On, my LDS mission, I was mistaken for INS (now ICE)

So, this story about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents allegedly posing as Mormon missionaries reminded me of when I was accused of being an INS (what ICE was back then) agent.

From January through April of 1999, I was a Mormon Missionary assigned to the town of Faribault, Minnesota. My companion was from Mexico, and were were doing most of our work with the Latino community in town. Keep in mind that I didn't speak much Spanish, so it became the "Elder Guitierrez and the big, silent American" show. However, we were the top-teaching companionship in the entire mission for several weeks.

Then, suddenly, the work dropped off. And I don't mean just a little bit. It died completely. People weren't home when we came for our appointment and people weren't answering their doors for us.

After a few days of this, I noticed that when we'd pull into the trailer parks, there would be lots of people out and about, but they'd disappear by the time we got our stuff out of the car. Nobody milling about, nobody home. Just disappeared.

We had a non-practicing member of the Church who was friendly to us that agreed to ask around and see why everyone was hiding from us. Turns out that the only other minister in town that offered services in Spanish (We translated our meetings) told his churchgoers that there was no such things as the LDS Church, that it was all a front for the government, and we were spies set on deporting them.

I'm surprised that it's taken ICE this long to figure out this tactic. However, it's a horrible practice on so many fronts.

JibJab's 2009

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Margaret Dayton's Gun Deregulation Bill

So, Senator Margaret Dayton (nRa - Orem) has a bill to change how guns manufactured in Utah (presumably to be used only in Utah) are regulated.

A personal firearm, a firearm action or receiver, a firearm accessory, or ammunition that is manufactured commercially or privately in the state to be used or sold within the state is not subject to federal law or federal regulation, including registration, under the authority of Congress to regulate interstate commerce.

However, there is a big problem with this, as pointed out by the Tribune:

The Legislature's own lawyers, in an analysis of the bill, conclude that it is highly likely the bill would be found unconstitutional by the courts. The reason is the Constitution's Supremacy Clause, which places the federal government above the states in the constitutional pecking order, and because of existing judicial interpretations of federal firearms laws as they apply to conduct within a single state.

And, as we all know, the state has a large budget surplus right now, so there's plenty of money to spend on a lawsuit.......

Oh, wait. Nevermind.

Senator Hatch: Deficit Spending OK in 2003, not now

KSL:

The inconsistency _ or hypocrisy, as some call it _ has irked Democrats, who claim that their plan will pay for itself with higher taxes and spending cuts and cite the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office for support.

By contrast, when Republicans controlled the House, Senate and White House in 2003, they overcame Democratic opposition to add a deficit-financed prescription drug benefit to Medicare. The program will cost a half-trillion dollars over 10 years, or more by some estimates.

With no new taxes or spending offsets accompanying the Medicare drug program, the cost has been added to the federal debt.

All current GOP senators, including the 24 who voted for the 2003 Medicare expansion, oppose the health care bill that's backed by President Barack Obama and most congressional Democrats. Some Republicans say they don't believe the CBO's projections that the health care overhaul will pay for itself. As for their newfound worries about big government health expansions, they essentially say: That was then, this is now.

Six years ago, "it was standard practice not to pay for things," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. "We were concerned about it, because it certainly added to the deficit, no question." His 2003 vote has been vindicated, Hatch said, because the prescription drug benefit "has done a lot of good."

Can you say hypocrisy, Senator?

John Denver and the Muppets sing 12 Days of Christmas

I own 12 different versions of this song -- anything from a nearly 12-minute version by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to a version by Jeff Foxworthy.

But my favorite is John Denver with the muppets:

SLC a bad Choice for 2012 GOP Convention

DISCLAIMER: This post directly involves my employer. The views expressed in this post do not reflect the opinions of my employer, their parent company, nor their sponsors.

Bryan Schott over at Utah Policy shared the following yesterday:

Greg Miller (CEO of the Larry Miller Companies) sent this message via his Twitter account on Monday afternoon.

