In the wake of last night's reader comment, wherein gentle Curmudgeon pointed out that the second vote on HB477 had reduced House support from the original 61 (veto proof) votes to just 42 (non-veto proof) votes on final passage Friday, Standard-Examiner reporter Loretta Park expands on this story angle and delivers a whole flurry of interesting comments by freshman House District 10 Representative Dixon Pitcher, who forthrightly admits that he was initially hoodwinked by an inaccurate information poop sheet, which was apparently distributed on the floor of the House by the GRAMA-gutting bill's supporters and/or sponsors just minutes before the first House vote. Here's one example:
"I voted for it based on incorrect information that was given to (legislators)," he said Wednesday as he pointed to a blue paper that highlighted problems with the current Government Records Access Management Act.Read the amazing (and vaguely amusing) SE story here, which, among other things, contains additional revelations concerning the wet-behind-the-ears Rep. Pitcher's disconcerting initiation into the flim-flam political practices of the most dysfunctional legislative body in the land:
Adding further humorous interest to this story is our arithmetic-challenged Governor Herbert's steadfast contemporaneous statement that a "gubernatiorual veto would have been overriden anyway," even though that statement is demonstrated to be preposterous, by anyone who can do the basic calculations (like the Salt Lake Tribune's
This whole fiasco will definitely be fun to watch, as our Keystone Kops-style legislature struggles to cover their ass, and scrambles to unwind this comedy of errors (and web of outright lies) within the next ninety days.
And speaking of the "comedic" aspects of this story... It "really only hurts when we laugh," of course:
Ha. Ha. Ha. OUCH!
15 comments:
This is yet another example why I personally feel that all politicians are whores. I have zero respect for any of the lying bastards and their lack of intelligence and ethics insults us all. Whether Federal, State, Municipal or other, once they get your vote, they forget your beliefs. As Thomas Jefferson said, From time to time, you need to thin the herd, and it is definitly time for a revolution in this country and change it back to values and rewards for success, not the other way around. I hope this latest BS from Utah's Capitol Hill will wake a few of us up finally and actually deal with important issues rather than no happy hours anymore or hotel one drink in your room at at time.
What has me wondering is that after over a hundred years of making laws, they still come up with hundreds more every year. They need to eliminate some outdated laws and tweek a few others, but adding rather than subtracting is wrong. They're not the boss of me and will never be! Try being honest to yourself and the people that elected you. They make very poor liars in their attempts to cover their asses, I wonder if they lie to their bishops with this much vim and vigor. What a den of thieves!
One,
I wish you wouldn't insult whores that way. Whores work hard for their money and actually provide a service.
Ogden Lover...
That is true, I am sorry for attaching a bad conitation with working girls. I have met many throughout life and I do like them and even respect them more than low-life politicians. I stand corrected. Thank you.
The local elected officals who supported and voted for this bill were all endorsed by the S-E. Imagine how upset the paper would be if they ever needed to use GRAMA to investigate or follow up on a story.
blackrulon,
That's not true. The S-E endorsed Sawyer over Reid. And in most of the legislative races, it made no endorsement. It did endorse Herbert, as I recall, and it also endorsed some city and county officials who may or may not have lobbied for the bill.
One Who: It's not quite as bad as all that. There were a dozen in the House who voted "nay" on both versions of HB 477. And I'm encouraged a bit by the fact that 27 members of the House majority who voted for the first version of HB 477 [the goes-into-effect-instantly version] evidently took seriously the comments and information from constituents that began flooding into them when the public found out what was going on. In light of which, they changed their vote to "nay" when the time came to send the bill back to the governor again. I find that encouraging -- just as I find the 42 who blindly continued to follow the Party Leaders in their drive to undermine accountable, open and transparent government in Utah discouraging.
I hope those legislators who discovered they'd been blindsided and hung out to dry by their own caucus leaders will be less trusting in the future and more likely fact-check any claims by their leadership just as a good newspaper ought to fact-check any claim by an elected official.
Then again, there's newbie Rep. Wilson [R of course, Davis Co.] who in an op ed in this morning's SE said he and his cronies at the legislature have jobs and families to get back to, and they just don't have time to take "principled stands" on issues during the session.
Yes. He said that. I know, I know, I wouldn't believe that an elected official would admit right out there in front of god and everybody that as a state Representative he can't be bothered to take principled stands on issues, but Rep. Wilson did. Don't believe me? Take a look for yourself. His op ed piece is here. It's in the fifth paragraph.
It's simply Rep. Wilson's Mormon mindset: "As long as I have a temple recommend I can say and get away with anything. Suckers."
Hey Moroni
One of the questions that must be answered truthfully at the interviews (there are two) in order to receive a recommend is:
Are you honest in all your dealings with your fellow man?
So if the person being interviewed answers falsely, and the ones interviewing him don't figger it out --- he deceptively gets his recommend and there's more than just him accountable for that.
js
BB
It will be interesting to see what happens as more time passes and legislators, like Pitcher, start to learn more about the truth regarding GRAMA. I would love to see that bullet-point "fact" sheet he referred to.
Off topic question: Has Peloton's closed? Walked the River Parkway this aft, expecting to break for drink/lunch at Peloton's. Found it shut up tight.
Has it closed? Anyone know?
Speaking of GRAMA, our Mayor the TWIT is in the news again. Click here for the report from Ms McKitrick
you know who-I would suspect one of the reasons the Mayor is fightining against releasing the list is easy. Many people on the potential donor list are probably unaware they are going to be solicited for funds. Builders, contractors and realators would like to see.if the project is viable before committing money.
Curm..went to have a pizza there about 6 weeks ago and it was closed...said it would reopen after renovation...hope it didn't go under...they had a decent pizza and sitting on the patio next to the fire was enjoyable in the early evenings as the alpen glow kicked in
AWM-If Peletons is closed does that mean the Mayor will cease counting the former employees on the number of jobs he has allegedly created in Ogden?
We left Peleton that day still looking for pizza. Went to The Junction and the pizza joint there was ALSO closed for remodeling. Not sure if it has reopened. We ended up @ The Pie on Harrison
Post a Comment