religion

Remember this line from my blog back on January 19^th?

Seriously, how ironic is it that the guy everyone is trying to show as the alternative to the “weird Mormon guy” is the one who has actually tried to practice plural marriage?

Now we read that Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor hits the same theme last weekend at the Alfalfa Club Dinner as reported in the Washington Post.

But according to two accounts, O’Connor waded into the Republican presidential campaign with a joke about Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich that drew a lot of laughter.

According to ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser, who was at the Capital Hilton for the dinner, O’Connor said that of the two leading Republican candidates, “one is a practicing polygamist, and he’s not even the Mormon.”

Romney is a Mormon, and often points out that he and his wife, Ann, have been married for 42 years. Gingrich’s three marriages have been much discussed in the campaign. The Reliable Source column in The Washington Post had a similar account.

I guess imitation is the greatest form of flattery, so Justice O’Connor can continue to read my blog and steal my stuff anytime!

Senator Orrin Hatch went to the Senate floor to express his disappointment in President Obama for politicizing his speech at the National Prayer Breakfast yesterday.

Here is how The Hill reports it:

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) on Thursday evening said President Obama needs a reminder that he is not Jesus Christ.

“In 2008, the president declared that his nomination was the world historical moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal,” Hatch said in a speech from the Senate floor. 

“Someone needs to remind the president that there was only one person who walked on water and he did not occupy the Oval Office.”

Hatch skewered the president for a remark he made at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday morning, during which he suggested Jesus might support his plan to raise taxes on wealthy Americans.

“For me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’s teaching that ‘for unto to whom much is given, much shall be required,’” Obama said at the breakfast.

Hatch, who is a devout Mormon, suggested Obama was trying to “assume the role of theologian in chief” and said he ought to stick to public policy.

“[Obama] suggested to the attendees that Jesus would have supported his latest tax-the-rich schemes,” Hatch said. “With due respect to the president, he ought to stick to public policy. I think most Americans would agree that the gospels are concerned with weightier matters than effective tax rates.”

You can see Hatch’s on C-SPAN here.

In response to a question by Chris Wallace, Mitt Romney announced on Fox News Sunday that he would release his 2010 tax returns and his 2011 estimated tax return on Tuesday.

Romney cited the reason as being that the issue had become a distraction.  I believe him, but releasing them so quickly after the South Carolina primary made me realize that an email I got from a friend last week was dead on.

So I have this theory on Romney’s tax returns that I think explains why he has gotten flustered on camera over releasing them and why he’s hesitant to release them.  I don’t think it’s the class envy thing at all—or he wouldn’t have bothered to run in the first place.

Romney doesn’t want to release his tax returns now because of the primary in South Carolina.  I think if he released his tax returns now it would show he’s donated millions of dollars to the Mormon Church—possibly far more than 10%– and seeing those numbers in black and white will rile up the Evangelicals and others fearful of Mormon influence.

Further, I think that is exactly, and the only, reason Newt Gingrich is sounding like Obama’s spawn in demanding Romney release them.

I agree with him.  And Chris Wallace asked Romney if his tax returns showing millions to the LDS Church was going to create a problem.  Romney had a great response in which he said that he hoped not, because he believes in the biblical call to tithe (give 10 percent) and he made a promise to give 10 percent.  Romney went on to say that if he hadn’t given 10 percent, then people could have a problem with him.

I can’t wait to see the percentage of charitable contributions by each candidate.  I predict Romney will have given more than any one else by a huge factor – and it is more than what the Obama’s give.

Mitt Romney was never going to win South Carolina.  Yes, I know polling had him ahead for a short time after Iowa and New Hampshire when it looked like Newt was done (again).  South Carolina is a part of the Bible belt and a Mormon is not going to do well in a Republican primary when there are other options.

Newt, as flawed as he is, benefited from conservative backlash at the media for the release of Marianne Gingrich’s interview just days before the South Carolina vote.  We saw the same kind of bounce of support for Herman Cain in the initial coverage of his alleged harassment issues.  Conservatives know there is a media bias, and if you are being personally attacked in the media, then you must be ok.

All this to say that as remote a possibility as even I thought it was to have three different winners after the first three contests, that’s exactly where we are.

