Impeachment

So today GOP Chairwoman Enid Greene announced that you can't impeach a president because he does something that you don't like.

Hmmm.

That gives me an idea. I think that Enid Greene needs to give Chris Cannon the same lecture, because in the 90's Mr. Cannon was bent on impeaching a president for doing something that Cannon didn't like.

And while she's at it, she needs to remind Mr. Cannon that in Bosnia, they don't speak Arabic.

Signs of the Times: A trip back to 1965 through my mother's eyes

In today's world many of our children's lives are chronicled and documented through the multi-billion dollar industry known as scrapbooking. When I was born you simply purchased a "baby book" and then filled in the lines. The book my mother Judy used is titled, All My Life. The information below is was transcribed from several pages from that book.

My mother's first words after my birth were, "It was supposed to be a girl! He has lots of black hair!" My father's were, "Hows Judy?" Although disappointing mom right from the start may not have been the best way to enter the world, it was the best I could do, and quite frankly I don't think I would have been a very good daughter, or wife. Luckily my sister Nicole arrived in November of 1969 and with the birth of her perfect child mom was able to forgive me, at least for the time being.

Within this book are my mother's notations of my early life as well as the events that occurred near the time of my arrival in 1965. It is now old and falling apart, but it still treasured, and I enjoy looking back to see how my mother saw the world back then.

Enjoy the trip!

The Headlines:
World - Trouble in Far Eastern Vietnam, Civil Rights Movement in Southern and Eastern States.
Local - Utah's local Democratic Party in Trouble with (Bad Boys) in Salt Lake County Government (A Grand Jury was called in May of 1965).

The President was Lyndon Baines Johnson
The Governor of Utah was Calvin L. Rampton
The Mayor of Salt Lake City was J. Bracken Lee
My father Michael T. Miller was a news reporter and photographer at KUTV Channel 2 (The book didn't ask about Mother's occupation).

Famous Names

In Entertainment were Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Peter O' Toole, Richard Burton.

In Sports were Don Schollander (4 Gold Medals), Utah State University All American, Wayne Estes, Craig Breedlove.

In World Events were Charles de Gaulle, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Ralph Bunche.

Others of Note: John Fitzgerald Kennedy (assassinated 1964), Adlai Stevenson.

The Best Selling Book: Mary McCarthy's, "The Group".

Popular Songs were Downtown, King of the Road, Girl from Ipanema.

The Popular Dance was, The Surf, The Swim, The Watusi, The Pony Jerk, The Clam, The Frug.

The Fashions were: Short skirts, Ruffle or Tom Jones Blouses.

The Most Advanced Cars were Avanti, Barracuda, Corvette.

The Most advanced Home Appliances were Hair Dryers and Electric Knives.

Thanks Mom.

Thanks Mom,

for 42 wonderful years.

How Deregulation of Media Ownership leads to Censorship

After Terry Woods admirable editorial on Divine Strake, CLEAR CHANNEL bosses are consigning Mr. Wood to weekends. See Paul Rolly's article today. When the media are controlled by the few we become more like the Soviet Union that we defeated in the cold war and less like the America that won World War II. We need to de-consolidate ownership of the media. Here you have an anchor speaking out on an issue where the overwhelming majority of Utahns desperately want their view heard. Corporate cronies to the Bush Administration don't like what they hear so they retaliate. Clear Channel has no journalistic ethics. Their abuse of the public airwaves is unconscionable. They should be broken up like Standard Oil and Ma Bell.

Mayor Corroon on Utah Dialogue

This week Charlie Luke and Ben McAdams met with Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon in his office and talked with him about his decision not to fund the Real Salt Lake soccer stadium, his goals and ambitions for the remainder of his term as mayor, and other important issues he sees facing the county.

Check out Mayor Corroons interview on Utah's weekly online news program, Utah Dialogue with Ben McAdams and Charlie Luke.

True Humility

The following is from the Standard Examiner article titled, "Farmington OKs cemetery variance option" by Michelle Howey:

"FARMINGTON — Former U.S. Rep. Jim Hansen has a long and distinguished career in public service, and he wants to be sure there’s room on his cemetery monument to let people know about it.

The Farmington City Council voted 3-2 this week to approve a variance option for cemetery rules after Hansen petitioned for a larger monument. Currently, monuments in newer sections have a height restriction of 36 inches. Hansen asked the city for a variance option so his monument could be 8 inches higher. “There are a lot of cemeteries that would take my old bones, but this is my hometown,” he said. “I think I’m the only congressman to come out of Davis County — or Farmington, for that matter.” He said having a slightly larger monument is a matter of respect for his title, rather than for him. “I’ve always considered myself a humble person,” Hansen said. “I’m just a kid from Farmington, but I happened to serve in Congress for 22 years.” Several council members expressed concern about the variance."

Bobby Kennedy's Grave

"Unbreakable!"

In 2002, Rulon Gardner was stranded overnight in the Wyoming wilderness while snowmobiling losing a toe to frostbite.

