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Steve Urquhart

  • Utah's 2010 Budget

    Number of comments: 5
    Utah balances its budget every year. Revenues must match expenditures. With the continued economic downturn, Utah's tax revenues now do not match the State's expenditures. There are 3 main tools the State can use to bring its budget back into balance. It can (1) reduce expenditures, (2) raise revenues through [...]
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    Posted: December 07, 2009, 11:06pm EST
    by steve u.

  • Sen. McCoy Resigning

    Number of comments: 9
    I was sad, but not entirely surprised, to learn that Sen. Scott McCoy is resigning his senate seat. It is nearly impossible to balance the time demands of a big firm law career and the Legislature.

    Scott brought a great deal of smarts and energy to the Senate, [...]
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    Posted: December 03, 2009, 10:07am EST
    by steve u.

  • Attorney General John Valentine

    Number of comments: 4
    That has a very nice ring to it! I've been talking with friends for quite a while about encouraging John to run for Attorney General. John is an outstanding attorney and a person of the highest character. Though his recent announcement doesn't completely clear the way (because he's still [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2009, 1:40pm EST
    by steve u.

  • Increased Grocery Taxes? Rewriting History

    Number of comments: 27
    Rep. Kay McIff opines that Utah should raise taxes on groceries. As I wrote in February, that's a really bad idea. Government revenues are down, because people's revenues are down. The solution to Government's woes is not to take more money from its citizens.

    In arguing that' [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 8:40am EST
    by steve u.

  • Sex Education, Part 2

    Number of comments: 13
    To follow up on my previous sex ed post, I see that a few articles were written about the sex ed issue (here and here). Mostly, these articles are about the PTA's push to promote Parents Speak Up, an excellent resource for parents to use when' [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 7:09am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Sex Education

    Number of comments: 23
    Needless to say, sex education is a controversial topic. And rightly so. Sex and issues relating to sex have the potential to change, and even define, lives like little else. Parents know this, and care deeply about the issue. Policymakers must be extra vigilant, to make sure we get it [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 11:22pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Is America Switching Teams?

    Number of comments: 15
    America should stand tall for liberty and freedom. We are a beacon of hope for the world. Yet, I worry we are picking the wrong side in many struggles for liberty and freedom, selling out friends in order to placate thugs and enemies. It doesn't work in high school, and' [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 1:01pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Campaigning v. Governing

    Number of comments: 14
    I am hoping this nonsense is due to a lack of leadership experience, rather than a compulsive inability to accept responsibility and criticism. And I am hoping it will stop. It's childish. It's not presidential.

    President Obama, you won. You are the man. I'm mopping. We're all mopping. [...]
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    Posted: October 17, 2009, 12:19am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Goodbye, NFL

    Number of comments: 16
    I don’t have strong feelings about Rush Limbaugh one way of the other, but I do have strong feelings about political discourse. The NFL has banned Mr. Limbaugh, because he is an outspoken conservative. I am a conservative. I have a right to be a conservative, and I have a [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2009, 12:07pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • The Obama Administration, the Stimulus Plan, and Low Expectations

    Number of comments: 19
    The first data-backed evaluation of President Obama's stimulus plan is in. The White House enthuses that the data "exceeded their projections." Super! What does the data show? It shows that taxpayers (or their decendants) paid over $500,000 per job. If that exceeds expectations, I wonder what the expectations were.[...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2009, 8:40pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Kory Holdaway and the UEA

    Number of comments: 11
    I am excited to learn that Kory Holdaway will lobby for the Utah Education Association. This is the latest change in, what I think, are some very positive things for education in the State. With this change, and changes that have taken place in the leadership of the State [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2009, 9:39pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Health Care: An Evolved Debate

    Number of comments: 30
    Let’s, first, get one thing out of the way: much of the dialogue surrounding the Administration’s health care push – pro and con – has been stupid. In a country that honor’s free speech, lots of commentary will be worth what we’re paying, nothing. Having given that truism all the [...]
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    Posted: September 21, 2009, 1:42pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Lt. Gov. Greg Bell

    Number of comments: 44
    Pure class! [...]
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    Posted: September 01, 2009, 2:53pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Will Utah Raise Taxes?

