Posted by:
PtLoma
(
)
Date: June 23, 2013 04:19AM
Each state has only two Senators, regardless of population. So California, with more than ten times the population of Utah, has the same number of Senators. So there are always two LDS Senators from Utah. Currently, Nevada, AZ, and Idaho each have one LDS Senator, for a total of five (more than CA and NY's Senatorial count combined). Sen. Tom Udall is technically LDS, but clearly does not take orders from SLC, so that makes six, counting Udall and Reid (both of whom have taken stands opposed by TSCC).
So a group with 2% max of the population gets 6% of the Senators, because they either control or play a dominant role in five states. Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado (cousin to Sen. Tom) was raised LDS, but now describes himself as having no religious affilation (his father Mo Udall also bolted from TSCC over their racial and ERA stances).
In the House, the numbers are more in line with their numbers as a percentage of the population, because House seats are apportioned by population to have roughly similar numbers of inhabitants (exceptions for states with only one House member, but none of the single Congressman states have an LDS House member. CA has one (down from three: Herger and Doolittle are gone, leaving McKeon), AZ has Matt Salmon (again), Nevada has one (Heller), Utah has four, Idaho has two (Raul Labrador and Mike Simpson).
I must be omitting one,because the article below states 17 total (6 Senators plus 1 nonvoting delegate leaves 10 LDS Representatives, unless the article's math is wrong). Some people "count" Rep. Tom Udall as LDS, but the article below does not mention him in their count of 17. Even if one says there are 11 LDS members of the house, that's 11/435 or 2.5%, very close to their actual % of the nation's population.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/55286186-90/congress-elect-faith-idaho.html.cspoops I just found "#10":
http://bycommonconsent.com/2012/11/09/mormons-in-congress-2012-final-results-2/The above article claims that Kersten Sinema, who is openly bisexual, is LDS. Her Wikipedia article states she was raised LDS but now claims no religion:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrsten_Sinemaand I think it's safe to say she is not in the running to make her Stake Relief Society presidency. So the SL Trib article was in error by claiming her as LDS. Therefore:
6 Senators (two who are quite independent of TSCC and are Democrats)
1 non-voting House member (American Samoa)
9 Members of the House, plus Kersten Sinema who is at best VERY, VERY inactive. Not counting Sinema, 8 of the 9 are Republicans, with Jim Matheson D-Utah as the lone Democrat.
More on Sinema:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/camelswithhammers/2012/01/openly-bisexual-and-non-theist-woman-who-rejected-parents-mormonism-runs-for-u-s-congress/Her sleeveless dress in the video removes any illusions some might have that she still clings to her LDS upbringing.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2013 04:25AM by PtLoma.