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Op-Eds: A Crash Course
Op-eds can be some of the most thought-provoking — and controversial — sections of news publications, both in print and online. Last month, MWEG’s media literacy team set out to clarify what op-eds are (you might be surprised what the “op” stands for), how they can be useful (and not so useful), and why and how you can find your voice and write your own. What are op-eds? Many newspapers have an opinion section, which operates completely separately from the rest of the paper and which publishes “several different types of content in the spirit of presenting a wide range of viewpoints and to encourage thoughtful debate” Des Moines Register).…
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Principles of Ethical Government: Combating Corruption
Mormon Women for Ethical Government’s Principles of Ethical Government (1)(a), (1)(b), and (1)(c) state: (a) People in positions of power should not lightly violate or discard long-standing political norms, especially norms that serve to limit the abuse of power (see D&C 121:39). (b) Government officials and institutions should be honest and transparent, insofar as possible without harming national security and individual rights (see D&C 123:13; Alma 37:25). (c) Elected and appointed officials and government employees alike must eschew conflicts of interest and avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest in fidelity to the public trust. Appointees to specialized government roles should be well-qualified to serve in those roles (see…
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Romney Supporters Rally on the Capitol Steps
Mormon Women for Ethical Government joined with Salt Lake Indivisible, Stand Up Republic of Utah, Student Republicans of Utah, Republicans for the Rule of Law, and Alliance for a Better Utah on the south steps of the Utah capitol building on Friday to thank Utah Senator Mitt Romney for his courageous role in the 2020 presidential impeachment process.
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The Presidential Primary Pizza Party
By Amy Menlove Parker, MWEG Member February 27, 2020 A liberal, a centrist, and a conservative walk into a park. That’s how our parties started. While our kids played, we discussed how woefully uninformed we were about Utah’s 2018 midterms, and within an hour, with MWEG’s Voter Prep Parties in mind, we dreamed up a political preparation party we could invite our neighbors to. It was so much fun that two weeks ago, after discussing the Democratic candidates at another playdate, I messaged my friend and said, “Maybe we should have another political preparation party?” She replied, “Remove the maybe and the question mark.” In a series of just a…
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MWEG Impeachment Advocacy Timeline
In September, MWEG members across the nation began focusing attention on the impeachment process. Our response to this historic event was driven by a desire to help transform citizens as much as leaders. As the Ukraine scandal began to unfold, our members began crowd-sourcing neutral and comprehensive information about actors, processes, norms, and political relationships. As the House moved toward impeachment, we discussed together what the process would look like as well as historical precedent. Members communicated together on our Facebook discussion group, and leadership reached out with our newsletter, Facebook live events, and presentations on our internal platform. Our objective is always to learn together, gain knowledge and skills,…
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Official Statement from Mormon Women for Ethical Government on the Politicization of the Department of Justice by Attorney General Barr
February 20, 2020 Attorney General William Barr’s recent politicization of the Department of Justice is an abuse of power that violates the MWEG Principles of Ethical Government. For our democracy to function and corruption to be held at bay, the DOJ must serve as a critical bulwark in the defense of the rule of law, protecting the rights of all citizens. We have witnessed a corruption of criminal justice independence as Attorney General Barr interfered with prosecutorial sentencing recommendations for Roger Stone and supervised the placement of politically supportive U.S. attorneys in key positions. These acts erode the barriers keeping the judicial system free from political interference. When added to…
