John Swallow Political Corruption Update Episode 20: Sutherland Institute Calls For Swallow's Resignation

This latest development evokes for us images of "rats" and "ships," if you know what we mean; and we think you do

Because politics involves money, ego and power, even the best of us gets bedeviled by it all.

Paul Mero, President, Sutherland Institute
Swallow should put his office first and step down
June 4, 2013

There are few disappointments in politics worse than perceived, let alone real, corruption within law enforcement. John Swallow is the chief law enforcement officer in Utah, and precisely because I believe that he strives to be a man of integrity, he should step down.

Paul Mero, President, Sutherland Institute
Swallow should put his office first and step down
June 4, 2013

There's more bad news for beleaguered Utah Attorney General John Swallow, as the uber-conservative, LDS-oriented Sutherland Institute public policy "think tank" joins the Salt Lake Tribune, the Provo Daily Herald and the Spectrum in St. George and calls for the embattled Utah Attorney General's early retirement. Here's the story from the Deseret News:

• Sutherland Institute calls for Utah A.G. John Swallow to resign

And here's the straight skinny from the Sutherland Instute website, featuring, as an added bonus, a short (4 minute) Paul Mero audio clip:

• Swallow should put his office first and step down

First time we've agreed with Mr. Mero since... well... never.

So who'll be the next ultra-conservative formerly joined-at-the hip Swallow supporter to urge Utah's Attorney General to turn in his "walking papers?"  The Eagle Forum's Gayle Ruzicka, perhaps, whom Swallow once praised thusly (and we are not making this up), “When she passes, she’ll be going straight to the Celestial Kingdom”?

We'll be standing by with abated breath awaiting the Eagle Forum's next utterance on this topic, of course.

This latest development evokes for us images of "rats" and "ships," if you know what we mean; and we think you do.

Update 6/5/13 10:36 a.m.:  Via Andrew McCullough: KSL radio, the Doug Wright show, is running a web poll right now as to whether John Swallow should resign. The "yes" votes are 90%. If you have an opinion to express, go do it now:

• The Doug Wright Show

Update 6/5/13 11:20 a.m.: The Trib's now all over this story, too:

• Sutherland Institute to Attorney General John Swallow: Resign

Interesting local note: "[House Leg. Dist. 9] Rep. Jeremy Peterson, R-Ogden, has said he believes Swallow should take a leave of absence pending the outcome of a federal and state investigation."

More Discussion Concerning Utah's Wacky and Weird "Zion's Curtain" Liquor Law Provision - Updated

Fascinating information concerning the battle royal being waged between Utah liquor law reformers and the highly moralistic throwbacks of the Sutherland Institute

"Pay No Attention to That Woman
Behind The Curtain"

Perhaps the timing's a mite off now that the Utah legislature's out of session, but the frantic discussion of Utah's wacky and weird "Zion's Curtain" liquor law provision continues unabated in the Utah webosphere, with dang near as much intensity as if our Utah legislative critters were even now making their mischief up on Utah's Capitol Hill.

Just to keep the discussion going, we'll accordingly link a couple of interesting editorial pieces appearing on the web over the past couple of days, one from Utah Political Capitol and another from the Salt Lake Tribunes' Paul Rolly:

• EDITORIAL: The Zion Curtain – Tear Down this Wall
• Paul Rolly: Studies debunk need for Zion Curtain to hide Utah bartenders

Sutherland Institute

The Sutherland Institute blog post referenced in both above editorial items also deserves a link, we suppose:

• Children and the culture of drinking

Fascinating information concerning the battle royal being waged between Utah liquor law reformers and the highly moralistic throwbacks of the Sutherland Institute, don'tcha think?

So who will be the first to throw in their own 2¢?

Update 4/18/13 9:20 a.m.: More rubbish from the nanny-state scolds of the Sutherland Institute:

• Nothing silly or embarrassing about Utah’s liquor laws

And the beat goes on...

Weber County Forum Saturday Morning Backburner Cleanup

We'll rely upon our WCF readership this morning to wax on about the meaning of all this

Due to the dismal dearth of nutritious local red meat political news popping up on the web this morning, we've dredged up a couple of interesting items from the Weber County Forum back burner, both of which are worthy of our readers' attention, wethink:

1) The Salt Lake Tribune reported on Tuesday that "[t]he board of the Sutherland Institute, the state’s most prominent conservative 'think tank,' has asked its longtime president, Paul Mero, to resign after long-simmering disputes apparently reached a head":

• Board ousts Paul Mero as Sutherland Institute president

"Stanford Swim, chairman of the board of the Sutherland Institute, will serve as acting CEO until a new president is chosen."

