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Presidential Pardons: Possibilities, Precedents, and Problems
With presidential pardons in recent news, MWEG offers a Q&A to sort through possibilities, precedents, and potential problems with this presidential power. Q: What are the purposes and types of presidential pardons?A: This power allows a president to forgive criminal offenses through pardons, amnesty, commutation, and reprieve. Informed by the British monarchy, the executive power to pardon was intended to add elements of mercy and clemency to the Constitution. The assumption held that men of virtue would exercise this power for the good of the people and not for their own purposes. Pardons grant the person complete legal forgiveness of a crime, as if it had never happened. Amnesty does…
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The Post-Truth Era
Analysis by Alexa Dadson Historically, political decisions and debates have been informed by widely agreed-upon facts. However, as people increasingly use social media as a news source, and as journalistic institutions turn to sensationalism in order to compete, trust in sources formerly considered to be credible is decaying. Research institutions are accused of having political objectives or bias, adding to the widespread distrust. Disagreements over historical or scientific facts take up more time in political discussions than discourse about solutions to issues. This combination of factors has created a âpost-truth eraâ characterized by a deteriorating consensus around public truth claims. Post-truth denotes âcircumstances in which objective facts are less influential…
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Call to Action: Urge Federal Elected Officials and the President to Create Lasting Bipartisan Immigration Solutions That Are Secure, Humane, Efficient, and Focused on Growth
The American people have cast their majority vote, and President-elect Donald Trump will take office this January. As he begins working to enact his immigration campaign promises, we pray for and call on him and other elected officials to ensure future policies and actions are rooted in moral, ethical, practical, and legal principles. Some MWEG leaders are traveling to Capitol Hill in D.C. this week to talk to legislators about immigration and would love to hand deliver your letters that convey your personal convictions on this important and urgent issue! Use our advocacy tool to write a letter to your representatives. Quickly enter your contact information, write your letter, and…
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MWEG Response to the 2024 Election Results
On November 5, 2024, millions of American citizens cast their votes for the next president of the United States, and Donald J. Trump emerged as the clear winner. As it was four years ago, the election was free and fair. In preparation for the election, our organization tirelessly worked alongside countless organizations and individuals to shore up our election systems against potential scenarios that would harm public trust. We acknowledge with gratitude the government employees, poll workers, and volunteers (including many members of Mormon Women for Ethical Government) who made this familiar process fair. Across the nation, a multitude of voters made significant sacrifices to cast their ballots, further affirming…
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Understanding the Electoral College Today
After each citizen votes individually, a group of electors called the Electoral College makes the final choice for president and vice president of the United States of America. The Constitution outlines that each state appoints a number of electors equal to its number of senators and representatives, with an amendment later adding the District of Columbia. (U.S. territories do not vote for the presidency, and, therefore, do not have representation in the Electoral College.) With 538 total electors, a presidential candidate needs the majority of votes, or 270, to win the election. The highest number of votes from a state is 54 (California) with the lowest tied at 3 (Alaska,…
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Official Statement on Political Violence
In his first inaugural address, Abraham Lincoln said, âWe are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.â This sentiment stands the test of time as a guidepost for a peaceful society. A commitment to peacemaking is the foundation for a healthy society that champions a variety of political values and ideals. From coast to coast, the range of life experience and thought within the United States of America is remarkable. Our culture is a conglomeration of wide-ranging ideas and priorities resulting from the diverse experiences of our population. We are each informed by our unique…
