Standard-Examiner Guest Commentary: "The Pendulum Has Swung Too Far On Ethics Reform Movement"

If we're ever to have comprehensive legislative ethics reform in Utah, the lumpencitizens will obviously have to do the job themselves

We'll kickstart this morning's discussion by directing our readers attention to this morning's Standard-Examiner "Viewpoints" guest commentary, wherein Layton attorney Bruce Barton offers the facially-preposterous proposition that Utah citizens should refrain from passing the pending UEG Legislative ethics reform initiative because... "[y]ou can't legislate morality":

• The pendulum has swung too far on ethics reform movement

Strangely, this morning's commentary ignores the fact that the vast body of western law consists almost entirely of regulations proscribing individual conduct which violates moral and ethical principles. A truly strange argument indeed, from a licensed Utah attorney, who presumably derives his livelihood enforcing or interpreting the rules of conduct which society enacts to protect us from the pernicious acts of those who don't know the difference between right and wrong.

To the extent that Mr. Barton's assertion can be interpreted to mean that "you can't legislate men's hearts," we'll concede that Mr. Barton is probably narrowly correct. Nevertheless, Mr. Barton takes a giant leap into faulty logic, and is plainly wrong in suggesting that we as a society ought not at least attempt to to regulate the conduct of elected officials who lack their own built-in ethical and moral constraints. Yes, our society will always be plagued by unethical and immoral men. And there will always be those who break the rules. These facts however don't mean that we should refrain from diligent effort to enact rules which provide negative sanctions for bad conduct.

In the wake of the Standard's strong November 29 editorial, we expected to see an opposition guest commentary or two. But having now read Mr. Barton's weak attempt to obfuscate the issues, all we can say is this: So-called legislative leaders, who are fighting like badgers to preserve their legislative privileges and perks, are going to have to come up with something more persuasive than the hogwash which Mr. Barton tried to hand us this morning.

Hopefully this morning's guest commentary will tick off a few more WCF and Std-Ex readers, and motivate them to sign the petition, which awaits their signatures here:

• UEG Petition Locations

If we're ever to have comprehensive legislative ethics reform in Utah, the lumpencizens will obviously have to do the job themselves. Folks like the mendacious Mr. Barton certainly aren't going to lend any help.

Remember, we have only four months remaining to gather 97,000 signatures.

Let's get crackin', folks!