Just left a mtg @ SLCVB. Early planning on bid to host 2012 Republican National Convention in SLC.

Salt Lake City hosting the RNC is an interesting prospect, but there are a few things working against any potential bid. First, Utah is not a “battleground" state, so it’s not clear what hosting it here would do for the GOP. If Mitt Romney is the eventual nominee, there’s no glossing over his LDS faith, which is something the evangelical wing of the party is not exactly favorable toward.

If the goal is to bring the convention to the Intermountain West, which is becoming more and more of a political force, Phoenix or Denver seems like a more favorable choice.

However, it is interesting that Greg Miller appears to be part of the effort to bring the convention to Salt Lake. The financial backing and political capital he brings to the table cannot be discounted.

First, I'll take issue with a couple of things in Bryan's piece:

1) Phoenix or Denver would be better choices in the West (They are battleground states), but I don't think Denver is ready to mount an effort so soon after hosting in 2008.

2) The only viable venue for the convention is EnergySolutions Arena. Mr Miller is on board because, well, his family owns the venue. Holding to what has happened in the past, the Arena would be turned over to the RNC from the end of the NBA Finals in June until about a month following the convention. Assuming that the convention is around Labor Day, that affects a couple of touring events that are usually held there in September (the Dew Tour and the circus).

Now, a major logistics issue from my experience in Denver: Security.

The first checkpoint in Denver was a quarter mile from the Pepsi Center, which translates into about 1.5 Salt Lake City blocks. So, we'd be blocking off from almost West High School to almost Pioneer Park and from West of the Gateway to the backside of the Family History Library. There's a couple of hotels and several other businesses (including Triad Center) that would be affected by this, not to mention that the Secret Service would probably require the Gateway to be shuttered for the week. And, it would include the North Temple viaduct being closed, along with no TRAX service into downtown on the Airport line, no TRAX from the Intermodal Hub, and downtown TRAX ending at Temple Square.

The other issue is that the parking lots used fr the media tents in Denver are roughly three times the size as Park Place (the large surface lot across 300 West from Triad Center) which represents a large portion of the space available for such things.

Add to that the large amount of police protection that will strain every police force in the state (I saw officers in Denver from as far away as Durango), and you have just started to scratch the surface of what it would take to host the convention.

-Bob

Progressives Need a Hero

From the email box:

As you probably know, the White House and Democratic Senate leaders caved to Joe Lieberman and took both the public health insurance option and Medicare expansion out of the health care bill.

That means no competition and no choice -- just a bailout of billions of dollars to the same insurance companies that caused our health-care crisis in the first place.

We have one more chance to change this bill. Progressives in Congress can say they will block any bill without a public health insurance option.

Can you sign our new "we need a hero" petition today? Click here -- then ask others to sign.

We'll deliver it to top progressive senators Russ Feingold (WI), Bernie Sanders (VT), Sherrod Brown (OH), and Al Franken (MN).

Without a public option, this bill doesn't change the structural, long-term problems with our health care system. Instead, it's a raw deal that the insurance companies love: mandating that millions of Americans buy their junk products.

All it takes is one hero.

If just one brave senator says they will block a final bill without a public option, that will force President Obama and Senator Harry Reid to make a choice. They can either force Joe Lieberman and other corporate Democrats to accept the public option OR they can pass the bill through "reconciliation," a Senate procedure that only needs 51 votes.

Joe Lieberman will become irrelevant -- and generations of Americans will thank the brave progressive Senator who fought for fundamental change.

All it takes is one -- one hero to step up and change history.

Sign our "we need a hero" petition today? Click here.

After you sign, can you please pass along to Democrats you know -- or folks who are mad and want to see real reform? We don't have a moment to lose.

Thanks for being a bold progressive.

