This is an update to my October, 2012 post, Obama or Romney - A Mormon's Doctrinal Choice. It is updated to reflect the current campaign for the U.S. presidency in 2016. I have retained President Obama to represent the Progressive Democrat agenda that Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, or Bernie Sanders will pursue if they are elected. I replace Governor Romney with the phrase “Constitutional Republican” in the expectation that the Republican nominee will be pro-Constitution.
The October 2012, Semi-annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church) concluded without the Church endorsing Mormon Governor Mitt Romney for President of the United States. Neither Mormon Prophet Thomas S. Monson nor any other Church leader encouraged Mormons to vote for Romney in any way. For those not familiar with the Church this was in keeping with the Church's doctrine on individual liberty and choice and is applicable to the upcoming 2016 Presidential Election.
The face of Mormonism in politics today is probably best reflected in two characters - Senator Harry Reid and former Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney. This also reflects a division within Mormonism on politics - Reid, liberal Democrat; Romney, conservative Republican. For the purposes of the 2016 presidential race, a Mormon's liberal Democrat choice can be represented by President Obama whom Senator Reid supports. The Church does not tell its members how to vote, and there is a strong doctrinal case to be made for that principle; however, in my view, the same doctrine supports an individual member voting against President Obama or a progressive Democrat successor.
The first 2012 Presidential debate, 3 Oct 2012, highlighted this doctrinal point. Mormons seriously considered voting for Governor Romney, not because he was a Mormon, but because he held up "God's" Constitution and President Obama did not. Mormons doctrinally accept that the US Constitution was established by God to protect His children's individual liberty. The Governor specifically referred to these documents and their principles of protecting life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, and a limited Federal government. President Obama made no reference to the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution when asked about the role of government. Even following Governor Romney's direct reference to these documents and the role of government in upholding their principles, President Obama made no statement of agreement.
President Obama's views on the US Constitution may not be well known, but his expressed views are available for evaluation. He has described the Constitution as "fundamentally flawed from its founding", and advocates for income redistribution through extra-Constitutional legislative and administrative means. From a Mormon doctrine perspective, his views concerning the Constitution are not the same as God's stated view. As a faithful Mormon I believed I could not stand with God while also standing for Mr. Obama as President, or any Progressive Democrat. Let me explain.
As a Mormon immigrant to the US and as a US military officer with 35 years of active duty service, I have felt it a great privilege to serve under an oath to defend the US Constitution and I wish to do so here. I will lay out the Mormon case for individual liberty and the Constitution, and then against the President who took the constitutionally-required oath of office to "faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and ... to the best of (his) ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
THE "MORMON" CASE FOR INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND THE US CONSTITUTION
As a young New Zealand citizen and Mormon, I read revelations of God to the Prophet Joseph Smith (detailed below) in which God said "Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another. And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land (the USA), by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose .... And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me. Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land; and as pertaining to law of man, whatsoever is more or less than this, cometh of evil."
Why would God lay claim that He "established the Constitution"? Mormons know that God's greatest heritage to His children is individual liberty or "agency." That heritage was established in Heaven, before His children came to Earth. God rejected a plan from Lucifer (Satan) who "sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him" and "there was war in heaven" to preserve that sacred liberty. God knew His children would make mistakes with their liberty while on Earth but "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus Christ), that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). The Savior was required because God preserved the liberty to His children. Furthermore Mormons believe that God "established the (US) Constitution" to reinstate individual liberty in the world in preparation for the Millennial return of His Son.
MY "MORMON" CASE AGAINST PRESIDENT OBAMA
2016: Obama's America, a documentary movie I highly recommend, is very sympathetic to President Obama. After viewing the movie I could see how he has a genuine interest in the role of government in correcting inequality in society. Many Mormons also seek to see the poor rise and support government redistribution of wealth to achieve this goal. Equal opportunity is empowered by individual liberty as protected by the US Constitution; but equal outcomes are not guaranteed. Doctrinally, care for the poor is accomplished through voluntary contribution by individuals, not through government or even church involuntary taxation or redistribution of wealth. Mormon doctrine teaches that "every needy, naked soul ... their needs and wants" are to be taken care of by "people (who) ... should impart of their substance of their own free will and good desires towards God." Nowhere in scripture is forced care of the poor taught. Equal outcomes through forced redistribution can only be achieved through losses of individual liberty. God allows each of His children to achieve their potential through their own actions and the grace of Christ - the "righteous judge" of their "works."
In a 2001 radio interview, Illinois State Senator Obama made his views clear on the "flawed" Constitution and its obstruction to wealth redistribution (follow these links to various segments of the interview - the full interview is no longer available at WBEX.FM). He describes the Constitution as an "imperfect document ... reflect(ing) the fundamental flaw of this country that continues today." From a Mormon's perspective he did not recognize the divine perfection and establishment of that original Constitution. Slavery could not stand against it, neither unequal rights for women. The foundational principles and processes for change and review established by the Constitution, have corrected error in US society and enthroned individual liberty - as God intended.
Paul Roderick Gregory in his Forbes article, Why the Fuss? Obama Has Long Been On Record In Favor Of Redistribution, does an excellent job of summarizing Senator Obama's views expressed in that 2001 interview:
QUOTE (with Senator Obama's statements in quotations):
First: “We still suffer from not having a Constitution that guarantees its citizens economic rights.” By positive economic rights, Obama means government protection against individual economic failures, such as low incomes, unemployment, poverty, lack of health care, and the like. Obama characterizes the Constitution as “a charter of negative liberties,” which “says what the states can’t do to you (and) what the Federal government can’t do to you, but doesn’t say what the Federal government or State government must do on your behalf.”
