News Highlights

The LDS Church joins national religious coalition pushing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would define marriage as between a man and a woman (Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning News).

Sen. Orrin Hatch voices concern about "Divine Strake," a massive explosion planned this summer at the Nevada Test Site that critics say could have nuclear implications (Tribune).

“Mr. Election” Vernon Carr, who died last Friday at age 88, is remembered as election do-it man (Tribune).

Op-ed:  Utah Healthcare Coalition should disclose finances and board members (Morning News).

Tribune editorial says immigration reform must be comprehensive, with better border protection and a program for illegal immigrants already here.

Quote of the Day

"I take light rail frequently. I drive a natural-gas car. I use very little hot water. I wash my clothes in cold water. I almost never turn on my heat. I'm putting in a solar hot-water system."

-- Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson on steps he’s taken to reduce his “carbon footprint” (Morning News).

Political Lessons From Davis County

The county convention ouster of longtime Davis County Commissioner Dannie McConkie was a major shock for everyone, including even Bret Millburn, the guy who defeated him. McConkie is a veritable institution among local government leaders, a guy with a big heart and big personality, liked and respected by almost everyone. That McConkie would end up in a primary with Millburn was considered unlikely, but within the realm of possibility. That he would be bombed out of the race by a 67-33 percent delegate vote was unthinkable.

Millburn is a capable up-and-comer, and will, no doubt, make a fine commissioner (assuming he beats Democrat Rob Miller). His big win kicks his political career off to a very auspicious start.

So what political lessons can be learned here? Some of my thoughts:

1. Politicians can’t take anything for granted. Political lightning can, and does, strike. Even the seemingly most secure can be defeated, given the right circumstances. That’s why Sen. Orrin Hatch is running so hard, despite appearing invincible.
2. If you’re going to raise taxes, you’d better have strong public support and the need had better be fully justified. Being a member of the Commission three years ago when a proposal for a big tax boost was made was enough to hurt McConkie these many months later, according to some delegates at the convention. 
3. Incumbent fatigue can be a real political phenomenon. Even some of those who like and respect McConkie felt it was time for a change, time for some new blood. The arguments about experience, seniority and longevity aren’t as important in local races as they are in congressional contests.
4. Hard work can really make a difference. Millburn worked extremely hard, and his diligence paid off.
5. Convention presentations are crucially important. I talked to a number of delegates who said they were inclined to vote for McConkie when the convention began, but were so impressed by Millburn’s speech that they switched.

McConkie has had a terrific career in government and politics, and he ought to have no regrets. He has been a dedicated public official and Davis County citizens ought to be grateful for his service.  

Blog Watch

Senate candidate Pete Ashdown's collaborative wiki was vandalized. Says Ashdown: "Along with attempting to make small edits in my history, like the minimum wage I’ve paid at XMission, this group employed racism, obscenity, mysogyny, censorship ... and a hatred of BYU to get their right-wing point across. Good job guys, you did your 'side' proud" (see also here)... Random Meanderings and Other Meaningless Blather attended a Utah Mortgage Lenders Association lunch with Sen. Bob Bennett... At The Utah Amicus, Rep. Sheryl Allen solicits help in opposing the proposed Goshute N-waste site transfer facility near I-80... SLCSpin says: "Senator Orrin Hatch based his opinions of global warming on a Michael Crichton novel called 'State of Fear'. He admitted he hasn't read any scientific papers on the topic. Senator Hatch bemoans the 'non-science' involved in the global warming debate. Sooo, Senator Hatch. Do you mean 'non-science' as in not reading any science?"... In a long post on assimilating Muslim immigrants, Enchiridion Militis cites approvingly the 1887 Edmunds-Tucker Act, in which Mormons "were forced to join the civilized world by the United States government, which cared more for the norms of American culture than the values of the Mormon faith -- and rightly so. Looking back, it is difficult to deny that this vigorous action -- in which no American was killed, deported, put into camps, or hunted down -- was to the ultimate benefit of the country and the Mormons.

-- Compiled by Golden Webb.

