Pew Study: A Portrait of Mormons in the U.S.

Read it here

Breakdown:

Demographics

• Mormon groups make up 58% of Utah's population and 1.7% of the total U.S. adult population
  
  • 35% of American Mormons live in Utah, 13% in California, and 4% live in Texas
    
• Two-thirds (66%) are under age 50 compared to 59% of the general population
  
• Women form the Majority (56%) of Mormons
  
• 71% of Mormons are married compared to just 54% of the general population
  
• Mormons are the most likely of any religious faith to be married to someone of the same faith (83%)
  
• The only major religious faith that comes close to Mormons in having children are Muslims (Mormons reporting 3 or more children at home currently: 21%, while only 15% of Muslims have 3 or more children living at home; compared to just 9% in the general population).
  
• 86% of Mormons are white compared to Jews (95% white), mainline Protestant churches (91% white) and Orthodox Christians (87% white).
  

Education and Income

• Mormons are solidly middle-class.
  
• Mormons are significantly more likely than the population overall to have some college education (61% compared to 50%)
  
• 38% earn between $50,000 and $100,000 compared to 30% generally
  
• Mormons are less likely earn less than $50,000 and about as likely to earn more than $100,000 compared to the general population.
  

Converts

• Converts are typically older, less well educated, immigrants, and more racially diverse.
  

Religious Practice

• A majority of Mormons (55%) say they receive a direct answer to a specific prayer request at least once a month.
  
• Mormons have just over 2x the weekly church activity compared to mainline churches (76% compared to 35%).
  
• 91% pray and read scriptures with their children compared to 63% generally.
  

• A strong majority of Mormons (88%) say there are absolute standards of right and wrong.
  
• 60% of Mormons Identify themselves as Conservative, while only 10% consider themselves to be liberal politically.
  
• 65% identify with the Republican party (15% higher than any other religious group) while 22% identify themselves as Democrats.
  
  • The only group that is more partisan than Mormons are Historically Black Churches, which are 77% Democrat
    
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• Only 22% of Mormons think Evolution is the best explanation of human life while 75% disagree.
  
• Marital status and education levels both correlate positively with conservative views in general including the size of government, abortion, and the role of the military in preserving peace.
  

The Health Care Bill

I did a little summary I did of the health-bill (with the help from some friends over at Race42008).

Expect longer waits, very diminished care, decreased innovation because there will be a large wall of separation between business R&D and the scientist/physicians who actually make the discoveries. Just imagine what would have happened if the government told the Wright brothers, or Henry Ford that they couldn't benefit from their discoveries in any way. Also, consider the fact that the top 5 hospitals do more clinical trials than the rest of the world combined. (Just imagine what France do when we stop developing their health care with American medical technology and stop defending them with our military)?

Of course, the word 'Abortion' is never written in all 1,018 pages, but you can be sure that 'family planning' isn't referring to classes on abstinence, and 'family planning agencies' isn't referring to Catholic Charities or LDS Family Services.

Also, expect that our parents will have their benefits cut. In all, about 75% of health care costs are for Chronic diseases, and costs for the last year of life account for 25-30% of Medicare expenditures. Cuts in these areas will especially affect Black Americans and other minority groups (see: http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/20/4/188

Also, if you would like a taste of what rationed single-payer health care would look like, just google NICE (National Institute of Cost Effectiveness) the British health care rationing board. They have a metric called the QALY (quality adjusted life year) which is a rough estimate of what they would pay for an extra year of life adjusted for quality. Their estimate is that $34,400 is about the right amount to pay for a quality adjusted year of life whereas in the U.S. it is set at around $50,000 per QALY by Medicaid, but if the government takes on coverage of everybody then you can expect that their QALY standard will match that in Great Britain and you will see decreased costs, sure, but that's because all the infirm elderly people are dying from lack of care they would have received if the government was focused only on them and not on everybody; including those who would go to the doctor for any scrape or cough.

Here's a list of important issues found in the bill:

Pg 30 Sec 123 – The creation of a government health care rationing board that decides what treatments/benefits you get

Pg 42 – The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your benefits for you. One size fits all. No variation from this plan.

Pg 58 – Government will have real-time access to individual's finances and a National ID Health care card will be issued!

Pg 59 lines 21-24
Government will have direct access to your banks accts for electronic funds transfer.

Pg 124 lines 24-25 No company can sue Government on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Government Monopoly.

