The Killers’ sixth annual Christmas song, “The Cowboy’s Christmas Ball,” is out. The video for last year’s had Brandon Flowers singing atop a tall downtown Las Vegas building with a stunning twilight skyline behind him. The lyrics for this one celebrate the rest of the Silver State. “Way out in old Nevada // where the Truckee’s waters flow,” the tune begins in an echo of the state song. Unlike last year’s Flamingo-ish number, this time it’s a full four-for-four Killers production that’s come out of their Battle Born Studio. It’s a cheerful piece that should add a smile to everyone’s Christmas. Enjoy.

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Canada’s federal election Monday produced an unusual return. (Allow me to disclaim at the outset that my knowledge and experience of Canada and the politics of her people are very limited.) Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party increased its number of seats in the 308-member House of Commons from 143 to 167, so it can now form a majority government. The separatist Bloc Quebecois was reduced from 47 seats to only 4, its leader Giles Duceppe among those unseated, and the left New Democrat Party nearly tripled its seats from 37 to 102. The Green Party won its first seat ever.

More noteworthy than all the above put together, the center-left Liberal Party of Canada finished third for the first time in a history going back to 1867. This is the party of Pierre Trudeau, Jean Chretian, and Paul Martin, which governed Canada for 69 years of the 20th Century and the first five years of the 21 Century. Among those losing seats as the Liberal share fell from 77 to 34 was party leader Michael Ignatieff.
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The U.S. Constitution requires that presidents be at least 35 years old and natural born citizens. The third requirement is that they must have been “fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.”

So how about amabassadors to China? Or supreme allied commanders away for three years to direct military invasions? Or Herbert Hoover, who returned in 1919 from years of directing wartime food relief in Europe?

Perhaps the fourteen years residency is a lifetime accumulation and not just the most recent fourteen years.

Last week, Utah’s Governor Gary Herbert signed a set of immigration bills. David Burton, Presiding Bishop of the LDS Church, was present at the signing, and expressed his approval: “Our presence here testifies to the fact that we’re appreciative of what has happened in the Legislature.”

The Most Rev. John Wester, Catholic Bishop of Salt Lake City, responded to the signing with praise for the legislators’ goodwill, but also concern for the new laws themselves:

I appreciate the sincere efforts of Governor Gary Herbert and some Legislators to adopt humane solutions in the face of the federal government’s failure to act on immigration reform. Each Legislator’s desire to do what he or she felt was right under the circumstances was clear throughout the debate. I particularly respect Governor Herbert’s decision to sign several immigration bills in the face of extreme opposition.

However, reasonable people of goodwill may differ on strategies for achieving common goals. The Diocese of Salt Lake City finds H.B. 497 Utah Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act, H.B. 116 Utah Immigration Accountability and Enforcement Amendments, and H.B. 469 Immigration Related Amendments ill-advised. We have concerns about the practical effects of H.B. 466 Migrant Workers and Related Commission Amendments.

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