News Highlights

Gubernatorial candidates report fundraising success (Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret Morning News and Standard-Examiner). County Mayor Nancy Workman has raised $819,000 including $199,000 in the past three months, before charges were filed but while under a cloud of suspicion (Morning News and Tribune). Green Party may be melting down, nationally and in Utah (Salt Lake City Weekly).

Quote of the Day

"The bottom line goes like this: The blue states don't produce enough babies to replace the population, while the red states do.

"Democrats, listen up. I'm going to say it as simply as possible without totally ripping off Dick Cavett: If your parents are Democrats but didn't have children, the likelihood that you will vote Democrat is greatly reduced."

Randall Smith, The Spectrum op-ed

Commentary

County Woes Should Prompt Legislative Ethics Action

Republican members of the Salt Lake County Council are trying to establish a new ethics code in county government. That's an important step forward. Such an exercise would also be a worthy undertaking for the Utah Legislature. We need better legislative ethics rules, not because there are any big scandals or ethical problems in the Legislature, but because the common perception is that Utah has very lax ethics standards.

I know that many Republican lawmakers, including many in leadership, greatly resent the pressure to adopt tougher ethics rules. They argue, correctly, that they are honest, upright individuals and shouldn't have to react to pressure from the news media and Democrats. They are right to be offended that anyone would think their votes can be purchased by a round of golf or lunch with a lobbyist. The reality is that Utah lawmakers have an excellent record of probity and lack of scandal.

However, perception is as powerful as reality. And the perception is that ethics standards are weak. Year after year, the Legislature gets hammered, unnecessarily, by the news media and government watchdog groups. Most people don't know that some pretty good ethics standards already exist. In the wake of the problems at the county, legislators would do themselves a world of good on the PR and perception front if they would be pro-active in looking at this whole issue. At the least they should outline the standards that now exist. Why not appoint a bi-partisan task force to make recommendations? Don't wait for a scandal or crisis. The criticism will be enormous if that happens. Speaker Marty Stephens is one lawmaker who has always encouraged an overhaul of ethics guidelines. With new leadership in both houses later this year, it would be a good time to make this a priority and put to rest once and for all the incorrect perception that Utah's lawmakers favor lax ethical standards.

Web Site of the Day

The Blog That Beat CBS

Here's where it all got started: www.powerlineblog.com. This site is a Web log, or “blog,” as opposed to being a regular Web site. It is the blog that is most responsible for bringing down Dan Rather and the CBS News operation over the George Bush National Guard memos that now appear to be fraudulent.

Many other individuals, organizations and blogs contributed to the unraveling of the CBS story, but PowerLine was essentially the quarterback, coordinating the whole thing. It became the central place where you could find the latest breaking information, with reports from all over the place. It is written by three attorneys, two from Minneapolis and one from Washington. If you spend time reading through a couple of days of the blog you will see exactly how the CBS fiasco unfolded.

Agenda Utah will publish a lot more about blogging and the impact on the news media and politics in the near future.

Bennett will Debate, but Not On-Line

The web site www.printdebate.com has issued a press release saying that Sen. Bob Bennett has declined to participate in a new one-line debate forum. He was challenged to the debate by his opponent in the U.S. Senate race, Paul Van Dam.

While Bennett and Van Dam will appear in a number of face-to-face debates, Bennett's schedule is such that he can't participate in an on-line debate that goes on over several days and takes a great deal of time. His staff said he is incredibly busy in Washington right now, facing tight deadlines in pushing through appropriations bills in a highly politicized climate. He is working 18 hour days and his staff in Utah can barely get through to him he's so busy.

According to the press release from printdebate.com, their form of debate encourages an open and in-depth exchange of political ideas in writing. Candidates state and debate their platforms, expressing plans and initiatives, asking and answering questions from each other and the public over an extended period of time. Van Dam will now apparently publish a Single Candidate Statement Forum, where he addresses why he feels Bennett has not joined the Print Debate. For details on the structure and rules, see www.printdebate.com.

Sen. Ed P. Mayne, District 5, September 16
Rep. Michael R. Styler, District 68, September 16
U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett, September 18

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Editor: Bart Barker
News: Golden Webb
Calendar and Subscriptions: Paul Hollingshead

Salt Lake City Weekly
- Green vs. Green
- Editorial: Workman's World

Salt Lake Tribune
- 'SLC Reads' is off and running
- It's hard to tell what book may offend
- Campus buzz builds over Moore booking
- Huntsman running far ahead in fund raising
- Transit funding discussed
- Bennett stuffs funding bills with goodies for Utah
- Corroon would bring back sheriff's copter
- Citizens in war zones can send their voting forms electronically
- Workman still hauls in cash
- Age-based fee plan for craft, vehicles could prove taxing
- ZAP funds may follow people shift
- Legislators wrap up business despite technology glitches
- In recession, state government shrank
- Utah lost $82M in tax credits
- Proposal would restore teacher benefits
- Ten Commandments monument battle goes before the judge
- Tax board may give warning about open-space initiative
- Midwives ask lawmakers to legalize practice - again
- Campus debate on guns shifts to dorm concerns
- Candidate lists change at deadline
- Editorial: Impartial justice

Standard-Examiner
- Lawmakers OK tax break for reservist
- Huntsman: No magic answers in education
- Funding for Range Creek OK'd during Utah special session
- Matheson garners largest number of contributors

St. George Spectrum
- Candidates for governor discuss drought issues
- Op-ed: Democrats in decline: Just ask pollsters

Deseret Morning News
- Campaign funds flow freely
- Ballot-exit law likely will be changed in 2005
- Guard getting state tax waiver
- Workman still raking in cash
- Bennett pushes funding for Interior, agriculture projects
- Panel advances bills on canals, bones
- Measure would protect private school students
- Students, guns called bad mix
- Matheson speaks out against raise for Congress
- Corroon gains deputies' backing

