The Week Ahead
Welcome to May. If you’re a really ambitious state legislator, today is the first day you can file bills for the 2007 Legislature. With the drama of the county conventions behind us (see Sunday newspaper coverage at right), multi-county candidates are now focused on the state conventions on Saturday, May 13. Senate Pres. John Valentine holds a fundraiser this Saturday, May 6. For all the details, see UPD calendar.
Washington Watch
Immigration Cloud Over Cannon?
Article looks at how the immigration debate is affecting the re-election chances of incumbents like Rep. Chris Cannon (Los Angeles Times).
Hatch: Economy On 'Right Track'
Sen. Orrin Hatch lauds the robust American economy: “The economy’s on the right track, in large part because of policies that are friendly to taxpayers and consumers" (see press release); Hatch releases statement on death of Elma Farnsworth (press release); embryonic stem cell researcher cites Hatch's support of stem cell research: "Hatch opposes abortion, but has decided abortion and embryonic stem cell research are separate issues" (Manitowoc Herald Times).
Bennett Hails GDP Growth
Sen. Bob Bennett welcomes news by the Bureau of Economic Analysis that the Gross Domestic Product grew 4.8 percent in the first quarter of 2006 (see press release).
Matheson Airs Blast Concerns
In wake of admission by feds that a test explosion at the Nevada Test Site in June could help with the development of nuclear weapons, Rep. Jim Matheson says: "Officials who say they are using this Divine Strake test in planning for new nuclear weapons seem to be ignoring congressional intent about no new nuclear weapons, and that concerns me" (Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas Review-Journal, and press release).
Blog Watch
Blogswarm Redux: In addition to the many who posted on Thursday, several more Utah bloggers add their voices to those saying No Damn Way to the proposed Goshute N-waste site, including Steve Urquhart, Gary Thornock, Pete Ashdown, Davis County Watch, The World, According to Me, Ye Olde Swimming Hole, and Liar Paradox... The Senate Site blog notes the "firestorm" of debate Sen. Michael Waddoups' Wednesday post on the Health Care Task Force elicited in the comments section... Hot Blava has several posts on the Utah County GOP Convention (see also here, here, and here)... Jeff Bell at Utah Democrats says: "I was at the State Observance of Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Library [on Friday]. The whole event was quite moving from beginning to end. That this was held at the library, and not, say, standing room only at the Delta Center or Rice Eccles, gives me worry about the collective memory in regard to history and its importance and relevance to modern day human living"... New West discusses the proposed Lake Powell-to-St. George "super-pipeline"... Wilf Sommerkorn asks: "Is all this attention to expansion of rail transit [along the Wasatch Front] worth it? Will it really help make our region a better place to live?"... SLCSpin observes: "Mayor [Rocky] Anderson talks about America in terms of Nazi Germany, then says he's not talking about the Bush administration. Reminds me of Mayor Anderson talking about Utah in terms of the Taliban, then saying he's not talking about the Mormons"... Mathew Yglesias says Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney has "a bit of a Mormon problem on his hands" (see also here, here, and here)... Carol Platt Liebau responds to this LA Times story about conservative Utah's "paradoxically" friendly attitude toward immigrants.
National Politics
Former Democratic Congressman Tim Roemer, in a New York Times op-ed essay suggests a simple slogan that he says will lead Democrats to victory this year: “Had Enough? Vote Democratic!” … Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, points out hypocrisy of liberal Democrats complaining about high gas prices when they have fought exploration and drilling. … NationalJournal.com column by Eliza Newlin Carney says both parties have fumbled the lobbying and ethics reform issue. … NationalJournal.com looks at 2006 gubernatorial races and concludes that Republicans could lose their majority. National Journal cover story provides overview of 2006 election.
Sierra Club to Promote Utah Energy Initiative
Says national Sierra Club official Tom Valtin: '[P]romoting smart energy solutions will require us to actively endorse energy projects we support -- projects like the Utah Legislative Energy Task Force, which is pushing solar, wind, and efficiency in hopes of establishing a state renewable portfolio standard."
Utah Foundation Quick Poll
The Utah Foundation has posted a new Quick Poll question: "What should be done to improve education funding?" Head on over and vote.
Utah Political Trivia
(From "Utah Trivia" compiled by Allan Kent Powell and Miriam B. Murphy)
Q: What present state agency was created by a bill promoted by Alice Merrill Horne, one of the first women legislators in Utah?
A: Utah Arts Council.
Q: What two monuments on the State Capitol grounds commemorate military events that did not take place in Utah?
A: Mormon Battalion Monument and Vietnam Memorial.
Q: Who led the successful movement to have Columbus Day established as a state holiday in 1919?
A: Fortunato Anselmo (the Italian vice-consul in Utah).
Q: What museum and visitors center includes the town's historic jail that once held several of the nation's early labor leaders?
A: Park City Museum.
Q: What ski resort town is also the highest municipality in Utah, at 9,850 feet?
A: Brian Head.
Q: Which mayor of Salt Lake City set land speed records on the Salt Flats in his Mormon Meteor race car?
A: Ab Jenkins.
Q: What Utah industry was devastated by the assassination of John F. Kennedy?
A: Turkey processing (because of the president's death on November 22, 1963,
many Americans did not prepare elaborate turkey dinners on Thanksgiving).
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