Matheson: Hard To Argue With 64% Approval

Basically, I'm link dumping here, but Jim Matheson has the highest approval rating of any of our congresscritters:

Name Approve Disapprove Don't know
President Barack Obama 30% 69% 1%
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 21% 72% 7%
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid 25% 55% 20%
Senator Orrin Hatch 64% 30% 6%
Senator Bob Bennett 54% 37% 9%
Congressman Rob Bishop 48% 18% 34%
Congressman Jim Matheson 64% 27% 9%
Congressman Jason Chaffetz 55% 21% 24%
Source: Dan Jones Poll for KSL/Deseret News Margin of error: +/- 6.5%

The poll also asked about aspects of the health care bill:

Reform Agree Disagree Don't know
Pre-existing conditions covered 76% 22% 2%
Coverage for 36 million uninsured 49% 48% 3%
Americans required to have insurance 42% 57% 1%
Exchange to shop and compare policies 77% 21% 2%
Reduce out-of-pocket prescription costs 73% 23% 4%
Source: Dan Jones Poll for KSL/Deseret News Margin of error: +/- 6.5%

Overall Congressional Democrats' Health Insurance Reform Plan
Favor Oppose Don't know
30% 67% 3%
Source: Dan Jones Poll for KSL/Deseret News Margin of error: +/- 6.5%

Been Busy, Be Back Real Soon

I've been tied up with some major things at both my jobs recently. However, Things are looking to calm down a little bit in the very near future. That means a return to my regularly scheduled blog.

-Bob

Why I asked Jim Matheson to vote AGAINST health care

Yes, I still support health care reform. However, this does nothing to help the situation of many who do not have health care.

Instead, it mandates that we buy health insurance, at the price the insurance companies want to charge. And, since they know we have to buy it, they will charge whatever they want.

This is a bad bill that does more harm than good. It's time to start over, get a good bill, with a public option.

LDS Church Encourages Caucus Attendance March 23

Church Newsroom:

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a letter early in March to be read in all Utah congregations, which encouraged Latter-day Saints to attend their local precinct caucus meetings:

On Tuesday, March 23, 2010, political parties in Utah will hold precinct caucus meetings. Precinct caucuses are the most fundamental grassroots level of political involvement. They are best served by a broad representation of Utah citizens. Those who attend play a critical role in selecting candidates.
We ask that local leaders not schedule meetings on that Tuesday evening so that members may attend a caucus meeting. The location of these meetings can be found on the Web sites of the respective political parties.
Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in the platforms of various political parties. We encourage members to attend their precinct caucus meetings.
The First Presidency has given this same admonition in the past and encouraged members of the Church to participate, with other good citizens, in the political process as part of their individual civic duty, while the Church itself remains politically neutral.

The Church's political neutrality statement (found here on Newsroom.lds.org) explains the principles the Church follows with regard to the political process:

The Church does not:

Endorse, promote or oppose political parties, candidates or platforms.

Allow its church buildings, membership lists or other resources to be used for partisan political purposes.

Attempt to direct its members as to which candidate or party they should give their votes to. This policy applies whether or not a candidate for office is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Attempt to direct or dictate to a government leader.

The Church does:

Encourage its members to play a role as responsible citizens in their communities, including becoming informed about issues and voting in elections.

Expect its members to engage in the political process in an informed and civil manner, respecting the fact that members of the Church come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences and may have differences of opinion in partisan political matters.

Request candidates for office not to imply that their candidacy or platforms are endorsed by the Church.

Reserve the right as an institution to address, in a nonpartisan way, issues that it believes have significant community or moral consequences or that directly affect the interests of the Church.

Greg Hughes' Reelection Starts Off Poorly

Today was the first day tat candidates could file to run for office. One of the first people to file was Rep Greg Hughes. Now, I realize that he was up late last night with the end of the legislative session and everything, but I'm sure when he realized he screwed up, he could have asked for a new form.....

Maybe I don't get the joke.....