Florida is Romney’s to lose.  It’s a big, expensive state, which has had absentee ballots out for almost three weeks and Romney has been the only candidate with a broad presence there.  It could be his firewall.

However, if Newt’s momentum coming out of South Carolina translates to a Florida victory, then it’s probably going to take until Super Tuesday (March 6) to settle this thing.  Of course, it could take until April 3, when Texas holds it’s primary, or even until April 24^th when New York and Pennsylvania hold theirs.  I don’t think it’s going to go all the way until California’s primary in early June. The longer it goes, the more likely that Newt implodes.

Following Florida, Romney probably does better than Newt in the Nevada and Colorado caucuses and the Arizona and Michigan primaries.  Even if Newt hangs in there, Super Tuesday will be tough, because he isn’t even on the ballot in one of the larger states that day (Virginia).

Here’s how I see Super Tuesday breaking down, if Newt is still actively campaigning:

Newt probably wins Alaska, Georgia, Oklahoma and Tennessee – that’s 204 delegates.

Romney takes Idaho, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Ohio, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming – that’s 262 delegates.

While Romney may want to see this thing buttoned down and done in the next couple weeks, he is by no means in trouble if he loses Florida.  His true firewall is April 24, where he will sweep New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island.

No need to panic, just keep that steady, methodical machine going and don’t stray from the message of free enterprise and economic freedom.  It worked for Reagan.

With the nomination of Mitt Romney becoming more likely, there will be increased chatter about Mormonism, and more specifically, the “Mormon Moment.”

In preparation of the forthcoming stories, I strongly recommend you read this piece by Thomas Grier, a smart third-year law student, and a great thinker.

Here’s an excerpt:

The media and pundits have suggested America is in the middle of a “Mormon moment,” highlighting the fact that there are two Mormon candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, a critically acclaimed Broadway musical poking fun at Mormonism and a general discussion about Mormon theology and culture. There is a projected narrative that wherever you look, whether in business, government or talk radio, you are sure to find a Mormon staring back at you.

If, as expected, Mitt Romney wins the Republican nomination expect Mormonism to be in your face until the elections and beyond.

It’s well worth your time to read.

2012 starts with a bang if you are into politics.  There is mounting anticipation for the Iowa Caucuses and who will be winners and who will be losers.

Amidst all the machinations, there are a couple things that stand out to me.

The collapse of Gingrich in Iowa demonstrates once again that negative campaigning can work.  Newt’s problem has been he has given his opponents way too much material to attack him.  I still think his ad about global warming with Nancy Pelosi from a few years ago is the most damning hit on him.

Santorum’s surge demonstrates the power of the social conservative vote in Iowa.  The active evangelical base in Iowa still can’t stomach voting for Romney and they are starting to coalesce around Santorum as Bachmann and Perry just haven’t proven they can get the job done.

The one mistake that Santorum has made is setting an expectation that he will win Iowa.  He could come in 2^nd or even 3^rd and get enough of a bounce that if Gingrich continued to falter, he could take advantage of the void.  At this point, because of the expectation of a Santorum win, if he doesn’t, he’s probably done.

While Romney has stayed steady, and the Gingrich threat is dissipating, I think Ron Paul still has a chance to win Iowa.  He has the best ground game there, and he is more likely to attract a broader base of non-Republicans who can show up on Caucus night, register as Republicans, and vote for Paul.

I still think it’s possible that we could have three different winners in the first three contests: Paul or Santorum in Iowa, Romney in New Hampshire and Gingrich in South Carolina (where he still leads in polls, for now).

If Gingrich does win South Carolina, that means we are in for a long, hard slog, not unlike what the Obama-Clinton primary looked like in 2008 when it was June before it was decided.

One thing is certain: 2012 is going to be one of the most interesting political years in modern history.

Buckle up and hang on – it’s going to be a wild ride!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)

I haven’t done much for Christmas.  In fact, other than a couple gifts ordered online, the only thing I’ve done so far to celebrate the Christmas season is show up more than two hours late to a couple Christmas parties.  I’m not a Scrooge or a Grinch, but I haven’t been exactly jolly.  There’s still time, right?

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Speaking of Grinch… er… Gingrich, (couldn’t resist) this has been one of the most interesting and frustrating nominating process I’ve ever witnessed.