Mero's apparent defect:  Not quite wacky enough to suit the "extremists" of  the Sutherland Institute?

2) Following up on our 7/28/14 story, wherein we reported that Rocky Mountain Power was in the process of sticking thrifty Utah solar panel users with a $5/month "sun tax," we were delighted to learn yesterday from the Trib that  this lame-brained proposal has been at least temporarily deep-sixed.

"Utahns with rooftop solar panels won’t face a new fee from Rocky Mountain Power after the Utah Public Service Commission ruled Friday that the utility company failed to prove such a charge is "just and reasonable," the Trib's Matt Canham And Brian Maffly report:

• Utah commission rejects proposed fee for solar homes

Although "... this contentious debate pitting the state’s largest electric company against environmental groups isn’t going away, [inasmuch as] [t]he Commission is open to revisiting the issue as long as Rocky Mountain Power can provide some hard data proving these customers should be treated differently than others who just use less energy than the average family,[r]enewable energy advocates are [nevertheless] hailing the ruling as a major victory," and quite rightly wethink.

For the moment, at least, we'll also hail it as a victory for good old-fashioned common sense.

Have at it, O Gentle Ones.  We'll rely upon our WCF readership this morning to wax on about the meaning of all this.

Utah Medicaid Expansion News Roundup: It Ain't Quite Dead Yet - Updated

Our take concerning the suddenly defrocked Sutherland Institute spokesman, and  Utah's most famous BYU dropout? Go, Boys Go!

In the interest of proving that we're not "goofing off" in the news-lean aftermath of the Christmas/New Years holiday season, here are a couple of interesting and timely stories, focusing on Governor Herbert's "Healthy Utah" "Medicaid expansion plan."

This one's authored by former Sutherland Institute "mouthpiece" Paul Mero, who seems to have grown a little bit more sensible and "human," since the right wing nutcases of the Sutherland Institute "let him go,

• Healthy Utah is Not Obamacare and Conservatives Should Support It

"Conservatives might not like when government steps in to fill this gap but our philosophical dislikes do not trump nor diminish real human needs and our moral obligation (to both the needy and to freedom) to provide reasonable solutions," the miraculously newly-reformed Mr. Mero sez.

Welcome back to the "human race," Mr Mero, sez us.

Despite earlier indications that the "looniebird" Utah Legislature is intent on kicking Governor Gary'as Healthy Utah plan "to the curb" It appears the Governor Herbert hasn't yet totally given up:

• Herbert’s End Run on Medicaid Expansion

Our take concerning the defrocked Sutherland Institute spokesman, and Utah's most famous BYU dropout? Go, Boys Go!

Update 1/8/15 8:38 a.m.: Uh-oh.  It appears that Governor Herbert's "Medicaid work requirement" is "off the table," according to this morning's Standard-Examiner story:

• Feds: Utah will not get Medicaid work requirement

Perhaps it's now time for Governor Gary, to put the arm on his Republican colleagues in the Utah legislature, and talk a little "common sense":

• Study Shows the Madness of States Refusing to Expand Medicaid

2013 Utah Legislative Update: Utah House Says Tear Down the Zion Curtain

Added "fair and Balanced" bonus: The nitty-gritty core philosophy from the Sutherland Institute, one of Utah's more prominent and wacky Eagle Forum-style "think tanks"

I think it's weird and I'm not a drinker. But I grew up away, not here in Utah. I always thought that was a little strange.

Utah House Speaker Becky Lockhart, Deseret News
Bill would remove 'Zion curtain' in Utah restaurants that serve alcohol
February 27, 2013

It’s inappropriate for a personal religious belief to be the tool that violates the rights of others to conduct business in a fair, responsible manner. The Zion Curtains are a hindrance to common-sense business practices. They insult restaurant employees by making their jobs more difficult, and they insult customers by making a simple request for a drink with dinner look like something forbidden and shameful.

Standard-Examiner Editorial
Our View: Zion curtains are weird
March 5, 2013

Removing the “Zion curtain” might make good sense for a variety of practical, even commercial, reasons. But whiny and immature reasons like “it’s unfair,” “it makes us look backwards and silly,” or “Mormons can’t tell us what to do” aren’t in the arsenals of truly thinking people. Liquor laws, regulations and proscriptions exist for one very good reason: Liquor hasn’t made one human being a better person. Ever.