In 2004, he was involved in a motorcycle accident when a car struck him, causing him to flip over the car and onto the pavement.

Yesterday, Gardner was with two friends when their small plane crashed into Lake Powell. Not only did they survive the crash, but all three men endured the swim to shore in 44 degree water, and a long, cold night until they were rescued by a passing fisherman. All three man were treated for were treated for severe hypothermia.

It seems that Rulon Gardner is "Unbreakable!"

KSL: Olympic Wrestler Survives Plane Crash into Lake Powell

KUTV: Rulon Gardner Survives Plane Crash At LAke Powell

KTVX: Rulon Gardner Survives Plane Crash at Lake Powell

Uncle Don Says: Rep. Dave Clark needs correct data

Rep. Clark's February 18 Trib guest editorial erroneously stated that Utah's student population is double New Jersey's. This was intended to help explain why Utah is in last place in per pupil spending and how New Jersey can afford to be in first place because its student population is a much smaller percentage of its total population. Utah's 2.6 million population is slightly over half of New Jersey's total of 5 million, he wrote, yet Utah with 500,000 students has double the number of children in public schools.

This double figure is based on the incorrect claim that New Jersey had only 250,000 students. Current data shows New Jersey's public school enrollment to be about 1.39 million. New Jersey's total population is actually about 8.4 million. So Utah's total population is only about one-third of New Jersey's, and Utah's 500,000 students is only 36 percent of New Jersey's. Ergo, Utah doesn't have a much larger percentage of its population in school. Utah's student population number is 19 percent compared to New Jersey's 17 percent. Rep. Clark needs to find correct data to explain Utah's last place in per pupil spending.

Don L. Miller (D)

Some truths about Iran

By Laura Bonham
Co-Chair, Utah Democratic Progressive Caucus
February 22, 2007

I’ve been very concerned about the recent reporting on Iran. It so reminds me of the build up to the invasion of Iraq which led to the disastrous mess in which we are so entangled.

I have a family connection to Iraq. My aunt married a Persian many years ago, and my cousin, Mahan and I are very close – almost sisters. Around my home, you’ll find a number of beautiful Persian artifacts, as well as stories and books of poetry from Persia/Iran. At family reunions I have met a number of Mahan’s Persian relatives who are remarkable, witty, and warm people. Many of them were forced to flee Teheran, Iran due to our involvement in the coup that placed the Shah in power in 1953. (You may remember that the US had a hand in that, and look where that has led us.)

This short video dropped in my email box yesterday. I clicked on the link and continued multitasking - had several windows open. When the music began I finished the current task and switched over. The first thing I saw was a city up against the mountains, which I assumed was Salt Lake. More images flashed - urban shots, cultural events, skiing, and soccer. Then, it became clear that I was not looking at photos of Salt Lake at all, I was looking at photos of Teheran. The similarities between the two are striking. Nothing spoke to me as powerfully as this video. In so many ways Teheran is more like Salt Lake City than any city in Iraq.

Iran being a completely different country than Iraq, and knowing this administration’s capacity to ignore facts, I decided to do some research and encourage you to do the same.

One of the most telling articles is Burnt Offerings by Gareth Porter in the June 2006 issue of The American Prospect magazine. It is revealed that Iran had been trying for 2-3 years to establish diplomatic talks with the US during the build-up of the Iraq invasion but was rebuffed. It wasn’t until after the Bush administration cut off diplomacy that Iran decided to pursue uranium enrichment. Now instead of seriously pursuing talks, we’re preparing to bomb them.

The facts are:

• Iran is a much larger country than Iraq.
• It has been a democratic country; her people understand what democracy entails and want it.
• It has a very large population with a large and young demographic.
• Iran’s youth are attracted to western ideas and culture, and they have been systematically voting for moderate non-secular officials and winning.

Further research will unravel most of the rhetoric on Iran coming out of DC these days. Don’t be fooled. About the only thing Iran and Iraq have in common, besides the Shi’a population, are very large reserves of oil.

Now is the time for good Americans to decide if it is our right to go into Iran and destabilize it for the sake of oil, to wreak havoc and destroy more lives both Iranian and American. It didn’t work out so well in Iran after the coup. It hasn’t worked out so well in Iraq. Mark my words, it won’t turn out at all well if we try it again.

Read: Burnt Offering
How a 2003 secret overture from Tehran might have led to a deal on Iran’s nuclear capacity if the Bush administration hadn’t rebuffed it.

Irresponsible

Just found this tidbit.

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660197676,00.html

Chris Cannon needs to be more responsible about what he says on the radio and in public.

And, while we're on the subject, people need to STOP making the Trolley Square incident political. All we know is that a troubled kid got some guns and went into a public place where he could kill a lot of people. The end.

It isn't about terrorism, it isn't about gun conrol, it isn't even about being an immigrant. And most importantly, it is NOT about politics.

It's about a troubled kid who got some guns and went somewhere where he could kill a lot of people. We will probably never have a motive, and we might just have to live with that.

