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The Signature Heard ‘Round the World

Posted by Connor on January 17th, 2012

In the wake of an undeclared war with France, a Congress full of Federalists passed several bills known collectively as the Alien and Sedition Acts. Signed into law by John Adams, the laws aimed to clamp down domestically on perceived threats to the fledgling American nation.

The executive branch was given authority under these laws to deport any resident alien deemed “dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States,” as well as those whose countries were at war with the United States of America. Most egregiously, the Sedition Act criminalized the publication of “false, scandalous, and malicious writing” against the government or select government officials.

Once the bill was made law, the Federalists got to work. Twenty-five men were arrested under the powers created by the Sedition Act, most of whom were editors of Republican newspapers (the Federalists’ political rivals). Matthew Lyon, a Republican congressman from Vermont, became the first person to be put on trial under the Sedition Act. Lyon had written a letter published in the paper for which he was an editor, criticizing Adams’ “continued grasp for power.”

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Latter-day Saints for Ron Paul

Posted by Connor on January 14th, 2012

I have the pleasure of being on the “Latter-day Saints for Ron Paul” nationwide coalition for the Ron Paul 2012 campaign. The press release (included below) received a mention at Politico, and local coverage by the Deseret News and KSL.

From notables to neighbors, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints members prefer Dr. Paul

LAKE JACKSON, Texas – The Ron Paul 2012 Presidential campaign announced today new members of its “Latter-day Saints for Ron Paul” nationwide coalition. Included among the new additions are prominent author Connor Boyack, and two Ron Paul campaign staff working in western states.

Focusing on a large western-states voting bloc, the continued use of coalitions will build capacity in a manner that proved pivotal to the 12-term Congressman from Texas’s top-tier finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire.

The launch of “Latter-day Saints for Ron Paul” reveals a voter segment not monopolized by any particular candidate. Voters of an LDS background are in fact investigating the limited-government message of Dr. Paul and turning toward his candidacy. Their support and that of many other affinity groups proves Ron Paul can win the votes required be the Republican nominee for the presidency.

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Should Mormons vote for Mitt Romney?

Posted by Connor on January 12th, 2012

The following is an op-ed I had published at The Daily Caller today.

This election cycle, like certain others in the past, has generated a significant amount of discussion regarding the intersection between politics and religion. While some consider the two to be irreconcilable and dangerous when mixed, others see a symbiotic relationship that can and should be allowed to flourish.

For example, Mitt Romney’s membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has provided plenty of fodder for commentary. Pundits have questioned whether his faith is a help or hinderance, with opinions running the gamut. And while the talking heads discuss at great length the impact his Mormon religion will have in conservative, southern states where evangelical Christians dominate the political landscape, they tend to believe he has automatic and near-universal support from Utahns and his fellow Mormons nationwide.

As both a Mormon and Utah resident, I find this assumption to be misguided and disappointing.

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The War on Drugs is a War on American Citizens

Posted by Connor on January 12th, 2012

I’ve been asked to contribute a monthly op-ed to The Davis Clipper. Here’s my first, where I argue that the war on drugs is a war on the American people.

Over 100 times a day, militarized police officers throughout America raid the homes of individuals suspected of possessing, using, and sometimes distributing drugs.

These increasingly frequent raids subject many peaceful individuals, including innocent people such as family members, roommates, and bystanders, to the horror of having their homes invaded.

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Government, a Defective Product

Posted by Connor on December 31st, 2011

The following is an op-ed I wrote, published in today’s Salt Lake Tribune.

I’m a frequent patron of Amazon.com. As I browse their wide selection in search of a product, one of the first criteria I apply to determine if a given product is worth what’s in my wallet is the customer reviews. At a quick glance, I can see the community’s rating of the product as well as the total number of reviews that calculated the overall rating. It’s extremely rare that I purchase anything with three or less stars (out of five total).

This is the market at work. Competition yields a better product, and increased selection offers a consumer such as myself the opportunity to rate the different products based on criteria I deem important, such as price, durability, brand recognition, and the reviews of individuals who have previously purchased the item in question.

With that context, consider the question: why should government be any different?

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Highland’s Justified Food Freedom Ordinance

Posted by Connor on December 26th, 2011

The following is an op-ed published in the Daily Herald, in response to their editorial. See also my Tenth Amendment Center post on the subject for background on the Highland city ordinance.

