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GOP
National Committeeman Intrigue
Winston Wilkinson
has apparently resigned as Utah Republican National Committeeman
to take a job at Health and Human Services. A replacement
will be elected a week from Saturday at the GOP Central Committee
meeting. People who have expressed interest in the job include
Sen. Curt Bramble and party activist Mark
Towner. Also mentioned as possible candidates are
businessman and former gubernatorial candidate Fred
Lampropoulos and Davis County Commissioner Dannie
McConkie.
The National Committee man and woman roles are more ceremonial
than anything else. They attend RNC meetings and are expected
to focus on fundraising for the party.
Top News,
According to Media
The Salt Lake Chamber is sponsoring
an evening with news media personalities on Thursday, Jan.
19. The TV, radio and newspaper reporters and editors will
discuss the top news stories of 2005. The event is scheduled
for the Marriott-City Center, 210 South State. Register online
at www.saltlakechamber.org.
Cost: $15 for chamber members; non-members, $20.
2006
Political Predictions
Square off against William
Safire in making predictions for 2006. See New
York Times
column (mentions Mitt Romney in presidential
matchups). Also see Chuck Todd’s “calculated
hedges” in NationalJournal.com.
Washington
Watch
Safavian Under
Abramoff Cloud
A former aide
to Rep. Chris Cannon, David
Safavian, is accused of hiding from investigators
information implicating embattled lobbyist Jack Abramoff
(Associated
Press).
Blog Watch
At the Senate Site blog, Sen. Dave
Thomas sets the record -- and the media -- straight
on the GRAMA
Task Force... Thad Van Ry reflects
on his experience serving on the Woods
Cross City Council... New West has
a post on the competition between Western cities
for Homeland Security dollars... Evolution
in Utah asks
of Chris Buttars's proposed bill: "What legitimate
secular purpose is served by creating doubt in evolution?"...
The Park Record blog solicits freedback
from Park City tourists... Utahnia jumps
into the Evolution/Intelligent Design fight...
Phil Windley has
some questions about the UEA... Dee's 'Dotes
has
a post on Rep. Chris Cannon's
links to embattled lobbyist Jack Abramoff...
The Warren honors "one
of Utah's most smug, fatuous, narcissistic, and elitist citizens".
East Side GOP
Women Meeting
The East
Side Republican Women are sponsoring a Jan. 11, 6:30
p.m., meeting at the
Holladay Library to discuss Choice in Education. Utah PTA
officer Ronda Rose and Choice in Education
Board member Mike Jerman will make presentations
and answer questions. The meeting's open to the public. "PTA
Moms" are especially encouraged to attend.
Local
Watch
Mountainland
Newsletter
The Mountainland
Association of Governments has posted its January
newsletter. Among other things, this month's edition highlights
several Utah County transportation quadrant studies that "are
intended to identify transportation projects and strategies
that satisfy the travel demand in Utah County through the
year 2030 and beyond." To read the (pdf) newsletter, click
here.
Newly Elected Officials
Training
The Utah
League of Cities and Towns is holding its Newly
Elected Officials Training Series at several
locations and on several different dates through Feb. 11.
To register, click
here.
Western Civilization Threatened
We don't often link
to articles that don't specifically reference or involve Utah
policy issues, but this lengthy
essay by conservative
international columnist Mark Steyn is
too fascinating not to pass along to Utah Policy
readers. Steyn argues that Western Civilization is rapidly
heading for Spenglerian eclipse or collapse, and that this
long kiss goodnight is so inexorable there's very
little we can do about it. The problem is lack of babies.
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