Sutherland Institute
Confused Mormons whine about ‘Zion curtain’
September 2, 2011

As a followup to Thursday's semi-encouraging Weber County Forum writeup, both the Standard and the Tribune report this morning that "the Utah House has advanced" (by a lop-sided 63-11 vote) Ogden Republican Rep. Ryan Wilcox's HB 228, which would "repeal a mandate for restaurants to mix and pour alcoholic drinks behind a barrier," otherwise affectionately derisively known in Utah the dreaded "Zion Curtain":

• Utah House advances bill to remove 'Zion Curtain'
• Utah House says tear down the Zion Curtain

The Standard chimes in this morning in with its own strong editorial too:

• Our View: Zion curtains are weird

Forbidden Zion Curtain Rituals

Although the Standard editorial headline pretty much says it all, and the full editorial neatly sums up most the common-sense arguments rationally supporting what ought to be the bill's slam-dunk passage, Rep. Wilcox's battle against the forces of backwards idiocy in the Utah legislature ain't over yet, as former Utah Senate President and Utah County's State Senator John Valentine (R) (and a surprising variety of his Senate cohorts) wait in the wings, poised to deliver a kill shot to Wilcox's bill once it arrives in halls of the Utah State Senate, Holy Senator-for Life Valentine's oft-unchallenged domain.

Assuming you've read and absorbed the Standard's above editorial, it's our great pleasure to deliver, in the interest of balanced coverage, the other side of the story.  In that connection, here's the nitty-gritty core argument and philosophy from the Sutherland Institute, another of the more prominent and wacky Eagle Forum-style "think tanks," i.e,, those ivory-tower entities which evidently encourage and propel the "religio-fascist 'thinking'" of some Utah legislators, such as Valentine:

• Confused Mormons whine about ‘Zion curtain’

 That's it for now, folks.  So who wants to throw in their own 2¢?  Better yet, having digested all the above arguments, pro and con, who wants to go out on a limb a predict the outcome for Rep. Wilcox's HB 228?

Weber State 9/18/14 Event: Constitution Address: Debating Same Sex Marriage and the Constitution - Updated

Something tells us that this is an Ogden City-situated event which you won't want to miss

Here's a quick heads-up concerning an interesting happening on the Weber State campus, which U.S. Constitution buffs and regular WCF political wonks might want to attend tomorrow, in conjunction with WSU's celebration of what the Olene Walker Institute of Politics and Public Service is labeling "Constitution Week (Sept 15-18)".

Specifically, here's the gist, via the WSU website:

As part of the week’s activities...[t]he event, “Debating Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution,” will be held Sept. 18 at 1:45 p.m. in Elizabeth Hall Room 229. The debate will feature William Duncan, the director of the Center for Family and Society at the Sutherland Institute, and Clifford J. Rosky, professor of law at the University of Utah. Doug Gibson, the opinion editor for the Standard-Examiner, will moderate.
The discussion is intended to inform students and the public about the constitutional issues the Supreme Court will likely address if they agree to hear Utah’s appeal of the 10th Circuit Court decision upholding same-sex marriage.

Once again, here are the time/space coordinates and other pertinent information, as set forth in this nifty graphic:

Click to enlarge image

Thankfully, debate moderator Doug Gibson regularly trains in the pugilistic arts at Ogden's Foley's Mixed Martial Arts Training Center, a fortuitous circumstance which might come in handy in the event that this debate might become a little overly rambunctious.

Here's our irreverent "constitutional" take on the subject, for what it's worth [grin]:

Please be sure to mark your calenders and plan to be in attendance, folks.

Something tells us that this is an Ogden City-situated event which you won't want to miss.

Update 9/19/14 11:15 a.m.:  The Standard's Cathy McKitrick provides a top-notch recap of the same sex marriage debate at WSU yesterday:

• Lively debate at WSU on same-sex marriage (w/video)

That dude from the Sutherland Institute got his butt royally kicked, or so it appears to us.  But what say you, O Gentle Ones?

