News Highlights

A major tax cut is looking less likely as lawmakers grapple with slowing economy and $340 million less revenue than expected (Deseret Morning News). Gov. Jon Huntsman still pushing for large education budget boost (Morning News).

Rep. Chris Cannon says the states should leave it to the feds to solve the illegal immigration problem (Salt Lake Tribune).

Quote of the Day

“Let us make no mistake: new wells are essential. It's a sort of perverse irony that the sales took place the day the price of oil futures broke $100. Our nation needs more energy from more sources. Moreover, the sputtering economy needs as many boosts as it can get, and developing domestic gas and oil wells is one way to do it…. Utah is sitting on a vast reserve of natural gas and oil shale, and much of it happens to lie in areas that are not exactly top-tier natural wonders.”

-- Daily Herald editorial supporting the BLM in its decision to lease 75,000 acres for energy exploration.

Regional Politics

McCain Changes Western Playing Field
Washington Post: "For Democrats, 2008 was supposed to be the year of the Mountain West, when three years of relentless Republican attacks on undocumented immigrants would fuel a backlash among Hispanics that would change the playing field in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, and perhaps alter the landscape of presidential politics for a generation. But the emergence of Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) as the likely standard-bearer for the GOP may have scrambled the equation, cooling a potential political revolt among Hispanics and sending Democrats in search of a new playbook."

Economy Needs Quality Education

Utah economist Jeff Thredgold’s Tea Leaf economic update this week focuses on the value of education to a strong economy. “One of the few no-brainers in the American economy today is the high value of education. An increasingly sophisticated economy demands that successful workers in nearly all employment sectors have the initial education/training to comprehend what is expected of them, as well as the ability to ‘learn-as-they-go’ on the job. The disparity between the education ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ will likely continue to widen as rising sophistication of the American and global economies continues to develop. Workers without adequate education are equivalent to boxers with one arm tied behind their backs.”

Corroon Campaign Kick-Off

Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon will announce his bid for re-election on Thursday, Feb. 28, at 2 p.m. at the Cultural Celebration Center in West Valley City, 1355 West 3100 South. A campaign open house will be held that evening at Corroon’s campaign headquarters, 1063 East 3300 South from 5-8 p.m.

In a letter announcing his campaign kick-off, Corroon said he is proud of his administration’s accomplishments. “We have been fiscally responsible, developed programs for a clean environment, increased municipal services and, most importantly – restored the community’s faith in Salt Lake County government.” He said he is committed to “administering responsible, transparent, and open government.”

Today in Political History

Feb. 21, 1848:  Karl Marx publishes the Communist Manifesto. (Source:  Perspicuity) 

Feb. 21, 1965:  Former Black Muslim leader Malcolm X, 39, is shot to death in New York City by assassins identified as Black Muslims. (Source:  NBC5) 

Wise Words

“I pronounce it as certain that there was never yet a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.”

-- Benjamin Franklin (Source:  Patriot Post) 

Campaign Tip

Working the Phones

A well-planned phone program can enhance other campaign media strategies. Carefully tailored scripts using effective language and imagery can reinforce and amplify television and radio ads. In addition, phones can break through the clutter. In a crowded political environment, live phone calls guarantee a one-on-one experience with the targeted voter, while TV, radio and direct mail can more easily be tuned out. That conclusion was borne out in research commissioned by Winning Connections and conducted by well-known pollster Celinda Lake. Survey participants consistently “talked about phones as being uniquely engaging and distinct from other media.” The research also found that voters “make clear distinctions between commercial and political calls” and “appreciate receiving political calls, describing them as useful and informative.” (Source:  Winning Connections) 

National Politics

Best Stories From . . .

-- Associated Press: Columnist Ron Fournier: "The Democratic nomination is now Barack Obama's to lose. After 10 consecutive defeats ... Hillary Rodham Clinton can't win the nomination unless Obama makes a major mistake or her allies reveal something damaging about the Illinois senator's background. Don't count her out quite yet, but Wisconsin revealed deep and destructive fractures in the Clinton coalition. It's panic-button time."

-- Politico: "[W]hen it comes to Obama, hyperbole seems to be the rule, not the exception. His charms seem tough to resist, even for some of Hollywood’s biggest names. 'He walks into a room and you want to follow him somewhere, anywhere,' George Clooney told talk show host Charlie Rose. 'I'll do whatever he says to do,' actress Halle Berry said to the Philadelphia Daily News. 'I'll collect paper cups off the ground to make his pathway clear.'"
 