    Number of comments: 42
    People seem to be the most concerned about reports that Utah will extend the sales tax to items and services that currently are not taxed. That idea is a recurring favorite of the Utah Tax Review Commission. It simply is not going to happen. So, I’ll move on to [...]
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    Posted: August 28, 2009, 12:43am EDT
    by steve u.

  • New Century Scholars – Problem and Solution

    Number of comments: 41
    Utah has breached a promise to 2,000 of our brightest stars. After 2,000 high school students satisfied their part of a supposed bargain, Utah reneged on its part of the deal. The State previously held out significant scholarship offers to high school students who earned an Associate’s Degree during high [...]
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    Posted: August 14, 2009, 2:10pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Global Warming and Solar Activity

    Number of comments: 36
    I post on global warming, because of the significant policy implications the issue carries. One of the best things Government can do for citizens is to promote policies that encourage productive economic activities. Many policy discussions regarding global warming head in the other direction, and would seem to present a [...]
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    Posted: July 28, 2009, 9:32am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Illegal Immigration, SB 81, and Civil Discourse

    Number of comments: 32
    When I entered the Legislature 9 years ago, I was delighted – and surprised – to discover how hard the institution digs for facts. We always can do better, but I think we do a good job of attempting to base our decisions on actual facts. Sometimes on politically-charged issues [...]
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    Posted: July 15, 2009, 5:06pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • 20 Boxes of Evidence

    Number of comments: 41
    The Department of Commerce claims that it gave the Utah Attorney General's Office sufficient evidence to prosecute alleged Ponziist Rick Koerber. To the contrary, the AG's Office said that it did not receive evidence to support a prosecution. Commerce took its evidence to federal prosecutors, who moved forward and [...]
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    Posted: July 10, 2009, 1:37pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Division of Securities Audit

    Number of comments: 66
    Utah has a fraud problem, as illustrated by the recent Ponzi-scheme conviction of Val Southwick and the indictment of Rick Koerber, alleged Ponziist. Koerber stories often mention that criticism or pressure has been aimed at the Utah Division of Securities by 2 members of the Utah House of [...]
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    Posted: June 30, 2009, 2:06pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • International Competitiveness

    Number of comments: 29
    Capital goes where it is treated well. As much as planners would like to think otherwise, capital can't be forced to stay where it is not welcome.

    Capital seeks 2 things: nice returns and a predictable legal environment. Many second- and third-world nations have tremendous natural resources and human' [...]
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    Posted: June 04, 2009, 3:51pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Climate Change

    Number of comments: 25
    If we give science a chance, it will humble us by showing us how little we do know, and it will inspire us by hinting how much there is to know. I think I’ve been pretty careful and clear to describe my frustration with the militant, close-minded attitude that has [...]
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    Posted: June 01, 2009, 2:33pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • GM Deal: Our Socialist Experiment

    Number of comments: 18
    Here’s the box score for the GM deal:

    US Govt invested $19.4 billion in GM, and will get 72.5% of the company. (19.4B = 72.5)
    UAW’s trust is owed $20 billion by GM, and will get 17.5% of the company. (20B = 17.5)
    Bondholders invested $27 billion in [...]
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    Posted: May 29, 2009, 3:16pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Lt. Governor David Clark

    Number of comments: 27
    That does have a nice ring to it. The speculation continues regarding the next Lt. Governor. Here is a snippet on House Speaker David Clark.

    Speaker Clark would be an outstanding choice (as would be President Waddoups, Sen. Bell and SL County Council Member Michael Jensen, who also [...]
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    Posted: May 29, 2009, 9:26am EDT
    by steve u.

  • California, Initiatives, and Referenda

    Number of comments: 19
    Responding to my post about California, State Bailouts and Term Limits, "just me" opines that California's woes relate to the State's initiative and referendum system. He writes:

    I don't think it's the specific issue of term limits so much as the general abuse of the initiative system that [...]
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    Posted: May 27, 2009, 8:46am EDT
    by steve u.

  • California, State Bailouts, and Term Limits

    Number of comments: 52
    The federal government should not bail out California. In the long-run, a bailout would be very harmful.

    States have always balanced their budgets. When they have dug holes for themselves, they have been forced to pull themselves out. If California now is bailed out of a bad situation, [...]
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    Posted: May 26, 2009, 11:20pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • We Have Met the Speculators . . .