And here's a great wrap-up from the Signpost:

• Same-sex marriage debate hits WSU w/Video

Breaking: Same-sex Marriage Petitions Denied By U.S. Supreme Court - Updated

Supremes say to Utah, "Stop! In the Name of Love"

Heartening news for supporters of Utah marriage equality, as the US Supreme Court "this morning issued additional orders from its September 29 Conference. Most notably, the Court denied review of all seven of the petitions arising from challenges to state bans on same-sex marriage. This means that the lower-court decisions striking down bans in Indiana, Wisconsin, Utah, Oklahoma, and Virginia should go into effect shortly, clearing the way for same-sex marriages in those states and any other state with similar bans in those circuits":

• Today’s orders: Same-sex marriage petitions denied - Scotus Blog

"Last month Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had suggested that the Court might not step into the controversy at this point, because there was no disagreement among the lower courts on that issue. Today her prediction proved true, with the Court denying review (without any comment) of the seven petitions."

Read an expanded morning analysis via the New York Times:

• Supreme Court Clears Way for Gay Marriage in 5 [7] States

"Supremes say to Utah, 'Stop! In the Name of Love,'" in other words.

(H/T to Cousin Jim, for the clever thematic twist.)

Update 10/6/14 9:45 a.m.: "One thing that should be noted is that there are still marriage equality cases pending before conservative circuits that could rule against equality. Nevertheless, the fact that marriages are likely to begin very shortly in the states currently subject to court orders will make it very difficult for the Supreme Court to reverse course — and retroactively invalidate those marriages — in a subsequent opinion:

• The Supreme Court Just Quietly Made Marriage Equality The Law Of The Land In Many States

Update 10/6/14 10:30 a.m.:  Over at the wacky Sutherland Institute "Think Hate Tank," there's the predictable "wailing and gnashing of teeth":

• Statement on Supreme Court’s refusal to hear marriage case

"We will be stubborn,"  The Sutherland Institute sez

Salt Lake Tribune: McEntee: Dead Last is Not Where Utah Education Funding Should Be

Time to wake up, Utah voters, and make public education funding your top issue this election year

Students, parents, teachers and administrators know what public ed needs. Ultra-conservative lawmakers under the sway of the Utah Eagle Forum, the Sutherland Institute and the American Legislative Exchange Council don’t, preferring to "bleed the beast" and grab as much power over the system as they can.

Salt Lake Tribune
McEntee: Dead last is not where Utah education funding should be
October 11, 2012

It’s those legislators, and the executive branch, who ought to stop bragging about how great Utah is for transplanted companies and use their power to divert money from, say, defending doomed federal land grabs into public schools.

Salt Lake Tribune
McEntee: Dead last is not where Utah education funding should be
October 11, 2012

Fine Peg McEntee column in this morning's Salt Lake Tribune, raising an issue which ought to be paramount as the 2012 Utah General Election approaches:

• McEntee: Dead last is not where Utah education funding should be

 "How long, every Utahn should ask, can public education continue the largely excellent work it does without the unalloyed backing of lawmakers, the governor’s office, business owners and taxpayers?" Ms. McEntee queries.

Time to wake up, Utah voters, wethinks. Time to send those wacko "ultra-conservative" Utah Eagle Forum, Sutherland Institute and ALEC-alegiant  looniebirds lawmakers back to the cheapskate private sector where they belong.

If you care about the kids in Utah, and the quality of their public education, folks, you'll make public education funding your top issue this election year, or so it seems to us.

That's our take; and we're stickin' to it.  Howbout you?

Added nitwit GOP bonus:

Salt Lake Tribune: Utah’s Out-of-touch Lawmakers

Perpetual motion... can't be explained with reason or logic

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Albert Einstein, Genius
Albert Einstein Quotes
1879-1955

Mainstream Utah voters vote the way that Sutherland tells them to. Then they protest. Then they re-elect them. Perpetual motion. Can't be explained with reason or logic.

Stink, Tribune Reader
Tribune Reader Comment
March 31, 2012

Eye-opening op-ed piece in this morning's Tribune, in which Maryann Martindale, Executive Director of the Alliance for a Better UTAH makes the case that "The Sutherland Institute’s new Legislative Scorecard demonstrates that Sutherland’s top-ranked legislators are the most out of touch with mainstream Utah voters, while those ranked lowest are the lawmakers most in sync with the majority":

• Utah’s out-of-touch lawmakers

The Alliance for a Better UTAH examined the voting records of Sutherland’s "top" and "bottom" legislators on issues that were of paramount concern to Utahns in the 2011 and 2012 legislative sessions.

