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MWEG Op-Ed: ‘Gerrymandering Is Always Political, the Arguments Against It Are Not’
“On July 11, Utahâs Supreme Court heard arguments in League of Women Voters v. Utah State Legislature. Mormon Women for Ethical Government is also a named plaintiff in this case, as well as a bipartisan group of seven individual voters. At the hearing, the Utah Legislature repeatedly argued that the motivations behind this case are purely political. This is a grave misrepresentation of our motivation and goals.” Click here for the full text of this Deseret News op-ed written by Emma Petty Addams and Jennifer Walker Thomas, MWEG co-executive directors.
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Official Statement on Moore v. Harper and Our Commitment to the Power of the Individual VoterÂ
Yesterday, in a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court protected the system of checks and balances that is foundational to our democracy. This ruling acknowledges the critical role state judiciaries play in upholding votersâ constitutional rights. It reinforces that the legislature cannot grant itself exclusive control over federal elections, especially at the expense of voters. As the members and leaders of Mormon Women for Ethical Government, we are relieved that the court rejected the state legislatureâs claim to unchecked influence over federal elections. In Moore v. Harper, the Court relied on 200 years of precedent, determining that state legislatures do not have sole authority over federal elections. Instead, they are subject…
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Ask Your Members of Congress to Support the Afghan Adjustment Act
Update: In July 2023, a large bipartisan group of legislators reintroduced the Afghan Adjustment Act. In November 2023, Mormon Women for Ethical Government launched another call to action to let legislators know the AAA is still important to citizens and to encourage them to sign it into law by the end of the year in order to maintain national security, honor the sacrifices of our veterans, and fully welcome our new neighbors to our communities. Our new Afghan neighbors are in limbo Following the chaotic U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, more than 130,000 Afghans were evacuated. Almost half of those evacuees were children. After significant vetting in third…
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MWEG Op-Ed: âWhy Gov. Cox Says We Donât Need to Disagree Less â We Need to Disagree Betterâ
“Recently, I attended a speech given to local high school students and community members by Gov. Spencer Cox as part of his Connecting Utah Tour. I am drawn to these kinds of events, both by my personal interest in all things government and by my desire to be an informed citizen. During his address, I noted two things: First, there is power in Coxâs relatable optimism â through his message, he managed to transform fear into hope. And second, by speaking with civility and positive energy, he demonstrated how to work in politics while respecting the dignity of others.” Click here for the full text of this Deseret News op-ed written…
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Call to Action: Ask Your State to Apply for Federal EV Infrastructure Funding
âGovernments and members of society have an obligation to exercise responsible stewardship of the earth, thereby protecting not only the wellbeing of their citizens, but also that of both future generations and other citizens of the planet (see D&C 59:18-21 and D&C 104:13-15).â MWEGâs Principle of Ethical Government 2(f) For Earth Day this year, ask your state to apply for federal funding for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure that is available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (the BIL, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA) after lawmakers on both sides of…
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Administrative Agencies
By Yvette Farnsworth Baker Administrative agencies are a powerful but underappreciated component of federal, state, and local government. They are not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, yet theyâre sometimes called the fourth branch of government. Between 2019 and 2020, Congress passed only 344 laws, while federal administrative agencies enacted 5,838 rules. Understanding administrative agencies is a critical part of advocating for ethical governance. What are federal administrative agencies? Federal administrative agencies are delegated power from the executive or legislative branch of government. They are tasked with executing and enforcing laws passed by the legislative branch. Often, when a law is passed it requires more detailed rules and guidance to be…