Please submit calendar items to AgendaUtah@UtahPolicy.com

- Sept 13-17: Steve Thompson for Congress Neighborhood Walk in Cache and Rich Counties. Call 435-753-3979 to schedule a visit.
- Sept 15-17: Utah League of Cities and Towns Annual Convention, register: www.ulct.org
- Sept 16: Mark Shurtleff addresses Women's Republican Club, 6:30 pm. 801-910-9463.
- Sept 16: Jon Huntsman at the Salt Lake Women's Republican Club Meet and Mingle Night, 6:30 pm, Bicentennial Park, Sandy.
- Sept 17: Jon Huntsman at Salt Lake County Republican BBQ, 6 pm, Murray Park.
- Sept 17: Utah League of Cities and Towns gubernatorial debate, 9 am, Sheraton Hotel, 150 W 500 S, SLC, broadcast by KCPW, 88.3 FM, 105.3 FM and 1010 AM
- Sept 17: Mark Shurtleff speaks to the Taxpayer's Association, 11 am, SLC. 801-910-9463.
- Sept 17: Jon Huntsman at Governor's Council for People with Disabilities, noon, 750 W Heritage Park Blvd, Layton.
- Sept 17: Salt Lake County Republican Party’s Constitution Day Picnic, 6 pm, Murray City Park, 5125 S State St, donations welcome. Come meet the candidates! Call 801-718-4882 for more info.
- Sept 17: AFGE Union Event guest Congressional Candidate Beau Babka, 6:30 pm, Labor Building, 2261 S Redwood Rd.
- Sept 17: Jim Matheson and Paul Van Dam will attend Redfest at the University of Utah.
- Sept 17: Salt Lake County Mayoral Forum, 2 pm, Jubilee Center, 307 E 100 S, SLC.
- Sept 18: SLC Greater Avenues Street Fair. Jon Huntsman will be there at 8 am.
- Sept 18: Mark Shurleff at the Ogden Hispanic Festival. 801-910-9463.
- Sept 18: Jim Matheson at Voter Contact Rally in Salt Lake County. 801-359-5474.
- Sept 18: Peter Corroon will walk the precincts in Herriman and South Jordan. 801-328-2208.
- Sept 20: Steve Thompson at Tooele Valley Rotary Club luncheon, 12 pm, Best Western Inn Tooele.
- Sept 20-24: Legislators Back to School Week.
- Sept 20-25: Steve Thompson for Congress Neighborhood Walk in Davis County. Call 435-753-3979 to schedule a visit.
- Sept 21: Mark Shurtleff addresses the Cache County GOP Women, 12 pm, Coppermill Restaurant in Logan. 801-910-9463.
- Sept 22: Attorney General candidates debate, sponsored by Women's State Legislative Council, 12 pm, Salt Lake Library, 210 E 400 S, SLC.
- Sept 23: USACCC Annual Conference, Homestead Resort, Midway.
- Sept 23: Child Welfare Legislative Oversight Panel, 10 am, State Capitol, Rm W025.
- Sept 23: Hinckley Institute of Politics presents “Religion in Life and the World: A Personal and Geopolitical Perspective”. Address given by President Michael Young. 10:45 am, U of U Spencer Hall Rm 255. Free to Public. Also broadcast on KUER-FM 90.1.
- Sept 23: Matt Everett for Senate Campaign BBQ, 7 pm, Adams Park, Logan. Special Guest Donald Dunn. $20. 435-770-6567.
- Sept 25: Republican Central Committee Meeting.
- Sept 25: Peter Corroon walks precincts in SLC and Taylorsville. 801-328-2208.
- Sept 27: Utah Foundation & Hinckley Institute of Politics presents “Utah‘s Water Supply: Where Will it Come From?” Panel discussion. Noon, U of U Spencer Hall Rm 255. Free to Public. Also broadcast on KUER-FM 90.1.
- Sept 27-Oct 2: Steve Thompson for Congress Neighborhood Walk in Weber and Morgan Counties. Call 435-753-3979 to schedule a visit.
- Sept 28: Hinckley Institute of Politics presents “Every Student a Politician: The Importance of the 18 to 24 Vote”. Featuring Lt. Governor Gayle McKeachnie, Dan Jones, and Frank Pignanelli. 11 am, U of U Spencer Hall Rm 255. Free to Public. Also broadcast on KUER-FM 90.1.
- Sept 28: Green Party of Utah Roots Local Monthly Meeting, 12:00 pm, Sprague Library, 1100 East, just past 2100 South, Salt Lake City. Contact: 486-2558.
- Sept 28-Oct 1: Constitution Party's Presidential Candidate Michael Peroutka tours Utah. Tickets: www.cputah.org
- Sept 28: Presidential candidate Michael Peroutka, 7:30 pm, Western Regional Park, Vernal.
- Sept 29: Hinckley Institute of Politics presents “Middle East Watches the U.S. Presidential Election” Panel discussion. Noon, U of U Spencer Hall Rm 255. Free to Public. Also broadcast on KUER-FM 90.1.
- Sept 29: Salt Lake County Mayoral Candidate Debate, 7:30 pm, Westminster College, 1840 S 1300 E, SLC.
- Sept 29: Presidential candidate Michael Peroutka, Snow College, 150 E College Ave, Ephraim. Also at Canyon View HS, 7:30 pm, 166 W 1925 N, Cedar City.
- Sept 30: Presidential candidate Michael Peroutka, 7:30 pm, UVSC, Sorenson Student Center, Grand Ballroom, 800 W University Parkway, Orem.

- See the entire calendar