Although Weber County political red-meat news is more than a mite slow this autumnal Wednesday in all of the northern Utah print media, (believe us, we spent hours googling this morning), one of our gentle readers sent us a heads-up on a wonderfully "meaty" blog article on a topic that's near and dear to our hearts... the pending citizens' UEG Legislative Ethics initiative.
Check out Doug Gibson's new Political Surf Blog post below. It seems that last week's blistering Standard-Examiner editorial struck a nerve with some of the "leaders" of GOP legislative "leadership" faction (read neoCon faction):
• Dee: Utah GOP will buck Standard, defend the Constitution by opposing ethics reform initiativeLast week, the gaggle of power hungry GOP legislative leaders tried to "Republicanize" the issue; and the Utah GOP Central Committee bowed down like the gutless sheep they are.
As everyone knows, this is NOT a party-partisan issue. There are MANY Warhorse Republicans like me, who are appalled at the anti-democratic conduct of people like Brad Dee.
Remember, people, you can arrange to sign the petition here.
And please be sure to send an email to House Rep. Brad Dee, who now seems to be just another neoCon legislative "tool;" and let him know what you think about his scurvy attempt to influence Standard-Examiner editorial policy.
13 comments:
Money does not = words, giving money away does not = speech.
Speech is speech; writing is speech.
I understand the nuances that led to this interpretation of the Bill of Rights, I hate that mushy legal equivocation.
Its not that difficult, white male guys: just buy your own damn lunch
Thanks for the link, Rudi. I'll never understand why an elected official wants to demean himself or herself by accepting free sporting events tickets or free meals.
It is time the voters in the state of Utah wake up and learn a lesson from the current day Washington D.C. fiasco.
That lesson is that the total control of the executive and legislative branches of government are not in the interest of the American or Utah citizens. Spirited dissent and differences are an essential part of the give and take of our political system.
This ethics reform issue in Utah is a good example how one party has the power to stop logical and needed reform ethics legislation that would be to the benefit of all state citizens. The voters of Utah need to step up and shrug off the culture pressure to make needed changes in our state and county leadership.
Where would someone go to sign the iniative petition for the impartial redistricting iniative?
Squirt, do you mean like Ogden?
The Republican Party and the Democrat Party nationally are determined to self-disintegrate because of lack of ethics.
Looks like Utah's GOP elected officials at our State House are determined to follow the same path of self-destruction...and all over some lousy ball tickets and a free dinner or two.
Grown men should have more self-respect than to sell their soul for such a measly pittance.
Just goes to prove that not many of them do have any self respect which is what I have long suspected.
It is interesting to read the comments of our legislative leaders. They assert that free meals, gifts and free events tickets have no influence on their choices. This would seem to contradict the purpose of dating and modern courtship. Things are really different in Utah.
What is different in Utah is they are trying to protect the mormon culture. The mormon culture cannot accept criticism or dissent easily. They circle the wagons when any facts or questions are brought forward on almost any government malfeasance issue. It is if they are saying, "we don't have any greedy or inept leaders in Utah, since they are mostly mormons, they cannot have the normal failings that every other human has."
That is what is behind the denial of ethics reform in Utah, the panic response by our GOP leadership to defend the mormon culture.
I have to laugh at the statement by the Utah GOP that " we will defend the constitution and oppose ethics reform". What a joke, where were these legislators when HB466 was passed? That violated Utah citizens civil rights and they were all asleep on that one.
So does this mean that if I, as a private citizen, bought Jazz tickets for State legislators, that they'd listen to what I say?
I think their votes are already bought and paid for long before dinner and a Jazz game.
It's a tremendously sorry state of affairs. We not only need ethics reform, we need to elect people with ethics.
I have lived here a very long time. A friend pointed out that our Mormon friends and acquaintances virtually never admit to having made a mistake. He said, "Have you ever heard a Mormon say they are sorry? For anything? Apologize? For anything?"
I thought about it for a very long time and you know what? He was right!
So I asked my older and wiser friend, "Why is that?"
Sam said, "It is because they are taught from birth that they are Saints. And as a Saint, if they ever admit making a mistake, it lowers the opinion of not only the person, but of the cult."
After about 35 years of observation I believe Sam was "spot on" in his sociological assessment of the typical Utah Mormon.
So I am thinking the pseudonym Thomas Paine post above is pretty well hitting the mark so far as any generalization is ever able to be credible.
This leaves us with not electing candidate who tips us off as Eagle Scouts, or bishops of this or that ward. Only electing what they call "Gentiles" or "Jack Mormons".
Jack mormons have seemingly lived outside of Utah and learned about ethical behavior. They seem to have an inate sense of integrity not shared by the culturally incestuous Utah Mormons.
And yes, there are exceptions to any rule or generalization before anyone gets their panties all in a wad.
It is not just the legislators that this ethics reform is targeting -- it is targeting the GOP Central Committee! Now there is a bunch of power-hungry egotists! About four years ago, they tried to pass a resolution that allowed them to hand-pick the delegates to the State convention -- after all, they are so much wiser (corrupt) than the common Joe. The grass-roots members of the GOP said definitely "NO! We will pick our own delegates so that there is no hidden agendas being fulfilled." Our Weber County members of the Central Committee gave good arguments against the proposal. You can be proud of then Chairman Craig Deardon and most of his committee members who are your precinct and legislative district chairs. Also a couple of years ago, the GOP Central Committee tried to pass a law that did away with primary elections! What a travesty it would have been if they had prevailed. We would not be able to chose the candidates who run in the general election! You would have to vote for one of two candidates that were chosen for you! Does that smell of corrupt politics or what?!
We need to sign a petition for ethical reform of the Republican party We have got to have a change in the ratio of Republicans to Democrats in the House and Senate before we see a real ethical reform. (I am a registered Republican and it disgusts me to see the Republican party defiled as it is by the State Central Committee and some of our legislators.)
Hey "Doubting" Thomas and Peter "Upon this rock I will build my church" I just threw up in my mouth after I read your post. Get off the Mormon card.... It's getting old.... I'm Mormon: SORRY
You guys want examples of legislators [both parties] moving heaven and earth to keep their perks undisturbed and damn the public, take a gander some time at the antics of the NY State legislature, in which I think there are few Mormons.
Mr. Dee has been corrupted by the unchecked power he sought as a Republican legislative leader in a one party state. He can make the ludicrous arguments he makes in defense of his perks in complete safety because he is a member of the the party that holds 90 percent of the seats in the state legislature, both houses, and will continue to regardless of the antics of Mr. Dee and his fellows with their snouts shoved deeply in the lobbyists goodies-and-money trough.
In sharply tilted one-party states, slipshod ethics and often corruption are all but inevitable. Take a look at the "Solid South" Democratic states before LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act for further examples.
In a politically competitive state, neither Mr. Dee nor his Democratic counterparts could get away with what the Brambles, Valentines, Buttars and Dees have been getting away with in Utah for a long long time.
Post a Comment