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Why Character Matters
This article is part of our Principled Voter series. Does the character of a candidate matter? In a democracy, it does. âIn a president, character is everything. . . . [Y]ou canât buy courage and decency, you canât rent a strong moral sense. A president must bring those things with [them].â â Peggy Noonan, 1995 Our form of government only works when leaders respect certain boundaries â like understanding and honoring the rule of law, respecting the balance of power, telling the truth, and treating people with basic respect. Those actions require character. If you could choose your next police commissioner, or the principal of your childrenâs school, or the…
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Your Vote Is Your Voice â How Will You Use It?
This article is part of our Principled Voter series. Your vote is your voice. How will you use it? Youâve got a lot on your plate â family, finances, work, community involvement, and more! And when you add nonstop news on top of all that, itâs no wonder the majority of Americans outsource their vote to political parties. While more than 40% of voters consider themselves independent, only 4% of registered voters in 2020 said they planned to vote a split ticket, meaning theyâd vote for candidates from more than one party. So how independent is your vote, really? Your vote says something about what you value, and it should…
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MWEG Press Conference Statement at the Utah “Vote No” Rally
The following statement was read by MWEG Co-Executive Director Emma Petty Addams and MWEG Utah Chapter Co-Coordinator Melarie Wheat at a press conference at the Utah State Capitol. The event was held to launch a “Vote No” campaign for a proposed amendment to the Utah state constitution â Amendment D, which would grant the Legislature unlimited power to repeal citizen initiatives. It is a beautiful day to gather as citizens to speak up for our rights! Thank you so much for joining us here today as we speak up, once again, for our right to reform our government. This is not a new position for us to be in, is it?…
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SCOTUS Decision on Presidential Immunity â An MWEG Interview With Expert Benjamin Wittes
Jessica Larson, MWEGâs senior director of advocacy, recently interviewed Benjamin Wittes, editor in chief of Lawfare and senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, about the recent Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity. Below is a summary of that conversation as well as the full video interview. On July 1, 2024, the Supreme Court ruled on presidential immunity in response to former President Trumpâs federal indictment. The decision is a historic expansion of presidential immunity, leaving the lower courts with a lot to still determine. Since 1984, the president has had immunity from civil suits for official acts while in office. We have never had a president who…
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Press Conference Statement on UT Supreme Court Decision
The following statement was read by MWEG communications specialist Laura Lewis at a press conference at the Utah State Capitol. Mormon Women for Ethical Government is grateful to be here today alongside our fellow plaintiffs to celebrate this historic ruling. It is fitting that this victory for Utah voters was achieved by Utah voters â those who supported Prop 4, those who participated in the independent redistricting process, those who organized this lawsuit, and those who courageously stood up as plaintiffs. The people of Utah have come together to assert their right to reform their government. This unanimous Utah Supreme Court decision upholds the will of the people, and we…
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MWEG Response to Verdict in Trump Criminal Trial
This afternoonâs historic guilty verdict in former President Donald Trumpâs criminal trial came as a result of legal proceedings that allowed the evidence to be presented and cross-examined, the defense to make their case, and a carefully vetted citizen jury to deliberate. This judicial process also provides access to a clear system of appeals, available to defendants with legitimate concerns about process or results. These proceedings reflect our countryâs long-held norms of a judicial system that is fair, balanced, and impartial. Citizens should scrutinize any attempts to undermine the decision beyond those time-tested mechanisms, especially by current and former elected officials in pursuit of apparent party or personal gain. Such…