How The Morman Faith Helps Make People-- Or At Least One Person-- Progressive

When most of us think about Mormons politically, we think about Republicans-- very conservative Republicans. And if they're Democrats, there's a good chance they're like reactionary Blue Dog Jim Matheson, who almost always votes with the GOP on important issues. His Progressive Punch crucial vote score for the current session is 22.0. Boehner and Cantor have been able to count on his support 78% of the time, more reliable for them than Walter Jones (R-NC), Ron Paul (R-TX), Tim Johnson (R-IL), Chris Gibson (R-NY), and Justin Amash (R-MI). The only Democrats with worse voting records than Matheson are Mike Ross (Blue Dog-AR) and Dan Boren (Blue Dog-OK)-- and both of them are retiring this year. This morning, after winning his uncontested primary last night he proudly announced that he's the first Democrat to announce he's voting with Darrell Issa to hold Eric Holder in contempt.

But not all Mormon Democrats are conservatives. Saturday we met Utah congressional candidate Ryan Combe. Yesterday Ryan didn't win his primary and won't be facing off against Republican right-wing extremist Rob Bishop in November. But he's likely to be a leader among Utah Democrats in the future and I asked him to go into some of the ideas we spoke about on the phone concerning how his Mormon faith turned him into a progressive.

Leaning Left: How A White, Mormon, Middle Class Kid From Utah Became A Democrat

-by Ryan Combe

I'm a Democrat. These are three words that aren't often heard at social functions in Northern Utah, a place where many Dems leave their homes incognito to go to the yearly caucus and then are surprised when they find their neighbor in the same room. It's been over 30 years since a Democrat has been elected to Congress in Utah's 1st District. That was born I was born. Sometimes it's hard being a Utah Democrat, not because people don't like what you have to say, but because it's hard to get people to even pay attention to you. When they do, when you finally get them to listen and you can muter those three words, the question that follows many times is, "But aren't you a Mormon?" Yes I am. That's actually why I'm a Democrat.

I've found this is the most effective way to get someone to listen to the next thing you want to say. For some strange reason, that usually shocks people, however there are many teachings within the LDS Church that are drenched with liberal views. Since this is a blog post and not a book, I will focus on a few hot topics-- immigration, equal rights, and economic policy-- to demonstrate my point.

First a little background. I am a sixth generation Combe from Norhern Utah. My ancestors were some of the first people baptized into the LDS church in Italy. Shortly after joining the Church they left Northern Italy and immigrated to what is now Weber County in Northern Utah. I was born into the church, was baptized at eight years old, and at the age of 19 I served a two year mission in Argentina. Although I've always been a Mormon, I haven't always been a Democrat. Like many who are born and raised in Utah, I grew up thinking that being a Republican was just as natural as cheering for Stockton & Malone or snow skiing in the winter. In fact, the first time I voted was in the 2000 election and I cast my ballot for good ol W. (I think many Republicans regret that vote now.) From that first vote my views gradually began to change from experience and study both within and outside the LDS doctrine. In full disclosure, my attendance at the weekly services in LDS chapels has dipped a little in recent years. However, I still consider myself a Mormon and I consider the teachings I received growing up in the LDS Church a major in the man I am today. I do not write this post with the idea that any elected officials should make decisions based on the doctrines of their religion, but rather to explain how Mormon teachings and progressive views are closely related.

The LDS Church has made a point in recent years to promote their political neutrality. What I find interesting is that if Joseph Smith or Brigham Young were preaching today, I think they would be considered very liberal. (Would their faithful followers call them Socialist? I wonder...) Joseph Smith actually ran for President of the United States in 1844 on a progressive platform that called for freeing slaves, increasing the Presidential Powers, and prison reform. Wilford Woodruff noted, "he always kept his political speeches and sermons separate." He did this because-- as stated in Mormon scripture, "We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied." (Doctrine and Covenants, Section 134, Verse 9)

So now on to the issues.

IMMIGRATION

I've yet to make it through a debate this election cycle without the question of immigration reform coming up. It is definitely a hot button issue right now with many conservative politicians calling for illegal immigrants to be rounded up and shipped back to their country of origin. My view on immigration reform differs quite a bit from the Republican incumbent in Utah's 1st. I am a full supporter of the DREAM Act. In fact, I think it should be expanded to protect more families and members of our communities who are doing nothing more than working hard and contributing to our economy. You cannot talk about immigration without talking about protecting families. Believe it or not, the LDS Church agrees 100%. Marlan K Jensen, a leader of the LDS Church said, "If there is a church that owes debt to the immigrant and the principle of immigration, it is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." Below is a statement released by the church as the Utah Legislature was working on an aggressive immigration policy:

As a worldwide church dealing with mnay complex issues across the globe, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints promotes broad, foundational principles that have worldwide application. The Church regards the declaration of the Utah Compact as a responsible approach to the urgent challenge of immigration reform. It is consistent with imporatnt principles for which we stand:

*We follow Jesus Christ by loving our neighbors. The Savior taught that the meaning of "neighbor" includes all of God's children, in all places, at all times.

*We recognize an ever-present need to strengthen families. Families are meant to be together. Forced separation of working parents from their children weakens families and damages society.

