Comments about ‘Did Demos fall down on job?’

That is a good question. What has happened is the ultimate manifestation of a plan which began roughly 20, 25 years ago, when Jerry Falwell and suite of assorted, conservative "true believers" determined that to establish a long-lasting Republican majority, they would need to galvanize and politicize the religious right into a reliable voting block.

Strategically, this was genius. Mobilizing this voting block didn't cost *anything* except a few "noble lies" and the characterization of the Democrats as evil and the Republicans as good. You rarely see a contested voting region which doesn't have some sort of "moral" issue like gay marriage, abortion, (flag-burning to a lesser extent) whatever on the ballot.

*Poof* A formerly non-political set of religious groups, who occupied themselves with doing the will of God, suddenly became rabidly partisan Republicans, certain that "Democrats bore the stamp of Satan," as one frequent letter-writer put it.

So why is Utah such a bastion of Republicanism? Because it is concentrated Mormonism; the population tends to be ideologically amendable to authoritarian polarization (being the only true church gives you a sort of besieged mentality, even when you're the majority.) It is also hip to snarky Republican dismissals of silly "environmental" issues, 'cause after all, the rapture is just around the corner anyway. Why worry about the environment? I could go on.

It's the greatest ruse in American history - the fusing of politics with Christianity into an unholy monster where Jesus is pro-war, scoffs at the poor, and is wholly concerned with whether gay people marry each other. Quite the triumph.

DS

As Democrats began to support Civil Rights. Utah did not. That is when Utah and the Democratic Party split ways.

What happened was that people decided to treat politics like a football game, and root for their team. So they'll vote and support the person on their team, and always root for them to win. It's like being a Bengals fan, half their team has been arrested this year, and they probably don't deserve support, but you can bet the people of Cincinnati are rooting for them to win. In Utah, we have self-serving Republicans who aim everything they do to help themselves personally over helping their constituency, yet everyone continues to root for them because they consider themselves part of the same team. Can you imagine how different it would be if people didn't consider parties at all when voting?

Gee, you don't think it sort of started in the early 70's when Ezra Taft Benson said he didn't see how a follower of the Gospel could be a liberal Democrat, do you?

I think the attitude in the responses to this opinion so far is a good indication of the REAL reason Democrats have lost control of Utah since the 1950s...

They see themselvs as "Victims" of some uncontrolable conspiracy instead of facing the fact that they need to focus on having better cadidates and better ideas. They blame it on the "Boogey-man Mormons" (or Christians in general), anti-environmental groups or their stand on civil rights, etc.

Jim Matheson has proven that a Democrat with better ideas who can resist the agenda of the radical-left can be elected in Utah. Utah Democrats need to learn from this and quit blaming their lack of success in Utah on Jerry Falwell and Christians. The more you blame yourlack of success on Christians the more you enforce that steriotype that Democrats are the anti-Christian candidates and the Republicans are the pro-Christian candidates. I don't believe that is true and I hope you don't but the more you complain about Jerry Fallwell is the reason Democrats can't win the more you tell people that line of thinking may be true.

Democrats need to realise their national party platform and candidates pledging to push that agenda (even if it doesn't fit the values of the majority of the constituents where you are running for election) is what frequently costs them elections in Utah (not some boogy-man or religion that made it impossible for them to win).

Mormons were more in the majority in Utah back in the 50's when we were electing Democrats in droves, so don't blame it on them. Look at your natinoal party agenda and the values of Utah voters. Democrats who can be open minded and not owned by the national party can win in Utah.

Could it be that Utah Republicans aren't all that conservative at all? I sense that the Republican Party has moved leftwards to the center, leaving almost nothing for the Democrats except on the left. All we have now are Republicrats. What needs to happen is for a true conservative party to move in on the right where the Republicans have left a vacancy. Conservatives, by the way, have been transformed as well. A conservative of 50 or 60 years ago has little resemblence to those who call themselves conservatives today.

I am a Mormon Republican and I voted for a few Democrats in the last election. Faulty generalizations! Mormons are barely a majority in Utah by the way, and lots of Mormons are Democrats. So it must not be all about the Mormons.

I don't vote for the party, I have found I am voting against the incombants. Can't we some how do any better that HATCH, Bennett, CANNON and Bishop? Honestly people, every time Hatch or Cannon open their mouths they insert both feet.

