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Economic ABCs
In his Tea Leaf economic update this week, Utah economist Jeff Thredgold presents “Domestic ABCs,” his semi-annual alphabetic view of the U.S. economy. Sample:
“Consumer Confidence – has remained reasonably high this year, despite the economic ‘headwinds’ of prior Fed tightening and high energy costs. Confidence remains somewhat fragile, however, given anxiety about terrorism…especially on American soil…and soft home prices in mostly coastal markets.
“Inflation—of rising concern during the past 18 months, tied to high energy and commodity prices. In my view, less of a concern down the road given intense competition, aggressive consumer behavior in getting ‘a better deal,’ solid gains in productivity, and the cost-saving nature of the Internet.”
Washington Watch
Bennett: $$ for Utah Water Projects
Sen. Bob Bennett includes a provision in the Water Resources Development Act passed by the Senate Wednesday that would provide an additional $25 million in federal assistance for Utah water infrastructure projects (see press release).
Today in Political History
May 17, 1954: The Supreme Court issues its landmark Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka ruling, which declares that racially segregated public schools were inherently unequal. (Source: NBC5)
May 17, 1987: The USS Stark is damaged in an Iraqi missile attack, killing 37 crew members. Iraq apologizes and says that the attack was a mistake. (Source: perspicuity)
Wise Words
“It is not the function of the government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.” -- Robert H. Parker (Source: Quotes Exchange)
Political Trivia
Q: How much does it cost to hold a statewide election in Utah?
A: $3.5 million. At least that’s the amount the Legislature appropriated for the presidential primary election next February.
National Politics
Best Stories From . . .
-- New York Times: "The scenario presented to the 10 Republican presidential candidates was chilling: Three American shopping malls had been bombed, producing scores of casualties. Terrorists with detailed foreknowledge of another imminent and deadlier attack had been captured and taken to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. The question: How far can the authorities go in interrogating the terrorists to get information to avert a fourth attack? The answers exposed clear differences among the three leading candidates in a debate [Tuesday] night that amounted to the first direct engagement of the Republican presidential campaign and showed them all maneuvering to emphasize their credentials on national security and as reliable conservatives" (for more on the debate, see Politico story and John Dickerson, Michael Goodwin, Fred Barnes, and Byron York columns).
-- Washington Post: Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama announce "that they will support a symbolic vote to cut off funding for combat troops in Iraq within a year, an important shift for both Democratic presidential candidates as the war debate on Capitol Hill intensifies."
-- Richmond Times-Dispatch: Columnist Bob Rayner says Ronald Reagan's political legacy "appears to be in jeopardy, despite the enormous benefits it has created in America and around the world. ... [Mainstream Democrats] boast of plans to dismantle George W. Bush's tough -- but so far highly successful -- tactics for battling Islamic terrorist threats to the homeland. Democrats, and their allies in the media, will use claims of income inequality as a catalyst to hike taxes, tilt the advantage to unions, and curtail international trade. They'll cite global warming as an excuse for a short-term surge in government regulation that may have little effect on the potential long-term problem. They'll enlarge government control over health care. And they'll exploit the public's distress about the war in Iraq to justify a more timid defense against terrorism."
Blog Watch
-- At Utah Senate Democrats, Sen. Scott McCoy makes an ironic observation about the Utah Legislature's attitude toward animal cruelty.
-- Paul Rolly notes: "Low pay and understaffing has long been the complaint among Utah Highway Patrol advocates appearing before the State Legislature. Sometimes lawmakers would seem sympathetic, sometimes they would not. But slowly, the law enforcement community is gaining influence in the ranks of the Legislature. The latest is Col. Richard Green, the retired superintendent of the Utah Highway Patrol who recently was appointed to the Utah House, replacing Rep. Gregg Buxton, R-Roy, who resigned to become director of the State Division of Facilities Construction and Management."
-- Rep. John Dougall is chronicling his food stamp challenge experience.
-- Back in March Pete Ashdown sent off a questionnaire to all of the SLC mayoral candidates, and has begun posting their responses alphabetically by surname.
