News Highlights

2007 Legislature opens; during the opening prayer in the Senate, LDS Church General Authority Jeffrey Holland urges lawmakers to avoid partisan bickering (Salt Lake Tribune) (for more stories on the opening of the legislative session, see links to right).

Gov. Huntsman's State of the State address tonight will focus on "state tax surpluses, education and the need to raise ethical standards in state government" (Deseret Morning News).

Quote of the Day

“Politics is not war. To some activists on the right and the left, consensus is a dirty word. In some quarters civility is mistaken for weakness and compromise for surrender. At heart most Americans are pragmatists. We want to make things work. We place as great a value on authenticity as ideology."

-- Former President Gerald Ford, quoted in a KSL TV/radio editorial encouraging Utah lawmakers to legislate with civility.  

Global Warming, Utah Iceberg

A New York Times story says the ice is melting in Greenland. Too bad we can’t import a little global warming to Utah. It’s cold!

State of the Speeches

You can watch Gov. Jon Huntsman’s State of the State address tonight on most local TV stations beginning at 6:30 p.m. Mayor Rocky Anderson’s State of the City address will be broadcast on SLC-TV, channel 17 (www.sltv.com) at 7 p.m., and on KCPW radio (88.3 FM, 105.3 FM, 1010 AM). The complete text, an audio recording, and a video recording of the speech will be available on the mayor’s website.

Life After Congress

Hinckley Institute event: Wednesday, Jan. 17, 10:45 a.m., “After Capitol Hill: Utah’s Former Members of Congress Remember Their Service,” featuring former Sen. Jake Garn and former Congress members Enid Greene and Bill Orton., KCPW news director Bryan Schott is moderator.

Political Trivia

• Longest serving Utah legislator: Sen. Mike Dmitrich, with continuous service for 38 years, since election to the Utah House in 1968 and to the Senate in 1992. Sen. Lyle Hillyard is the longest-serving state senator (since 1984). He also served two terms in the House.
• Longest service in the U.S. Senate: Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia), elected 1958.
• Longest service in the U.S. House: John Dingell (D-Michigan), elected 1955.

Today in Political History

Jan. 16, 1920: The 18th Amendment, authorizing prohibition, goes into effect. (Source: National Journal 2007 Calendar of American Politics)

Education Watch

Blame Low IQs, Not Schools?

In a provocative essay in the Wall Street Journal, controversial scholar Charles Murray says that one problem with expecting better results from our schools is that half of all students are below average in intelligence and will never perform as well as we might like them to. “Our ability to improve the academic accomplishment of students in the lower half of the distribution of intelligence is severely limited,” he writes.  

Washington Watch

Bennett Defends 'Constitutional Right to Lobby'

Sen. Bob Bennett introduces an amendment to strip a Senate ethics reform bill of a provision that Christian advocacy leaders fear could unfairly restrict lobbying groups. Says Bennett: "Virtually every single American is represented by a lobbyist. Every single American has someone lobbying in behalf of his or her interests, whether he or she knows it or not. ... [If the controversial section isn't removed], we will do damage to the constitutional right -- right there in the first amendment, next to freedom of religion and freedom of speech -- the constitutional right to lobby" (CBN News) (see also related Baptist Press and The NewStandard stories).

National Politics

Democrats Going Centrist?

New York Times story says Democrats in Congress are seeking middle ground on controversial social issues rather than pushing arch-liberal legislation.

More Guns, Less Crime?

Instapundit blogger Glenn Reynolds writes in a New York Times essay that more cities and towns should pass ordinances encouraging gun ownership.