National Politics

Demos Cautious About House Control

How likely are Democrats to take over the U.S. House this year? Check out National Journal’s Insider Poll (scroll down past the Donald Rumsfeld question) to see the divergent views of Republican and Democratic insiders. Even Democrats aren’t terribly confident about winning control.

Washington Watch

Hatch Staff to Get Bomb Briefing

Sen. Orrin Hatch "will send his top military and nuclear policy aides to Nevada Wednesday for a personal briefing about the proposed large-scale, open-air explosive detonation scheduled for June 2 at the Nevada Test Site" (see press release); Hatch and Rep. Chris Cannon receive "Congressional Champion" awards from the National Nutritional Foods Association (press release).

Escalante Business Receives Grant

Escalante's Skyline Forest Resources, Inc. receives a $235,800 grant from the Dept. of Agriculture "to develop innovative uses for woody biomass in national forests as sources of renewable energy and new products" (see press release).

Leadership Tip

Five Myths About Leadership

(From: “Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge” by Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus)

Myth 1. Leadership is a rare skill. Nothing can be further from the truth. While great leaders may be as rare as great runners, great actors, or great painters, everyone has leadership potential, just as everyone has some ability at running, acting and painting. While there seems to be a dearth of great leaders today, particularly in high political offices, there are literally millions of leadership roles throughout the country and they are all filled, many of them more than adequately.

Myth 2. Leaders are born, not made. Biographies of great leaders sometimes read as if they had entered the world with an extraordinary genetic endowment, that somehow their future leadership role was preordained. Don’t believe it. The truth is that major capacities and competencies of leaders can be learned, and we are all educable, at least if the basic desire to learn is there and we do not suffer from serious learning disorders.

Myth 3. Leaders are charismatic. Some are, most aren’t. Among the 90 (we studied) there were a few – but damned few – who probably correspond to our fantasies of some “divine inspiration” that “grace under stress” we associated with J.F.K., or the beguiling capacity to spellbind for which we remember a Churchill. Our leaders were all “too human”; they were short and tall, articulate and inarticulate, dressed for success and dressed for failure, and there was nothing in terms of physical appearance, personality, or style that set them apart from their followers. Our guess is that it operates in the other direction; that is, charisma is the result of effective leadership, not the other way around . . .

Myth 4. Leadership exists only at the top of an organization. We may have played into this myth unintentionally by focusing exclusively on top leadership. But it’s obviously false. In fact, the larger the organization, the more leadership roles it is likely to have. Leadership is needed at all levels of an organization.

Myth 5. The leader controls, directs, prods, manipulates. This is perhaps the most damaging myth of all. As we have stressed with monotonous regularity, leadership is not so much the exercise of power itself as the empowerment of others. Leaders are able to translate intentions into reality by aligning the energies of the organization behind an attractive goal. Irwin Federman, president of Monolithic Memories, said, “The essence of leadership is the capacity to build and develop the self-esteem of the workers.” Good leaders lead by pulling rather than by pushing; by inspiring rather than ordering; by creating achievable, though challenging, expectations and rewarding progress toward them rather than by manipulating, by enabling people to use their own initiative and experiences rather than by denying or constraining their experiences and actions.

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Editor: Paul Hollingshead
News: Golden Webb
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Utah in the National News

Study: Mormon crickets move fast to avoid being eaten by their other crickets (AP in U.S. News & World Report).

Alpine resident and former BYU quarterback Steve Lindsley and his firm, U.S. Digital Television, are featured in U.S. News & World Report article. USDTV’s family-friendly content and Lindsley’s Mormon religion are noted.

In op-ed, Gov. Huntsman and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano "strongly urge the Senate to avoid fractious debate and find the middle ground" on immigration reform legislation (Seattle Post-Intelligencer).

Comedian-turned-liberal radio talk show host Al Franken says Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney is smarter than President Bush -- but he still wouldn’t want him in the Oval Office (Boston Herald).

BLM Director Kathleen Clarke says a new partnership approach to reviewing and issuing oil and gas permits for federal minerals is expected to streamline the process while managing the environment (Billings Gazette).

