandal%26quot%3B In a major gaff of political incorrectness, John McCain's mother has created a monster problem for the Senator. In answering a question about Mitt Romney's qualifications for President on MSNBC, Roberta McCain blamed the Mormons for the 2002 Olympic's corruption scandal."As far as the Salt Lake City thing, he's a Mormon and the Mormons of Salt Lake City caused that scandal. And to clean that up, again, it's not a subject," Roberta McCain said.The Senator, who has a number of high-profile Mormon supporters, tried to deflect what was an obvious step in the politically incorrect mud."The views of my mother's are not necessarily the views of mine," the Senator quipped. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/161/1/Does-Huckabee-Fill-Thompson%26%2339%3Bs-VP-Shoes Okay, so we made a mistake.Like everyone else in America, we all thought that Fred Thompson was that guy on CSI -- strong, wise, a natural-born leader, a guy ready to step into a crisis and bring calm and reason. Six months into his presidential campaign and you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between Thompson and a roast beef sandwich. To say that we are all a little disappointed is a vast understatement.More importantly, however, we now have to re-cast our ultimate Republican ticket. Still at the top of the ticket is mastermind and political genius Mitt Romney. As his Vice President, the Right Reverend Michael Huckabee. The Democrats will have more than a little trouble beating this ticket. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/156/1/Driving-Age-and-the-Brain-Development-Argument I largely agree with the overall message of the recent Salt Lake Tribune editorial, "Age matters: 16 is better age than 15 for teen driving to begin" (July 28, 2007)-we need to better protect our kids and make sure they are ready for the important responsibility of driving.  However, the editors' main argument for making such an age adjustment is not only lazy, but simply condescending and demeaning to all youth, and fails to reflect a more complex reality. jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/151/1/Iraqi-Orphanage-Nightmare-and-a-Beacon-of-Light-in-an-Ugly-War Like most people, I was deeply saddened and appalled by the horrific pictures of the 24 severely malnourished and abused special-needs boys found in a Baghdad orphanage this past week.  It is never easy to see such a graphic manifestation of abuse and inhumane treatment of any individual, but it is even more disheartening and demoralizing to see it as such behavior relates to the treatment and care of innocent children. jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Sun, 24 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/149/1/Graham-Stand%3A-McCain-Staffer%26%2339%3Bs-Comments-About-Mormon-Women-Unimaginable McCain presidential campaign staffer Chad Workman's comments comparing Mormon treatment of women as being similar to the radical Taliban is so backwards and bigoted it is hard to fashion a response. Senator McCain was not only correct in apologizing for Mr. Workman's comments, but it is hard to imagine that McCain could even conjure up such an image given his own personal experience with a large Mormon constituency. Perhaps Mr. Workman should ask Mormon "woman" Bay Buchanan how she feels about her religion before he puts another five toes in his mouth. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Fri, 22 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/146/1/Poverty%26%2339%3Bs-causes%2C-solutions-vary Sometimes there is too much finger-pointing in the poverty debate, often between those who look at poverty from either a more conservative or liberal point of view. However, I do not believe that any one perspective is fundamentally at fault, nor do I believe that either perspective provides all of the answers.       There are those in a more conservative camp who point the finger of blame at individual factors. They argue that those in poverty find themselves there due to personal choices and individual factors, such as the extent of education pursued, drug and alcohol use, and even laziness. What they fail to realize is that whether or not one receives an education, is likely to abuse drugs or alcohol, and even is "lazy" or "underachieving," has a lot to do with the hand they are dealt in life.       On the other side of the coin, you have a more liberal camp that points the finger at the government and policymakers who promote and uphold particular structural and contextual factors in society that impact poverty. They argue that those in poverty find themselves there due to circumstances beyond their individual control, such as being born into a particular family composition, socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity or underprivileged neighborhood. What they fail to realize is that regardless of all of the structural constraints society may put on an individual, that individual still has the ability to make choices regarding personal behavior and the optimization of opportunities.       Certainly, we can gain insight from each point of view, and neither side has a comprehensive claim on the truth regarding the causes of poverty or appropriate interventions. It is true that both individual and contextual factors matter in poverty. Furthermore, many individual factors can be influenced by contextual factors, and vice versa. Thus, the issue of poverty is truly a complex problem.       