Pg 127 Lines 1-16 – Doctors & AMA – The Government will decide what you can make under this plan.

Pg 145 Line 15-17
An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into public opt plan. NO CHOICE

Pg 146 Subsection (A) line 4: Employers must pay at least 72.5% of a full-time employees' or 65% of an employee's family health insurance. Employers must pay the proportion of health insurance for part-time employees that corresponds to their hours. (e.g., 20 hours/week = 37% coverage). Buisnesses CANNOT reduce a person's salary—expect lot's of part-time lay-offs.

Pg 149, sec. 313:
The employer may opt out and instead pay 8% of a person's salary as a tax towards the government health plan. Expect massive dumping of employees into the Government health-rationing plan.

Pg 195 Officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVERNMENT) will have access to ALL Americans financial and personal records.

Pg 241 Line 6-8– Doctors, it does not matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same.

Pg 272 SEC. 1145. Treatment of certain cancer hospitals – Cancer patients – welcome to rationing!

Pg 317 L 13-20 PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. End of private, physician-directed hospitals Government tells Drs. what/how much they can own. Just remember that it's a lot easier to teach a doctor how to run a business than it is to teach a businessperson how to practice medicine.

Pg 425 Lines 4-12
Government mandates Advance [Death] Care Planning Consult. Helping Seniors decide how and when they will die as a cost-cutting measure.

Pg 425 Lines 17-19 Mandatory
government consultation and implementation of living wills, durable powers of atty., etc.

Pg 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 Government provides approved list of end of life resources to guide you in death.

Pg 427 Lines 15-24 Government mandates program for orders for end of life. The Government has a say in how your life ends.

Pg 429 Lines 1-9 An "Advanced Care Planning Consult" will be used more and more frequently as patients health deteriorates. A measure to help limit costs associated with costly life-prolonging medical treatments.

Pg 429 Lines 10-12 "Advanced Care Planning Consult" includes an order for end-of-life plans.

Pg 429 Lines 13-25 – The government will specify which Doctors can write an end-of-life order.

PG 430 Lines Subsection (B) 11-15 The government will decide what level of treatment you will have at the end of life and adjust end-of-life treatments accordingly; including restrictions of expensive antibiotics or artificial feeding/hydration treatments.

Pg 503 Lines 13-19 Government will build registries and data networks from YOUR electronic med records.

Pg 503 lines 21-25 Government may secure data directly from any depart or agency of the US including your data.

Pg 632 Lines 14-25 The Government may implement any "Quality measure" of HC Services as they see fit.

Pg 635 to 653 Physicians Payments Sunshine Provision – Government wants to shine sunlight on Docs but not Government.

Pg 686-700 Increased Funding to Fight Waste, Fraud, and Abuse. You mean like the Government with an $18 million website (recovery.org)?

Pg 769 3-5 Nurse Home Visit Services – "increasing birth intervals between pregnancies." This will include taxpayer-paid abortion (hey, if Obama is sending millions of taxpayer money to Mexico and Africa so they can have abortions, then why not Americans?). Also, how are nurses supposed to be qualified to 'increase the economic self-sufficiency or educational achievement' of children?

Pg 770 SEC 1714
Fed Government mandates eligibility for State Family Planning Services. Federal government provided abortions and restrictions on state sovereignty to prevent government funds going towards abortion.

Pg 838-840 The Government will design & implement Home Visitation Program for families with young kids & families expecting kids.

PG 844-845 This Home Visitation Prog. includes Government coming into your house & telling you how to parent!

PG 935 21-22 Government will identify specific goals & objectives for prevention & wellness activities. Government control of what you eat, drink, and do.

PG 936 Government will develop "Healthy People & National Public Health Perform. Standards" Tell me what to eat?

PG 1001 The Government will establish a National Medical Device Registry. Will you be tracked?

Pg 30 Sec 123 – The creation of a government health care rationing board that decides what treatments/benefits you get

Pg 42 – The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your benefits for you. One size fits all. No variation from this plan.

Pg 58 – Government will have real-time access to individual's finances and a National ID Health care card will be issued!

Pg 59 lines 21-24
Government will have direct access to your banks accts for electronic funds transfer.

Pg 124 lines 24-25 No company can sue Government on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Government Monopoly.

Pg 127 Lines 1-16 – Doctors & AMA – The Government will decide what you can make under this plan.

