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Learn Proper Employee Policies
The Employers Council, a private, non-profit association serving the business community, is hosting a complimentary Discovery Breakfast on Wednesday, 8-9 a.m., where business leaders can learn how to make employee policies count, and how to handle daily employee relationship challenges. RSVP to Elsie S. Piazza, membership director & employee relations services, if you are interested in attending: elsiep@ecutah.org or 801-364-8479.\\
Today in Political History
May 22, 1863: Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant begin a siege of the last major Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River, the fortress at Vicksburg. (Source: perspicuity)
May 22, 1947: The Truman Doctrine is enacted as Congress appropriates military and economic aid for Greece and Turkey. (Source: New York Times)
May 22, 1964: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson announces his Great Society social reforms, aimed at trying to end poverty and racial injustice. (Source: NBC5)
Wise Words
“Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.”
--Marcus Aurelius (Source: Quotes Exchange)
Communications Tip
Writing a News Release
A news release about your organization should be written so that it:
- Increases positive awareness of your organization
- Provides answers that help people better understand what your organization stands for
- Builds bridges of friendship and understanding between the local community and your organization
(Source: Basic Media Relation Handbook) National Politics
Best Stories From . . .
-- Bloomberg: "The immigration proposal that emerged from the U.S. Senate last week is sending the 2008 presidential candidates scrambling for politically safe positions. The agreement, which is backed by President George W. Bush and a bipartisan group of lawmakers, is jumbling supporters and critics across partisan lines, setting politicians on edge. 'There is likely to be no more emotional issue in the 2008 campaign than immigration,' said Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report, a non-partisan newsletter in Washington. 'It hits a raw nerve.'"
-- Washington Times editorial: "The bipartisan immigration 'reform' legislation pushed by Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and Jon Kyl and others, applauded by Michael Chertoff, the secretary of Homeland Security, and Carlos Gutierrez, the secretary of Commerce, is a disaster in the making. That is not so slowly becoming abundantly clear."
-- New York Times: "Two presidential candidates [planned] to unveil significant domestic policy proposals [Monday], with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton calling for a $5 billion plan for universal prekindergarten classes and Senator John McCain urging more efficiency and ethics in government."
-- Washington Post: "When David All, a former Republican congressional aide, launched a blog recently that he hopes will spur his fellow Republicans to bridge the digital divide, he did his best to sound upbeat. 'Today our Revolution begins,' he wrote. 'Tomorrow we fight.' But implicit in his cheerleading was the acknowledgment that there is a widening gap between Democrats and Republicans on the Internet, and that his party will have to scramble to catch up. 'For the most part Republicans are stuck in Internet circa 2000,' he said in an interview."
Blog Watch
-- David Rodeback pays tribute to American Fork City Councilman Jimmie Cates, who passed away on Friday.
-- Rep. Craig Frank says of this Paul Rolly column: "It's clear Paul doesn't hang around the back hallways of the Senate when [Senate staffer] Ric [Cantrell] is working late into the evenings, long after nearly all other staffers have eaten dinner with their families and are sitting in front of the TV watching who knows what. What Ric does for 'off-hour' state citizen relations and communications costs the taxpayers nothing. The fact is, if we were to pay Ric what he's really worth, accounting for all the uncompensated hours he works for the State Senate, we couldn't afford him. ... The problem is not Ric, Mr. Rolly, it's that we can't find more people to work in our state government just like him."
-- Utah Taxpayer says this Daily Herald editorial is an illustration of how "economic illiteracy continues to plague policy debate in Utah."
-- ULCT lobbyist Lincoln Shurtz posts a May legislative update.
-- Reach Upward says Utah's payday lending industry "is based on predation and entrapment. Yes, the prey is willing until the trap is sprung. And then the citizens of Utah, through the state's court system become partners in these predatory practices. The government is only an extension of its citizens. Is it right to allow this industry to use Utah's citizens to enrich some people unimpeded while financially destroying some of the most vulnerable among us?"
-- Jesse Harris says: "Regardless of how the [voucher referendum] vote cuts, I'm still planning on private schools or home schooling for my future children. The education system in Utah still hasn't earned my trust despite the local elementary school being ranked #11 out of 600 schools in the state. I remain skeptical that they would become responsive to parental concerns and I feel that sending vouchers packing will only further the problem" (for more on the voucher issue, see Utah State Democratic Party, SLCSpin, and Davis County Watch).
-- At The Huffington Post, Jackson Williams says: "Alberto Gonzalez may be holding on as head of the Justice Department until next weekend when Congress takes its Memorial Day break, which would allow W an immediate recess appointment to fill the post. This makes sense. And this means Bush has already got Al's successor lined up. To avoid further antagonisms with Congress, the choice is.....Orrin Hatch of Utah. He's not young and he's not up for reelection until 2012. He's bored silly, it shows, and the prospect of being in the minority for the rest of his current term can't be too exciting ... Finishing up his career as AG would be a nice resume closer for Hatch, it'll pipe down his colleagues in the Senate on both sides of the aisle, and at the end of the day it will be said that he restored trust with the legislative branch, integrity to the Department, blah blah blah" (see also related SLCSpin post).
-- Hotline on Call says of Mitt Romney's lead in Iowa: "Romney's been on the air here for weeks; David Yepsen seems to love his debate performances; his campaign is regularly sending mail pieces and telephoning caucus goers..... some combination of the above is paying off" (see also related Drew Cline and WaPo’s Chris Cillizza posts).
Lighter Side
Important things your mother probably never taught you, No. 5: Don’t fry bacon in the nude. |
