Falwell, Romney & Roosevelt in the same entry!

I'm realizing this blog is taking on more and more of a Utah spin with every passing week but, hey, the subject matter is plentiful. Two pieces on the Salt Lake Tribune's editorial pages caught me eye today.

First, the editorial board analyzes Jerry Falwell's legacy. The board ultimately concludes that Falwell's explosive mix of right-wing politics and religion was ultimately far more divisive than inclusive under the false moniker "moral majority."

In large part, Falwell's legacy was to cast compromise as a sign of weakness and to make the demonization of political opponents, based on "moral issues," a common, effective, often cynical, and utterly divisive, political ploy.

If America is not up in arms about Falwell's politicization of the religious right, then they are hypocritical to fear the potential mix of the LDS Church in Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. Retired East HS professor Q. Michael Croft writes about a dozen instances of LDS involvement in state and national politics in his op-ed piece today, ironically opposite the Falwell editorial.

Under LDS Church President Heber J. Grant, the church publicly endorsed, through the Deseret News, Republican presidential candidate Alfred M. Landon over Franklin K. Roosevelt. (Roosevelt still carried Utah.)

In 1960 church President David O. McKay personally endorsed Richard Nixon for president. Although he emphasized he was doing this as an individual citizen, his position as head of the church would certainly have an impact.

According to President Ezra Taft Benson, "Those who would remove the prophet from politics would take God out of government."

I say he's just stating the obvious. If you don't think the LDS Church is involved in (primarily Republican) politics, you're just naive. But the LDS church is no less guilty than the religious right.

Finally, this question: Does the structure of the LDS local church units (wards and stakes), presided over by lay people adding "ecclesiastical" duties to their business, family, community and political obligations - further the perception that the Mormon Church can't help but meddle in politics?