There will always be "theories" out there about why this happened. But no matter what, this is the wrong ocassion to promote a "pro-war" agenda. We need to promote truth, and our elected leaders need to promote truth. We owe that to all of the victims of this horrible tragedy.

Utah Attorney General Shurtleff Slanders Congressman Jim Matheson

Congressman Jim Matheson has always stated that he is a Utah Democrat who puts his constituents ahead of partisan politics.

On February 16, Congressman Matheson rightfully voted for a nonbinding resolution expressing support from Congress for the U.S. troops serving in Iraq while opposing Bush's plan to send 21,500 more combat troops into the war. It should also be noted that this non-binding resolution passed the House with bi-partisan support.

On Saturday February 17, 2007 Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said the following in his keynote speech at the Washington County Republican Party's Lincoln Day breakfast at Dixie State College:

"I'm sad to say that your representative, who likes to say he's Republican in his heart, voted with (Democratic House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi,"

"This Democratic resolution in the House and Senate right now condemns our president and our soldiers."

Shurtleff then reminded the audience that Republican candidates John Swallow and LaVar Christensen failed in their attempts to unseat Matheson.

"I don't want to dis on Matheson, he's a nice guy, but this is what we're talking about,"

Source: Deseret News

Shurtleff was referring to Christensen's ridiculous accusations during his failed campaign that Matheson would rubber-stamp whatever Pelosi and the Democratic leadership wanted.

Attorney General Shurtleff is also a nice guy, but that doesn't excuse him from putting words in Matheson's mouth and rubber-stamping LaVar's ridiculous and unsucessful campaign rhetoric.

Congressman Matheson has always represented his district in a bi-partisan manner, but would LaVar or Swallow have done the same?

Furthermore, Shurtleff's comment that Congressman Matheson is "a Republican in his heart" is nothing more than a blatant mis-representation leaving one to wonder what the AG really has on his mind?

I personally support Congressman Matheson's decision to vote for the non-binding resolution that clearly stated support for our troops. Simply said, it was a vote of the Congressman's conscience.

What I want to know is where is your conscience Mr. Shurtleff?

One would think that Utah's Attorney General would know better than to slander Utah's most popular congressman.

"The Voice of Reason"

I'm BACK!

More to come on the on going circus known as the Righteouslature, Stay tuned.........

Caio, Tom Barberi

The Kaysville Barber: Kasha Lee

For far too long getting a haircut meant spending $30.00(+) for a shampoo, rinse, cut, and the inevitable styling and blow dry. Add in a tip, product, 30 to 40 minutes of idle gossip, and the horrifying smell of bleach mixed with perming solution and what you have is simply too much information on how hard, and how much time, money, and agony some people will spend, all in the name of beauty.

Not that I'm complaining, I appreciate the time and sacrifice people go through to look beautiful, but after twenty years of going to salons for what should have been a simple trim, I found myself longing for that wonderful smell of Lilac Vegetal, and the opportunity to sit in only one chair per haircut; a real barber's chair.

I may not have won my race for county commissioner, but what I did find during my exploration of Davis County was Kasha Lee, The Kaysville Barber.

Kasha's shop is located at 55 North Main Street in Kaysville, Utah. Her phone number is 801-444-2510. Kasha does except walk ins, but if you have a schedule to keep I recommend that you call and make an appointment since Kasha keeps a tight schedule.

I love walking into Kasha's shop knowing that I will be on my way in fifteen minutes, looking well groomed and vacuumed just like Andy Griffith would after visiting Floyd the Barber. You can even get a hot lather shave, or buy an inexpensive plastic pocket brush, just like dad used to carry.

The best news is you will only spend $12.00 for your cut, and I guarantee that Kasha's skills will leave you looking sharp and feeling satisfied. You can even go a bit longer between visits because a Kasha cut grows out beautifully, just as a master barber cut should.

If you're in a hurry, or if you just want to spruce up for your big meeting, or a Friday night date, you can take advantage of Kasha's six dollar trim that takes only five minutes and keeps you looking like you been keeping your weekly appointment with Floyd.

So if you're in Davis County and you want to go back in time and rediscover your manly man roots, than take a few minutes to visit Kasha, The Kaysville Barber, who is Highly Recommended by The Utah Amicus!

You will be glad you did.

Presidents Day Surprise

On Saturday I was sitting on my back porch thinking, "it smells and feels like Spring".

So much for thinking.

Salt Lake Tribune: Redistricting: Something is wrong here

By Rep. Roz McGee

The 2007 legislative session is a good time to debate redistricting. Unfortunately, despite much public support, House Bill 373, Independent, Bipartisan Redistricting Commission, is unlikely to get a committee hearing.

Voters should be reminded that the 2001 redistricting helped shape our current Legislature: Republicans hold 76 of 104 legislative seats even though 42 percent of voters cast their ballots for Democratic candidates in contested races.

Something is wrong when nearly half of our state is represented by only 28 of 104 legislators. This disconnect is the product of our redistricting system, in which legislators choose which voters can vote for which candidates.

