News Highlights

Same-sex domestic partners of Salt Lake County employees may become eligible for full range of insurance benefits (Deseret Morning News and Salt Lake Tribune).

SL County worried about cost of new voting system (Morning News).

U.S. mayors gathered at Sundance for climate change conference co-hosted by SL Mayor Rocky Anderson and actor Robert Redford are told reform must begin at grassroots (Morning News and Tribune).

Larry Miller contributes $21 million for Public Safety Training Center at SLCC (Tribune).

Is legislative e-mail a public record? (Morning News).

Quote of the Day

“The capital city's dwindling population is more than just a matter of pride. The rest of Utah continues to grow at a brisk pace. Wasatch Front suburbs show no signs of slowing their development pace. With each passing year, Salt Lake City's clout in the Legislature will continue to diminish, as will its ability to attract federal block grants and other important programs to help the city's diverse population.”

 -- Morning News editorial supporting residential development in west Salt Lake City.

Communications Tip

Utah's Political Industry

In communicating to Utah’s political community, it is sometimes necessary to identify all of the audiences involved. Here is how I categorize the different audiences within Utah’s political industry:

1.   Elected officials (federal, state, local)
2.   Appointed officials and staff (staff of top elected officials; department and division directors and assistants)
3.   Political party leaders down to grassroots levels
4.   Public education and higher education officials at all levels
5.   Lobbyists
6.   Associations (UEA, UPEA, Taxpayers Association, Chambers, etc.)
7.   Think Tanks (Utah Foundation, Sutherland0
8.   Interest groups (school choice, environmentalists, etc.)
9.   University political science departments
10. News media

What is Globalization?

Globalization is changing the world. So what is globalization? Here’s a paragraph from an interesting article in Wired magazine about Lenovo, the Chinese company that purchased IBM’s PC division for $1.8 billion, making it the world’s third largest PC maker, behind Dell and HP:

“All of which shines a spotlight on an extraordinary reality: American executives in New York will mentor Chinese executives as they run a largely Chinese company that wants to model itself on a Japanese corporation (Sony) in order to challenge two American competitors (Dell and HP), with the ultimate mission of helping China achieve its patriotic goal of kicking butt in international business. If that’s not globalization, what is?”

Washington Watch

Supreme Gambling

A syndicated Washington Post story published in the Chicago Tribune says online oddsmakers are putting their money on Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales, now a 5-8 favorite for the Supreme Court vacancy.

Meanwhile, Powerlineblog.com has an interesting post about Judge Michael W. McConnell of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (former U of U law professor). Powerline says McConnell is “one of the very best” candidates Pres. Bush could nominate for the Supreme Court. “Judge McConnell is…a respected scholar whom it would be difficult for Democrats to oppose.”
 

Law.com has a rundown of nominees that “religious and social conservatives” might want. Noting that the would-be justices each have their blemishes, Law.com says, “McConnell…would appear to be a rock-solid favorite with religious conservatives….”
 

U. Gets DOE Grant

The U of U will receive a $199,903 grant from the Department of Energy as part of the DOE’s University Coal Research Program, according to a DOE press release. Students and faculty will help “develop a nano-scale coating to protect steel- and nickel-based structures in advanced coal-fired power generation systems with a goal of developing a commercially viable coating technology that will extend the life, increase the output, and reduce the energy consumption of these systems.”
 

Political Trivia

(Source: Campaigns and Elections magazine) Questions:
1.  Which presidential candidate had whiskey bottles in the shape of log cabins made for him?
2.  Which presidential candidate was the first to use a popular entertainer in a campaign?
3.  What political party fielded a presidential candidate who was ineligible for the office?
4.  True or false: The average length of a candidate sound bite in TV news today is 7.2 seconds.
5.  What year did the first campaign button appear?
Answers:
1.  William Henry Harrison. Philadelphia distiller E.G. Boozer put his whiskey into log cabin-shaped bottles for the 1840 campaign of Harrison, who was called the “Log Cabin Candidate.” Thus the word “booze” entered the American language.
2.  The 1920 campaign of Warren G. Harding hired jazz singer Al Jolson to sing the campaign theme song.
3.  In 1948, the vegetarian movement launched a political party. The candidates were English-born Dr. John Maxwell, 85 years old, who ran with Symon Gould, associate editor of American Vegetarian magazine. Being foreign-born, Maxwell could not become president.
4.  True. In 2000, presidential candidate George W. Bush’s single appearance on CBS’ “The Late Show with David Letterman” gave him almost as much airtime as he had on all of “The CBS Evening News” during the entire campaign.
5.  Andrew Jackson’s 1824 campaign. Buttons had a hole at the top so they could be worn on a ribbon from the lapel.

National Headlines

The "Sundance Summit," a national global warming conference, is getting some national notice as mayors from across the country participate this week in activities co-hosted by S.L. Mayor Rocky Anderson and actor Robert Redford (Chicago Tribune).

Local Headlines

Deseret Morning News

- County may offer same-sex benefits

- Is iProvo in trouble?