    Number of comments: 36
    . . . and they are us. As this article describes, when the Administration ignored the rule of law in the Chrysler takeover, to show favoritism to the United Auto Workers over secured creditors -- who were derided as "speculators" -- the people who got the shaft are normal [...]
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    Posted: May 22, 2009, 3:44pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Rule of Law: Good Thing

    Number of comments: 30
    In my last post, I mentioned good things about America that shouldn't be destroyed. I'll add the Rule of Law to that list (meaning that we are governed by laws -- not trends, opinions, dictates, etc.).

    Here is a very well-written article that fleshes out my point [...]
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    Posted: May 05, 2009, 11:10pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Governing Ain't Easy

    Number of comments: 32
    It looks like President Obama is considering reversing course on Guantanamo. Representative Don Ipson and I were together when we heard President Obama announce that he was closing Gitmo. We wondered whether he had an alternative. The answer seems to be “no.”

    I actually am greatly encouraged by [...]
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    Posted: May 02, 2009, 3:26pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Online Legal Notices

    Number of comments: 107
    Regarding SB 208 (legal notices), I received the following letter today from Jim Wall – Publisher Deseret News, Randy Wright – Editor Provo Daily Herald, Brent Low – President MediaOne Utah (Newspaper Agency Corporation):

    On the issue of publishing legal notices, newspapers have been remiss in not communicating [...]
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    Posted: March 09, 2009, 6:46pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Liquor Law Revisions

    Number of comments: 71
    The Utah House and Senate have liquor law bills set on a collision course. The way things currently stand, my guess is that private club laws will not be changed, unless – as a trade off – restaurants such as Iggy’s and Applebee’s reconfigure their restaurants to move [...]
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    Posted: February 27, 2009, 12:47pm EST
    by steve u.

  • Food Tax – Government Needs You to Do More

    Number of comments: 218
    Rep. Kay McIff seeks to double the taxes that Utahns pay for the food they eat.

    He explains that Utah should raise its most regressive tax (meaning that the food tax disproportionately impacts poor people), in order to . . . wait for it . . . [...]
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    Posted: February 18, 2009, 11:08am EST
    by steve u.

  • A Civics Lesson – Clay’s Law

    Number of comments: 163
    No one has more at stake this session than the advocates of Clay’s Law (parents of autistic children, arguing that autism therapies should be covered by insurance). I candidly explained my opposition to insurance mandates in this post. If you want some proof that civility is alive and [...]
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    Posted: February 17, 2009, 9:32am EST
    by steve u.

  • Blogger Conference Today

    Number of comments: 42
    Today at 4:00, I will hold a blogger conference on my SB 208 (Utah Public Notice Website Amendments).

    Ric Cantrell provides details here.

    I have to take exception to Ric's comment that I am "the oldest living politician who blogs." I'm increasingly feeling that way. But, I [...]
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    Posted: February 10, 2009, 12:01pm EST
    by steve u.

  • Autism Insurance Coverage

    Number of comments: 121
    In America, complex and important issues find their way to Congress and state legislatures. On the list of complex and important issues, healthcare vies for top billing.

    Every year, the Legislature addresses insurance mandate bills. Mandate bills seek to force private health insurers to cover some illness or segment [...]
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    Posted: February 06, 2009, 10:00am EST
    by steve u.

  • Federal Pork – An Intervention

    Number of comments: 86
    The number of earmarks in federal transportation bills:

    1982 – 10
    1987 – 152 (earning a veto)
    1991 – 538
    1998 – 1,800
    2005 – (drum roll, please) . . . 6,371

    It’s not an appropriations process. It’s a cry for help.

    In pork-barrel politics, little compares [...]
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    Posted: February 05, 2009, 11:27pm EST
    by steve u.

  • The Old Ba' Game

    Number of comments: 77
    Every year I get Glenn Stout’s The Best American Sports Writing. One of its pieces, Eli Saslow’s article on the old ba’ game in Kirkwall, Scotland (originally published in the Washington Post), is a must read. It reminded me of 3 of my favorite activities.

    One, Hall [...]
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    Posted: January 31, 2009, 4:59pm EST
    by steve u.

  • Attorney Fee Awards

    Number of comments: 65
    I have fielded a few nervous calls about my SB 53 Awarding of Attorneys Fees. I’ll explain the bill.

