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Buhler Wins Walker Endorsement
Former Gov. Olene Walker has endorsed Salt Lake mayoral candidate Dave Buhler, saying she shares with Buhler “a philosophy of putting people before politics and working in a bipartisan fashion to accomplish the best results.”
Buhler now has two former governors, Walker and Norman Bangerter, supporting his candidacy.
“Dave will be a great mayor,” said Walker, who became Utah’s first woman governor in 2003. “He has the right experience, is reasonable, and cares about the issues that are important to Salt Lake City. I particularly like his focus on education and agree with him that with the right leadership the city can do more to support our schools and students.” Walker represented Salt Lake City for eight years in the Legislature and served as lieutenant governor for more than 10 years.
Fund of Funds: Portfolio with Purpose
The third in a series of short articles has been posted describing the vision and purpose, structure, direction and progress of the Utah Fund of Funds, one of Utah's most significant ongoing economic development programs.
The first installment provided an overview of the UtahFoF, while the second described the program’s structure and financing. The third installment describes the program's current portfolio of venture/private equity funds. The entire series can be accessed on the UtahFoF website under “In the News,” or click here.
Fundraising Event
Senate President John Valentine is holding his “Valentine’s Day in May” fundraiser on Saturday, May 19, 7:30 p.m, in the McCune Mansion, 200 North Main, SLC. The event is promoted as “a sweet early-summer evening of friendship, featuring dancing in the third floor ballroom, a chocolate fountain, good friends and a classy, low-key experience.” A variety of sponsorships are available. For more information, call Ric Cantrell, 801.673.1603 or go to www.senatesite.com/vdm.php.
Today in Political History
May 2, 1965: President Lyndon Johnson sends troops to the Dominican Republic to "prevent another Communist state in this hemisphere."
May 2, 2000: President Bill Clinton issues executive order forbidding discrimination in the workplace by reason of a person's marital status or sexual orientation. (Source: perspicuity)
Wise Words
“A president's hardest task is not to do what is right, but to know what is right.”
-- President Lyndon Baines Johnson (Source: World of Quotes)
Mark Montini Campaign Tip
The Long and Short of Fundraising Letters
How long should a fundraising letter be? That’s a question which comes up ALL THE TIME from candidates who are conflicted over the length of their fundraising letters. Most uninformed amateurs and non-political friends advise candidates to keep their letters short. After all, nobody will read a long letter…will they? Wrong!
In short (pun intended), a fundraising letter CAN’T be too long. But it CAN be too boring! And that will inevitably happen if you mail the wrong letter to the wrong list of people. If you mail a gun rights letter to a list of folks whose main interest is home-schooling…you’ve sent the wrong letter to the wrong list. Your letter could be just three paragraphs long…and THAT would be “too long.” (Read entire tip at Campaign Hot Tips)
National Politics
Best Stories From . . .
-- The New Republic: Lawrence Kaplan says congressional leaders are illiterate on Iraq.
-- The Politico: Fred Thompson mulling a summer decision to enter presidential race.
-- Newsweek: Robert Samuelson says immigration debate needs more common sense and more common decency.
-- Real Clear Politics: John Stossel tells tales from the school-choice wars.
-- Washington Post: E.J. Dionne writes about the Democrats’ “foreign policy primary”: “Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards need to do two things simultaneously: persuade the intensely anti-war majority in the Democratic Party that they despise President Bush's Iraq policies, and demonstrate that they would be resolute in dealing with America's foreign foes.”
Blog Watch
-- Utah Taxpayer: “The Utah Taxpayers Association is proposing a four-pronged approach to addressing state transportation issues. These prongs are: 1. Congestion pricing; 2. Transportation corridor preservation; 3. Prioritization of rails and roads projects based on cost-effectiveness of reducing congestion; 4. Significantly increasing gas taxes while cutting income taxes to maintain revenue neutrality.” The post focuses on the fourth prong, increasing gas taxes while cutting income taxes.
-- KVNU’s For the People: “On Tuesday’s show, Pete Ashdown was interviewed, and he touched on the municipal wireless internet network his company is setting up in Ogden. He talked about how this was a great thing for business. It’s great for his business, of course, because they get a virtual monopoly in Ogden, but for the citizens of that city, it’s not a good deal at all.”
-- Under the Dome: Rep. Craig Frank hears from insiders that President Bush may not be so opposed to the “4th Seat Bill.”
Lighter Side
Favorite Headlines
(Source: James Taranto’s Best of the Web at Opinion Journal.com)
The Taming of the Shrew
"Scientists are developing a pill which could boost women's libido and reduce their appetite. The hormone-releasing pill has so far only been given to female monkeys and shrews who displayed more mating behaviour and ate less."--BBC, April 30
Breaking News From 1865
"Arrest Made in Connection With Lincoln Slaying"--headline, KETV Web site (Omaha, Neb.), May 1
Well, It Is More of a Visual Medium
"Strip Club Hearing Largely Ignored"--headline, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 30 |