- Heating up the global-warming issue

- Huntsman boosting Utah-Mexico ties

- S.L. County balking at new voting machines

- Lawmakers fear scrutiny of e-mail

- Huntsman names 4 trustees for UVSC

- Council sees development as population-slump cure

- Editorial: Fix Utah's achievement gap

- Editorial: S.L.'s last chance for growth

Salt Lake Tribune

- S.L. County may offer benefits for domestic partners

- Miller's $21M 'thank you' for police

- Riverton group wants big-box vote

- Seniors worry rec center decision could make it vanish

- Immigrant tuition law still in jeopardy

- Unity Center promises variety for west side

- Mayors talk climate at Sundance

- Advocates for the poor say changes would harm welfare

- Cottonwood Heights can't bank on funding just yet

Standard-Examiner

- Editorial: A not-so-free press

Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com
- July 12: Utah Technology Commission, 9 am, room W110.
- July 12: Sage Greens Local Meeting, 7 pm, Coffee Club, 4879 South Redwood Road.
- July 12: "Meet the Candidates" night for the new Kearns Community Council, 7 pm, Kearns Olympic Oval, second floor. 
- July 13:  Several legislative meetings scheduled today.  See legislative calendar for details. 
- July 14:  Washington County Republican Party Summer Leadership Appreciation Social
at Vernon Worthen Park. 
- July 14: 2005 Sutherland Transcend Series,"Civility, Integrity and Politics - Being an Authentic Citizen," breakfast and morning seminar begins at 8:30 am.  For more information contact Lisa Montgomery at 801-355-1272 or email si@sutherlandinstitute.org.
- July 14:  Davis County Libertarian Party meeting, 7 pm, 1617 North 350 East, Layton. 
- July 15: Southern Utah Democrats Social Action Committee meeting, 10 am, JB's Restaurant.
- July 15: Tax Review Commission, 1 pm, room W125.
- July 15-Aug 15: Candidates wishing to run for a municipal office this year need to file a Declaration of Candidacy with their municipal clerk.

- July 16: Howard Dean to visit Salt Lake City area.  More information to come.
- July 18: Child Welfare Legislative Oversight Panel, 1 pm, room W020.
- July 18:  Tourism Task Force, 1 pm, room W110.
- July 18: Southern Utah Democrats Executive Committee meeting, 6:15 pm, Santa Clara Library.
- July 19:  Utah County Planning Commission meeting, Utah County Administration building, 100 East Center, Commission Chambers. 
- July 19: Executive Appropriations Committee meeting, 12:30 pm, room W135, House building. 
- July 19: Government Records Access and Management Task Force meeting, 1:30 pm, room W125.
- July 19: Legislative Management Committee, 4 pm, room W135.
- July 19: State Senate Democratic Caucus A Midsummer Night's Dream, 5 pm to 7 pm, Baci Trattoria, 134 W. Pierpont Ave (250 S), Salt Lake City. Contact Sen. Gene Davis at 801-573-6672 or wgdavis@msn.com
- July 19: Utah House Republicans Third Annual Bowler's Ball, 6:30 pm, Shepherd's All Star Lanes in West Jordan.  Interested parties should contact Kat Dayton at 801-580-4743.
- July 20: Legislative Interim Committee Day.  Meetings scheduled throughout day.  See Legislative calendar for details.
- July 21: Weber County Libertarian Party meeting, 7 pm, Etched in Stone Design, 2031 Lincoln Avenue, Ogden.
- July 27-29:  Utah Association of Counties 2005 Recorders Summer Workshop, Cache Administration Building, 179 North Main, Logan. Contact Calleen Peshell for more details at 435-843-3180 or cpeshell@co.tooele.ut.us.

- July 28: Salt Lake County Libertarian Party meeting, 7 pm, Rocky Mountain Pizza Company, 3977 S. Wasatch Blvd, Holladay.
- July 29: Filing Deadline for Candidates, Platform Amendments, and Resolution Amendments to the State Organizing Convention, 5 pm.
- Aug 2: Second "Meet the Candidates" night for the new Kearns Community Council. 
- Aug 3: Salt Lake City Democracy for America meetup, 7 pm, Salt Lake City Main Library, meeting room A, bottom level.
- Aug 4: Legislative Golf Tournament. Thanksgiving Point at Lehi, Utah.
- Aug 4: Professional Republican Women Club (PRW) lunch, 12 pm, Fresh Air Cafe, Wells Fargo Building, second floor, 299 South State Street, Salt Lake City.  Guest speaker is Jacqueline Berger, lecturer and author on America's First Ladies. For more information call  Melanie Rogers at 359-0202. 

- Aug 4: Washington County Republican Women Luncheon, 12 pm, Bloomington Country Club.
- Aug 5: Utah Hispanic Democratic Caucus Summer Fundraiser, 5:30 to 8 pm, Greenstreet at Trolley Square, 602 East 500 South, Salt Lake City.  Suggested contribution is $20.00 and food will be provided.  For more information contact Clayton A. Simms at 359-0404 or Clayton960@qwest.net.
- Aug 6: Utah County Libertarian Party meeting, 10 am, Golden Corral, 225 West University Parkway, Orem.

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