More Power Couples
A few people thanked me for the “honor” of being mentioned as a political power couple. It's sort of like the person who said he would've been upset about being run out of town on a rail, except for the honor of it.
Here are five more political power couples sent in by incredibly observant UPD readers with nothing better to do. Several people suggested Donald and Nichole Dunn. (Donald, of course, campaigned to get all his friends and relatives to e-mail me suggesting him. They complied because they’re just thrilled he finally got married.):
- Tom and Ann Hardy (He: Bountiful City Manager; She: state rep)
- Scott and Robyn Matheson (He: Gov candidate; former U.S. Attorney; She: stellar campaign manager)
- Marco and Yvette Diaz (He: former Chris Cannon staffer, lobbyist, chair of GOP Hispanic Assembly; She: executive dir. Of new Dept. of Community and Culture)
- Donald and Nichole Adams Dunn (He: former state Demo chair and candidate for Congress; She: Former SL Co. Dem chair)
- Randy and Paula Julander (He: former state Dem vice chair; She: former state senator)
That totals 14 political power couples in Utah. Next, we could list all the politically powerful singles (just kidding). Now that Olene Walker is off the stage, it would be interesting to get readers’ opinions on who is the most politically powerful woman in Utah . . .?
Campaign Tip
Personalized Printing a Reality
House Majority Leader Jeff Alexander owns a really cool printing/mailing business in Lindon that is doing a lot of cutting-edge customization and personalization using high-tech, on-line tools. While nearly all of his customers are corporate, a lot of potential applications exist in the political and campaign world.
Alexander has developed software, for example, that allows customers to go on-line on any computer with Internet access, upload the design of a print piece like a brochure or postcard (or select from pre-designed templates and customize it to the customers’ specifications), decide how the piece is to be personalized, then upload a mailing list (or choose from a selection of lists), and specify a time to be delivered. The job will be printed and mailed and the customer will never have to leave his/her office and never even have to talk to a salesperson.
Here’s how it could apply to politics: Say you want to send a personalized postcard to every state delegate and party caucus attendee in a particular legislative district asking recipients to lobby their legislator to vote a certain way. Or, suppose you’re a candidate and you want to send a personalized brochure to every active voter in your district. You go on-line to Alexanders.com, easily set up an account, upload your design (or choose from a library of designs and templates), write the text on a form, including how you want it customized with the recipient’s name, upload your mailing list (or choose from a library of lists), and specify a delivery date.
Alexander’s prints the piece on digital printers, which allows inexpensive short runs and each piece to be personalized. Alexander’s also does the sorting, addressing and mailing, delivering the piece as specified. You could set up a series of six mailings to be delivered, one a week, and never leave your office. The possibilities are pretty limitless for political direct mail.
Washington Watch
Utah Ranks Well in Economic Freedom
The National Center for Policy Analysis and the Fraser Institute released a study yesterday that ranks the economic freedom of each state. The study, Economic Freedom of North America, says Utah “…was a solid, if not spectacular, performer in all categories, beginning with size of government, where it pulled a 14th ranking all-government and 22nd state and local. In labor market freedom, it has chipped away at low scores over the years to reach 13th all-government and 17th subnational. Its best numbers come in takings and taxation, 4th and 13th, respectively. Utah has done it with the seventh highest state and local tax burden of 10.8%, although it settles into the middle of the states with the federal taxes added.”
Based on the report, Opinionjournal.com (registration required) says Republican red states have freer economies than Democratic blue states. “Which means that blue state America is not just losing ground politically, but economically too.”
Cannon Touts Bill as Good for Utah
Rep. Chris Cannon spoke before the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday, arguing in favor of H.R. 184, the Controlled Substances Export Reform Act. Introduced by Cannon and Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), the bill “will permit the international transshipment of exported U.S. pharmaceuticals, while removing an unnecessary barrier to U.S. production and job growth.” Cannon said the bill is good for Utah because it will remove current restrictions on drug exports and encourage the growth of Utah’s budding pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.
The bill would allow U.S. pharmaceutical companies to readily move their products among international drug control treaty countries without limit or restriction, which they currently cannot do. “These limitations put U.S. manufacturers at a disadvantage by requiring more frequent and costly shipments to each individual country of use,” Cannon said.
Doing the ‘Daschle’
Susan Tully of the Federation for American Immigration Reform says Utah voters should “do Tom Daschles” on Rep. Chris Cannon and Sen. Orrin Hatch. "We need to send them home -- to go find a real job and compete for that job against foreigners and see what they think [about that]," says Tully, quoted in a story published by Agapepress.org about Utah’s tuition break for illegal aliens.
Land for Airport Expansion
Sen. Hatch’s Paiute Indian Land Conveyance Act of 2005 (S. 623) cleared committee yesterday and will now go to the floor for full Senate consideration. The Act gives the Secretary of Interior authority to transfer three acres of Paiute trust land to Richfield City, at fair market value, says a Hatch press release. The House has already passed an identical bill. Richfield wants the ground to expand its municipal airport. |
Utah
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