--Stephanie Taylor, Adam Green, Natasha Patel, Andrew Perez, Forrest Brown, and the PCCC team

P.S. Progressive senators are already moving in the right direction. Russ Feingold made big news Sunday by criticizing the White House's "lack of support" for the public option. And last night, Bernie Sanders went on MSNBC and listed reason after reason the Senate bill is bad for the public.

Now, they just need a push to be the hero Americans are crying out for. Sign our "we need a hero" petition today.

Olbermann: Not Health, Not Care, Not Reform

What Will Flip Lieberman Ask For (And Get) Next

Hat Tip: JM Bell

Dear SLCounty: A "Fee" is a Tax Increase in Sheep's Clothing

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Sounds a heck of a lot like a tax increase to me. And a pretty big one, too.

-Bob

A Legislative Pay Raise? Really?

Every state employee with whom I have regular contact is worried they may not have jobs due to budget cuts at the end of the legislative session, but a raise for the Legislators? No problem.

From DNews:

SALT LAKE CITY — The Executive Appropriations Committee accepted a report from the Legislative Compensation Commission that lawmakers' salaries be increased, starting with the 2011 Legislature, from $117 a day to $130 a day.

It is unclear if lawmakers will accept the raise, which is automatic unless they act in the 2010 session to stop it. Legislators have already cut their own pay by 10 percent this year.

They did that because of budget constraints and the fact that most state employees didn't get a pay raise in 2009 and may not get one in 2010, either.

Holly Mullen Considering County Council Run

Saw this on Facebook this evening:

Holly Mullen Question: I am seriously considering running for Salt Lake County Council, the at-large seat Jenny Wilson is vacating. As a Democrat. What do you think? Please pass this on to your own FB friends--I would value getting a wide range of opinions beyond my own back yard. Thanks!

Holly is a former columnist with the Salt Lake Tribune and former editor of the Salt Lake City Weekly. She is currently married to Ted Wilson and is Jenny Wilson's stepmom.

I have no real opinion either way at this point, but what do you think? I'll pass all comments on to Holly.

Dr Dean: "This Is Not Real Reform" Me: Send Senate Bill to Death Panel

Christian Burridge running for County Council

I've been so out of the loop that I think I missed that Jenny Wilson was leaving the council. Which sucks, because I really like her.

But, Christian is an outstanding person.

Tribune:

The former head of the Salt Lake County Democratic Party hit the campaign trail hard to get fellow party members elected.

Now he will be campaigning for himself -- again.

Christian Burridge, a former congressional hopeful, announced plans Tuesday to seek a countywide Salt Lake County Council seat, a political post that Democratic Councilwoman Jenny Wilson plans to vacate next year.

It's a critical seat for the council's narrow 5-4 Democratic majority, which must defend two open spots. Not only has Wilson confirmed she will not pursue re-election, but Democratic Council Chairman Joe Hatch also has announced that he will step aside after the 2010 election.

"It is not a partisan thing," Burridge said Tuesday. "It is a trajectory thing."

That trajectory has everything to do with Democratic Mayor Peter Corroon, who Burridge says has done a "phenomenal job" of protecting open space, encouraging ethical leadership, maintaining critical services and exercising the fiscal discipline needed to preserve the county's coveted triple-A bond rating.

It has been a tough balancing act, Burridge said, but Democrats "have done a great job."

"I'm a firm supporter of Peter Corroon," he said. "It would be helpful to maintain his alliances on the County Council to get his agenda implemented and maintained."

But Burridge also would bring a geographical rarity to the current council: a west-sider. With the exception of Republican Councilman Michael Jensen, who lives in Magna, Burridge would be the second councilman to hail from the west side of Interstate 15.

Burridge is a South Jordan father of four who works as a personal-injury attorney for Siegfried & Jensen. While he served for one year as county Democratic Party chairman between 2007 and 2008, his background contains a campaign of his own.

Burridge was a one-time candidate for Congress in 2006, running unsuccessfully as the Democratic nominee against then-incumbent Chris Cannon in Utah's 3rd District.