Allowing our elected officials to custom-design their districts undermines our fundamental democratic values of electoral choice and officeholder accountability. The result of this conflict of interest is that entrenched incumbents are rarely ousted from office and legislative outcomes hardly reflect public opinion.

In our democratic process, voters should select their legislators, not the other way around. HB373 aims to do just that, following the examples of 12 other states, including Arizona and Idaho. These states use independent commissions to develop redistricting plans.

HB373 follows the examples of our neighbors by establishing a nine-member independent commission with four members from major party and the ninth member chair selected by vice chairs. The commission would redistrict only every decade after census data is released and be required to hold several public hearings.

Many concerned citizens recognize that fairness in redistricting has not been practiced in the past. Utah has already seen its share of gerrymandering and can expect this partisan abuse to continue in the future unless we change the process.

I note with some irony that excellent guidance was provided at a prominent redistricting-reform conference held here in April 2006. The gathering, hosted by the Campaign Legal Center, Council for Excellence in Government and the League of Women Voters, brought together national and state leaders from both major political parties as well as those involved in past reform efforts.

The overwhelming consensus was that while reforms are difficult to achieve, now is the time for state-level redistricting reforms in anticipation of the 2010 Census and 2011 redistricting cycle.

A conference in June 2005 in Airlie, Va., by the same study group, endorsed the following redistricting standards: 1) Adhere to all constitutional and Voting Rights Act requirements, 2) promote competitiveness and partisan fairness, 3) respect political subdivisions and communities of interest, 4) encourage geographical compactness and respect for natural geographical features and barriers.

In HB373, I have chosen the legislative route for changing the process. Yes, it is a long shot, but legislators should look at Utah's process, study models from other states, go on record and be held accountable for continuing to have legislators select their voters. If the Legislature is unwilling to consider HB373, there is another route: petitioning for a ballot initiative. Utah may be ripe for such a challenge.

The more I talk with voters in my district, leaders of nonprofits and businesses and former officeholders, I hear frustration and a deep-seated desire for change. That frustration, even anger and despair, can be mobilized into a movement to change Utah's redistricting process.

REP. ROZ MCGEE is a Democrat, representing Salt Lake City District 28.

KSL's 102.7 Nightside Host, Michael Castner: "Back in the day!"

Nightside's Michael Castner was a correspondent for Tribune Broadcasting in 1983 when the historic March on Washington was repeated.

Michael in his child reporting days at the White House. This is from a live presidential press conference from the East Room of the White House.

You can listen to Michael Monday through Friday on KSL's Nightside Project (102.7 FM) at 7PM.

FRONTLINE: A Class Divided 1,2, and 3 of 5

The DNC celebrates Black History Month

"The future of this country, like the inextricable threads of history, is linked to the condition of its entire people. As we commemorate and celebrate and look to the contributions of African-Americans, Democrats will continue to work to fulfill the unfinished promise and ensure that the rights and privileges and opportunities of our nation are accessible to all Americans. We honor the accomplishments of our great African-American innovators and challenge the world to remember, daily, that black history is American history."

From the Democratic National Committee website

Black History is America's History
Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. Headlines DNC Podcast
Maya Angelou
Black History: Langston Hughes
Black History: Ida Wells
Black History: Edward P. Jones

Faux News Immitates Daily Show--Show, We Report you Decide

What happens when you force feed Roveian talking points into a comedy show? Here is the gut wrenching result. Its the 1/2 hour news hour. Seems like someone was laying on the laugh track on this one....

Check out Utah Dialogue with Charlie Luke and Ben McAdams

On January 11, 2007 Charlie Luke and Ben McAdams launched their new site, Utah Dialogue.

Their first audio interview featured Washington D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton.

At the beginning of their second discussion with Utah State Senate President John Valentine Charlie stated that their program "wants to get away from soundbite politics".

Their latest guest is House Minority Leader Ralph Becker who shares his views on the 2007 legislative session, the ethics legislation he is sponsoring, and his decision to support funding legislation for Real Salt Lake.

During a discussion with Ben last Tuesday he explained that this is just the beginning for Utah Dialogue. He stated that the site will not only evolve visually, but that we could expect some additional personalities to bring their unique styles to Utah Dialogue.

To discover more about Charlie Luke and Ben McAdams, or to listen to their discussion with Minority leader Becker click here.

Check out Utah Dialogue, a weekly online news program that has been Highly Recommended by The Utah Amicus.

Enjoy!

School Choice Inconsistencies

By Emily Hollingshead

I don’t understand some of these senators and representatives up on Capitol Hill. Last week we heard a stirring debate regarding school choice… proponents said that giving parents more choices to educate their children is a good thing. While I may disagree with the idea that “choice” will be available to all Utah families, I agree that giving parents more choices in educating their children can be positive, especially when those choices can be made available to them in a public school.