    Typically, jurisdictions in the US, including Utah, require that each side to litigation pay its own attorney fees (a.k.a. the “American Rule”). (This contrasts with the “English Rule” – [...]
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    Posted: January 30, 2009, 11:47am EST
    by steve u.

  • The Amazing Scotty Riding

    Number of comments: 50
    Scotty Riding makes is easy to know who your Senator/Representative is.

    This is a direct reflection on the training he received as my intern, and has NOTHING to do with any parenting (sorry, Ann), teaching, past experiences, etc. that he might have received.

    Way to go, Scotty![...]
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    Posted: January 30, 2009, 9:59am EST
    by steve u.

  • Please Don't Pass the Pork

    Number of comments: 22
    Utah – and 49 other states – are grappling to match expenditures with revenues. (For the federal types, that’s a financial principle called “balancing a budget”). It is frustrating to watch the feds ladle the pork. Their efforts won’t stimulate the economy. Congress is simply piling debt on future generations, [...]
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    Posted: January 29, 2009, 9:57am EST
    by steve u.

  • Legislative Orientation

    Number of comments: 43
    As a new Senator, I attended legislative orientation yesterday. (I’m pleased to report that the upperclassmen kept the hazing to a minimum). It occurred to me that I have never blogged about the non-partisan status of legislative staff.

    Research and bill drafting are handled by the Legislative [...]
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    Posted: January 09, 2009, 9:22am EST
    by steve u.

  • Newspapers and Informed Citizens

    Number of comments: 91
    Newspapers are on a downhill slide. The reasons for that are many, but I think poor reporting must be one. Witness this article from today’s Tribune.

    To set up a vague description of transparency efforts that Salt Lake City is contemplating, the article superficially contrasts Salt Lake’s (good) [...]
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    Posted: January 06, 2009, 11:01am EST
    by steve u.

  • Liquor Laws

    Number of comments: 42
    In the political arena, alcohol issues tend to stir great passion and little meaningful dialogue. (In Utah -- and 49 other states). Thus, I was pleased to read comments from the Governor’s Office that he will be active on alcohol issues. A strong voice and a measured approach would [...]
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    Posted: December 31, 2008, 2:03pm EST
    by steve u.

  • Is Caroline Qualified?

    Number of comments: 20
    Is Caroline Kennedy qualified to be a United States Senator?

    Yes. Absolutely.

    If she were a man, the question wouldn’t gain any traction.

    I don’t like her politics. For many, many reasons, I would not like to see her in the Senate. But, let’s stop asking [...]
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    Posted: December 29, 2008, 1:48pm EST
    by steve u.

  • Congratulations, President Obama

    Number of comments: 27
    Two classy men got in the ring and gave us a campaign to remember. God bless America, and God bless President-elect Barack Obama. [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2008, 11:56pm EST
    by steve u.

  • Lake Powell Pipeline Financing

    Number of comments: 16
    After disagreeing on the campaign trail about financing for the proposed Lake Powell pipeline, my opponent and I spoke last week with the head of the State’s water resources division, Dennis Strong. Mr. Strong confirmed that my description of the Lake Powell pipeline financing, as contained in the attached [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2008, 10:36pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Lisa Johnson and Rep. Hughes’s October Surprise

    Number of comments: 29
    Rep. Greg Hughes soundly defeated Lisa Johnson two years ago for a House race in Draper. It would take something like weeks of bad press to close that gap. And that’s just what Rep. Hughes got, when an ethics complaint was filed against him a month before the election. Rep. [...]
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    Posted: October 22, 2008, 10:00am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Lake Powell Pipeline Financing

    Number of comments: 10
    I've submitted a commentary to the Tribune's piece on me regarding the Lake Powell pipeline, describing how -- exactly as I stated -- the State does contribute to the pipeline. If the Trib doesn't run it by Tuesday, I'll publish it here. Since it had no qualms about broadsiding [...]
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    Posted: October 17, 2008, 9:38pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Properly Vetting Joe the Plumber

    Number of comments: 10
    In very serious times, I'm pleased to see that the substantive ideas of the 2 candidates' competing to lead the Nation are being analyzed. Oh, no, wait. It's Joe the Plumber who is now being vetted. It's about time!