"We're not entitled to our own Facts"

Curtis Haring New Executive Director, Fair Boundaries

Salt Lake City, Utah, December 14, 2009 – Utah Fair Boundaries announced Monday that it has hired Curtis Haring as its Executive Director to run day-to-day operations.

Haring, a life-long resident of Salt Lake City, has worked and advised on numerous political campaigns.

“We are thrilled to have him on board…” says Glenn Wright, Field Director for Fair Boundaries, “up until now we have consisted entirely of volunteers, both as staff and as a board. With the addition of Curtis, we know that we can go to the next level when it comes to securing the resources we need to succeed.”

Trent Avlord, Coalition Director for Fair Boundaries, agrees – “Fair Boundaries has grown beyond what a group of volunteers could achieve in their spare time. We have been actively looking for a full time staffer that can ensure that we reach our goal of having this initiative on the ballot, and Curtis brings the experience and dedication that will put us over the top.”

“This is my love…” says Haring, “I have always been passionate about social justice, and Fair Boundaries allows me to exercise this passion. I hoped Fair Boundaries would succeed before I came on board because it is fighting for fair and honest representation for the people of Utah.”

To date, Fair Boundaries has in distribution enough petitions to significantly exceed its goal of 95,000 signatures from across the state. The initiative itself is seeing strong support from all sides of the political spectrum, with nearly 50 percent of signers being independents and 30 percent being Republican, numbers similar to statewide averages.

About Fair Boundaries:

Fair Boundaries was organized in April, 2009 by a group of citizens concerned about gerrymandering in Utah. Their goal is to certify over 95,000 signatures, across the state, by April 15, 2010 in order to place their initiative on the 2010 November ballot. The initiative is designed to create an 11-member advisory commission that would draw new state legislative district boundaries after the 2010 census.

Palin/Shatner Smackdown

This will make JMBell's head explode:

RIP, Health Care Reform, Dem Majorities

HuffPost:

The public health insurance option died on Thursday, December 10, 2009, after a months-long struggle with Senate parliamentary procedure. The time of death was recorded as 11:12 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Its death had been rumored numerous times over the past year, but the public option repeatedly and defiantly battled back. The Senate's insistence on 60 votes, combined with President Obama's decision not to intervene on its behalf, eventually proved overwhelming.

The public option leaves behind a Medicare buy-in for people aged 55-64, an expansion of Medicaid, a quasi-public option for those under 300 percent of the poverty line and a collection of national private plans managed by the Office of Personnel Management.

Health Care Reform without the public option without the public option is not reform, it's just making changes.

And, without health care reform, the dems have nothing, absolutely nothing, going for them in 2010.

Well, bring in power was nice while it lasted.

Best Marriage Speech Ever!

New York State Senator Diane Savino speaks on Marriage Equality Albany, NY December 2, 2009

Max Hall is why I Hate Mormons

I don't hate all Mormons. Just some of them. Heck, I'm LDS.

I used to call the Utah Mormons. However, I have started to realize that the more correct term is BYU Mormon.

Don't get me wrong, there are some good people in Provo. There are also plenty of BYU Mormons attending the U. There are also plenty of BYU Mormons in other parts of the country. Many come from California.

So, just what is a BYU Mormon? Well, City Weekly's John Saltas hit the nail on the head in his column this week:

Max Hall is a “righteous, holier-than-thou BYU jerk,” according to a good LDS friend with whom I spoke this morning. “They just don’t get it,” he said. “They make us all look stupid.”

Who are “they?” They’re all those people like Max Hall who put an ugly face on the religion and institution they claim to love and represent. He’s the football-playing missionary who BYU’s preachy coach Bronco Mendenhall bargained for—delivering acidic fighting words one minute and hollow solemnities the next. Until he wises up, his original words define him.