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

- LDS Church backs marriage amendment

- Justices hear Brigham City case

- Explosion test has Hatch upset

- Stadium, hotel tax are still in play

- 'Mr. Election' leaves a legacy of the importance of details

- New Orleans airport chief named to SLC facility

- Groups rally behind saving fish

- Watchdog to be honored

- Sanpete County pushes for a new jail

- Kanab residents press legislators for recall law

- Summit County hopefuls narrow

- 3 veteran judges plan to retire from bench

- Murray takes its budget dilemma to the people

- Whirling disease: A closer look

- High-tech trio lures more than half of Utah's first-quarter investments

- SLC demands grocery store

- Editorial: Both sides now: Immigration reform must be comprehensive

St. George Spectrum

- Editorial: Suh'dutsing plants seeds

Deseret Morning News

- Utah's public colleges fall behind in faculty pay

- LDS Church signs letter on traditional marriage

- Police err over warrant?

- Prosecutors hope to test new law on hate crimes

- Leaders in Lehi square off

- 'Lost Boys' may get help with life skills

- Corroon makes conservation pledge

- Salt Lake program urges conservation

- Renovation for Capitol Theater?

- Salt Palace to install solar-panel array

- Utahns determined to teach about Holocaust

- 9 Utah firms funded

- Utah seeks bigger cut of defense spending

- Finalists listed for Innovation awards

- Op-ed: Healthcare Coalition should be transparent

Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com

- Apr 25: John Jacob Delegate Breakfast, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Denny's, 81 S. Main Street, Ephraim.
- Apr 25: Utah Nonprofits Association's Second Power Breakfast "The Noble Cause of Community Trusteeship," 8 a.m., Utah Cultural Celebration Center. Keynote speaker is Tom Delaney, The Center for Leadership, Ethics and Public Service. To RSVP contact Jennifer at jatwood@utahnonprofits.org 801-596-1800 or visit the UNA website.
- Apr 25: John Jacob Delegate Lunch, Fat Jack's Pizza, 12 to 1:30 p.m., 81 S. Main Street, Ephraim.
- Apr 25: Merrill Cook State Delegate Luncheon, 12 p.m., California Pizza Kitchen, University Mall, Orem.
- Apr 25: Gov. Huntsman to attend West Kearns Elementary School Special Education Opera, 2:45 p.m., West Kearns Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room, 4900 South 4620 West, Kearns.
- Apr 25: Meet the Candidate night with Joe Tucker, 4:30 p.m., Sandy Library, 10100 South Petunia Way.
- Apr 25: Utah County Democratic Convention, 6:30 p.m., Provo City Council Chambers, 351 West Center, Provo. Pete Ashdown and Christian Burridge to speak. For more info contact Convention Organizer Heather Pope at 801-356-0290.
- Apr 25: John Jacob Delegate Meeting, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Manti City Hall, 50 S Main, Manti.
- Apr 25: Salt Lake County District Attorney candidate Lohra Miller Law in the Library event, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Whitmore Library, 2197 East Fort Union Boulevard.
- Apr 25: Meet the Candidate night with Joe Tucker, 6:30 p.m., Draper Library, 1136 East Pioneer.

- Apr 25: Salt Lake County District Attorney candidate Kent Morgan event, 7 to 9 p.m., University of Utah's Union Building RM 411.
- Apr 25: Salt Lake County Delegates "Pie Social" hosted by Joe Jarvis, Republican State Senate Dist. #2, 7 to 9 p.m., Marie Callender's, 1313 S. Foothill Drive.
- Apr 25: Meet the Candidates Night, 7:30 p.m., John Hancock Charter School, 125 N. 100 E., Pleasant Grove. This is for county delegates of House District 27 (Highland, Alpine, AF, Lehi), House District 57 (Cedar Hills, AF, PG), and House District 58 (PG, Lindon, North Orem).
- Apr 26: John Jacob Delegate Breakfast, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., IHOP, 3122 S 5600 W, West Valley City.
- Apr 26: Merrill Cook State Delegate Breakfast, 7:30 a.m., Mimi's Cafe, 304 E University Parkway, Orem.