-- Newsweek: Columnist Robert Samuelson says Obama "is largely a stage presence defined mostly by his powerful rhetoric. The trouble, at least for me, is the huge and deceptive gap between his captivating oratory and his actual views. ... If you examine his agenda, it is completely ordinary, highly partisan, not candid and mostly unresponsive to many pressing national problems"

-- The Hill: "Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) on Wednesday strongly criticized his party establishment, arguing that they have lost touch with their base. 'Republicans have decided that elections are a messy thing, and anointings and coronations are much better,' Huckabee said on MSNBC. 'It's that kind of attitude that is going to be the death of the Republican Party in this country.'"

Lighter Side

Best of Late Night Humor

Conan O’Brien: Over the weekend in Ohio, former President Bill Clinton had an angry confrontation with a heckler who claimed at one point Bill Clinton made physical contact. Clinton denied any physical contact, but then again, he always does.

David Letterman: From “Top Ten Reasons Fidel Castro Is Retiring”: He has accepted the role of Dr. Ramon Vazquez on “General Hospital”; Achieved his goal of getting Cuba’s unemployment rate under 83%; Wants to spend more time interrogating his family; Just got Season One of “Gilmore Girls”; Caught injecting human growth hormone into his wife, Debbie Castro; Too many tacos; He was adopted by Angelina Jolie; Always promised himself he’d quit torturing when it stopped being fun.

Jay Leno: Hillary Clinton is on the campaign trail. She’s been speaking about Black History Month. She’s been saying that America has come so far that a black man could one day grow up and possibly be vice president. ... This has not been a good week for Hillary. I guess Bill bought her a dozen roses for Valentine’s Day. Turns out seven of the roses have committed to Michelle Obama. ... Hillary has lost the last [ten] primaries in a row. So any crying you see from now on is going to be real. ... Barack Obama now is considered the front-runner. You know what they say, behind every successful man is a woman. Hillary was surprised to find out that it was her. ... The Pentagon is now planning to shoot down a broken satellite that’s falling to Earth. The satellite is the size of a school bus, and they want to blow it up before it hits us. Yeah. In fact the actual plan, they’re going to have Roger Clemens throw a second school bus at it.

Elected Officials Birthday List

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Local Headlines

Deseret Morning News

- Tax cut is looking unlikely as revenue estimates drop

- Accord is reached on cruelty measure

- Costs for schools disputed

- Rural water group opposes Washington County tax

- Merger of tech college, SLCC comes one step closer to reality

- Huntsman to keep up education push

- Measure may make regional police palatable to cities

- Easier private-state contracts?

Standard-Examiner

- Bill offers mobile home residents more security

- Doug Gibson: The illegal immigration issue rears its head and lets out an impotent roar

- Editorial: Payday loan enablers

KUER

- Utah Lawmakers Contemplate Budget, Education Funding

Daily Herald

- Saratoga Springs files complaint against Lehi

- P.G. creates advisory board for downtown plans

- Judge denies referendum on Maple Mtn. case

- Legislature approves impaired driver reporting

- State looks at ways to conserve more water

- Insurance for prosthetics fails to pass committee

- Bill would facilitate evictions in university student housing

- House considers more restrictions for sex offenders

- Resolve to love the library

- Senate committee kills campaign finance bill

- Editorial: Energy leases sorely needed

Logan Herald Journal

- Editorial: Voters share blame for Buttars embarrassment

City Weekly

- Judgment Day: The Legislature plans to fix city justice courts. Sort of

- Big Business: Republican lawmakers say its time we let the private sector work its magic

- John Saltas: Call It Even: New liquor Utah laws, Round 2

- Holly Mullen: Easy Pickins: Even the true believers are doubting Chris Buttars

- Hits & Misses: LDS Immigration Politics, Nuclear Tourists, Sinful SLC

KCPW

- Obama Racks up Ten Straight Wins

- Poverty Activists Worry Social Services Funding in Jeopardy

- New Gang Law Passes House and Senate

- Wal-Mart Meets With Community Regarding Sugarhouse Store

- Legislature Tries Again to Regulate Payroll Deductions for Union Membership

Salt Lake Tribune

- Mobile park residents' bill of rights on its way to guv

- Cannon: Immigration fix is not the states' job

- Lawmakers are targeting rules on joining unions, paying dues

- Take oath or be quiet, environmentalist is told

- Raising children: Granting rights to stepparents stalls

- Buttars trying to get back to work

- Walsh: How many strikes does Buttars get?

- Towns tired of paying for water they don't use

- Colombian official makes Utah pitch

- Foes of Powder Mountain town head for Capitol

- Gardner: Former U of U political director dies

- Utah Supreme Court turns away developer

- Pilot issues keeping merger on hold

- Credit unions nearing new deal

- Editorial: Bigotry or ignorance?

- Editorial: Payday lending: State should keep closer track of the industry

Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com

- Feb 20: Legislative meetings scheduled throughout day. See Legislative calendar for details.