I was puzzled this morning when the funding for all day kindergarten was debated in the Senate Education committee. Opponents of all day kindergarten had several arguments against it… Senator Dayton said that it would give parents with special needs children “false hope” and that maybe “school” isn’t the best place for tiny children to be.

I’m scratching my head because, I don’t understand this argument, especially since Senator Dayton is an outspoken advocate of parental choice. Isn’t the whole idea to give parents more OPTIONS to educate their child? If a kid would benefit from all day kindergarten, shouldn’t a parent be given a choice to do that for their child? If a parent feels that all day kindergarten would help a little person with learning disabilities, wouldn’t it seem right that a parent have a choice to opt for it?

When my youngest son Sam started kindergarten, Iron County School District was offering all day kindergarten as pilot program. A very dedicated kindergarten teacher called and asked me if we would be interested in sending Sam to all day kindergarten, because she felt that he was a bright kid who would benefit from the extra stimulation and learning. Now, Sam is not someone who could be classified as a special needs child, nor does he have any learning disabilities. But Sam’s education experience from that point has been remarkable. He is an excellent student who does well in all subjects, who loves to read, who has a high retention level for the things he is learning, and he is a child who absolutely loves going to school. Would he have been any different without all day kindergarten? I don’t know, I have no way to judge that. If I were to ever have more children, I would hope that all day kindergarten would be an available choice, because I found it to be a very positive and worthwhile experience for Sam.

Senators Dayton, Bell and Stephenson voted NO on all day kindergarten funding. The bill passed out of committee, but it makes me wonder what will happen when this one hits the floor of the Senate chambers? Will the same advocates of parental choice in education jump to the support of this bill which allows for parental choice in kindergarten?

Thank you Senator Hillyard for bringing this bill to the table, and thank you Senator Jones, Senator Romero and Senator Peterson for voting in favor of it.

Lincoln Day

"We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others, the same word many mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men's labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name - liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names - liberty and tyranny."

President Abraham Lincoln
April 18, 1864 - Address at Sanitary Fair, Baltimore, Maryland

Selective Indignation

By Emily Hollingshead

So a major side effect of running for the Utah Senate has been that I can’t keep myself away from the senate floor debates, and every single day I find myself listening to them online, hanging on every word. Really, I am glued to the thing… and as a result, I can tell you every Senator by name, I can almost recognize their voices when they get up to speak, and I’m just about to the point where I could tell you who voted for or against a bill and their reasons for doing so.

It should have come as no surprise when Senator Howard Stephenson stood up last Wednesday and explained why he chose to vote against a Concurrent Resolution opposing Divine Strake:, He said that he did not like the way the resolution went straight to a vote without an opportunity for public input:

“We have known apparently, at least 90 days… when this public period ended. If this was urgent, I would have expected this would be scheduled up for committee hearing so that we could hear the public, so that we would know what the dangers are, what the issues are involved in this. This is another case where we suspend the rules and we violate the normal process of the deliberative bodies that we are supposed to be in the legislature not only deliberative on our floor debate, but deliberative in our committees, allowing the public to comment and hearing this out… and now it apparently, we will have no committee hearing neither in the senate or in the house.”

As I listened to this little bit of information, I couldn’t believe my ears… has Senator Stephenson been living under a rock? Well, if he has been living under a rock, it wasn’t in Southern Utah, because the Divine Strake test is the *only* thing anybody is talking about down here. All over the state there has been all kinds of public input… one only needs to browse through the KSL message boards to know that there has been a LOT of public comment on Divine Strake. Just two weeks ago Governor Huntsman held a public hearing where over 300 people came and voiced their opinions, mostly against the proposed testing.

Fast forward to today, when Utah Senators were debating the House Bill 148, the notorious private education vouchers bill.

Senator Curtis Bramble gave a very brief recap of the bill, then there was some floor debate (where all of the Democrats spoke out in opposition of the bill and tried to offer amendments that the majority would have no part of) and then this fell out of Senator Bramble’s mouth:

“Mr. President, under suspension of the rules, I would move that this bill be considered… be considered read for the second and third time… and up for final passage. In making this motion, this does have a fiscal note, and that is one of the rules being suspended, meaning should we pass it today, it does become part of the budget without additional consideration in executive appropriations.”

Wait a minute – just two days ago Senator Stephenson said “This is another case where we suspend the rules and we violate the normal process of the deliberative bodies that we are supposed to be in the legislature, not only deliberative on our floor debate, but deliberative in our committees, allowing the public to comment and hearing this out…. And now it apparently, we have no committee hearing...”

Senator Scott McCoy caught on to the hypocrisy at about the same time that I did, because he stood up and said that he was voting against the bill because it had not been allowed to go through the deliberative process. Senator Stephenson quickly rebutted, saying this was a different issue and it was ok this time to suspend the rules.

