I ran as a state delegate and lost. I had a decent showing and many people come out to support me (thank you), but alas, 2 minutes and 2 questions was not enough to convince people that I'm their guy :)
5 people ran for the position and 2 were obvious pro-Hatch supporters. One even said that he'd definitely vote for Hatch and Herbert, and then at the end told us that he doesn't make up his mind until the end. He was an awesome guy, but I don't believe he understands the Constitution.
I got up and said something like this:
I love the Constitution, I study the founding fathers, I follow state and federal politics very closely, I call my representatives weekly to encourage them to vote certain ways, I watch to see their votes, I have met many of the candidates running & have grilled them. And I will not vote for Senator Hatch. He is gone.
Then I read a quote by Ezra T Benson:
And sure enough that was more than my 2 minutes. So question #1: Will you vote according to your opinion or what we tell you. My answer: I will vote my conscience according to the Constitution. This is a Republic, not a Democracy, we are ruled by law and I will judge the candidates according to that standard. (gulp, I realize that most people think that majority should rule and they don't really understand our form of government)
Question #2 (a repeat of question 1 and asked by the wife of the man referred to 3 paragraphs above this): So as our representative you wouldn't vote the way we tell you? My answer: Again, we are in a Republic not a Democracy, we are ruled by law, the law in the Constitution. (She interrupts "It's a yes or no question") Majority rule is like 2 wolves and a sheep voting on who's for dinner. I will study out the candidates and vote for the person who respects the Constitution.
Guy mentioned above: 33
Another Hatch guy: 31
Me: 29
Another Anti-Hatch guy: 17
A stud: 1
In the second round guy mentioned above won.
I'm afraid the many don't understand the Constitution... well I'm sure of it, because I thought I did but until 3 years ago, I really didn't have a clue. Just what Hannity, Rush, Beck, and O'Reilly told me to think.
Here's what I wish I would have said to question #2, keeping it short as to maintain reality: "If the majority of you want me to support a man that voted for NDAA, The Patriot Act, TARP, over a dozen debt ceiling increases, Medicare II, etc., then I will not vote the way you want me to. I used the Constitution as my measuring stick and expect our leaders to uphold it. I look at Hatch and see that he either doesn't understand the Constitution or does not respect it.
You make your choice right now. You either stand for the Constitution and against Hatch or you don't. But as I understand that Heavenly Banner, I cannot stray from it or vote for those who ignore it."
So what now? Keep fighting the good fight. Liberty book club needs to start back up. I'll talk a lot with John Harrington and the guy mentioned above to talk about the proper role of government. Then encourage everyone I can to go to the primary and vote out Hatch.
Now finally, I may be able to stop thinking about this and fall asleep. In liberty, Jonny
“The scriptures make clear that there was a great war in heaven, a struggle over the principle of freedom the right of choice. In the war in heaven, what would have been your reaction if someone had told you just to do what is right—there's no need to get involved in the fight for freedom? Of course, the war in heaven over free agency is now being waged here on earth, and there are those today who are saying ‘Look, don't get involved in the fight for freedom. Just live the gospel.’ That counsel is dangerous, self-contradictory, unsound.” (Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, October 1966.)
ReplyDeleteAwesome intro last night. I totally agree with your points. We need to do more than give lip service to the Constitution. We need to get back to We the People rather than the money globalists that make bloated puppets of our non-representing representatives in Washington and in our state capitals. Live free, Ben (USMC shirt)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ben. I'm afraid the status quo won last night. Too many like the status quo while their children and grandchildren suffer the consequences.
ReplyDeleteJonny, I LOVED reading your posts on this blog. I'm one who has been completely naiive to all things politics, laws, government functions, etc. I feel like my awareness is beginning to form, and I really have appreciated your posts--so easy to understand. Keep 'em coming!!
ReplyDeleteJonny,
ReplyDeleteI'm sad that you didn't win, but I'm happy that you got as many votes that you did. Looking at your results makes me think Eagle Mountain is very open-minded and on their way to Liberty. Here in Provo....wow. Let's just say that there were 10-15 Liberty-minded people and we won nothing (and got closeish for the County Delegates).
--Steve
Johnny, I haven't met you but I attended the Caucus last night and I was impressed with your speech and voted for you. Thanks for sharing your blog--I wrote it down and here I am! I was pretty disheartened after the vote as I realized how many people just don't get it. I'm not happy with our state delegate as he seems to have made up his mind and I'm not sure he'll do any sort of vetting. I was registering people so I missed John Harrington's speech and I'm not sure where he stands. If your book club is open and you're going to start it back up, I would love to come! I'm not good at expressing my ideas to others and would love to have practice doing it so I can get better at it to help educate my neighbors.
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