Her organization's findings?

... [T]he data seem to suggest that legislators’ voting records were ranked against a scorecard prepared by the Eagle Forum, not the mainstream Utah voter.

For political wonks who closely follow the "antics" of our knuckleheaded Utah legislature, these comparisons come as no surprise, we guess.

Ms. Martindale's money quote:

If legislators are duly elected to do the people’s business, it appears that Sutherland’s bottom-ranked legislators are the ones deserving of the highest scores.

And the beat goes on...

Utah A. G. John Swallow-topical WCF Podcast Special: Maryann Martindale Interview

A Weber County Forum Tip O' The Hat to the folks at Utah Political Capitol, for making this audio material available online

"Honest" John Swallow

In connection of our ongoing WCF article series concerning the ethical and legal troubles of Utah Attorney General John Swallow, we'll put the spotlight on an item appearing yesterday on the Utah Political Capitol website, featuring, among other things, the audio track of a recent 15-munite interview with the Alliance for a Better Utah's Maryann Martindale, who is one of the two complainants in a legal battle against Attorney General John Swallow.

We believe that our readers with a little extra time on their hands will find this will find the full podcast to be most interesting, inasmuch as it broaches a broad array of topics which are always of interest to our Weber County Forum readers, if you know what we mean (and we think you do):

• UPC Show #21! Booze.. Swallow’s Scandal.. STD’s.. and Sutherland Institute

For those readers however who'd just like to cut to the chase, we've taken the liberty of editing it all down to a brief twelve minutes.  So for the listening pleasure of our ever-gentle WCF readers, here's UPC's complete Martindale interview segment, which clearly sets forth, wethinks, the facts, issues, rationale and motivation behind ALB's pending legal action:


Certainly welcome relief from yesterday's heart-rending story, innit?

A Weber County Forum Tip O' The Hat to the folks at Utah Political Capitol, for making this audio material available online.

Don't forget to throw in your own 2¢.

John Swallow Political Corruption Update: Episode XXX - The Plot "Sickens"

Never a dull moment in the life of our (allegedly) ethically-challenged and "alleged" Utah Attorney General, no?

Here's the latest on the ever-fascinating John Swallow topic, folks:

NOT... a Crook! Says me!

1) House Impeachment Proceedings: "Utah Attorney General John Swallow appeared before state Republican Party leaders Saturday to proclaim his innocence, thank them for hanging with him against a barrage of allegations and investigations and to ask them to be patient for two or three more months":

• A.G. Swallow asks GOP leaders for patience as he's investigated - D-News.
• Swallow says he’s innocent, asks GOP for patience - Trib
• Swallow Pleads for Patience from State GOP Leaders -  Utah Policy

"While Utah lawmakers’ decision to create a special committee to investigate Attorney General John Swallow is a major milestone, hurdles, hardships and possibly heartache lie ahead, warn those who have been through similar ordeals":

• House probe of Utah Attorney General John Swallow could hit roadblocks - Trib

2) Other Pending Investigations: Rebounding from a disappointing earlier request for "special counsel" applicants, State Elections Director Mark Thomas now reportedly has fourteen (count'em, 14) bids for a special counsel will no doubt "get rich quick" investigating alleged election-law violations against Swallow:

• State now has 14 bids for special counsel in Attorney General John Swallow probe - DNews.

"A letter and brief statement from prosecutors suggests two others in the Attorney General's Office may be key witnesses, or under investigation---in connection with the on-going probe into Attorney General John Swallow and his predecessor, Mark Shurtleff;"  and it appears that "Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill and Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings wrote the letter granting 'use immunity' to convicted "fraudster" Marc Jenson, in exchange for his cooperation in their [pending] Swallow-Shurtleff investigation(s)":

• 2News Exclusive: Others Named As Key Witnesses Or Possible Targets In Swallow-Shurleff Probe - KUTV.
• Immunity agreement names six in Swallow probe - Trib

In the above connection however, "Attorney General John Swallow [sez] [Mark Jensen] is using forged documents against him.":

• Immunity agreement names six in Swallow probeFox 13 - Fox13

Never a dull moment in the life of our (allegedly) ethically-challenged, and "alleged" Utah Attorney General, no?

Added bonus:  Be sure to click the Sutherland Institute graphic image below, for a truly remarkable (suitable for printing out, framing and hanging on your wall) breakdown of the full sea of legal troubles engulfing poor old John Swallow:


"You can't tell the players without a program."  Right, folks?

