Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Standard-Examiner: Four Strong Editorial and News Pieces Slamming the Utah Legislature's Arrogant and Slap-dash Passage of HB477

Great to see the Standard aggressively standing up for the people's right to know, No?
Never pick a fight with a man who buys ink by the barrel.

H.L. Mencken
American journalist, essayist and all-round curmudgeon
September 12, 1880 – January 29, 1956

Putting to rest at least some of our WCF readers' fears that our home town nespaper might drop the ball, the Standard-Examiner hard copy edition charges outta the gate this morning with four (count 'em 4) strong editorial and news pieces exposing and slamming the Utah legislature's arrogant and slap-dash passage of the GRAMA-Gutting HB477. For our readers' convenience we've gathered them up and will reel off the online versions in no particular order. Here's ample evidence that the Standard can capably serve the community as a genuine old-fashioned crusader/juggernaut newspaper... when it sets its mind upon it:
Hopefully the SE will likewise continue to put the pressure on our anti-citizen legislative majority in the days to come, and keep the corporo-fascist legislative faction sizzling in the withering heat of the public glare.

Read up, folks. Great to see the Standard firing on all cylinders and aggressively standing up for the people's right to know what's happening in its own government... a government which the now-jilted Utah citizens already pay for with their own hard-earned tax dollars, No?

12 comments:

Bob Becker said...

Arrogance? It goes beyond that, all the way to contempt for the public. Here is Speaker of the House Lockhart, on the record, talking about the way HB 477 was rammed through in 48 hours with no attempt to gather input from the press or public: "I am not going to apologize for the House's process. This is the way we do business."

Indeed it is, Speaker Lockhart [a Republican, of course]. Indeed it is. That's the problem.

blackrulon said...

Simply amazing. I just received a e-mail response from Gage Froerer in response to my request to stop the GRAMA bill He stated "This bill was passed in an attempt to bring news media and other stakeholders to the table to address a statue that needs to be addressed...". What a load of @#%&^%#. The bill was passed in order to avoid public scrunity. Thanks Gage, now i know what you really think about open government.

Moroni McConkie said...

It appears there's a certain public outrage in Utah about the GRAMA bill (hey, why didn't the Republicans think of labeling it the "REPEAL THE JOB-KILLING GRAMA STATUTE" ACT?).

If so, good. But will that translate into throwing the bums out? Not a chance. As long as Utah legislators can brandish a temple recommend, they're in for life.

DOCTOR OPPOSITE said...

"I am not going to apologize for the House's process. This is the way we do business."

You're right Curm.

It's definitely time to oust these craven GOP Bastids!

Amanda said...

The best weapon we have is to expose this foolishness to the outside world. When other Americans see how stupid these legislators behave, the pressure will begin to mount. Right now these theocratic republicans have a strangle hold on the state and county leadership. That has to end using the ballot box.

Brad Dee said...

I am leader of the Gadianton Robbers!

RudiZink said...

Attention Gentle Readers!

Here's something your blogmeiser tried to post under his own true name on the Vox Populi "spin site" a coupla days ago:

Thomas L. Feeny Comment

So far this comment has been awaiting "comments moderation," for over 48 hours, even though there's been at least one additional post since your blogmeister's original submission.

What's the matter? Can't Brad Dee and his fellow legislative fascists handle the truth?

Dorrene Jeske said...

I believe the SE is looking out for their own interest more than the interest of the public. Guess I'm a cynic but I'm also a realist.

I watched Fox news last night and I got the impression that the "recall" is a "carrot" to appease the masses for the moment. In July we will be stuck with HB 477 as it is now. It was pathetic when one of our poor beat-up legislators was interviewed and he complained that his text message from his family was private and should remain private. These guys are paranoid to the nth degree! I've never heard of a GRAMA request that asked for private family information -- requests are for information on a specific topic dealing with something a specific public entity is dealing with that is of public interest. Who cares what a spouse says to a legislator? I'm with everyone who has said that we elect new legislators who aren't so paranoid and arrogant and thumb their noses at the people who elect them and pay their wages! The Utah Republican Pary needs to be brought to its knees! It's time the public speaks loudly at the polls -- that will be the only language they understand.

ozboy said...

It is sad that in the entire Utah State Government, especially the top levels like the Governor and Legislative leadership, there is not one hint of a true statesman who is standing up and calling bull shit on this mean little scam the legislature is trying to pull off.

It is too bad that Neil Hansen isn't still in the house so that the people could hear at least one voice of reason call this for what it really is - Bull Shit!

This Peterson guy who replaced Hansen did show just a glimmer of hope in the first couple of weeks of our annual clown fest, but he sure showed his true colors by falling in line with the dark side on this bill.

googlegirl said...

"Gadianton Robbers"

Dan Schroeder said...

Good comments, Dorrene. For everyone's information, private communications (not job-related) are already completely exempt under GRAMA. And even job-related communications are exempt when their disclosure would create an "unwarranted" invasion of personal privacy.

So far, all the arguments I've heard for HB 477 are based on straw men. GRAMA as it stands achieves an excellent balance between what must be disclosed and what can be kept secret.

blackrulon said...

Despite the outrage expressed by various S-E articles and editorials against GRAMA revision I predict that the local fish wrap will again endorse GOP legislators who voted for this horrible bill. Any takers?

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