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• Wednesday, October 26, 2005 08:23 AM

  under the banner of heaven

  Is a terrific book about Colorado City and fundamentalist Mormon sects, which I would recomment for anyone with an interest in this issue.

  According to the book, the people in Colorado City are committing massive welfare fraud, by misrepresenting the status of later wives and their children. Although they live in household with their nasty old "husbands" they receive welfare as though they are single mothers with children. The federal government puts in about eight federal dollars for every tax dollar paid from that county, so the reality is that we are actually subsidizing their disgusting activities. Many members of that community are proud of the welfare fraud, and consider it to be part of their religious mission to "bleed the beast." Welfare fraud is crime regardless of one's religious affiliation.

  I have thought that having Michael Leavitt as head of HHS provides a unique opportunity to challenge these practices. He was governor of Utah and is quite familiar with Colorado City. He is also a mainstream mormon, and these people have generally done their best to distinguish themselves from there fundi brethran. I think someone should organize a letter writing and public information campaign to directed to Leavitt to stop this welfare fraud.

  —sophiebrown Read sophiebrown's other letters
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