Blog Watch

The Thicket notes: "An AP story ... reports as if Utah, the last state to adopt Martin Luther King Day as a holiday, is the only one in which the state legislature [doesn't take the day off]. In fact there are 11 other state legislatures (Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming) that routinely meet on this holiday. Most of them mark the day with speeches and ceremonies in memory of Dr. King, as they do in Utah. ... The only thing that is unique about Utah is that by state constitution the legislature convenes for the first time on the third Monday in January, the same date as the MLK holiday. There's always lots of pomp and circumstance in the opening day of any legislature. If they use the occasion in Utah to celebrate Dr. King with speeches and ceremonies, aren't they doing just as much to honor his memory?" (for more posts on the '07 Legislature, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here).... Neal Abercrombie says: "I'm sure I'm not the only person who felt a little bad for Marty Schottenheimer when he had another playoff game slip away, losing to the Patriots 21-24. I felt bad because I knew I would wake up this morning and hear everyone calling for Marty's job... sure enough Chargers fan David James (along with most of the nation) is calling for Marty's firing. ... But in thinking about Marty I heard Colin Cowherd on the radio comment... 'NFL head coaches are like our mayors. They are visible and the easiest to rip.' So do Andy Reid, Schottenheimer, Billick, and Holmgren have anything in common with Mayors Dolan, Curtis, Seghini, or Billings? Maybe they do, think about it... when something goes bad in a city who is the first to be blamed? The Mayor".... The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza reports: "In the escalating behind-the-scenes battle between Arizona Sen. John McCain (R) and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), both men scored coups of a sort over the weekend. Romney has landed Vin Weber, a former Minnesota Republican Congressman and Republican lobbyist with Clark & Weinstock, as an adviser to his presidential campaign, while McCain has secured the backing of Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R). Weber, who will serve as chairman of Romney's policy committee, was one of the most prominent backers of McCain's presidential bid in 2000. ... It goes without saying that winning an endorsement from one of the pillars of McCain's support inside the Beltway seven years ago gives the Romney team a special thrill. McCain, meanwhile, secured the backing of Pawlenty who is widely seen as one of the rising stars within the Republican Party and a potential vice presidential pick. ... Pawlenty joins ... [Gov.] Jon Huntsman, Jr. (Utah) on McCain's side for 2008 -- giving him a midwestern and western governor as backers. ... Governors can be a key connection to money people in their states as well as grassroots activists. Their endorsement also serves as a not-so-subtle dig against Romney who not only served as chief executive of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts but also chaired the Republican Governors Association in the 2006 cycle. The one-upsmanship between McCain and Romney is a fascinating study in the bare-knuckled politics of the presidential nomination and bears watching throughout the year."

Elected Officials Birthday List

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Utah in the National News

Holly Mullen, formerly of the Salt Lake Tribune, contributes a short piece to the Washington Post, which asked newspaper columnists around the country to write “What ‘Washington, D.C.’ Means to Them”.

Mitt Romney Watch
Columnist/radio personality Hugh Hewitt: "On February 12, 2002, Denver Post columnist Woody Paige unleashed one of the most controversial columns in the history of his paper. His article blasted the Winter Olympics then underway as a 'massive Mormon marketing scheme,' and went on to lampoon the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with a gusto that shocked -- and not just Mormons. ... I was reminded of the Paige controversy when I read a piece last month by Jacob Weisberg, the editor of Slate, the online magazine owned by the Washington Post Co. Titled simply, ‘A Mormon President? No Way,’ the December 20 column is, simply put, an exercise in bigotry" (Human Events).