I write to point out the many inaccuracies in the Herald’s recent editorial (“Highland tilts at D.C. windmill,” Dec. 15) regarding the recently-passed Highland food freedom ordinance.

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Persuasion vs. Coercion: Taking a Real Stand

Posted by Connor on December 16th, 2011

photo credit: ViaMoi

Earlier this month, the National Organization for Marriage—one of the groups who put a lot of effort into supporting Proposition 8 in California—tweeted:

“I’m personally opposed, but…..” Is @RepRonPaul willing to take a real stand for #marriage?

The quote at the beginning was a reference to a recent presidential debate, where Rep. Paul argued that states—and not the federal government—should determine what they will do about marriages. He noted that he was personally opposed to same-sex marriage, but did not see a role for the federal government in deciding one way or the other what should be done about it.

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Prayers for Peace, Free Principles, and Protection

Posted by Connor on December 9th, 2011

In a general conference address in 2008, Elder Bednar taught that “meaningful prayer requires both holy communication and consecrated work.” He elaborated:

We press forward and persevere in the consecrated work of prayer, after we say “amen,” by acting upon the things we have expressed to Heavenly Father.

In other words, while praying for things we earnestly desire is critical, it is not sufficient; our prayer must be accompanied by effort to accomplish the very thing for which we are petitioning God. Just as faith without works is dead, so too is prayer without work.

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Is Libertarianism Compatible With Mormonism?

Posted by Connor on November 30th, 2011

photo credit: Altus Photo Design

Earlier this year, Lawrence Vance gave a speech at the Mises Institute‘s 2011 Austrian Scholars Conference titled “Is Libertarianism Compatible With Religion?” Narrowing his question to Christianity specifically, Vance used select Biblical passages to conclude in the affirmative, asserting the following:

Not only is libertarianism compatible with the most strict, most biblically literal form of Christianity, it is demanded by it.

It is my intention in this article to demonstrate that if select passages from the Bible offer a stream of support for libertarianism (something with which I agree), then the additional scripture and teachings found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offer a tidal wave of supporting statements in comparison.

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My Letter to a Senator Hatch Re-Election Campaign Staffer

Posted by Connor on November 21st, 2011

This weekend, I received the following email:

Connor,

My name is Matthew Skanchy and I am the Area Captain over Utah County for Senator Hatch’s campaign. I called you recently, but I wasn’t able to reach you and I wanted to send you an email to provide you with my contact information.

I would love to hear about your opinion on re-electing Orrin. I would also be happy to try and answer any questions or concerns you might have regarding specific issues relating to your opinion of Senator Hatch.

I hope you have a great week.

Best,

Matthew Skanchy
Area Captain
Hatch Election Committee

This was my reply:

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The Addictive Drug that Government Will Never Prohibit

Posted by Connor on November 15th, 2011

photo credit: Herodoto

Over the past several decades, governments at all levels of society have incorporated into their codified laws prohibitions against drugs. Reviewing lists of banned substances has become an exercise in linguistic gymnastics. Consider just a few of the many, many items placed on prohibition by the government: gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid, a general anesthetic with minimal side effects; 12-Methoxyibogamine, used to help cure opiate addiction; 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, used medically to help treat post-traumatic stress disorder; alpha-methyltryptamine, an anti-depressant; and dihydrocodeinone enol acetate, a semi-synthetic substance similar to hydrocodone, a popular pain reliever.

Here in Utah, the state government has gone so far as to ban a synthetic marijuana substitute called “Spice” as well as bath salts. But despite the sustained attack on all sorts of natural and synthetic drugs, there is one drug—an extremely addictive and popular one— that government will never prohibit.

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Opposing Marijuana Criminalization

Posted by Connor on November 8th, 2011

The following is an op-ed submission which was rejected for publication by The Deseret News.

Should the federal government outlaw the production and/or consumption of a naturally growing plant? The Deseret News editorial board believes so, supporting in its recent editorial the Obama administration’s “strong policy against the legalization of marijuana.” A better question is whether the government even has the authority to proclaim it illegal and criminalize its use.

Many people seem to take it for granted that an all-powerful government can shape society as it pleases, and for this the government is often praised. But the federal government is constrained by the limited, delegated powers found in the Constitution — and even then, its actions must be reconciled with the philosophy of liberty the Constitution was instituted to secure and defend.

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