- Feb 20: Midday Metro at 10 a.m .on NPR Utah, KCPW 88.3 FM: Wal-mart is presenting its plans to adapt an old Kmart at the mouth of Parley’s Canyon. The retail giant is having trouble convincing neighbors of its good intentions. Midday Metro talks to Sugarhouse Community Council chair Grace Sperry and Karianne Fallow, senior manager of public affairs for Wal-Mart.

- Feb 20: Women's State Legislative Council, 11:45 a.m., State Office Building Auditorium. Sex Offense Bills will be presented, Gen. Session II will present HB 241 – Repeal of Exemptions from Non-resident Tuition Education. Opposing views presented, Q & A by delegate members. Visitors welcome. For info visit www.wslcofutah.org.

- Feb 21: Legislative meetings scheduled throughout day. See Legislative calendar for details.

- Feb 21: Utah Republican Party Executive Committee Meeting, 7:30 a.m., Party Headquarters.

- Feb 21: KUED Governor’s Monthly News Conference, 10 a.m., KUED Studios.

- Feb 21: Midday Metro at 10 a.m. on NPR Utah, KCPW 88.3 FM: Congressman Jim Matheson of Utah’s 2nd District accuses the Department of Energy of foot dragging when it comes to cleanup of a 16 million ton pile of radioactive tailings near Moab. Midday Metro asks him about that issue, the president’s economic stimulus package and your questions. Call 355-TALK during the show to participate.

- Feb 21: Lt. Governor Herbert to address the Gathering of Seagulls Conference, 4 p.m. Red Lion Restaurant, Salt Lake City.

- Feb 22: Washington's Birthday

- Feb 22: Legislative meetings scheduled throughout day. See Legislative calendar for details.

- Feb 22: Lt. Governor Herbert to speak at the Uintah County Lincoln Day Dinner, 6:30 p.m., Utah State University Extension, Vernal.

- Feb 22: Lt. Governor Herbert to speak at the Duchesne County Lincoln Day Dinner, 8 p.m., Roosevelt.

- Feb 23: Lt. Governor Herbert to speak at the Cache County Lincoln Day Dinner, 6 p.m., Blackstone Restaurant.

- Feb 25: Lt. Governor Herbert to congratulate winners of the High School All-Star Art Show, 12 p.m., Utah State Capitol.

- Feb 26: United Nations Association of Utah program "Climate Change--Contrasting Approaches of the EU and USA," 6 p.m. dinner, 7 p.m. program, Sugarhouse Garden Center, Sugarhouse Park. Guest speaker is Dr. Erich Pohl of the University of Heidelberg. The public is welcome to both the dinner and program. Contact Maxine Haggerty at 801-277-7493.

- Feb 26: Salt Lake Council of Women (SLCW) Hall of Fame Event, 6 p.m. Reception, 7 p.m. Dinner and Awards program, Joseph Smith Memorial Bldg, 15 E. S. Temple, 9th floor. Keynote speaker First Lady Mary Kaye Huntsman. SLCW will induct seven women who have given twenty-five years or more of voluntary service to the community. Reservations by Noon, Feb. 19. Contact: Peggy Rounds at 801-943-7462 or prounds@msn.com.

- Feb 27: "Bringing Back America's Promise," an evening with David Leavitt, Republican candidate for U.S. Congress, 7 p.m., Springville Art Museum, 126 E 400 S, Springville. Light refreshments served. RSVP not necessary but appreciated. Email lin@davidleavitt2008.com or call 801-649-5346.

- Feb 28: Mayor Peter Corroon Campaign Kickoff, 2 p.m., Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 West 3100 South (enter 3100 South at Redwood Road and go west) , West Valley City. Light refreshments served. RSVP by calling 801-467-1221 or email mrscorroon@hotmail.com

- Feb 28: Lt. Governor Herbert to attend the Utah Valley Leadership Conference, 3:30 p.m., Utah State Capitol.

- Feb 28: Mayor Peter Corroon Campaign Open House, 5 to 8 p.m., Campaign Headquarters, 1063 East 3300 South, Salt Lake. RSVP by calling 801-467-1221 or email mrscorroon@hotmail.com
- Feb 28: Salt Lake County Libertarian Party Meeting, 7 p.m., Mo's Neighborhood Grill, 358 South West Temple, Salt Lake City. For more information, visit LPUtah.org.

- Feb 28: Davis County Democrats Meeting, 7 p.m., Commission Chambers, Davis County Courthouse, 28 East State Street, Farmington. Precinct officers, delegates and the general public are invited.

- Mar 1: American Samoa Republican Presidential Caucus

- See the entire calendar