    I don't mean anything partisan by that. I'm just [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2008, 4:24pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Free Speech and Freedom

    Number of comments: 17
    I'm really enjoying being on the campaign trail with my opponent. As I mentioned previously, I believe we're giving people some strong differences of opinion on several important issues, while respecting the other's willingness to participate in the process. That approach invites voters to look more closely at a race,' [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2008, 6:51pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Utah and the Economic Downturn

    Number of comments: 13
    The time to prepare for a storm is before the storm. Same with economic cycles. Once a downturn hits, the thing most governments do is wish they’d done things differently leading up to the downturn.

    As Rep. Dave Clark is fond of saying, calm seas don’t make good sailors. [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2008, 9:59am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Campaign Debates

    Number of comments: 11
    My opponent and I are having several debates. We debated at the Episcopal Church (really we gave speeches there), at the Elks Lodge regarding Veterans issues, and before a group of local estate planners. Here is The Spectrum’s coverage of yesterday’s Homebuilder/Realtors debate.

    We will address Leadership Dixie [...]
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    Posted: October 09, 2008, 1:58am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Comedians and Politics

    Number of comments: 16
    I wonder why more comedians don’t rise in politics. Have many tried? Perhaps it’s just that they don’t want to mess with the mess. Maybe they’re too controversial, and lose voters one crack at a time. With our tendency to typecast, maybe people refuse to believe comedians could ever [...]
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    Posted: October 04, 2008, 2:21pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Joe Biden Sighting at Home Depot

    Number of comments: 10
    I just saw Joe Biden at Home Depot. I'm not sure he's well. He was ranting that it was the most dangerous Home Depot we've had probably in American history, because vices were not where he thought they were and because he’d been forced down in electrical. When the manager' [...]
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    Posted: October 04, 2008, 11:18pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Why Won't Anyone Play With Bob?

    Number of comments: 9
    Deseret News opinionist/reporter (oporter?) Bob “Combo Plate” Bernick opines/reports (oports?) that 63% of all legislative candidates did not respond to his questionnaire. (Though I’m being cheeky about it, Bernick truly is, simultaneously, a columnist and reporter for the D News; what’s better, he thrills to oport on, um, conflicts [...]
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    Posted: October 03, 2008, 4:01pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Official Position of Republicans and Paulson on Bailouts

    Number of comments: 8
    Regarding bailouts, the Republican Party Platform -- adopted just a month ago at the convention -- states:

    We do not support government bailouts of private institutions. Government interference in the markets exacerbates problems in the marketplace and causes the free market to take longer to correct itself. We [...]
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    Posted: October 01, 2008, 4:10pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • The Bailout

    Number of comments: 9
    In considering the wisdom of the federal bank bailout scheme, remember this: the same fools who created the problem are now proposing the radical solution – on the fly – without changing the underlying philosophies and organizations that spawned the problem in the first place. In other words, the incompetent [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2008, 1:16pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Divorce American Style

    Number of comments: 5
    Alec Baldwin has written a book on divorce. In an interview, he stated, "The longer you hold out for what should be the right of every parent, the more expensive and painful the process becomes." Not commenting on any particulars regarding Baldwin's divorce, his observation is correct.

    [...]
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    Posted: September 29, 2008, 10:22am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Live Blogging: Special Budgetary Session

    Number of comments: 5
    The Utah Legislature is meeting to cut the state budget, so that expenditures will match declining revenues. Because this affects people and programs that people count on, this is a difficult task. But it is a necessary task. (Also, very unfortunately, in my opinion, we’re also addressing exemptions to [...]
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    Posted: September 25, 2008, 12:31pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • UPASS Exemptions

    Number of comments: 4
    The Education Interim Committee met this morning, to consider Sen. Stephenson’s Student Achievement Testing Exceptions. Rep. Brad Last and I were the only “no” votes. To me, this is not a special session issue. It requires more discussion/consideration in a general session. If problems exist with Utah Performance [...]
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    Posted: September 25, 2008, 11:50am EDT
    by steve u.

  • How Your Government Works (Or, At Least, How It Should)

    Number of comments: 9
    As a member of the Health and Human Services Sub-Appropriations Committee, I just now received an email from Lisa Michelle Church, Director of Human Services.