From Jesse Fruhwirth at City Weekly:

As I reported first via my Twitter feed, the press conference calling for a ballot initiative to remove homosexuals from Utah was fake. At best, the organizers put together improv theater that punked the Utah press corps and maybe got people to think about gay rights for a moment. It's fashionable to make fools of news media folk such as myself, so, touche. But at its worst, it was an offensive attention-grabbing play on Holocaust-like imagery and language that does little to advance the argument for gay rights in Utah.

The phony press conference is a play out of the Yes Men play book. For example, The Yes Men once punked the U.S. Chamber of Commerce by announcing a press conference, then posing as representatives of that group while calling for climate change legisation. It was funny, you see, because the Chamber opposes such legislation. Ha. Zinger. Got 'em.

I'm not sure what Ha-Ha we were supposed to get from today's action, but I think the point they must have been trying to make is that it is somewhat believable that Utah could foster such a movement of concerned citizens that would openly and publicly call for Nazi-like solutions to the "homosexual problem?"

And a response from the group who held the "press conference," Patriots for a Moral Utah:

Because of the intense anti-lgbt climate in Utah, and because our voices have been silenced by recent statements and deals made on the hill, we felt a creative solution would be to highlight just how outlandish some of their claims are. It is amazing that Utah has reached a point where even something as crazy as the "Utah Fair Solution" has legitimacy and is believable.

The goal of this political satire was purely a play off of the many groups, legislators, organizations and religions who speak against the LGBT community. As a community we hear constantly from people like Paul Mero of the Sutherland Institute who tell us that our families and love are an illusion, or Senator Chris Buttars who says that we have no morality and are the biggest threat to America.

The point was not to "punk" anybody, but to push people to continue the discussion of LGBT rights, and are thrilled at the conversations and public input that flew when news of the Patriots came out.

We love our community, and hope that our political farce has helped in highlighting what we feel is the ridiculousness and cruelty of some in our legislature and groups like The Eagle Forum, the Patrick Henry Caucus and America Forever. Thank you to all those who caught the big picture of our attempt and who have supported the efforts of all those who made this a reality. Also a very special thank you to each of the protesters who attended at the capitol, who were aware of the satire and helped to make it such a great event. This was another step in our multi-faceted campaign to achieve equality, and we're all in this together.

OK, great. I still don't get it. With Sutherland, Buttars, Ruzika, and America Forever, do we really need parody? After all, the best comedy to come out of Saturday Night Live the last couple of years was Tina Fey repeating Sarah Palin's words.

And, instead of pointing out how ridiculous they are, you made some of us think "hmm, Makes Mero not seem so bad."

Yes, you got people talking. But they are talking about your stunt, not the need for more gay rights.

-Bob

Mitt Romney is to Al Gore as Sarah Palin is to George W Bush

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Big Tobacco Wants You To Thank Governor Herbert

You'd think that with a legislature that is predominantly LDS, a religion whose scriptures say "And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man," that big tobacco would have a horrible time in the legislature.

But, big tobacco has big money. And some of that money flows into the coffers of our legislators. And the pockets of lobbyists. Lobbyists like former house speaker Greg Curtis.

Amazingly, the legislature managed to pass HB 196, which increases taxes on cigarettes. However, Governor Herbert has said he plans on vetoing a tobacco tax increase. Well, that was before he said that he'd sign it, which was before he said he wasn't sure what he'd do. Leadership -- not his strong suit.

And, at least one group wants him to veto it:


(click to enlarge. Page found here.)

Look in the top right-hand corner. "Provided by Altria Client Services." Who is Altria you ask? Well, they are the parent company of Phillip Morris, whose cigarette brands include Marlboro, Alpine, Basic, Benson & Hedges, Bristol, Cambridge, Chesterfield, Commander, Dave's, English Ovals, Lark, L&M, Merit, Parliament, Players, Saratoga and Virginia Slims. In other words, Pillip Morris put the big in big tobacco.

And you thought the Legislature only did the bidding of the Church.....