According to Senator Stephenson, the bill already DID have enough debate and no more public comment was needed. But Senator, if you’re going to claim superior legislative behavior on one issue, why not do it across the board? Where was the indignation today for the disregard for the legislative rules? The Senator didn’t have to be indignant today, he said, because this one was different. Why is it different? If your guiding principle is that the senate should not break its own rules, why is this different? Even our seasoned Senator Dmitrich said he has NEVER seen a bill breeze through second and third passage with a fiscal note attached.

Which is it? Are we supposed to be outraged when we suspend the rules, or not?

I like consistency. I believe it is a good thing when our elected officials stand steady and consistent in their decisions and when they choose to apply the same careful reasoning across the board to any given issue. But this one – this just wasn’t consistent.

I am not sure what Senator Stephenson’s *real* reason was for opposing the Divine Strake Concurrent Resolution – but I will propose that it had nothing to do with Senate rules and everything to do with being contrary just because he could. And while I enjoyed Senator McCoy’s snark regarding suspension of the Senate rules, he will be the first to admit that he voted against vouchers for private education because he and his constituency are opposed to them. I do not believe that Senator Stephenson’s reasoning against voting for the Concurrent Resolution was as honest.

Pedro elected to the Utah Legislature?

"Someone must have elected Pedro to the Utah Legilature, because they are now making all my dreams come true!

I've always wanted to be a teacher, and now I can. And, I don't have to worry about going to school, racking up the debt just so I can make half of what I'm worth at a public school. I'll start my own school. I'll call it the Utah School for Elevated Learning, which my hand picked board of directors will pick over Sounth Hampton Institute of Technology. Our Mascot will be the seagull, pooping on our opposition."

Read Bob Aagard's, "State of Utah Makes My Dreams Come True".

Read Davis Didjeridu: Live Blogging the HB 148 Senate Floor Debate and Vote

"2:26 PM—Amendment fails on voice vote; when roll call starts, Bramble gets up and states from code that private schools “may” require background checks already. Roll call fails.

2:29 PM—Sen. Jones speaks, gets numbers from fiscal analyst saying the costs of educating voucher students from k-12 would be $327 million; Bramble thinks that amount is a wonderful amount of money. My prediction: in less than 5 years, sponsors will fight to move voucher funding away from the general fund and take it from Uniform School Fund. They’ll say the budget is tight and we need to put all education spending in one fund.

2:33 PM—Sen. McCoy asks whether students could move into the state and qualify for a voucher; Bramble says yes, great, wonderful.

2:35 PM—McCoy amendment tries to get voucher $ back if child comes back to public school. Of course it fails."

Click here to read Davis Didjeridu's full accounting of last Friday's Senate Debate and Vote on Vouchers.

Three Utah Republican Senators vote "Nay" on Resolution against Divine Strake

I was blown away when I read that Senators Mark B. Madsen (R-13), Scott K. Jenkins (R-20), and Howard Stephenson (R-11), actually had the audacity to vote "NAY" on Senator Gene Davis's Resolution against Divine Strake (click here !).

Let me quote lines 42 to 44 from S.C.R. 5:

"Since suspended natural radionuclides and resuspended fallout radionuclides from the detonation have potential to be transported off of the NTS by wind, they may contribute a radiological dose to the public"

And lines 55 to 57:

"WHEREAS, much more needs to be done to assure that there is never a repeat of the immense suffering endured by citizens of Utah and nearby states due to the nuclear fallout from past tests at the Nevada Test Site"

Click here to view Resolution S.C.R. 5.

It has been very difficult to not post the 101 wrathy thoughts that have come to mind, but after allowing myself a day to cool down all I can really say is gentlemen, shame on you!

Terry Wood = Edward R. Murrow. Terry Wood, I am sooo proud of you!

Check out Terry Wood in his hard hitting journalism against Divine Strake. This is the kind of journalism many of us crave from our local television outlets. Watch Terry Wood in his Olbermanesque smack down of the Department of Energy and Divine Strake:

Check it out here!

Senate Democrats to Oppose HB148 Education Vouchers

Salt Lake City, UT – Februay 8, 2007: Senate Democratic Leader Mike Dmitrich (D-Price) announced that the Utah State Senate Democrats will be holding a press conference to discuss their opposition to HB148 Education Vouchers on Friday, February 9, 2007 at 12:00 Noon in front of the West Building of the State Capitol Complex, weather permitting (alternate location: the conference room at the Senate Minority Office in Room W225 of the State Capitol Complex).

Abby's Birthday

Enjoy your sixth birthday sweetheart

About Barack

Or you can watch a much better version here.

Listen to KTMP's IMPACTat 1340 AM

Wasatch County Democratic Chair, Rudi Kohler (who is also the Utah Democratic Party's Eastern Regional Director) and former Wasatch County Republican Chair, Bob Wren have been battling it out on the airwaves, Monday thru Thursday, from 9a.m. to 10a.m. on Wasatch County's KTMP.

Their show is titled IMPACT and features host, Paul Royall, whose son just happens to be the current Republican Chair of Wastch County (it takes two to tangle with Rudi).

