Correction: As several of you pointed out, Utah Policy Daily (me, actually) goofed in yesterday’s edition and provided the wrong bill number for the Land & Water Reinvestment Act. The correct bill number is HB102, not HB224, which is the illegal immigrant in-state tuition repeal bill (which failed). How the mistake was made is still being investigated, but the likely culprit is attempting to write coherently on three hours sleep.
Corroon Statement on Soccer Stadium
Mayor Peter Corroon’s statement regarding the Legislature’s action on the Real soccer stadium is posted on the mayor’s page at the county web site.
New Media Watch
On-Line Political Fundraising
The Internet is revolutionizing political fundraising, and the Mitt Romney campaign is at the forefront of innovation. An Associated Press story published in Forbes.com notes that Romney raised $1.4 million on-line in a month, and raised $6.5 million in one day using custom software that allows volunteers to set goals and gather pledges and actual donations on-line.
Wade Eyerly, a Romney volunteer, sent Utah Policy Daily a message Thursday evening saying, “When you compare Romney’s on-line success fundraising to what Howard Dean’s ‘revolutionary’ Internet campaign did . . . we’re setting new benchmarks all over the place.”
Eyerly sent an example of an e-mail message that he and many other volunteers are sending out to family, friends and business associates. The messages provide information about Romney’s credentials and laud him as the leader the country needs. Then the message gives a fundraising pitch and says, “We’d like to see 4,000 people give $25 in the next 48 hours, to raise $100,000 for Mitt Romney. Can you help?” Then the message provides a URL to click on, which takes the donor to a web page where they can contribute with a credit card. A fundraiser ID is provided so the campaign can keep track of who raised the money.
With a few thousand volunteers sending out such messages in every state, large and small donations add up rather quickly. The on-line effort is obviously supplemented by numerous traditional fundraising events like the one being held in Utah on Feb. 20. The campaign goal is to have major fundraising success early in the campaign, matching or exceeding amounts raised by other leading candidates, to demonstrate Romney’s viability.
Washington Watch
Hatch, Bishop Introduce Land Bill
Sen. Orrin Hatch and Rep. Rob Bishop introduce legislation "to transfer more than 100 acres of federal land to Park City to be used for open space and public recreation. The parcels of land, commonly known as White Acre and Gambel Oak, are currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The land transfer would add significantly to city-owned open space within Park City" (see press release); Hatch and Bishop introduce "legislation to expand the water capacity of Weber's Arthur V. Watkins Dam. The bill would give the Bureau of Reclamation access to the dam to study it and make adjustments as necessary to cater to the ever-growing water needs of Utah citizens" (press release).
Questions for DOE Secretary
Rep. Jim Matheson questions Department of Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman about "plans to remove the 16 million ton Atlas Tailings pile near Moab and the proposed 'Divine Strake' explosives test at the Nevada Test Site. Matheson is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which Thursday held a hearing on DOE's spending plans for the coming fiscal year" (see press release).
Wise Words
“Do you ever get the feeling that the only reason we have elections is to find out if the polls were right?”
-- Robert Orben (Source: Quote Garden)
Taxpayers Assoc. Newsletter
The Utah Taxpayers Association has posted its February newsletter. This month's edition looks at legislative tax and spending issues and features a column by Association Vice President Mike Jerman on transportation reform.
SUWA Opposes BLM Auction
The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance opposes the upcoming Feb. 20th BLM auction for oil and gas development of "land outside of an area known as the 'Parowan Gap' -- a literal treasure trove of Native American rock art and an area just now being understood for its astronomical importance -- in southwest Utah." Says SUWA staff attorney Stephen Bloch: "By deciding to re-offer these lease parcels ringing the Parowan Gap, the BLM has shown again that there are no limits to how far the Bush administration will go to please industry. BLM's decision shows a complete disregard for this sacred and irreplaceable cultural site" (see press release).
Podcast Watch
Jennifer Napier-Peace has posted a new InsideUtah.com podcast featuring former Salt Lake Tribune columnist Holly Mullen (:33) on life in the blogosphere; and former consumer services head Roger Ball (9:06) on a newly-formed utilities watchdog.
Blog Watch
At Utah Democratic Caucus, Rep. Ralph Becker says: "[Wednesday] I would have voted against Utah taxpayer support for the Real Salt Lake stadium. [Thursday], however, I received assurances from the Governor and RSL owners that taxpayers would be protected and the community benefits will be realized. ... I now have confidence that the benefits of the soccer stadium deal outweigh the risks. ... Years from now, I hope that I will look back on my support for this decision as I look back on the decision to support light rail and feel satisfaction that we made a great decision for our community" (for more posts on the stadium deal, see Utah Taxpayer and Under The Dome) (for more posts on the Legislature, see Steve Urquhart, Utah House Majority, Out of Context, Simple Utah Mormon Politics, The Utah Amicus, UAC Blog, and Red Pills).... Depending on how the voting goes, three women could be leading the Utah Republican Party, notes Mark Towner at Political Spyglass. ... At Hit & Run, Jacob Sullum says: "Trying to make voters more comfortable with his Mormonism, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney calls polygamy 'bizarre' in an interview with The New York Times. Romney's religion ... doesn't bother me, but this blithe dismissal of what used to be an important feature of his faith does. Like European Jews, mainstream Mormons renounced polygamy under pressure from gentiles. ... But until then they considered the practice not only divinely permitted (the Bible is pretty clear on that score) but divinely favored, a ticket to the highest level of heaven. It was the norm among church leaders, and many of today's Mormons are descended from polygamists ... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may have decided that the importance of obeying secular law outweighs the teachings of the church's founders, but to dismiss those teachings as 'bizarre' seems either impious or disingenuous" (see also Wonkette and Captain's Quarters).
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