{"id":108313,"date":"2024-12-17T15:32:39","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T22:32:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?p=108313"},"modified":"2024-12-17T15:32:39","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T22:32:39","slug":"california-out-i-come-back-from-where-i-started-from","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2024\/12\/california-out-i-come-back-from-where-i-started-from.html","title":{"rendered":"California, out I come, back from where I started from"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Newport<\/a>
The Newport Beach California Temple, the first temple to be constructed in California\u2019s Orange County, is just a few minutes\u2019 drive from where we typically stay when we\u2019re in the area. (LDS Media Library).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I love California. \u00a0I grew up there. \u00a0I earned my doctorate there. \u00a0I typically go back to California several times annually. \u00a0I\u2019ve missed only one year, I think, of going to California. \u00a0That was during my mission to Switzerland. \u00a0Once, several years ago, I realized that I hadn\u2019t gone back at all \u2014 with my parents and my brother gone, I don\u2019t have quite the same pressing need to return that I once did \u2014 so I began thinking, somewhat seriously, of driving at least to somewhere along the California\/Nevada border and sticking my toe across the state line. \u00a0As it turned out, though, I did eventually have a legitimate reason to go to California, so all was well.<\/p>\n

But California has changed a little bit since I last had a permanent residence there. \u00a0(Critics might say that the average kindness and decency of its residents increased immediately upon my moving out.) \u00a0So here is a video from the Babylon Bee<\/em> inviting visits from out-of-state tourists: Visit California: It\u2019s America\u2019s Future<\/em><\/a>. \u00a0It\u2019s less than two minutes long:<\/p>\n

\"St.<\/a>
The recently dedicated Red Cliffs Utah Temple is the second temple within the city limits of St. George. (Wikimedia Commons public domain image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Last night, I watched what I consider to be a remarkable 33-minute CNN interview with Senator Mitt Romney, who is relinquishing his office with the end of the current Senate term: \u00a0I commend it to your attention: \u00a0Mitt Romney reflects on his storied career as he prepares to leave politics: Senator and former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney sits down with CNN\u2019s Jake Tapper for a wide-ranging interview as he prepares to leave office.<\/a><\/p>\n

I am probably more conservative than Senator Romney, more inclined to a strict federalism and to laissez-faire economics. \u00a0But he is a principled, intelligent, competent, and thoughtful man. \u00a0A good man. \u00a0Arguably, in my judgment, a great one (and not merely for his political attainments). \u00a0I admire him enormously and I think that he would have made a wonderful president. \u00a0I\u2019m proud that he represented my adoptive home state in the Senate, and I deeply regret his retirement from political life, though his departure is understandable at his age and given his devotion to his family. \u00a0(Please note that, despite its outward appearance, this is not an invitation to a partisan political discussion.)<\/p>\n

Here are three interesting responses from others to the interview and to his final, farewell speech in the Senate:<\/p>\n