Local Headlines

Deseret Morning News

- 57th Legislature: Ethics targeted again

- Lawmakers to seek big boost in teachers' pay

- Legislators receive primer on software available to schools

- Judicial committee OKs judge nominee

- Utahns honor King's legacy

- NAACP honors Parks, King award recipients

- Wages for judges decried

- Provo board OKs eminent-domain purchases, if needed

- Davis ranch seeks protection

- Blogs come to class

- Land set aside for 2 rare plants in St. George area

- Corrections-chief nominee feeling heat on Hill

- Davis Demo group sets planning meeting date

- Utah Education Savings Plan is breaking records

- Marjorie Cortez: Public schooling creates common ground

- Op-ed: News out of touch with readers

- Editorial: Refreshing accountability

Standard-Examiner

- A day for honor

- Davis jail may be getting more state inmates

- USU students to show projects at Capitol

- The House: Legislators greeted with optimism, surplus

- The Senate: Legislators greeted with optimism, surplus

- Editorial: Help, don't exclude, low-income

St. George Spectrum

- Gas rate request faces challenges

- Hill AFB implicated in Pentagon scandal

- Sgt. Craig Harding: Freedom of information is part of our Constitution

- Bryan Hyde: For the people, by the people

KCPW

- Taking Temperatures on Capitol Hill

- Lawmakers Call for House Cleaning in Dept. of Corrections

- Judges Ask for More Money

- Bottomline Rewind: Banks vs. Credit Unions

- Low-income Advocates Push for Basic Healthcare

- All County Residents Must Recycle

- Tribute to MLK on Capitol Hill

- Utah Lawmakers Get Back to Work

- Utah's Job Rates Strong in 2006

- National Homeless Data Sheds Light on Utah Issues

Daily Herald

- Lawmakers draw up their plans

- Provo's Rep. Herrod ready to get to work

- Chief Justice: Best, brightest needed

- Editorial: Legislature at a glance

KSL Editorial Board

- Legislate with Civility

Salt Lake Tribune

- Session's opening: Quiet before storm

- Many in Massachusetts say 'good riddance' to Romney

- Disabled workers saving Utah money

- Prison boss' job a challenge

- Forest Service called biased

- Nominee would bring diverse past to bench

- Chief justice says pay raise needed to recruit new judges

- City expected to grow upward

- Awards honor King's legacy

- Measure aims to make repeat DUI offenders use the gadgets

- Editorial: Attack on meth: Huntsman's plan puts needed cash into treatment

- Editorial: Clean money Reform would leave candidates beholden to no one

Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com

- Jan 16: Legislative meetings scheduled throughout day. See Legislative calendar for details.
- Jan 16: Midday Metro at 10 a.m. on NPR Utah, KCPW 88.3 FM, features a legislative update from KCPW’s Julie Rose; film producer Don Schain and Utah Film Commission Director Aaron Syrett on the governor’s plan to increase film incentives to $5 million; and Eileen McCabe of People For Peace & Justice of Utah on the Grannie Brigade’s protest of what they call the U.S. occupation of Iraq. To participate, email midday@kcpw.org.
- Jan 16: Gov. Huntsman State of the State Address, 6:30 p.m., Salt Lake Air Base, 765 North 2200 West, Salt Lake City.
- Jan 16: Mayor Rocky Anderson State of the City speech, 7 p.m., City Hall, 451 S. State, Salt Lake City.
- Jan 17: Legislative meetings scheduled throughout day. See Legislative calendar for details.
- Jan 17: Local Officials' Day at the Legislature, State Capitol and Sheraton City Centre, Salt Lake City.
- Jan 17: Hinckley Forum "After Capitol Hill: Utah’s Former Members of Congress Remember Their Service," 10:45 a.m. Jake Garn, former Senator (UT-R); Enid Greene, former Congresswoman (UT-R); Bill Orton, former Congressman (UT-D); Bryan Schott (moderator) News Director and Host, KCPW’s Morning Edition.
- Jan 18: Utah GOP Annual Legislative Update Breakfast with Speaker Curtis and President Valentine, 7:30 a.m., Little America Hotel. For details contact Abby Balfour at 801-533-9777.
- Jan 18: Lt. Gov. Herbert to address attendees of the 2007 Institute of Real Estate Management Conference, 12:30 p.m., Little America Hotel, Salt Lake City.
- Jan 18: Gov. Huntsman to give welcoming remarks at Rocky Mountain Power Leadership Conference, 6:30 p.m., Rice Eccles Stadium.
- Jan 18: Davis County Democratic Planning Committee meeting, 7 p.m., Commission Chambers, Davis County Courthouse, Farmington. The agenda will include planning for the Davis County Delegate Convention which will take place this spring. All Democrats and the general public are invited.
- Jan 19: Gov. Huntsman to attend Sundance Film Festival Reception and Film Premier, Rose Wagner Theatre, 6 p.m., 300 West Broadway, Salt Lake City.
- Jan 19: Lt. Gov. Herbert to address attendees of the 2007 Intermountain Healthcare Medical Staff Leaders Retreat, 6 p.m., Little America Hotel, 500 South Main Street, Salt Lake City.
- Jan 20: Administrative Rules Review Committee, 9 a.m., room W135.
- Jan 20: Lt. Governor Herbert to attend the 2007 National Children's Alliance Picabo Ski Challenge, 7 p.m., Hotel Park City, 2001 Park Ave, Park City.
- Jan 22: Lt. Governor Herbert to address Park City Leadership on the upcoming legislative session during their day on Capitol Hill, 10 a.m., State Office Building, Salt Lake City.
- Jan 23: Generation X Republicans networking lunch with Mike Winder, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Hires Big H, 400 S. 700 E. Invite others who might be interested.  RSVP to mike.winder@winderfarms.com.

- Jan 25: Last day to request bills without floor approval (by noon).
- Jan 25: Last day to approve bills for numbering without floor approval (by noon).
- Jan 25: Salt Lake County Libertarian Party Meeting, 7 p.m., Grecian Garden, 4816 South State Street, Murray.
- Jan 31: County Officials Day at the Legislature, Utah State Capitol.
- Jan 31: Community Leaders Forum for the draft downtown transportation master plan, 7:30 a.m., Radisson Hotel, 215 W South Temple, Salt Lake City. The draft will include proposed recommendations for light rail alignments, bus service and passenger centers, bicycle and pedestrian enhancements, parking management, downtown shuttle, and traffic and vehicle access. To RSVP email Camille@downtownslc.org.

- See the entire calendar