Athletes from most schools represent their school. However, Athletes from BYU represent more. They represent the Church. Their Current Coach, Bronco Mendenhall, has made that clear.

Watch this video and see if it doesn't rile you up just a little.



If God really cared that much about Football, BYU would win every game, every year.

And, the other thing that got to me about Max's comments was when he said that Utah didn't deserve to win. Yet, it was a tie game after regulation, and Max only competed 37% of his passes.

And, classless people weren't only wearing red that day:



Stax classy, Max!

Bob to Smack Forehead

See what I did there? I titled a blog post about US Senate Candidate Cherilyn Eagar trying to imply she was going to be closer to Sarah Palin than the rest of us by using a play on her last name. Cute, huh?

Apparently, the Eagar campaign thought so. What, with their press release headlined "Eagar to attend Sarah Palin book signing." Or creating a rally group in the parking lot called "Eagar to Support Sarah Palin."

So, you;d think the campaign was wanting to let people know their candidate would be sharing a stage with the formerGovernor of Alaska or maybe do a photo shoot, right?

Wrong.

From the Deseret News:

Eagar, who is one of one of many challengers to Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, acknowledges she has received no endorsement from Palin. In fact, Eagar does not even have an appointment to meet with Palin and simply will be standing in line with others hoping to get a signed copy of Palin's book when Palin visits a Costco in Salt Lake City on Dec. 9 to sign books from noon to 3 p.m.

-Bob

BREAKING: McCoy resigning

The Deseret News is reporting that Senator Scott McCoy is resigning his seat effective Friday:

Utah's only openly gay state senator, Democrat Scott McCoy, has told the Deseret News he is resigning.

"It's just a work thing," McCoy said Tuesday. "If I want to be a partner in my law firm and have a robust legal career, I have to be a lawyer rather than a politician."

McCoy said his resignation will be effective as of Friday. He would have been up for reelection from his Salt Lake City district next year.

McCoy is a lawyer specializing in federal securities and antitrust litigation with the Salt Lake office of Howrey LLP, a Washington, D.C.-based firm that employs 750 lawyers worldwide.

His successor will be chosen by Democratic delegates in District 2. McCoy said he is aware of three candidates seeking the position: Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck, D-Salt Lake; Ben McAdams, a senior adviser to Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker; and Salt Lake County Democratic Party Chairman Weston Clark.

First, he must have been telling people he was planning on resigning, since he knows of three people interested in the position.

Second, Rep Chavez-Houck first got her seat when Ralph Becker resigned after being elected Mayor in 2007.

Interesting....

UT-02: Four, Maybe a Fifth Candidate?

Jim Matheson is facing some competition next year.

I talked about Dave Glissmeyer last week.

Now, we have Ryan Kelly running as an independent as well. From his Web Site:

We the people have a duty to our country to defend our liberty and our right to choose what is best for ourselves. This is why I seek to be elected to our Federal government. I feel that few in our government now are willing to defend our rights as they should. They have stopped listening to us, and rather than use our power to vote to remove these people from office, almost half of us stay at home and let them do things for us. America needs a Congress that remembers they are chosen by the people to represent them to the rest of the nation. America needs people who remember that when government fails in its duty to represent the will of the people, we must use the power of the vote to replace those elected with people who will do as we ask them.

And, on the Republican side, Casey Anderson has been running for several months now. From his web site:

Two years ago - after seeing the national debt nearly double in only two terms, the continued foreign policy of entangling alliances and interventionist foreign policy, as well as the continued erosion of civil liberties at home, Casey decided it was time to get active in politics before it was too late. He was elected by his neighbors to be a County Delegate and State Delegate for the Utah Republican party and more recently he was elected to represent his county as a member of the State Central Committee, which is the primary governing body of the state party. He is currently working to get liberty-minded individuals elected in various offices throughout the state.

And Joe over at Sausage Grinder posted this morning that former Republican legislator Morgan Philpot is considering a run as well.

Things are getting interesting.....

-Bob