- Apr 26: United Way of Salt Lake Annual Compassionate Leader Awards Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Little America Hotel. Bishop H. David Burton will be honored as the Compassionate Leader of the Year, and seven other individuals and organizations will also be recognized. The cost to attend the luncheon is $15.00 or $150.00 for a table of ten. To reserve your seat, please contact Jennifer Andrs, United Way of Salt Lake’s special events manager at 801-736-7787 or visit www.uw.org.
- Apr 26: John Jacob Delegate Lunch Ruby Tuesdays, 12 to 1:30 p.m., 3318 S  Decker Lake Drive, West Valley City.
- Apr 26: Merrill Cook State Delegate Luncheon, 12 p.m, Carrabba's, 683 E University Parkway, Orem.
- Apr 26: Gov. Huntsman to attend Presidential Physical Fitness Awards Ceremony, 1 p.m, Park Lane Elementary School, 9955 South 2300 East, Sandy.
- Apr 26: Uintah County Republican Convention, 6:30 p.m., Vernal Junior High School, 161 North 1000 West Vernal.
- Apr 26: Salt Lake County District Attorney candidate Kent Morgan event at the Herriman City Hall (Council Chambers), 7 to 9 p.m., 13011 S. Pioneer Street Herriman.
- Apr 26: Salt Lake County Delegates "Pie Social" hosted by Joe Jarvis, Republican State Senate Dist. #2, 7 to 9 p.m., Marie Callender's, 1313 S. Foothill Drive.
- Apr 26: Duchesne County Republican Convention, 7:30 p.m., Union High School.
- Apr 26: Salt Lake County District Attorney candidate Lohra Miller Pie and Politics event, 8 to 9:30 p.m., Village Inn, 2929 S. State Street.
- Apr 27: Gov. Huntsman KUED Monthly News Conference, 10 a.m., KUED Studios.
- Apr 27: Merrill Cook State Delegate Luncheon, 12 p.m., Famous Dave's BBQ, 7273 S Plaze Drive (Jordan Landing), West Jordan.
- Apr 27: Gov. Huntsman to attend Exporting to China Seminar, 12:30 p.m., Miller Free Enterprise Center, 9750 South 300 West, Sandy.
- Apr 27: Meet the Candidate night with Joe Tucker, 3 p.m., Holladay Library, 2150 East Murray-Holladay Rd.
- Apr 27: Wayne County Democratic Convention, 6 p.m., Bicknell Library and Performing Arts Center, Bicknell. Pete Ashdown to speak at 7 p.m. For more info contact County Chair Brian Swanson 435-979-8786.
- Apr 27: KSL's "Let Me Speak to the Governor," 6 p.m, KSL Studios.
- Apr 27: Meet the Candidate night with Joe Tucker, 6:30 p.m., East Mill Creek Library, 2266 Evergreen Ave.
- Apr 27: Merrill Cook Meet the Candidate, 6:45 p.m., South Jordan Library, 10300 South Beckstead Lane (1575 W), South Jordan.
- Apr 27: Salt Lake County Libertarian Party Meeting, 7 p.m., Rocky Mountain Pizza Company, 3977 Wasatch Blvd., Holladay.
- Apr 27: Salt Lake County District Attorney candidate Kent Morgan event at the Salt Lake City Main Library, 7 to 9 p.m., 210 East 400 South Salt Lake City.
- Apr 27: Salt Lake County Delegates "Pie Social" hosted by Joe Jarvis, Republican State Senate Dist. #2, 7 to 9 p.m., Marie Callender's, 1313 S. Foothill Drive.
- Apr 27: John Jacob Delegate Meeting, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Magna Library, 8339 W 3500 S, Magna.
- Apr 27: Salt Lake County District Attorney candidate Lohra Miller Pie and Politics event, 8 to 9:30 p.m., Village Inn. 4681 S. Redwood Road.
- Apr 28: John Jacob Delegate Breakfast, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Village Inn, 933 South University Ave., Provo.
- Apr 28: Merrill Cook State Delegate Breakfast, 7:30 a.m., Jim's Family Restaurant, 7609 S Redwood Rd, West Jordan.

- See the entire calendar

Elected Officials Birthday List