Pg 145 Line 15-17
An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into public opt plan. NO CHOICE

Pg 146 Subsection (A) line 4: Employers must pay at least 72.5% of a full-time employees' or 65% of an employee's family health insurance. Employers must pay the proportion of health insurance for part-time employees that corresponds to their hours. (e.g., 20 hours/week = 37% coverage). Buisnesses CANNOT reduce a person's salary—expect lot's of part-time lay-offs.

Pg 149, sec. 313:
The employer may opt out and instead pay 8% of a person's salary as a tax towards the government health plan. Expect massive dumping of employees into the Government health-rationing plan.

Pg 195 Officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVERNMENT) will have access to ALL Americans financial and personal records.

Pg 241 Line 6-8– Doctors, it does not matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same.

Pg 272 SEC. 1145. Treatment of certain cancer hospitals – Cancer patients – welcome to rationing!

Pg 317 L 13-20 PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. End of private, physician-directed hospitals Government tells Drs. what/how much they can own. Just remember that it's a lot easier to teach a doctor how to run a business than it is to teach a businessperson how to practice medicine.

Pg 425 Lines 4-12
Government mandates Advance [Death] Care Planning Consult. Helping Seniors decide how and when they will die as a cost-cutting measure.

Pg 425 Lines 17-19 Mandatory
government consultation and implementation of living wills, durable powers of atty., etc.

Pg 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 Government provides approved list of end of life resources to guide you in death.

Pg 427 Lines 15-24 Government mandates program for orders for end of life. The Government has a say in how your life ends.

Pg 429 Lines 1-9 An "Advanced Care Planning Consult" will be used more and more frequently as patients health deteriorates. A measure to help limit costs associated with costly life-prolonging medical treatments.

Pg 429 Lines 10-12 "Advanced Care Planning Consult" includes an order for end-of-life plans.

Pg 429 Lines 13-25 – The government will specify which Doctors can write an end-of-life order.

PG 430 Lines Subsection (B) 11-15 The government will decide what level of treatment you will have at the end of life and adjust end-of-life treatments accordingly; including restrictions of expensive antibiotics or artificial feeding/hydration treatments.

Pg 503 Lines 13-19 Government will build registries and data networks from YOUR electronic med records.

Pg 503 lines 21-25 Government may secure data directly from any depart or agency of the US including your data.

Pg 632 Lines 14-25 The Government may implement any "Quality measure" of HC Services as they see fit.

Pg 635 to 653 Physicians Payments Sunshine Provision – Government wants to shine sunlight on Docs but not Government.

Pg 686-700 Increased Funding to Fight Waste, Fraud, and Abuse. You mean like the Government with an $18 million website?

Pg 769 3-5 Nurse Home Visit Services – "increasing birth intervals between pregnancies." Government ABORTIONS anyone. Also, how are nurses supposed to be qualified to 'increase the economic self-sufficiency or educational achievement' of children?

Pg 770 SEC 1714
Fed Government mandates eligibility for State Family Planning Services. Federal government provided abortions and restrictions on state sovereignty to prevent government funds going towards abortion.

Pg 838-840 The Government will design & implement Home Visitation Program for families with young kids & families expecting kids.

PG 844-845 This Home Visitation Prog. includes Government coming into your house & telling you how to parent!

PG 935 21-22 Government will identify specific goals & objectives for prevention & wellness activities. Government control of what you eat, drink, and do.

PG 936 Government will develop "Healthy People & National Public Health Perform. Standards" Tell me what to eat?

PG 1001 The Government will establish a National Medical Device Registry. Will you be tracked?

Sanford was having an affair in Argentina

Sanford was having an affair in Argentina

Very disappointing

The End of Hippocratic Medicine

It is troubling that I write about the assault on conscience legislation that was intended to protect doctors and health-care workers from retaliation based on their opposition to abortion, sterilization, and euthanasia. This fight wasn't started by those in the Pro-Life movement, but by extremist ideologues who are trying to force an abortion mandate on thousands of doctors who feel that elective convenience killing of fetuses and the elderly is wrong. These same abortion lobbyist, interestingly, also have a vested interest in the billions of dollars that they receive from government to perform abortions and abortion-related services in the U.S.

Turning doctors into vending machines for quick-fix immoral solutions to tragic mistakes will further plunge the profession into a status of a mere skilled technicians of whom you always have to worry that somebody else (e.g., the government) isn't paying more for your death than you are paying for your health.

Here's some illustrative quotes from a recent NEJM article that was published today:

"Health care providers — and all those whose jobs affect patient care — should cast off the cloak of conscience when patients' needs demand it."