*We acknowledge that every nation has the right to enforce its laws and secure its borders. All persons subject to a nation's laws are accountable for their acts in relation to them. Public officials should create and administer laws that reflect the best of our aspirations as a just and caring society. Such laws will properly balance love for neighbors, family cohesion, and the observance of just and enforceable laws.

-Church News Release, 11 November, 2010

EQUAL RIGHTS

In recent years the issue of equality has become a key issue that has made the LDS church both victim and culprit. I know the LDS Church created a monster with the California Prop 8 fiasco, but over the past several years the Church has made huge strides in relating their views on equal rights to all people. My views actually go a step further than the Church's in the sense that I have openly expressed my support of marriage equality. (Actually I think we should all have civil unions. If a particular religion wants to call it marriage, then so be it. Until then, I support laws to protect the right of any two consenting adults to marry.)

Did you know that the LDS Church has been very supportive of non-discrimination ordinances in Utah's cities and at the state level? In 2009, he (LDS) church publicly endorsed Salt Lake City's adoption of the first anti-discrimination ordinance in the state, calling the measure "fair and reasonable." (Salt Lake Tribune, Jan. 20, 2012- "Push to ban anti-gay bias gets new support at the Legislature.") So why are so many GOP lawmakers (of which a vast majority are LDS) in Utah still fighting a statewide ordinance to protect the LGBT community from discrimination while continually justifying themselves in terms of religion? With a vast majority of Utahans and members of the LDS church supporting these types of protections, it is time to hold the GOP accountable. It is my personal belief that if we are electing officials to protect the constitution and rights of the people, we must elect representatives who will protect the rights of all people. I'd like to share a personal story on what led me to support marriage equality.

When I was 13 years old, I attended a week-long church camp with the other young men and women from my community. Towards the middle of the week we all attended a play based on several stories from the Book of Mormon and Mormon history, As we approached the entrance to the theater we saw a group of protesters who quickly came toward us and one man asked, "Did you know you'll go to hell if you continue to be a Mormon?" At 13, I didn't know how to respond and remember being very intimidated. He continued, "The Book of Mormon is a book of lies and Joseph Smith was deceived by the Devil! ... You have no idea who Christ is and He will not let you into His Kingdom." From that day on, every time I saw people protesting outside LDS events I thought of the feeling that man gave me. Now fast forward to the 2008 protests. I remember seeing an interview with a man who was there protesting against marriage equality. He explained to the reporter how he had protested outside Temple Square in Salt Lake City and that he didn't think the Mormons knew God or Christ, but they're right on this issue and he was proud to stand with them. I was horrified to see the very doctrines that taught me to be tolerant and respectful, being used to target my LGBT friends and neighbors with the same misunderstanding that so many years prior had been leveled at me. It was then that I committed to always stand up for the rights of every citizen. I am proud to have been embraced by the LGBT community and believe it is time for real leadership that values every member of the community.



ECONOMIC POLICY

"The course pursued by men of business in the world has a tendency to make a few rich, and to sink the masses of the people in poverty and degradation. Too many of the elders of Israel take this course. No matter what comes they are for gain-- for gathering around them riches..." (Brigham Young, An Approach to Zion, Hugh Nibley). The economic policies pursued by the GOP of today and advocated by Mitt Romney, are without a doubt the single most blatant conflict between GOP and the teachings of the LDS Church and its leaders. I have found pages and pages of quotes from top Mormon leaders that are in direct contradiction with the theory of supply side economics that have been weakening our middle class since Ronald Reagan's presidency. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young spoke often about the idea of economic justice and one need only to look at the expansive welfare system of the LDS Church to realize the importance they place on protecting the poor and underprivileged. "Here are those who begin to spread out, buying up all the land they are able to do, to the exclusion of the poorer ones who are not so much blessed with this world's goods, thinking to lay foundations for themselves only, looking to their own individual families, and those who are to follow them (Joseph Smith, Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints, by Hugh Nibley). Joseph Smith felt so strongly that this was not the way to "build Zion" that he went as far as to say that, "if there is not repentance... you will be broken up and scattered from this promised land."

We must work for economic policies for this country that will help restore our vibrant middle class to grow and prosper. I campaigned making it clear I would not have voted to extend the Bush tax cuts and I refuse to accept any policy that will "make a few rich, and sink the masses of the people into poverty." We need to abandon the idea of government spending in favor of investment. We need to begin the process of rebuilding America for future generations. My grandmother instilled in me a love for he incredible stories of my great grandfather working to build the Hoover Dam. The Utah Construction Company from Weber County, Utah took workers south to build an American icon and put hundreds of Utah families to work. The American people are proud to build America, but our current class of representatives have lost track of that. How have we forgotten that the fastest way out of a depression is to invest in our country to build America and not just feed the rich? We must rekindle the spirit of American investment and start he work of rebuilding America so that future generations will look back with awe at the foundation we laid for their success.

Once again, I cannot stress enough that I believe in a solid separation of church and state. This post is meant to explain why LDS citizens should be able to identify with Democratic values. I for one, look forward to the day when someone says, "I'm a Republican" and the response is, "But aren't you Mormon?"

I want to thank my good friend Steve Olsen, Vice-chair of the LDS Democratic Caucus for his help in researching this post. Thanks Steve!