So how do we fix the problem? Do we target individual factors or focus on more macro-level contextual factors? It seems that the obvious answer is that we need to try to tackle both. In doing so, we need not pass unconstructive blame on one side or the other, but rather we must take proactive steps to eradicate the problem. We should work to educate individuals in our communities in regard to health-related issues, effective money management and budgeting methods, the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse, and job-searching techniques and making oneself more marketable in the workplace. Furthermore, we must take a long hard look at structural inequalities in our communities that keep the rich rich and the poor poor and strive to provide equality in educational opportunities, health care and so forth.       Certainly, there are no perfect answers to the poverty dilemma. If there were, the problem would already be solved. However, working together as concerned citizens and policymakers united, we can surely go a long way in helping those less fortunate around us find the many benefits and opportunities in society that we so often take for granted. jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Tue, 19 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/145/1/Conserve-natural-resources I applaud Gov. Huntsman for his recent efforts at seeking ways to conserve our natural resources and protect our environment. This is a very important issue and one that I wish more politicians would spend time on. Despite the arguments of some, we are hardly dealing with a "pop-science" or "global-warming charade."  Nearly all current scientific evidence points directly to global warming and climate change. Those few scientists that believe global warming is not happening are the ones on the fringe of science. They repeatedly use such tired arguments as melting ice caps on Mars as so-called proof that what is happening here is normal and inevitable. Regardless of whether or not global warming is occurring at the rate that current science estimates, one thing is indisputable: We are currently consuming natural resources and polluting the environment at a staggering rate and we need to seek cleaner and more efficient sources of energy. It has been argued that only God can control the climate. We must remember that ultimately we are each stewards of this beautiful Earth that God has provided for us and it is our moral responsibility to try and seek ways to best use this wonderful gift. Thus, it is in our hands to decide how we want to treat this planet and how we want to leave it for our children and future generations. Jonathan H. Westover jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Tue, 19 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/143/1/Reader%26%2339%3Bs-Opinion%3A-LDS-Church-members-should-be-politically-involved The LDS Church does not endorse any political party or political leader, and I believe it is our moral and civic duty to be active in the political process and challenge political views and policies. This does not mean all faithful LDS Church members must be Republican, and an individual's choice to vote for or support the Democrats (or any other party issue or candidate) does not mean opposition to the church. Many church leaders have served in the Democratic and other political parties.As a political independent (a moral conservative with both social liberal and fiscal conservative leanings on various issues), I see definite problems with both parties -- neither is inherently morally superior to the other. To suggest such is to make the claim that the world is made up of simple black-and-white issues.I live in an intricate world of beautifully contrasting colors of all shades, and such beauty should be treasured, not ignored or avoided. Jonathan H. Westover jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Tue, 19 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/142/1/Fred-Thompson---Positioning-for-VP Fred Thompson has come too late to the Presidential party of contenders for a serious run; however, some are speculating that he is the required balance in a ticket with Mitt Romney as right-wing conservatives want the influence of a tried and true southerner on a northern-based, Mormon president. The northern-based Catholic Kennedy had his Johnson, now Romney will have his Thompson. Where Kennedy and Johnson were at constant odds, however, this ticket will lead the United States into more competent domestic and international policies than that of both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Mon, 28 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/140/1/BEEHIVE-NEWS-FIRST-WITH-ROMNEY-PREDICTION Columnist Robert Novak predicted that Mitt Romney's religion was likely to sink his candidacy. Not that we like to brag, but the Beehive News was the first to predict being a Mormon would actually help Romney in his presidential bid.  With Romney being first in fundraising (15% of which came from Romney's Mormon base) and now leading in several key states, it is time again to analyze why Romney's Mormon-ness might put him over the top come 2008 rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Sun, 27 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/133/1/Shortage-in-Supply-of-Utah-Teachers-- What will it take for the state legislators to recognize and fully acknowledge the major education dilemma in Utah?  As the student-age population continues to rise, the supply of teachers continues to decline.  We don't need another group of public and higher education leaders to look at how to increase the number of teachers.  It is simple: increase teacher pay.   It is simple labor supply and demand economics.  Increase the salary, and supply will increase.  