Second, Obama regrets that the Constitution places “essential constraints” on the government’s ability to provide positive economic rights and that “we have not broken free” of these Constitutional impediments. Obama views the absence of positive economic liberties that the government must supply as a flaw in the Constitution that must be corrected as part of a liberal political agenda.
Third, Obama concludes that we cannot use the courts to break free of the limited-government constraints of the Founders. The courts are too tradition and precedent bound “to bring about significant redistributional change.” Even the liberal Warren Court “never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society.”
Fourth, Obama argues that economic rights that the state must supply are ultimately to be established at the ballot box. Those who favor redistribution must gain legislative control through an “actual coalition of powers through which you bring about redistributive change.” The electoral task of a redistributive President is therefore to craft coalitions of those who stand to benefit from government largess. The legislature, not the courts, must do this “reparative economic work.”
In sum, Obama views the Constitution as a flawed document from which we must “break free.” We need, instead, a “living” Constitution that refocuses from “negative rights” to requiring income redistribution from the Haves to provide “positive economic rights” to the Have Nots.
END QUOTE
Heather Higgins also does a good job of describing Senator Obama's interview in her US News and World Report article, Barack Obama's Poor Understanding of the Constitution, The Founding Fathers were correct in the way they set up the Constitution.
Then Senator Obama's arguments for wealth redistribution were a fundamental infringement on individual liberty. He is correct that the Constitution does not support redistribution of wealth - therefore he seeks extra-constitutional means to enact his plans. The Obamacare redistribution of health care through the government is an example of this approach. In order to achieve equal outcomes it restricts religious freedom. Multiple Catholic lawsuits against the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) are "to protect the conscience rights of health care providers and institutions that do not want to participate in abortion or assisted suicide ...." The Mormon church is clearly in support of Catholics and these concerns as shown in their official website statements on religious freedom.
To a Mormon, arguments of equal outcomes is similar to the argument of Lucifer in Heaven. His equal outcome to "redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost" could only be accomplished by "destroy(ing) the agency (liberty) of man, which ... the Lord God, had given him ...." Likewise, President Obama acts to change the Constitution which God "suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles; that every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins (actions) in the day of judgment. Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another" - not the slave in bondage to the rich as in days past, or the rich in taxing bondage to the poor as our President intends.
To put it in Paul Roderic Gregory's words:
QUOTE:
The Obama administration has given us a taste of an overbearing majority’s “schemes of oppression” (to use Madison’s words) not decided “according to rules of justice and the rights of the minor party:” the blackmailing of Chrysler bondholders, the transfer of property from creditors and shareholders to organized labor in the GM bailout, the attempted destruction of whole industries, such as coal, through regulation rather than legislation, transfers of income from lenders to borrowers under forced loan renegotiations, and the use of unelected and unapproved economic czars to redistribute income and wealth by executive fiat.
END QUOTE
Add to these the redistribution of Obamacare, the individual mandate of which could only pass Supreme Court scrutiny under the governments power to "tax;" the failure to have the Justice Department defend the Defense of Marriage Act in Court; and the failure to uphold immigration laws.
As Americans we have a great blessing and responsibility to exercise our vote. "I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free. Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the people mourn. Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil."
I see President Obama's actions and the Progressive Democrat agenda with respect to the Constitution as "evil" in that they do not support God's Constitution of individual liberty. I balance that statement with the observation that by Mormon doctrine we also know that President Obama is one of the valiant sons of God that upheld the principle of maintaining individual liberty in Heaven - had he not, he would not be upon the Earth with a physical body, with the opportunity to exercise his liberty and learn for himself that "wickedness never was happiness."
May God bless the President of the United States, and may we uphold the Constitution of individual liberty that the current President opposes buy electing a Constitutional Republican in 2016.
The following quotes on the US Constitution are accepted by Mormons as scripture from God:
77 According to the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles;
78 That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment.
79 Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another.
80 And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.
4 And now, verily I say unto you concerning the laws of the land, it is my will that my people should observe to do all things whatsoever I command them.
5 And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me.
6 Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land;
7 And as pertaining to law of man, whatsoever is more or less than this, cometh of evil.
8 I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free.
10 Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil.
54 Have mercy, O Lord, upon all the nations of the earth; have mercy upon the rulers of our land; may those principles, which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely, the Constitution of our land, by our fathers, be established forever.
The Equal Outcome Argument and Preservation of Liberty in Heaven:
1 And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.
2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.
3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;
4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Care for the Poor:
27 And again Alma commanded that the people of the church should impart of their substance, every one according to that which he had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly; and of him that had but little, but little should be required; and to him that had not should be given.
28 And thus they should impart of their substance of their own free will and good desires towards God, and to those priests that stood in need, yea, and to every needy, naked soul.
29 And this he said unto them, having been commanded of God; and they did walk uprightly before God, imparting to one another both temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their wants.
14 I, the Lord, stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork; and all things therein are mine.
15 And it is my purpose to provide for my saints, for all things are mine.
16 But it must needs be done in mine own way; and behold this is the way that I, the Lord, have decreed to provide for my saints, that the poor shall be exalted, in that the rich are made low.
17 For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves.
