The Week Ahead

How time flies. We’re in the last few days of what has been a chilly April. With less than two weeks to go before the May 10 state convention, GOP 3rd District congressional candidates are stepping up their efforts to woo delegates, scheduling numerous delegate meetings this week. The political highlight of the week is the Salt Lake County Republican Convention Saturday at South Towne Expo Center.  Utah County Democrats also have their convention on Saturday.

One legislative committee is scheduled this week. It will focus on applied technology governance, which was a hot topic in the last legislative session. See agenda.  For all the week’s political events, see the UtahPolicy.com calendar. 

Monday Musing

I Want to Be an Old Eccentric
I’ve asked this question before, but it’s worth revisiting. I’ve been a nice, ordinary, boring guy my whole life. So I have an important question: At what age can one legitimately become “a lovable old eccentric?” Since I’m pushing beyond mid-50s, am I getting close?

I think I’d like to become an eccentric. You've met them, the old eccentrics who can get away with saying or doing all sorts of politically incorrect and outrageous things. Sometimes they wear funny clothes and have mussed up hair. People excuse their behavior by saying, "Oh, he's just a lovable old eccentric."

Being an eccentric provides a lot of good cover. Eccentrics can be blunt, iconoclastic, odd, maybe even a bit bizarre, and the harshest response will be, “He just marches to a different drummer.”

Can one consciously turn oneself into an eccentric? Or does it have to happen naturally? Eccentrics clearly have to be authentic. Nothing worse, I’m sure, than a phony eccentric. And I’m afraid that’s my problem. People would see right through me. Instead of viewing me as a “lovable, old eccentric,” they’d see me as rude, silly or just plain dumb.

I asked my wife if I could become an eccentric and she just rolled her eyes and went on washing the dishes. I suppose if you have to ask, you’ll never be one.

Washington Watch

Hatch: No to Genetics Discrimination
Sen. Orrin Hatch joins his Senate colleagues "in passing a bill that would prevent employers and health insurers from discriminating against people on the basis of genetics" (see press release).

Matheson: Unsafe Lead Levels?
At a hearing on draft food safety legislation, Rep. Jim Matheson questions an FDA official "about why Utah consumers are being exposed to unsafe lead levels in their dishware" (see press release).

Today in Political History

April 28, 1758:  James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States, is born in Virginia.

April 28, 1788:  Maryland becomes the seventh state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

April 28, 1789:  The crew of the British ship Bounty mutinies, setting Captain William Bligh and 18 sailors adrift in a launch in the South Pacific.  (Source:  New York Times) 

Wise Words

“There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.” 

-- Alexis de Tocqueville  (Source:  Quote Garden) 

Leadership Tip

The KISS Principle

"Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand."  -- General Colin Powell, Chairman (Ret), Joint Chiefs of Staff and former U.S. Secretary of State.

Effective leaders understand the KISS principle, "Keep It Simple, Stupid." They articulate vivid, over-arching goals and values, which they use to drive daily behaviors and choices among competing alternatives. Their visions and priorities are lean and compelling, not cluttered and buzzword-laden. Their decisions are crisp and clear, not tentative and ambiguous. They convey an unwavering firmness and consistency in their actions, aligned with the picture of the future they paint. The result: clarity of purpose, credibility of leadership, and integrity in organization.  (Source:  Coach Thee) 

National Politics

Best Stories From . . .

-- Politico: Despite Barack Obama's defeat in Pennsylvania "and endless media coverage dedicated to dissecting the apparent weaknesses of his candidacy, one of the most striking elements of his campaign this week was what's missing: any hint of internal upheaval."

-- The Times: Columnist Gerard Baker: "How do they do it? How do the Democrats manage to squander repeatedly and with such ease the chance of a lifetime? What inverse alchemy have they created that turns the gold bullion of electoral opportunity into the base metal of political oblivion? ... [H]ere we are, six months from a presidential election, and it is the Democrats once again who seem to be staring defeat in the face."

-- Philadelphia Inquirer: Columnist Dick Polman: "If the Democrats somehow contrive to blow this presidential election, they should be consigned to the dustbin of history -- or to a display case at the Smithsonian, where perhaps they can share space with the Whigs."

-- New York Times: The fiscal plans of all three presidential candidates "have at least one thing in common: each could significantly swell the budget deficit and increase the national debt by trillions of dollars, according to tax and budget experts."

Blog Watch

-- At The Senate Site, Sen. Lyle Hillyard says: "The other day, while speaking to the Estate Planning Council for Weber-Davis County about the legislature's actions this past session, I was asked a very interesting question: How much time does it really take to serve in the legislature? As I tried to answer that question, I realized that it is not the same for everyone. For example, I live 82 miles away from the Capitol, giving me the added burden of travel time and finding a place to stay while in Salt Lake City (it is even worse for those legislators from down south, such as St. George!). My assignment as Co-Chair of Executive Appropriations is extremely demanding during the session but does not take as much time during the rest of the year. Most were surprised to learn that during the session, most of my days begin before 6:00 am and end after 8:00 pm. I personally would rather spend my evenings with my wife and son, Matt, when he is here. I usually spend all day Saturday working on my legal files to try to stay up with my work at the law office. When we are not in session, there are still numerous meetings to attend throughout the year. Thank goodness as I get older and want to slow down, I can do so. I don't need to spend as much time studying the issues because the old ones just keep coming back. Most people who decide to run for this office have no idea the time and work commitment required to be effective. Best of luck to all would-be legislators. May you have the time you need to do the job right."

-- At UtahSenateDemocrats, Sen. Scott McCoy notes: "According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the student legislators of the 19th annual 4-H Mock Legislature (and, no, they weren't mocking the Legislature) rightly passed SB 14 which prohibits smoking in a car when a child is present. I only hope we don't have to wait for these young people to replace the naysayers in the Legislature before we can get this commonsense measure enacted into law. Thanks for the vote of confidence. I feel vindicated. Now contact your Senators and Representatives and tell them to follow your lead."

Lighter Side

When a woman applies for a job at a citrus grove, the foreman asks, “Do you have any experience picking lemons?”

“Well,” she answers, “I’ve been divorced three times.” (Marilyn Adkins in Reader’s Digest)