Mitt Romney, Peter Corroon, and Utah's lack of civic participation

At Last Night's Town Hall debate, KSL's Bruce Lindsay pointed out in a question that Utah ranks 48th out of the 50 states in voter turnout (based on percent of citizens over 18 who turn out to vote). Acting Governor Herbert said that the solution to the problem was ethics reform. I missed Mayor Corroon's answer.

However, I think that Mitt Romney hit the nail on the head. From a post on this blog in 2007:

"I just came back from living in a state that was overwhelmingly Republican," Romney told the [Commonwealth] magazine [in July 2002]. "And a single-party system generates problems, in my view. In that state, the more extreme wing of the dominant party begins to have more and more political sway, and that de-energizes the great mainstream of citizens. They get turned off by politics and offended by the politicians and become less engaged in the political process."

Of course, in 2002, Romney was running to be the Republican Governor of an overwhelmingly Democratic state.

Hmmm, sounds familiar.

-Bob

50 Reasons to Vote

Yesterday, my friend challenged me to come up with 50 reasons why someone should vote. Here's my list:

1. Because way too many people have died, both here and abroad, for your right to vote. It's your duty.
2. Because you care about your future.
3. Because you care about the future of your children.
4. Because you are pro-choice.
5. Because you are pro-life.
6. Because you are a pro-choice anti-abortionist.
7. Because you value free speech.
8. Because you think free speech has limits.
9. Because you're pro gun.
10. Because you're anti-gun.
11. Because you want potholes on your street fixed.
12. Because you are concerned about crime.
13. Because you value traditional marriage.
14. Because you are in favor of non-traditional marriages.
15. Because you have no clue what "traditional marriage" means.
16. Because you pay too many taxes.
17. Because you don't pay enough taxes.
18. Because you think your neighbor should pay his taxes.
19. Because you are against the war.
20. Because you support the troops.
21. Because you want the best education for your children.
22. Because you want the best education for your neighbors' children.
23. Because you are concerned about global warming.
24. Because you think global warming is a sham.
25. Because you thing America should be a Christian Nation.
26. Because you think America should be an Atheist Nation.
27. Because you think America should be a nation where all religions are valued.
28. Because Barack Obama inspires you.
29. Because Barack Obama scares you.
30. Because John McCain scares you.
31. Because Sarah Palin scares you.
32. Because Ralph Nader scares you.
33. Because you want more firefighters.
34. Because you want firefighters to get paid more.
35. Because you think government is on the right track.
36. Because you think government is on the wrong track.
37. Because you see the Constitution is a living breathing document.
38. Because you see the Constitution is set in stone.
39. Because you think libraries are beneficial to society.
40. Because you hate libraries.
41. Because you want faster speed limits.
42. Because you want slower speed limits.
43. Because you want no speed limits.
44. Because you want health care.
45. Because you think health care is none of the government's business.
46. Because you want bicycling to be safer.
47. Because you want bicycling to be outlawed.
48. Because you you think politicians are crooks and liars.
49. Because you you have faith that not all politicians are crooks and liars.
50. Because.