The snarky use of the word 'cloak' here implicates malicious and covert intent on the part of doctors who refuse to take part in abortion. It's part of an ideology that has made it a moral right to be able to kill one's offspring, and assumes that anybody who disagrees on the grounds conscience or morality must have an underlying malicious intent (since, of course, abortion is perfectly moral and a righteous shibboleth of 'modern,' 'civilized' society).

Or ironically: "We have created a state of "conscience creep" in which all behavior becomes acceptable."

And then come out the hyperbolic reductio ad absurdum scare tactics:

"Taken to its logical extreme, the rule could cause health care to grind to a halt."

The author concedes there are reasonable grounds for Right of Conscience laws such as avoiding conscription into the military, but the elective abortion of a down syndrome child is simply too much tolerance; a tolerance that risks the total collapse of healthcare globally.

Crispin Sartwell a Pro-Choice Atheist said this in the Los Angeles Times last fall:

"The extent to which an institution seeks to expunge individual conscience and moral autonomy is the extent to which it is totalitarian and dangerous. The idea that I resign my conscience to the institution or to the state is perhaps the single most pernicious notion in human history. It is at the heart of the wars and genocides of this century and the last."

It was doctors who led the eugenics and genocide movements in Nazi Germany; doctors who met the prisoners at Auschwitz and signaled to the right or to the left. I hope the profession never violates the moral conscience of its members, but if it does then Medicine will aquire the distrust and reprobation that it will deserve. I am sorry to find myself in this sad state, but I am confident that Doctors and Patients will stand up together to oppose this possible oppressive action by the Obama administration.

Some Background information:

• CMDA Informal Member Survey: 25% have been discriminated against - lost a job, lost a promotion or lost an educational opportunity; 40% have been pressured to violate their conscience, 90% say the problem is getting worst.
  
• Right of Conscience is guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights - "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"
  
• The present laws are being ignored since there is no provision to enforce them.
  
• Pro-abortion groups are attempting to force healthcare professionals to participate in activities they are morally opposed to or leave medicine. These regulations are needed more than ever.
  
• A medical referral means you endorse the competency, ethics and integrity of the doctor you refer to, believe the procedure is necessary and that you have entered into a professional relationship. Patients don't need a referral to find someone to do an abortion, just a phone book.
  
• Healthcare professionals of conscience have not been doing objectionable activities in the past so these regulations will not limit access for patients. The greatest danger to patient access is to force out of work up to a quarter of healthcare professionals.
  
• You provide full and accurate information to patients even when they request something you won't do. You treat them courteously.
  
• Professional and other ethical statements support your position.
  
  • American Medical Association - AMA reaffirms that neither physician, hospital, nor hospital personnel shall be required to perform any act violative of personally held moral principles.
    
  • World Health Organization - The physician should be free to make clinical and ethical judgments without inappropriate outside interference.
    
  • Canadian Medical Association - The CMA stresses that physicians who decline to participate in abortion should not be discriminated against, and emphasizes the need to respect the rights of conscientious objectors, especially those in training for obstetrics and gynecology, and anesthesia.
    
  • European Convention on Human Rights - Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes… freedom …to manifest his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
    
• This is more than the issue of abortion. Should we force pacifist to kill or doctors to participate in executions? What about forcing them to participate in physician-assisted suicide where it is legalized?
  

There is much more information on Freedom2care.org and CMDA's websites. Act today, don't delay. You may submit more than one comment as you address different parts of HHS's request.

Interview with CMDA President about Doctors being forced to perform Abortions

Listen to an interview Dr. David Stevens had with News Radio 550 WSAU's Pat Snyder and Tom King regarding the concern over the resending of healthcare right of conscience.

Click here to access .mp3 file

Bill Gates Shows that Teachers Salaries are Unwittingly Based on Incompetence.

Bill Gates on How American schools are failing our children and why Government is promoting this failure:

Thus, a master's degree actually hurts performance, and seniority was irrelevant as a factor. But master's degree and seniority are the only two factors that will increase a teacher's pay.Bill Gates on the state of education, Feb 2009

You should read the whole article.

No stimulus for BYU

It's OK for people to use federal funds directed towards universities to support budding pornography directors. Just don't use those funds for student religious activities.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MjdkYjVjYjIwNjMxZWI3YTViN2U3YjU3ZWRhYmMzMGM=