http://beehivestandardweekly.com en-us http://beehivestandardweekly.com N/A rgraham@lawyerswest.net Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:44:59 -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/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/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/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/167/1/Unemployment-Rate%2C-Living-Wage%2C-and-the-Working-Poor A quick scan of Utah unemployment rate data for the last 30 years shows that our current unemployment rate of 2.5% is comparatively very low and something we should be proud of (as there are consistently higher numbers of Utahans involved in the labor market, by percentage of population, than most anywhere else in the rest of the country-working more jobs, with longer hours).  However, despite the very low unemployment rate, Utah also has a problem with low wages, which this translates into a greater number of working poor.  In other words, there is still work to do.  Wages are generally low in the state, due to many factors, such as cost of living and various labor market characteristics, and though I do not expect Utah employers to increase wages out of the goodness of their hearts, there is hope.  With such a low level of unemployment, there is a corresponding small available unemployed labor pool searching for work.  And anyone who has taken basic economics will know this means firms are increasingly competing for a shrinking number of available workers, and with a shortage in the supply of workers, wages will likely go up.  So let's keep up the good work Utahans!  Hopefully our willingness to work will make wages for all in the state more livable.     jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/166/1/Why-Teach-in-Utah Many political and public decision makers are missing a key point in the teacher shortage issue.  Yes, 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.  As Dean Thompson eluded to, 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 economically 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.  Heaven help us if we fail in this most fundamental responsibility. jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Fri, 14 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/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/157/1/High-School-Musical-II%3A-Clean-and-Fun-Family-Entertainment-- My family and I found ourselves at the store the other day  buying goodies in preparation for the Disney premiere of High School Musical 2.  Of course we also wanted to buy the new soundtrack, so we could enjoy the new music, and while back in the rear of the store, we also saw both the original and new board games for the first and second films, which my wife decided we just had to have! jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Sat, 18 Aug 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/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/144/1/Faith-precedes-the-film-that-claims-to-show-Christ%26%2339%3Bs-tomb I'm having a difficult time understanding the controversy surrounding the recent Discovery Channel documentary that suggests that Christ's tomb has been found.For those not of the Christian faith, I can't see how it matters. For those who are of the Christian faith: What's the big deal?The purported evidence only suggests the possibility that Christ's tomb (including his remains and those of his family) has been found. But really, how strong is this evidence?Regardless of the circumstantial, archaeological evidence, there's no way that this tomb or its contents can be proven to belong to Christ and his family.But what if such Dan-Brown-esque "concrete proof" were a reality? What would that mean for Christians?It shouldn't mean anything.For Christians, a belief in Christ, his resurrection, and his divine nature has never been based on scientific evidence or proof, but rather, has always been a matter of faith.There's no reason for Christians to get all worked up over this.After all, if a single documentary can shake a person's faith, then that person's faith probably wasn't that strong to begin with. 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/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/114/1/Families-should-be-Prepared I agree that families should do all in their power to prepare for unforeseen emergencies.   Many in the media have provided some good thoughts on battling our perceptions concerning cost and space barriers to food storage and emergency preparation.  However, I have read that some believe that those barriers aloan are the cause for individuals and families not to be prepared, and that every family should be able to easily afford as "little" as $600 a year for their emergency preparedness.  I disagree with the implication that everyone can afford $600 a year (or $50 a month) to put towards food storage.  Certainly many of us can, but what about those in poverty, or at least on an already over-stretched fixed budget?  For them it is not simply a matter of tightening the belt a bit to squeeze out an extra $50 a month.  The money is often simply not there.  The problem is that when disasters happen, it is often the poorer neighborhoods and communities that take the brunt of it (for example, the flood damage in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina was disproportionately in poor and impoverished neighborhoods) and we all can remember how ineffective government response to the disaster was.  Furthermore, who was it that did not get needed assistance in a timely manner?  It was largely the poor.            Therefore, we can talk about how important it is to prepare ourselves and our families for disasters and that we cannot or should not rely on the government to bail us out, and I would largely agree with that, given my personally situation.  However, we cannot make those kinds of blanket statements for everyone and imply that if others "fail" to prepare, that it is their fault.  In addition, we should expect the government to step in and provide timely and efficient aid in those situations.  That is one of the reasons we pay taxes, and we cannot forget that we need to hold the government accountable too.       jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Thu, 28 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0800 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