Conservative Utah lawmakers show progressive leanings

Associated Press ^ | Mar 11, 2016 5:58 PM EST | Brady McCombs and Hallie Golden

[Olog-hai]

Utah’s staunchly conservative legislature came close to eliminating the death penalty and gave serious consideration to setting up a system to grow and distribute medical marijuana — making the 2016 session a surprising one that may foreshadow future traction for progressive issues. […]

The lean toward progressive issues was led by a pair of outgoing GOP lawmakers who went all in on their bills. Sen. Mark Madsen led the medical marijuana push, while Sen. Steve Urquhart pushed the death penalty abolishment.

Urquhart also backed a failed measure that would have added discrimination protections for gay and transgender people. A year ago, a successful bill he co-sponsored and was backed by the Mormon church guaranteed protection for LGBT people from housing and employment discrimination, while also protecting the rights of religious groups and individuals. …

[Olog-hai]

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ALL RELIGIONS are basically Socialist

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If that were really true, then why did Marx and Engels name religion as their #1 enemy?

I see zero socialism in the Bible. Ever read it?

[T-Bird45]

Every round of appeals adds to the bottom-line cost: two state-level, three fed-level = $250k minimum (and it’s never the minimum.) As to the cause, it’s the system/process as it’s evolved. In my very young years in Kansas, it was the time of “In Cold Blood.” The time sequence was: crime and capture - Nov/Dec 1959; county/state trial - April 1960; executions - April 1965. So, 5 years of appeals and reviews, mostly related to the claims of temporary insanity. All things considered, nearly light speed when compared to today.

A notorious case in the Depression, the Lindbergh kidnapping/murder, resulted in the execution of Bruno Hauptmann. It was just 18 months from capture to electrocution in that case. That will never happen again but it does illustrate the change in the time factor over the years.

[Olog-hai]

IOW, liberalism.

[highball]

"I believe I’m pretty conservative and many might even label me “reactionary”. Maintaining the death penalty in the face of escalating costs to do so is not a conservative position, by definition. Conservatism also applies to resources and wasting resources to fight a losing battle isn’t conservative or smart"

I agree.

I also don't trust the government enough to give it power over life and death. That's a mistake that can never be undone.

[vette6387]

“I see zero socialism in the Bible. Ever read it?”

I said NOTHING about the Bible. I was speaking of churches. I know for a fact that Mormons are sociaistic, and so are the Catholics. Both of these religions have Socialist programs and they both routinely violate this country’s immigration laws. As for reading the Bible, as a young man, I read it cover to cover!

[Olog-hai]

You said “religions”, not “churches”, in post #6. I will say there is a dichotomy between those, and that some of the latter start with a socialist bent while others do not but mutate towards it.

I too have read the Bible from cover to cover, several times. I take it you agree that there is not a shred of socialism in it?

[vette6387]

“I too have read the Bible from cover to cover, several times. I take it you agree that there is not a shred of socialism in it?”

Yes, but unfortunately our “organized religions (aka churches)” run far afield from the Bible. For too many it’s simply another type of “business,” and to “stay in business,” you need “patrons (aka parishoners, etc.),” so you set up an illegal scam to “import patrons” from Mexico and all points South. That’s where a big chunk of the Sociaism comes in. So for me, there’s a big difference between “believing in God,” and “going to church.” You need the former, but not the latter. I’ve never been into paying someone to tell me “I’m not good enough, but for a few bucks, they will make me better.”