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Water Rights on the Colorado River in a Drought-Prone World
The Colorado River is the beating heart of the West, pumping life into the region’s cities, farms, and deserts. Its water is used for reasons as diverse as growing alfalfa that is shipped to Saudi Arabia to providing hydroelectric power to over 40 million people in the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. The Colorado River is the principal source of water for seven states (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, Nevada, and California); it also provides water for Mexico. Water rights on the Colorado River are governed by a complicated network of laws, court decisions, contracts, and regulations known as the Law of the River. The Colorado River Compact The…
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Official Statement on the Trump Indictment and the Rule of Law
Democracy is not guaranteed. It depends on the engagement of good citizens united around common principles. As Mormon Women for Ethical Government, we urge our fellow citizens to become familiar with and learn about the facts and underlying relevant legal processes associated with both United States of America v. Donald J. Trump and The State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump. These cases will mark an inflection point in the history of our government: We the people can decide if our nation will uphold Constitutional government by insisting that even our most powerful leaders be held accountable to the rule of law. It is critical that as citizens we retain…
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MWEG Op-Ed: ‘Are Your Elected Officials Principled or Stubborn?’
“As I watched the debt ceiling standoff between Republican lawmakers and President Biden over the last several months, I returned to a question I have been contemplating for several years: What is the difference between taking a principled stand on an issue and being a stubborn, egotistical obstructionist?” Click here for the full text of this Fulcrum op-ed written by Megan Rawlins Woods, MWEG’s senior director of nonpartisanship.
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MWEG Op-Ed: ‘Gerrymandering Is Always Political, the Arguments Against It Are Not’
“On July 11, Utah’s 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 Voter
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 voters’ 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 legislature’s 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…