KH, you hit the nail on the head. You can't judge yesterday by today's standards, they aren't the same.

Check out the platforms for those years you cherish and check out the platform of today's Democrats. Don't look similar at all. As mentioned before, Republicans have changed as well. (And not for the better in my opinion)

I think the biggest issue for Democrats is the socials causes they have attached themselves too; especially in 1973 with abortion.

The Democrat's platform looks more like Karl Marx manifesto than it does anything American.

As for a must read, Google, The Proper Role of Government by Ezra Taft Benson. This is something every person should read and understand. The best document I've read on the subject.

Ditto - "The Democrat's platform looks more like Karl MArx manifesto..." Really? Let's take a look at it.

Support stem cell research - supported by most, if not all, of Utah's Congressional delegation

Cut the deficit in over half within the next four years - Sounds pretty conservative to me - no wait, the conservatives have added $6 trillion to the national debt in the last 27 years

Crack down on gangs and drugs - What a liberal idea!

End corporate welfare as we know it - Another scary one

Family is the center of American Life - Where have I heard that before?

And yes, they support a woman's right to choose but I think what may have changed as much as the platform is the hyperbolic comments like the one's you make from the Republican side.

Funny how you forget your leader Hillary saying she is going to take profits (only from the oil companies) and do what she wants with them. Communist.

Redistribution of wealth. Communist.

Elimination of capitalism. Communist.

Government will control your lives buy taking more of your money and giving back to you what WE think you need. Communist.

Seriously, shall I go on for you? Go read your platform. No where does it say anything about gangs, stem cell research (which by the way is going on just fine in the private sector).

No where is family the center of American life for Democrats. You've got to be kidding. I believe the mantra is "It takes a village".

If you are a Democrat, you have no idea of what your party believes in. By the way, can you show me where it says right to choose in the constitution? Nope? didn't think so. It's not there. And for your information, it is a baby, not a choice! How sad for you that you think it is ok to kill babies at will.

Iamonte - I have read Marx. He is silent on stem cell research. Don't think it needs to be part of this discussion.

Cut the deficit in half. Does anyone believe they mean it? How would they do it (if they really meant to)? Use class envy to tax the rich. A classic Marx move.

End corporate welfare. This is a good one. When I have looked closer to what is meant it often means "close tax loopholes". What is really being said is that by not taking their money away the government is giving them welfare. They only way that is true is if the money is the government's in the first place. Another Marx idea.

KH hit it on the head. There is an effort here by honest, thinking individuals to figure out the real reasons behind their party losing power. Guys like Deseret Spectacle, WC, and Anonymous are the reason. Their approach will assure us of one party rule for years to come. Smart Democrats will figure out ways to appeal to voters with better ideas and better candidates (why is it most Republicans like Matheson?). Dumb Democrats will sit back and whine, hoping that voters will cast an occasional bone their way because they feel sorry for them. I for one am rooting for the Smart Democrats.

America died the day they shot John Kennedy. It was then that the culture of HATE became the main weapon of the conservative right. The John Birch society was the main source of the national hate campaign against Democrats, liberals, and especialy the Kennedys. I wll forever beleive that the real killers of John Kennedy was the John Birch society. Today the main hate source is the FOX network. They have generated more hate for Americans in the world than any other group. It is this culture of hate that allows Republican conservaative to rule the day.

When we are forced to vote between the lessor of two evils, and one of the two has a national party platform and candidates that are opposed to our personal beliefs, what is a voter to do? It would be great if the Democrats would field better candidates. Rep. Matheson has demonstrated what a good candidate can do as long as they don't go off the cliff of the national liberal democrats. Utahns don't vote party when they have a choice. Remember Bill Orton was elected by Utah County, until he was tossed overboard by Clinton, because he made an attempt to represent the voters of his district. He just wasn't democrat(liberal) enough.

Bob, your comments crack me up. Fox is the reason for hate? I actually laughed at your comments. Please explain how Fox is the reason for hate.

I'm sure Hillary, Bill, Chucky Schumer, Dicky Durbin, Harry Reid, Rosie, Teddy Kennedy, Barney Frank, Sean Penn, Babs, et. al are Fox watchers, right?

So the hate and vile that they spew out each day comes from where?

Saying Fox is the reason for hate is like saying John Edwards and Al Gore don't leave a carbon foot print. In case you are wondering, both are lies.