Depending on the day Rudi, Bob, and Paul cover issues ranging from "Big Box Stores", local city council meetings, as well as their views on whats hot at the Utah State Legislature, as well as other local and national issues.

During the last election cycle Utah Democratic Chairman Wayne Holland Jr. and I drove up to Heber to debate then Utah State Republican Chairman, Joe Cannon. When Chairman Joe didn't show Bob being the good soldier that he is blamed himself for Joe's absense, but we all know that Joe was just too busy interviewing for his new post as Editor and Chief at The Deseret News.

Click here to go to their website Wasatch County Impact where you can listen to podcasts of their show.

Thanks again to Rudi (pictured above), Bob, and Paul for a great night, and for allowing the good residents of Wastach County the opportunity to listen to both sides of the story.

Cheers!

Rural Gas Rates by Roger Ball

You may have read or heard that Questar wants the great majority of its customers to pay for the past extension of natural gas service to a number of rural communities in Utah. This will raise the average residential customer's annual bill by about $2.28 a year. While this is not a huge sum, it is akin to your doctor asking you to help pay the bill of another patient you don't know who would rather not pay for themselves.

Questar, the Division of Public Utilities and the rural counties, cities and towns have orchestrated a full-court press on this one, so the great majority of ratepayers who live in urban areas need all the help we can get.

The Public Service Commission has scheduled formal and public witness hearings at 9:00am and 4:30pm respectively this Thursday, 8 February, in Room 403, 4th Floor, Heber M Wells Building, 160 East 300 South, Salt Lake City. A further public witness hearing will be held at 6:30pm on Thursday, 15 February, in the County Commission Chambers, Beaver County Administration Building, 105 East Center Street, Beaver, Utah.

As an individual Questar ratepayer, I have formally intervened in this case, and intend to participate fully in the hearings. In comparison with the coal-seam gas processing case that you supported Claire and me in, that we are currently appealing to the Utah Supreme Court, and which is costing us about $4 million a year, this case is worth about $1.7 million annually. I have attached an opinion article I wrote for the Salt Lake Tribune (they published most of it on Sunday, 28 January) in case you would like to know more.

If you are able to, I strongly encourage you to attend the Public Witness Hearing, sign up to testify as soon as you arrive, take the oath when called, and give your testimony on the record during the hearing.

I also strongly urge you to encourage your family, friends, neighbors, work colleagues and social contacts to show up and do likewise.

Claire and I have joined with a number of other citizens concerned about rapidly increasing utility rates and ineffective regulation to form the Utah Ratepayers Association. Please take a look at the Association's website, www.utahratepayers.org, and consider joining us; this is just one of many issues that ratepayers need to be aware of and contest.

And please feel free to call or email me with any comments or questions.

Roger J Ball
Utah Ratepayers Association

Tel: (801) 998-8511
E-mail: roger@utahratepayers.org

Governor Bill Richardson's speech at the DNC's annual winter meeting

Part 1

Part 2

Or click here to watch Governor Bill Richardson's speech in it's entireity on his website.

"Stay the Course"

By Megan Risbon

A few weeks ago, as I was standing in line for a Sundance film, I began talking to a couple of volunteers. They recognized my name as being the Chair of the county party and began to talk politics with me.

“2006 was the first non-Presidential election I’ve ever voted in,” said one.

“Do you think Democrats have a chance in ’08 or should we just give up now?” asked the other.

I replied that the 2008 elections will be the most important elections in our lifetime and that 2006 was only the beginning of great things to come for our party—around the nation and here in Utah. As a Democrat, I have felt the utter sadness of loss and more loss and even more loss. I joke that my election as Chair was the first winning campaign I had ever worked on and as Democrats in Utah, we face that a lot. It’s easy to become discouraged; I have felt it many times and I can not even imagine how our elected Democrats in the state legislature and in Salt Lake County feel.

I understand that because of this discouragement, many young people (including many of my friends), leave politics and everything to do with it behind. I have never understood apathy and my mind still boggles at one who was so deeply involved one day and is completely gone the next. It’s the constant losing that eventually breaks you and makes you say, “No more.”

2004 was a very discouraging year for Utah Democrats. Our losses were many and the cuts ran deep. Many of us wondered if the same would happen in 2006. Some say it did.

I am not one of them.

2006 was the best year for Utah Democrats in a very long time. There are reporters, Republicans, pundits, and political gurus who laugh at this statement as, prima facie; we didn’t pick up very many seats. We picked up one legislative seat and won the Salt Lake County Sheriff and Auditor seats. Not exactly the sweep that the rest of the country experienced. The political columnist of the Deseret Morning News wrote a column shortly after the elections stating that the Democratic sweep skipped Utah entirely! I laughed at his column.

I laughed because I know what our Democrats did this year. I know that they will do it even better in 2008. The Democratic sweep didn’t skip Utah—we just didn’t feel it as much. Many of our incumbent legislators had so-called “tough” races against not just well-known and wealthy opponents, but the entire Republican Party. But every single one of them won; some even by the largest percentage they have ever had. In many more races, although the Democrat did not win, the margin of loss was much smaller in 2006 than in previous years. It all had to do with hard work and dedication.