Two More Possible Roadblocks to the Utah Citizens Initiative Process

The Good News: The Utahns For Ethical Government's (UEG) ethics reform petition is NOW AVAILABLE FOR SIGNATURE ONLINE!

There are couple of more citizens' ballot initiative stories this morning in the northern Utah press which are well worthy of note. From this morning's Salt Lake Tribune:

As ethics-initiative backers scramble to gather enough signatures to place their measure on November's ballot, opponents hope to make it easier for some of those names to disappear.
In a statement last week, Utah's conservative Sutherland Institute labeled the measure put forward by Utahns for Ethical Government "dangerous" and asked lawmakers to streamline the name-removal process for folks who signed but changed their minds.
On Saturday's Red Meat Radio show on 630 AM, Sen. Howard Stephenson said he would file a bill today to do just that.

Read all about it here:

• Ethics initiative battle heats up

And that's not the only SL-Trib story reporting on the efforts of the forces of the status quo to thwart citizen efforts to impose real ethics reform upon our Utah legislature. The Trib also reports on a second proposed measure which could create a potentially serious roadblock to citizen initiative efforts in Utah:

A bill that would remove the time constraints under which the Utah Supreme Court must act when dealing with citizen initiatives and referendums is on its way to the House floor after unanimously clearing the House Judiciary Committee last week.
HB112, sponsored by Rep. Brad Dee, R-Ogden, would allow Utah's high court to set its own timetable when reviewing citizen-led legislation.
"It leaves the initiative process in place," Dee said, "but gives the court the opportunity to deliberate and it does not require, based on any statutorial time limit, that they must make that decision and curtail their deliberations."
Dee says the bill would affirm the Legislature's commitment to separation of powers between the branches of government.
But citizen-led legislation fans see it differently.

Read the full story here:

• Initiative efforts may face obstacle

What's painfully obvious is that opponents of serious, citizen-driven ethics reform in Utah are sweating bullets, and pulling out all the stops in order to prevent the angry lumpencitizens from finally having their way with our out-of-touch legislature. And in that connection, here's a new development that's likely to ratchet up the tension of the powerful and privileged at least a few more notches:

We're pleased to announce this morning that the Utahns For Ethical Government's (UEG) ethics reform petition is NOW AVAILABLE FOR SIGNATURE ONLINE!

• Sign the UEG Ethics Petition electronically right here

You know what to do, gentle readers. If you haven't already signed the petition... do it NOW... and do it online.

(Links to the full complement of active Utah online initiative petitions are also available here, and in our WCF right sidebar, btw.)

Salt Lake Tribune Op-Ed: ‘Count My Vote’ Is The Elixer for Utah’s Narrow-Interest Politics

Keep your eyes on the ball, O Gentle Ones. Achieving full participatory democracy is a palpable possibility -- even in Utah -- as David Irvine so eloquently reminds us this morning

We all learn in high school civics classes that government of, by and for the people means that when a majority of the voters don’t like the policies of our elected officers, we can replace them via the ballot box. That rosy theory quickly disintegrates, courtesy of two anti-majoritarian subversions of the Lincolnian ideal.
The first is gerrymandered congressional and legislative districts that have made 85 percent of congressional and legislative districts (in Utah) non-competitive, single-party districts; where what happens in November is more of a coronation than election, because the dominant-party candidate will nearly always win (Rep. Jim Matheson is a unique exception).
Second is the caucus/convention system with which Utah is saddled, and which turns the real decisions about who will be elected over to fewer than 1 percent of our 2 million voters. The rest of Utah voters are then stuck with those decisions.

David Irvine Op-ed, Salt Lake Tribune
Oped: ‘Count My Vote’ is the elixer for Utah’s narrow-interest politics
October 19, 2013

Delegates, party insiders, incumbents, and those who fear majority rule are not about to turn over control of who gets elected to the electorate at large. Utahns will be treated to a year’s worth of stories about the sky falling. Opposition will be framed in terms of preserving grassroots democracy, or keeping politics from becoming a rich man’s game. But the most insidious argument of all is this: "Delegates spend the time to become better informed about the candidates than anyone else."
Run for the exits when you hear that one.
What it really means is, "We’re doing you a favor by substituting our judgment and political goals for yours; we know better than you, and you’re not to be trusted to vote wisely." And that, frankly, is a crock.