    Director Church believes in her programs. She is dedicated to providing excellent services to Utahns who need help. Running an efficient Department and [...]
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    Posted: September 24, 2008, 10:07pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Scarcity as a Policy Planning Tool

    Number of comments: 2
    I’ve heard people say that $4/gallon gas is good and that we should do something to make sure gas prices don’t “slip too low.”

    Scarcity regularly is the preferred planning tool of elitists. They can still get whatever is scarce, but others will have to change their ways. This [...]
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    Posted: September 23, 2008, 9:28pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Utah's Budget

    Number of comments: 12
    Governor Huntsman has called the Utah Legislature into a special session this Thursday, to pare the State budget to match the economy. Every February, based on economic projections, the Legislature creates a budget for the next July-June fiscal year. When we budget, we use conservative projections, to try to undershoot [...]
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    Posted: September 23, 2008, 10:47pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Thank You, Gov. Huntsman

    Number of comments: 2
    Gov. Jon Huntsman has called the Legislature into a special session, to address projected shortfalls in Utah’s 2008-09 budget. That is the kind of leadership Utah needs right now.

    Only the Legislature can set/modify agency budgets. Outside of the annual 45-day general session, however, only the Governor can call [...]
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    Posted: September 20, 2008, 4:36pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Dixie State College

    Number of comments: 1
    Higher Education Commissioner Bill Sederburg visited Dixie State College yesterday. It was great to have him on campus to discuss DSC's status and future. I believe that Commissioner Sederburg will be a fantastic leader for Utah's colleges and universities -- creating more of a system, instead of the disjointed conglomeration [...]
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    Posted: September 17, 2008, 5:01pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Media On Media

    Number of comments: 5
    Jon Friedman (granted, the “Eddie the Eagle” of legacy media) warns that the same media that built up Sarah Palin will bring her down. The media that built her up? Is that the media discoursing about Trig, the faux book banning, Todd’s 1986 DUI, and Gov. Palin's “mission from [...]
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    Posted: September 15, 2008, 9:18pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Gov. Palin Pretends to Be Woman

    Number of comments: 19








    College Professor Wendy Doniger professes: "Her greatest hypocrisy is in her pretense that she is a woman."


    Professor Doniger, of course, is referring to the mother, moose hunter, governmental reformer, and Republican VP [...]
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    Posted: September 11, 2008, 12:04pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Campaign Discipline

    Number of comments: 4
    Threatened by Gov. Palin’s ascendancy, Sen. Obama is lashing out, calling her a “moose shooter” and, seemingly, “a pig.”

    Meanwhile, the more disciplined Republican ticket somehow manages to ignore Sen. Joe Biden as if he were a non-entity. [...]
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    Posted: September 10, 2008, 10:55pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Sarah Palin Is Perry Mason

    Number of comments: 3
    Sarah Palin is more effective at uncovering the truth than Perry Mason. The Left has always claimed to be the champion of women. Backed up by the testimony of the media, it has been an unchallenged story.

    After a week and a half of Sarah Palin, many on the [...]
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    Posted: September 08, 2008, 9:55pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Neighborliness?

    Number of comments: 8
    I just saw Sen. Obama explain how lifting money from some people and giving it to others is not wealth redistribution. Instead, he explained, it is "neighborliness." I kid you not.

    That, my friends, is socialism.

    Charity is neighborliness. Taxes are, of course, compulsion. If you do not [...]
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    Posted: September 08, 2008, 9:10pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Best Cheese Ever

    Number of comments: 5
    The family of one of my high school buddies belonged to a cheese club. (My family belonged to the Kraft club). They were very classy, kind people, and were always very happy to share with me things they enjoyed. From their club, they'd get all sorts of terrific cheeses, and [...]
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    Posted: September 06, 2008, 9:04pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Sarah Palin Shattered the Glass Ceiling on 9/3/08

    Number of comments: 16
    Until the day I die, I will remember a sprint relay race I saw in Laredo, Texas, when I was just 10-years old. In the small schools division, Lampasas High School trailed badly after 3 legs. The batons were handed to the anchors. Ten seconds later – I don’t doubt [...]
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    Posted: September 04, 2008, 5:23pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Cliff Lyon's Huge Hammer

    Number of comments: 12
    I posted a call for depoliticized scientific inquiry (as it applies, for example, to the Right’s desire to muddle science with Divine Design and the Left’s desire to shut down scientific inquiry into global warming).