Our Utah Democrats did better than anyone expected. The absolute corruption and complete lack of integrity by the Republican Party reverberated all the way down from our nation’s Capital to the largest county in the reddest of red states. Voters began to see what Republicans are truly like and they used their vote as their voice.

We may not have swept every election in the state but as Utah Democrats, we held our own. We worked harder than ever before. We raised more money than ever before. And, most importantly, we showed the voters what life under Republican control has done to our country and that we will not stand for it any longer.

I am excited to continue to work toward progress and an eventual Democratic takeover in Utah politics. I realize that much work still needs to be done and I am more excited than ever to be a part of it.

I told the volunteers I met at Sundance to remember that even though we did not take over here in Utah, we did some amazing work and it is important to keep on working. We must vote. We must get our friends to vote. We must be outspoken about our beliefs and why we will not stand for Republican rule any longer. We must not give up and lose hope. We must stay the course. Our hard work will pay off in 2008 and our losses will become a thing of the past.

I say let the Republicans think they have complete control over politics in Utah!

This way, they won’t see us when we hit ‘em. 2008 will be a very good year for Utah Democrats.

Where's the beef?

Check it out!

Make Life Simple

You can now access The Utah Amicus at:

utahamicus.com

Life is short, why complicate it?

Cheers!

Perhaps legislators have been cowed by Parents for Choice in Education.

By Joel Briscoe

Sen. Bramble is not telling the whole story when he stated that his interest in turning state and local school board elections into partisan contests (SB194) is to encourage the recruitment of more candidates and to create “more visible campaigns.” Deseret News, January 27, A-1.

He tipped his hand when he further stated that getting Parents for Choice and other pro-voucher groups more involved in school board races would be “a very positive outcome. That’s what we’re hoping for.”

Parents for Choice in Education was heavily involved in two of the four contested 2006 races for the state school board. Both of them were races against incumbents who are opposed to vouchers and tuition tax credits.

What is scary about Richard Moss’s defeat of Ed Dalton was the funding of Moss’s campaign. Moss spent over $38,000 and outspent Dalton over 26-to-1. More troubling is that fact that 87% of Moss’s funds came from Parents for Choice, almost $34,000.

Only two groups contributed to Moss’s campaign: Parents for Choice and Moss himself. Was this a broad based campaign for a seat on the State School Board?

Parents for Choice also took on the State School Board President, Kim Burningham. His opponent, Christopher Barden, is a wealthy individual who put over $10,000 of his own money into his campaign. Nonetheless, Parents for Choice donated over $36,000 to Barden, whose total campaign spent almost $62,000.

Barden’s campaign was very visible. In a first for a school board race Barden ran ads on TV. All of Parents for Choice’s money was given to Barden in the last ten days of the race, fueling a fury of mailings and ads unprecedented in a campaign for the State School Board. On September 15, Barden reported receiving $2,700 in donations and spending $7,500. Perhaps this is the type of “visible” campaign with involvement by tuition-tax credit supporters that Bramble wants to see more of.

Together, Moss and Barden raised over $100,000, and almost $70,000 of that tremendous sum came from Parents for Choice in Education. Would someone in the Legislature please take up the cause of campaign finance reform in Utah, and reign in these obscene amounts of money? Perhaps legislators have been cowed by Parents for Choice in Education.

Joel Briscoe

Surrounded but confident: Images from Utah's Capitol Hill

Davis County Commissioner Bret Millburn, Rob Miller, and Rep. Paul Neuenschwander

Senator Scott McCoy takes time out from caucus to listen to one of his constituents

Senator Ross Romero

Senator Patricia Jones

Hunter High Students visit the Democratic House Caucus

Democratic Chair Wayne Holland Jr. and Former Congressman Jim Hansen

"Boy this Voucher gum is really sour!"
Rep. Janice Fisher

Speaker Curtis: "Who took my damn Visine?!"

If you want it these guys can get it

Rep. Carl Duckworth and Rep. Bud Bowman share a "special moment"

Democratic House Communications Director Lee Martinez

See, The Pie does deliver!
Senators Scott McCoy and Fred Fife

Alan, did you take the Speaker's Visine?
(You look guilty)

UEA Director of Government Relations & Political Action,Vik Arnold and Wayne Holland Jr.

"He lost his Visine and all hell brook loose"
(Rep. Carol Spackman Moss)

Why are you smiling Rep. Lynn Hemingway, you gave away your salary to the PTA?

I swear Tim (Rep. Cosgrove), I didn't take his Visine

Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich swears he knows nothing about the missing Visine

Stonewall Caucus Chair, Nikki Boyer and Stuart Merrill

Senator Brent Goodfellow

Does he know it was me?
Senator Gene Davis

Ahhh, back to the Majority!
Democratic Vice Chair Rob Miller with Congressman Jim Matheson

Special Thanks to Bryan Horn