David Irvine Op-ed, Salt Lake Tribune
Oped: ‘Count My Vote’ is the elixer for Utah’s narrow-interest politics
October 19, 2013

Humdinger of an Guest Op-ed piece in Saturday's Tribune, by Salt Lake Attorney and former 4-term GOP Utah House Representative David Irvine:

• Oped: ‘Count My Vote’ is the elixer for Utah’s narrow-interest politics

Even in Utah?

As the democracy-minded folks from Count My Vote prepare to take their citizens initiative petition to the streets, and Utah lumpencitizens stand on the brink of prying the Utah political nomination process from extremist factions like the Eagle Forum, the Sutherland Institute and their fellow radical anti-democracy ilk, these opponents of direct primary democracy will be working like demons to subvert the fundamental principle of "one man, one vote," in their effort to hijack the public discussion and hoodwink the lumpencitizens with the usual self-serving, spam-style disinformation.

Keep your eyes on the ball, O Gentle Ones. Achieving full participatory democracy is a palpable possibility -- even in Utah -- as David Irvine so eloquently reminds us this morning.

Standard-Examiner Guest Commentary: Seven Reasons for Making Schools Voluntary Rather Than Compulsory

"Why should our spoiled little darlings be compelled to do anything they don't wanna do," we ask?

Hey! Here's another great idea straight from the Utah wing-nut fringe. Check out this morning's eye-popping Standard-Examiner guest commentary, folks:

• Seven reasons for making schools voluntary rather than compulsory

The ever-wacked-out Sutherland Institute floated this concept just yesterday, we also discover:

• Ditch compulsory education in Utah? Yes!

And whatever you do... don't miss this stirring YouTube video:


So what do you think, liberty-loving Utah lumpenfolke?

"Why should our spoiled little darlings be compelled to do anything they don't wanna do," we ask [wink-wink]?

Knock yourselves out, O Gentle Ones... 

Update 7/15/13 7:56 a.m.:  Oh Goody!  Here's another one:

• Education Freedom Website

These right wing Utah hippie fruitcakes are breeding like rabbits, we swear!

Salt Lake Tribune: Mitt Romney Backs Primaries Over Caucuses, Conventions

The days of observing crackpot fringe groups hijack neighborhood caucuses and nominate nut-jobs to important Utah elective offices are numbered

Another GOP heavyweight with substantial Utah political influence leaps aboard the bandwagon, while the organizers of Count My Vote now actively circulate their citizens initiative petition, designed to dump Utah's quirky caucus/convention system and replace it with a more broad-based and democratic direct primary nomination process:

• Mitt Romney backs primaries over caucuses, conventions

There will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth in the Utah Eagle Forum and Sutherland Institute bunkers this morning, wethinks.

The days of observing crackpot fringe groups hijack neighborhood caucuses and nominate nut-jobs such as Chris Buttars, Carl Wimmer and Mike Lee (just to name a few) to important Utah elective offices are numbered, we'll confidently predict.

Salt Lake Tribune: Bill: Government Lawyers Must Study Federalism

Rep. Ken Ivory: The best danged Utah legislative representation that corporate money can buy

Via a couple of "friends" of Weber County Forum :

"If the Utah legal community doesn't rise up against this then they deserve to sit in reeducation classes listening to some jackass from the Sutherland Institute lecture them on the virtues of nullification" - Patrick B.

Here's the gist from this morning's Salt Lake Tribune story:

Rep. Ken Ivory says lawyers for the state and local governments know too little about states’ rights to effectively battle the federal government. So he is moving to require them ­— and judges ­— to take an online seminar every two years to stress the "sovereignty, supremacy and jurisdiction" of states.

The House Government Operation Committee voted 7-1 Friday to pass his HB120 imposing that new rule and sent it to the full House.

Read Trib reporter Lee Davidson's full writeup, folks:

• Bill: Government lawyers must study federalism

"You have to admit that Ivory works fast. On Jan 9th his "keepers" at ALEC posted model legislation entitled "Federalism Education Requirements for Public Attorneys" and here we are a little over 5 weeks later and it is before the Utah House. He represents his billionaire patrons quite well" - Donald A.:

• ALEC - Federalism Education Requirements for Public Attorneys

Rep. Ken Ivory (R-West Jordan): The best danged Utah legislative representation that corporate money can buy:

Click to enlarge image

Don't let the cat get your tongues, O Gentle Ones...