    Cliff Lyon demands (in the comments) that I recant or face an Internet [...]
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    Posted: September 04, 2008, 11:07pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Breaking News: VP Change

    Number of comments: 15
    Liberals are speculating whether there will be a VP change, in light of revelations that Sarah Palin's 17-year old daughter is pregnant.

    I just saw Gov. Palin's convention speech. It is clear that there has to be a VP change.

    Biden will be gone by Friday. [...]
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    Posted: September 03, 2008, 9:38pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Newsflash: Sun Affects Earth’s Climate

    Number of comments: 18
    Regardless how many lemmings are willing to jump off the same cliff, there is much about this amazing planet that scientists and politicians don’t understand. Science should be allowed to freely explore those mysteries. But, as it has for centuries, politics walls off huge swaths of scientific research.

    [...]
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    Posted: September 01, 2008, 5:02pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Governor Palin and Foreign Policy

    Number of comments: 10
    Quiz: Of our last 5 Presidents, how many had extensive (or really any) foreign policy experience?

    Answer: 1 (George H. W. Bush).

    The other 4 – Carter, Reagan, Clinton, and W – were all Governors, like Palin. In office, they used their executive experience, to work with staff [...]
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    Posted: August 31, 2008, 10:58pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Did McCain Just Win the Election?

    Number of comments: 22
    Barack Obama’s many amazing talents might or might not qualify him to be a good President. John McCain, in order to win, must point out that Sen. Obama lacks experience and substance. He might have just done that, by introducing Gov. Sarah Palin into the mix.

    Gov. Palin's experience [...]
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    Posted: August 29, 2008, 3:34pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • C’mon, People, It’s Nie Nie Day!

    Number of comments: 10
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    Rep. Steve Clark’s daughter, Stephanie Nielson (author of the absolutely amazing NieNie Dialogues), and her husband Christian were in [...]

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    Posted: August 28, 2008, 8:28am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Deseret News Declares War on Legislature

    Number of comments: 10
    In late-June/early-July, the Deseret News and the Tribune submitted records requests for documents. The Trib’s request was broad. The D News asked for a specific document.

    The Trib’s broader request netted documents that led to a story. No documents matched the specific document requested by the D News. John [...]
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    Posted: August 25, 2008, 8:12pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • D News Runs Further With Admittedly Fake Story

    Number of comments: 4
    Any minute now Ashton Kutcher is going to tell me I’ve been Punk’d. I hope. If not, the D News is punking Utahns big time. Here’s the summary.

    1. On 8/19, the D News reported that GOP legislative leaders were going to take on the referendum process. [...]
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    Posted: August 25, 2008, 11:12am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Deseret News Opposes Transparency

    Number of comments: 3
    Deseret News reporter Bob Bernick laments,

    "I am often these days attacked by bloggers, and while I make an effort NOT to read the misinformation about me and my work (just keep on plugging away), I know for a fact how inaccurate and unfair blogs can be."

    [...]
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    Posted: August 23, 2008, 4:16pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Deseret News Fabricates More News

    Number of comments: 9
    Bob Bernick and the D News were caught in an outright lie. On Monday, Utah Senate leaders met with the Deseret News editorial board. In a broad ranging conversation, they discussed the State’s referendum process, concluding that it was in the right place.

    Instead of reporting those facts, [...]
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    Posted: August 21, 2008, 11:32am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Deseret News Fabricates Story

    Number of comments: 16
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    In my last post, I noted that Big [...]

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    Posted: August 19, 2008, 8:12pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Hello? Is Big Media There?

    Number of comments: 5
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    I pointed out that misleading information had been [...]

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    Posted: August 13, 2008, 9:26pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Workers Compensation and Illegal Aliens

    Number of comments: 7
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    Special interest groups, blogs, and Big Media [...]

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    Posted: August 12, 2008, 4:47pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Utah's Budget

    Number of comments: 0
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    An important part of successfully riding out a storm [...]

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    Posted: July 25, 2008, 4:58pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Transparency and Performance

    Number of comments: 0
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    When I entered the Legislature 8 years ago, information [...]