Frustrating because I am completely unenthusiastic about any of those running, and longing for those who didn’t (Chris, Mitch, Paul, Jeb, anybody?).

Interesting because no one, and I mean NO ONE, expected Newt to come back to life after the stories about his campaign debt for private jet travel, his Tiffany’s debt and mass resignation of nearly his entire staff.

Here is what I’ll say about Gingrich’s leadership ability, as Senator Tom Coburn said: it’s lacking.

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I have a lot of respect for flight attendants.  I am blown away at how rude people can be when they travel.  And some of the worst examples of rudeness come from folks flying in First Class.

I admit that I’ve become a bit of a travel snob (I have been known to whine if I don’t get upgraded), but there is no excuse to treat flight attendants with anything other than respect.

Think about it, if you are in the service industry and there is a rude customer, there is usually an escape route – go the kitchen, the back office, the stock room – but flight attendants are stuck in a sealed metal tube hurtling 500 miles an hour 5 miles above the ground.

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Speaking of being stuck in a metal tube high up in the air is probably not something I should think about too often.  It just sounds unnatural.

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I few months ago I read the book The Help.  Powerful.  I recently saw the movie and it was equally as powerful.  If it doesn’t sweep the Oscars it will be a travesty.

First a caveat: I haven’t watched a single NFL game this season, and I don’t know that I’ve ever actually seen Tim Tebow play.

But when is it too much?

I have close friends who love Tim Tebow, and I have close friends who hate Tim Tebow, and I don’t know anyone who is in between.

So what is it about a sports figure that causes people to react in such opposite ways?

I suppose anytime someone invokes the blessings of heaven on themselves it’s bound to rub people the wrong way.  It is a bit audacious for anyone (especially a sports figure) to assert that his success comes from the hand of God.  I’m not talking about the humility that comes from recognizing that God blesses us with talents and skills that we have an opportunity to expand upon, I’m talking about the arrogance that appears when someone believes that they are more blessed by God than others.

I don’t know whether Tebow actually believes he has a special dispensation, but many people believe that he believes it.  And that gets them fired up.

Personally, I could not care less.  What caught my attention was this  article about the 13-10 overtime win by the Broncos over the Bears.  Here is the lede:

The Chicago Bears fell victim to more Tim Tebow magic Sunday, and the result was a crushing 13-10 overtime loss,  a third straight defeat that dropped their record to 7-6 and further jeopardized their playoff hopes.

I didn’t watch the game, but when you read how the game played out, I don’t see much Tebow magic.  There were turnovers by the Bears (credit the Broncos defense), there was a mental mistake by the Bears running back that stopped the clock (credit – or discredit – to the Bears running back [unless Tebow got in his head?]), the game went into overtime on a 59-yard field goal (credit the kicker with a heck of a leg) and the same kicker hit a 51-yard field goal to win the game.

Tebow magic?  Doesn’t sound like it to me.

The teacher who had the most influence on my life in high school and beyond was Mr. Gentry, the choir director.  Not only did he teach me a love of music, but he pushed me to be better than I would have otherwise been.  I’m not exactly a natural when it comes to music, but it was his influence, prodding and mentoring that led me to actually do pretty well.

It was Mr. Gentry that worked with me and encouraged me to the point of being able to earn a spot in both the All-State Choir and the All-State Show Choir.  It was Mr. Gentry who essentially assigned me to be the lead (Curly) in our school production of Oklahoma, which became the seminal event of my high school career.

So it was a no-brainer that when I found out he is retiring after this school year, that I attended his final “Feaste of Carols,” a 27-year tradition which has evolved into a spectacular evening. (see this article from the local paper about it)

And Mr. Gentry’s swan song was nothing short of inspiring.

While Mr. Gentry’s life doesn’t exactly follow the plot line of “Mr. Hollands Opus,” he has touched the lives of thousands of students over the last 30 years, and the impact of his influence is likely in the tens of thousands.

At the final “Feaste of Carols” all of the choir alumni in attendance joined the current choir to sing “Candlelight Carol” by John Rutter.  It was beautiful, and very emotional. To stand among dozens of people who were there to pay tribute to a great man was as powerful a moment as you could find.

Mr. Gentry, you may be retiring, but your influence will carry on for years to come.