Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Utah Needed a Little Push

Historically, the state of Utah has been one of the least involved states in the political process for the past many decades. As all of us know, about 60% of the population in Utah is LDS and have a great respect for the Church leadership. A few weeks ago the First Presidency of the LDS Church released the following statement in regard to the 2016 Utah Caucus. In 2010, a similar letter was released. Part of this letter reads:

“We ask that local leaders not schedule meetings on that Tuesday evening so that members may attend a caucus meeting... Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in the platforms of various political parties. We encourage members to attend their precinct caucus meetings."

I'd say their message was heard loud and clear.

The Middle School was not quite big enough for all the people!

Cars were parked everywhere - the parking enforcement were handing out tickets like candy.
This push was the rhetorical move that the people of Utah needed. The line for this particular caucus stretched several blocks of the street past the middle school - people had blankets, food, games, and their candidate's t-shirts. The Democratic Caucus' great participation demonstrates the power of the rhetoric of the LDS Church, primarily through the great ethos the Church has in the hearts and minds of members throughout the state and the world. While the rhetoric of the presidential candidates comes across bi-partisan and biased, the Church seeks to be a neutral force, pushing members to participate in the political system in the United States. 

3 comments:

  1. I love this post. I was so proud of Utah last night. You could tell that it was a turning point for this state. I think it is so important to look at elections from a moral and objective standpoint to avoid falling victim to blind party loyalty. Utah and Idaho deserve a round of applause.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love this post. I was so proud of Utah last night. You could tell that it was a turning point for this state. I think it is so important to look at elections from a moral and objective standpoint to avoid falling victim to blind party loyalty. Utah and Idaho deserve a round of applause.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You're right Michael, the first presidency's push definitely seemed to influence Utah citizens. Although, I think Romney's remarks impacted voters as well. It would be interesting to analyze all the factors that encourage voters to participate.

    ReplyDelete