It is nice that online institutions are available in the state to provide a flexible alternative for interested individuals to receive their teaching licensure, but that flexibility alone won't be enough to draw people into the field.  The bottom line is that not many want to be a teacher in the state because it is near impossible to raise a family on a teacher's starting salary in the state of Utah.  I love interacting with students, and when I started my university education I wanted to teach.  I thought about teaching high school for about 10 seconds.  However, it just didn't seem feasible, so I abandoned that idea and switched to business--for no other reason than the pay.  I suspect that there are many others who have gone through the same process--who may prefer to teach but economic reality forces them to do something that will provide for their family instead. It is time for state leaders to finally accept that teachers need to be paid more.  It is the only real way to increase the number and quality of teachers who will be teaching the rising generation.  jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/102/1/Looking-Back-from-2008%3A-Romney-was-Best-Choice The year is 2008. (Don't ask any questions, let's just pretend.)The last two years of President Bush's term have been about building a legacy and reestablishing goodwill in the world.  Sadly, President Bush's effectiveness has been marginalized as he no longer poses a threat to the Democrats and his coattails have been effectively shredded.As one recalls, in the days of the Republican revolution in the early 90's, a new branch of the Democratic Party sprung to life that was more conservative and more centrist. William Jefferson Clinton benefitted from the political change and filled the vacuum of leadership missing in the Party. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Mon, 20 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/81/1/Caught-On-Tape%3A-Hunters-Beware-of-Utah%26%2339%3Bs-Judge-Lewis%21 VS.   Apparently, Judge Leslie Lewis of the Third District Court in Utah does not like hunters so she recused herself from a case involving hunters.  The following is a court transcript of the video found at YouTube.com. All things considered, hunters might want to avoid this judge!(Video link at bottom of article) rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Thu, 26 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/78/1/Boston-Globe-Accuses-LDS-Church-of-Supporting-Romney Apparently the Boston Globe doesn't know much about the Mormon church. The Globe appears to be making every possible attempt at smearing presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and the LDS church by accusing both of being politically connected.As evidence, the Globe quotes from an email sent by an overzealous Romney supporter to a few of his friends in the LDS church.  By all accounts, the one-sided email looks more like an attempt to gather a following than evidence of a following.From all appearances, the Globe would like to have its readers think that the LDS church is financing and running Romney's campaign for president as part of a devious master plan to control the world.  The evidence to support that assertion, however, is about as credible as John Mark Carr's confession to have killed JonBenet Ramsey.(more) rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Fri, 20 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/38/1/Graham-Stand-Archives%3A-Past-Article-About-Why-Being-Mormon-Helps-Romney This article was originally published in early 2006 -- it was the first to nationally argue that Romney's Mormonism might be a strength to his candidacy.Apparently, the cultural revolution of the 1960's did not do much for religious tolerance. At least that is the "scoop" coming out of our nation's capital as portrayed recently by well-known conservative columnist Robert Novak.  According to a recent article on whether Mitt Romney can sway the southern evangelical vote, Novak interviewed several key evangelical leaders who indicated that their rank-and-file would rather vote for Hilary Clinton than see a Mormon in the nation's highest office and that without their vote, Romney cannot win.Them's fighten' words. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Fri, 20 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/71/1/America-Needs-A-New-Slogan%3A-Don%26%2339%3Bt-Tread-On-Me We find ourselves in difficult circumstances today because of the desire to maintain peace and avoid conflict at all costs. Totalitarian nations and terrorists act without reservation because they know that they can act without concern about the United States intervening. Somehow, over the years, the slogan "DON'T TREAD ON ME" has become "DON'T COUNT ON ME" as many politicians and a significant minority of Americans lack the courage to take a stand against anything that involves war or conflict. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Sat, 22 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/70/1/Is-It-Always-This-Cloudy-Over-Senator-Reid%26%2339%3Bs-Head%3F Despite his failures and false steps in directing the war, the President has done a masterful job in directing the economy. He has been true to his conservative values and has kept taxes and unemployment low while keeping consumer spending and confidence high. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Sat, 01 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/60/1/The-Graham-Stand%3A-New-York-Times-Reckless-at-Best In America, Treason is a crime and stupidity that results in the loss of life is at least manslaughter - regardless of the motivation underlying the stupid act. Regardless of how important you think you are, the standard for the New York Times is the same standard for the Des Moines Register. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Mon, 26 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/66/1/Graham-Stand%3A-500-Chemical-Weapons-Found-In-Iraq-Not-Enough-for-Liberals If you take a look in Section D, Page 14 of the New York Times, you might see the fact of the discovery of 500 chemical weapons during the War in Iraq mentioned in print. To give you perspective, less than ten of these weapons were used to kill an entire city in northern Iraq during the Saddam Hussein regime.  Apparently, though, finding these weapons has all come too late for anyone at the New York Times or L.A. Times as the story is buried and has been given no exposure.  That is why little papers like the Beehive Standard Weekly exist -- to give the truth, not the spin. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Sat, 24 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/55/1/The-Graham-Stand%3A-U.S.-World-Power-Being-Lost-In-Propaganda-War Like most super powers of the past, America has dominated militarily.  America, however, is starting to lose her dominance as other nations are finding strength through alliances, economic and political, and they are starting to understand how to effectively use non-traditional weapons against the super power, such as lobbying and media relations. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Tue, 20 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/52/1/The-Graham-Stand%3A-Should-All-Children-Have-a-Mom-and-Dad%3F Senator Harry Reid is adamant that he supports the proposition that marriage is intended to be between a man and a woman, its just that he doesn't want it to be the law of all the land.  It is okay if it is the law of some of the land, like in Nevada where the people have spoken by a large margin to define marriage as part of the state's constitution, just not every state - in the name of diversity and acceptance, of course. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Wed, 07 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/49/1/Is-English-Preference-Really-Racist%3F Nevada Senator Harry Reid has stated that forcing illegal immigrants to learn English before they qualify for citizenship is racist.  Okay Senator, putting aside the political rhetoric, let's examine what is racist and what just makes sense. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Mon, 22 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/44/1/Tri-State-Transportation-Plan-Necessary-for-Vegas-Valley It is estimated that nearly 3,000 people make the commute from St. George and Cedar City, Utah to Las Vegas on a daily basis.  As you get closer to Las Vegas, the number of commuting suburbanites grows significantly and the future will create a real problem for Las Vegas Valley planners if it is not addressed now rather than later. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Mon, 15 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/3/1/Did-George-Bush-Sr.-and-Romney-Buy-Dunkin%26%2339%3B-Donuts%3F- He is good looking. He is smart. He is eloquent, and the Democrats are taking no chances in being unprepared for a Mitt Romney presidential run. According to recent news reports, the Democratic National Committee has requested volumes of public material from the Massachusetts state government in order to carefully examine Romney's record. At the same time, Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank, an openly gay member of the House of Representatives, has gone on the attack against Romney. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Sun, 14 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/14/1/Exposure-to-Inappropriate-Media-Not-the-Only-Danger-to-Our-Youth Oh, those Teens! First they beg to see the rated R movies and then they are off demonstrating their new-found skills. Go figure.A recent study by the University of North Carolina, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, has found a strong link between what kids see in the media and their level of sexual activity as teens.  The study followed children over several years and examined their level of exposure to inappropriate media and their subsequent level of sexual activity. The study concluded that a link does exist. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Rob Graham) Sat, 15 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/4/1/Mitt-Romney-Steps-Aside-With-Hint-of-Presidential-Bid-  Massachusetts Governor Decides Against Additional Term Popular Republican Governor Mitt Romney has announced that he will not seek an additional term, citing the need to finish the objectives he has set for himself and to allow others to serve. Romney has fueled the speculation that he plans on seeking the GOP presidential nomination by recently appearing in key political states, including a recent speech before Republican Governors in a convention in California. "My decision comes down to this: In this four-year term, we can accomplish what I set out to do. he said. "A year from now, it will be time for me to pass that privilege to someone else. I will not be a candidate for re-election." rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/58/1/Funny%3A-Swift-Boat-vs.-Ducky%3A-The-Forgotten-Battle As I recall, my particular toy had a wind-up propeller and a very bad captain who perpetually steered the boat in a circle until the toy ran out of steam or capsized. As such, I didn't use the automatic pilot -- for the sake of the crew. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Charlie Montrose) Tue, 21 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800