Proposition 8 in California was only a warmup for Utah true believers.

Now that Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina AND Senator John Ensign of Nevada have both joined the ranks of the Republicans who can’t keep it in their pants, the field of viable candidates to challenge President Obama in 2012 is getting thin indeed. Even the star of their recent fundraiser, Newt Gingrich, admitted to having an affair at the same time he was leading the righteous pack baying for President Clinton’s blood for five minutes of fun in the hallway with Monica. (But it’s OK because he dumped the wife he was cheating on and married the the one he was cheating with.)

In fact, I’d say that – of the people we used to talk about in 2008 – it’s boiled down to … ummmmmm … lemme calculate this on my computer … ONE!

The Mittster!

As far as I can tell, he’s the only candidate from way back when who is still in the running in any real sense. Huckabee, Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal and Minnesota’s Tim Pawlenty haven’t soiled themselves publicly … yet … but their stars have certainly faded.

Utah conservatives have shown themselves to have deep pockets and endless energy when it comes to something they believe in. Who can doubt that little Utah was a key factor in slapping down those nasty homos and lezzies in big California? You don’t spend two years getting doors slammed in your face and not learn at least a little bit about dogged persistance.

The Mittster himself is the poster child of persistance. He’s been running for President for at least ten years now. Anybody who says he was not running for President when he took the job of rescuing the 2002 Utah Olympics just wasn’t watching the real “games” competition.

But the Presidential campaign is truly the big time. It’s not clear to me that even the obscene wealth and total commitment of Utah capitalists will be enough to actually make the difference this time. But they will surely give it their all.

That makes me wonder if Utah can actually afford to continually send money and time out of state to export our unique sense of moral righteousness. Keep in mind, the Mormon missionary program must cost at least 250 million dollars a year, much of it going straight out of the state. (52,686 missionaries – from Wikipedia – times $400 a month that families are charged for their maintenance. That doesn’t count dollars the Church chips in.) Just one group (“Yes on Proposition 8″ – LA Times) spent $4 million in California. How much of that came from Utah?

If … (What am I talking about – “if”?) … WHEN the Mittster runs, money and effort will flow out of Utah like the River Jordan. (The real one, I mean, not the one flowing out of Utah Lake. That one, at least, doesn’t flow right out of state.) I wonder how much more good it would do if Utah were to … say … spend enough on educating our kids to elevate us slightly higher than dead last in the nation.