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    Posted: July 22, 2008, 4:40pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Kory's New Blog

    Number of comments: 2
    Rep. Kory Holdaway has started a blog!

    I think I've been blogging longer than any elected official in the U.S. -- "currently-serving elected official", I should say, since Ray Cox started blogging very early. (I'd love someone to fact check that claim). And, it is always exciting for [...]
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    Posted: July 21, 2008, 4:04pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Performance Pay Update

    Number of comments: 4
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    Districts and Charter Schools have turned in their plans [...]

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    Posted: July 12, 2008, 4:18pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Well, Well, Paul Rolly

    Number of comments: 17
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    Posted: July 09, 2008, 11:35am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Media Bias? Nah!

    Number of comments: 20
    "I'm not 100% sure that" the media is wildly biased in what it decides to investigate and report or how it determines when allegations are to be reported as fact or be shrugged off as politically motivated. (Hand it to David Irvine; to get quoted on that canard is [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: July 09, 2008, 10:11pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Utah Valley University

    Number of comments: 4
    Hooray and good luck! [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: July 02, 2008, 7:33am EDT
    by steve u.

  • You're Joking, Right?

    Number of comments: 15

    Rep. Steven Mascaro commented on a post where I opined that his approach to politics is grandstanding and hackish, and, to point of fact, ineffectual. (At least I assume it really was him. It does have several difficult-to-replicate indicia that he actually did write it.).

    Thank you, Rep. [...]

     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: July 01, 2008, 10:45pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Investigations -- Timing

    Number of comments: 14

    Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert has been pilloried for waiting to act on Richard Ellis’s allegations until after the primary election. The delay, many argue, is a sure sign of cronyism, protectionism, good old boyism, etc. If that’s the case, and it's not just the experienced realization that a politically-motivated witch [...]

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    Posted: June 28, 2008, 7:24am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Coincidence, I'm Sure

    Number of comments: 47
    Three members of the House complained bitterly that their bills were being held by the House Rules Committee -- of which Mark Walker is 1 of 8 members (1 of 6 Republican members). Those 3 complainants are (drum roll please) Neil Hansen, Sheryl Allen and Steve Mascaro.

    In [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: June 27, 2008, 11:35pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Education: Pay for Performance

    Number of comments: 7
    Tremendous things are happening in public education!

    It seems that citizens, educators and policymakers are on the same page (imagine that!) regarding the merit of performance-based pay for teachers. The (very) tough thing, of course, is to figure out how we go about it.

    This past session, [...]
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    Posted: June 19, 2008, 9:54am EDT
    by steve u.

  • Gay Marriage in Utah

    Number of comments: 17
    Sen. Scott McCoy writes an article on gay marriage – which is particularly interesting between the lines.

    Sen. McCoy first warns of “political rhetoric and demagoguery” (no doubt, which will be spread exclusively by Republicans), while informing us that the California gay-marriage decision won’t mean much for Utah [...]
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    Posted: June 17, 2008, 4:01pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Steve Urquhart: Super Genius

    Number of comments: 0
    I have to admit I am flattered that, once again, the good people of Salt Lake County are looking to me to solve a thorny issue for them. I think, though, that -- instead of stepping in and solving this one for them -- I'll let them grapple with [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: June 17, 2008, 2:28pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Just 99.9% of His Purpose

    Number of comments: 10
    From the Tribune: "But Ellis said after the hearing that his 'whole purpose wasn't politically motivated.'"

    Scuzzy.
    [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: June 15, 2008, 1:49pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Sen. Hickman on Washington

    Number of comments: 5
    Sen. Bill Hickman shared a few thoughts in the Tribune about our federal government. As someone who has spent 16 years in the political trenches -- making the tough decisions to balance a budget every year -- it seems that Bill is a bit frustrated with a federal government [...]
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    Posted: June 07, 2008, 1:38pm EDT
    by steve u.

  • Evolution and Intelligent Design

    Number of comments: 7
    BYU professor Steven Peck wrote a tremendous op-ed on science and faith.

    Some highlights:

    My last complaint about Intelligent Design is that it sets religion and science against each other. It puts forward a false dichotomy in students' minds that suggests that evolution and faith are incompatible. [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: May 20, 2008, 4:14am EDT
    by steve u.
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