-- At Out of Context, Thomas Burr reports: "Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee spoke to a convention of the Utah League of Cities and Towns last month in St. George about the health care crisis. Though Huckabee, now a GOP presidential candidate, likely won't be getting Utah's electoral votes in 2008, it was still a good chance to woo some potential supporters. And they paid him to do it. Huckabee's personal financial disclosure filed this week with the Federal Election Commission shows a $10,000 payment by the league to the former governor for the speech. Guess the league didn't get the evangelical break that Jerry Falwell's Liberty University did. That school only paid $500 for Huck."
-- At New West, W. Lane Startin explores the roots of Idaho's "dirty little secret": Anti-Mormonism.
Lighter Side
Best of Late Night Humor
(Source: Patriot Post)
David Letterman: “Top Signs You’re Watching a Bad Presidential Debate”: Candidates allowed three minutes to answer, two minutes for rebuttal and one minute to make balloon animals; Takes its questions exclusively from Trivial Pursuit: Disney Edition; Rebuttals consist of nothing but “Yo mama” jokes; They need to ask 5th graders to help them with the questions; Candidates are each allowed to “phone a friend”; Debate drags on so long Giuliani is divorced and re-married twice; Moderator Ryan Seacrest keeps flashing the text number to vote; Hillary Clinton cannot answer health care questions but wins $500,000 by picking the correct briefcase.
Jay Leno: Mitt Romney, speaking about his Mormon religion, said that he can’t imagine anything worse than polygamy. He said he can’t imagine anything worse than having more than one wife. Then Bill Clinton gave a rebuttal. ... Barack Obama’s wife Michelle has been out there campaigning for her husband and she praised her husband for having a “moral compass.” In fact, Hillary Clinton called her and asked, “Where can I get one of these moral compasses for Bill?” ... According to the latest poll, President Bush’s approval rating has reached a new low of 28 percent. His ratings are so low, today he was named an honorary member of the NBC Primetime Family.
Utah’s Top Issues
Here’s our periodic list of significant political issues, generated by observing what’s hot in the news media, what’s on the agenda of various policymaking groups, and what’s being discussed among opinion leaders and policymakers. We welcome suggestions and input from UPD readers. E-mail daily@utahpolicy.com.
Hottest of the Hot
· Proposed legislation which would distribute the burden of school building costs across the county
· Education vouchers on the November ballot and sharing the expense of a special statewide election
· Attorney General ordering School Board to implement HB174, voucher amendments
Emerging
· Six candidates file for the Republican Party Chair
· Utah may still challenge census figures
· Proposals in Davis and Weber counties, along with Brigham City, Willard and Perry, to place a quarter cent sales tax increase on the November ballot to fund transportation
· Salt Lake City mayoral race
· Clean air campaign by Utah doctors and Utah Mothers
· Lake Powell pipeline to Washington/Iron counties
· Global warming/energy/environment: Ogden police force adds hybrid vehicles to it’s fleet; UDOT plants oil producing crops along I-15 in order to produce their own bio-diesel
· School district downsizing
· The race for Chris Cannon’s third district congressional seat in ‘08
Mature
· 4th congressional seat for Utah
· Cyber-safety issues (cyber predators, child pornography, identity theft, Internet scams, etc.)
· Launch of Project Safe Childhood, Personal information scrubbed off old state
· Snake Valley water pumping for Las Vegas
· Downtown SLC massive construction/sky bridge
· Immigration
· Affordable heath insurance
· Mitt Romney presidential campaign
· Guns on campus
· Proposal from K-16 Alliance for lengthened school year and more flexibility, which could help solve teacher and classroom shortages and increase salaries significantly for teachers willing to work more days.
· UTA route changes and fare increases
· Pending court case on vouchers
Getting Old (but not totally resolved)
· SITLA land sales
· Education achievement gap of disadvantaged students
Oldies But Goodies
· Transportation funding
· Ethics reform
· No Child Left Behind
· Healthcare reform/Medicaid
Old / Resolved
· Timing of UEA ballot referendum to erase HB148, the voucher legislation
· Utah’s involvement in Western states primary
· RSL demands on soccer sports complex |