-Bob

Christine Johnson Not Running For Reelection in 2010

From a press release, as posted on Facebook:

It is with deep gratitude and humility that I announce my intention not to seek re-election for the Utah House of Representatives. I make this announcement now in order to provide the Democratic Party and my community ample opportunity to organize to secure a candidate for the 2010 election.
It has been an honor to represent the diverse and progressive voices of House District 25 for the past four years. In addition, it has been a uniquely humbling life-experience to represent members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgendered community. For the past four years, I have stood with my colleagues each morning of session, placed my hand over my heart and pledged “liberty and justice for all” and yet, repeatedly witnessed blatant disregard of those so in need of equal protections in the name of “family values”. Ironically, some of the most dedicated partners, parents and families within Utah fall under non-traditional definitions. There is no city nor county in which these families do not exist and it is reprehensible that we continue to ignore them. Thankfully, Utah’s local government leaders are stepping forward to provide protections in housing and employment. Their bravery and willingness to understand the reality of shameful discrimination within Utah will demonstrate to State leaders that courageous leadership is admirable and that Utah is a better place when we suppress our entitled need to cast judgment on one another and instead respect the authenticity and free-agency of each person.
As I reflect on my service, I find gratifying moments in passing legislation to improve Utah’s air-quality through school bus retro-fitting and water quality by minimizing phosphorus in household products, simplifying Utah’s election process and empowering youth to act responsibly while consuming alcohol. Even more satisfying and important to me has been in more sponsoring edgy legislation I knew would not pass, but hoped would create dialog and awareness about Utah’s under-represented community members.
I am grateful to my constituents for allowing me the opportunity to repeatedly stand and speak with raw honesty and truth. It has been a life-lesson in authenticity, consensus building and personal struggle for which I am immeasurably grateful.
I look forward to supporting the next fortunate individual who has the privilege of serving District 25 and encourage district residents to become actively engaged in the selection process.

Representative Christine Johnson

Stop The Presses! Gayle Ruzicka and I Agree on SB 248

Someone once said that politics makes strange bedfellows. You know it's true when I agree with Utah Eagle Forum's Gayle Ruzicka on a bill.

But, sometimes, a bill is so wrong (wrong isn't even the right word. Strange? Stupid? I don't know) that it requires people of all stripes to weigh in in opposition.

To the Trib:

Utah kids could begin getting hit up to play blackjack or try their luck on Las Vegas' loosest slot machines under legislation being sponsored by a conservative Utah County lawmaker.

Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Eagle Mountain, is sponsoring SB248 to exempt casino gambling from the state's do-not-contact registry, designed to protect children from solicitations for pornography, alcohol, smoking and other adult-oriented business.

He told a committee this week the casino carve-out was brought to him by the Attorney General's Office, which won a lawsuit in October brought by the pornography industry challenging the registry but feared it couldn't withstand a suit by the gambling industry.

That is not Attorney General Mark Shurtleff's recollection.

"We didn't come up with this," Shurtleff said. "The casino folks came to [Madsen] initially and asked him to run the bill and then came to us next."

Because suddenly caring about being able to afford lawsuits is important.

Because Senator Madsen cares for kids so much, he wants them to get SPAM from the Peppermill.

If I had the oomph, I'd check to see how much money Senator Madsen has gotten from the gambling industry lately. I'd be willing to be it's not a small amount. But, that would require dealing with Gary Herbert's cluster-**** of a website, which requires more patience than I have right now.

[UPDATE 3/4/10 5:54 PM] Someone looked into Senator Madsen's donations back to 2008 and couldn't find any gambling interests. [end update]

Oh, and Gayle Ruzica's take on the bill?

But Madsen's proposal has conservative groups, who traditionally back the like-minded legislator, concerned about the impacts.

"I didn't like that bill from the beginning," said Gayle Ruzicka, president of the Utah Eagle Forum. "Senator Madsen is a really, really good man who believes in that registry. He would never do anything to destroy it. ... That registry has to be protected at all costs."

If the state has to exempt gambling to preserve the rest of the registry, she said, it is a pill they will have to swallow, but she would rather leave it the way it is.
"I don't believe anything [the casinos] are saying. They're evil people," she said. "They'd love to addict all of us, including children."

Hey, Carl! Don't shoot Gayle!

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