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New Envision Utah Newsletter
Envision Utah, a project of The Coalition for Utah’s Future, is now publishing an electronic newsletter. The 11-page edition provides updates on disaster preparedness efforts, Downtown Rising; the Jordan River corridor, Vision Dixie, a visioning process in Washington County, and other Envision Utah initiatives and news.
Economic Sweet Spot: Jobs
Utah economist Jeff Thredgold’s Tea Leaf economic update this week notes that, “U.S. employment gains in May nearly doubled those of April as the American economy shows more signs of rebounding from a sluggish first quarter 2007 growth pace. We expect the combination of solid job gains and stronger economic growth to continue.”
Taxpayers Assoc. Newsletter
The Utah Taxpayers Association has posted its June newsletter. This month's edition looks at Utah's state and local tax burdens and features a column by Association President Howard Stephenson on the controversy surrounding the voucher referendum.
Richardson to Visit Utah
Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, a Democratic presidential candidate, will stop in Salt Lake City to win votes and help build the Democratic party, according to a party press release.
Richardson, currently crisscrossing the country in his high-stakes presidential campaign, will speak at a public event at historic This is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City on July 13. Democratic presidential candidates are recognizing that the eight Rocky Mountain states are “fertile ground,” according to Wayne Holland, chair of the Utah Democratic Party.
Washington Watch
Cannon Amendment Causes Furor
K Street law firms are unhappy with an amendment added by Rep. Chris Cannon to a lobby reform bill that would block lawyers and law firms doing government consulting work from also lobbying (Congressional Quarterly, The Politico, and Roll Call).
Today in Political History
June 7, 1965: The U.S. Supreme Court decides Griswold v. Connecticut, effectively legalizing the use of contraception by married couples. (Source: NBC5)
June 7, 1981: Israel attacks an Iraqi nuclear research centre at Tuwaythah near Baghdad.
(Source: perspicuity)
Wise Words
“Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.”
-- Albert Einstein (Source: Quotations Page)
Political Trivia
The Western Regional Climate Action Initiative signed by Governors Huntsman and Schwarzenegger emphasizes reduction in greenhouse gases, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.
Question: Currently, how much of Utah’s electricity is generated by coal?
Answer: 90% (Source: Tribune)
National Politics
Best Stories From …
-- Los Angeles Times: "Ten Republican presidential hopefuls, sharing a stage once more, clashed Tuesday night over immigration. But some of their harshest rhetoric was aimed at a surprising off-stage target: President Bush. The rift between the White House and some fellow Republicans has grown increasingly pronounced in recent days as the president has promoted an immigration overhaul that is anathema to many party conservatives" (see also related Washington Post story and Joan Vennochi column).
-- Gallup News Service: "Although the majority of Americans claim that they don't know enough about the controversial immigration bill now being debated in Congress to have an opinion about it, opposition outweighs support by a three to one margin among those who do have an opinion. Among those who say they are following news of the immigration bill most closely, opposition is at the 60% level."
-- Christian Science Monitor: "John Edwards spoke about how prayer helped him get through the death of his son and his wife's cancer diagnoses. Barack Obama repeatedly invoked the biblical phrase 'I am my brother's keeper' as he spoke about poverty and injustice. Hillary Rodham Clinton credited her faith with getting her through her husband's infidelities. This was no garden-variety political presentation by the top three Democratic presidential candidates Monday night on the campus of George Washington University, in the shadow of the White House. The forum, sponsored by the progressive Christian group Sojourners, represented the boldest indication yet that the 'religious left' is building as a political force, no longer willing to cede 'values voters' to the religious conservative movement that has long formed the activist base of the Republican Party."
-- Des Moines Register: "Democrat Hillary Clinton's shake-up of her Iowa campaign reflects an acknowledgement that she needs to make a serious effort in the leadoff caucuses, aides said Tuesday. Clinton named longtime Iowa campaign operative and national party organizer Teresa Vilmain as the campaign's Iowa director, replacing JoDee Winterhof. The move comes as the U.S. senator from New York leads the Democratic presidential field in most national polls but has consistently come in second or third in polls of Iowa caucusgoers."
Blog Watch
-- At Out of Context, Derek P. Jensen reports: "Last Sunday, Salt Lake City mayoral candidates marched alongside drag queens, sweaty men in speedos and gay Latter-Day Saints in the annual Utah Pride parade. Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon also was there, piggybacking off the cheers for parade grand marshal -- and former Utah Jazz sub -- John Amaechi. ... Not long after Corroon wended his way to Washington Square, early Salt Lake City mayoral front-runner Jenny Wilson completed her wave-filled lap. She was followed by fellow candidates Ralph Becker and Keith Christensen, whose bright shirts stood out among their respective throngs of volunteers. But the shirt with the loudest message belonged to Mayor Rocky Anderson, who sprang from the sidewalk to swing his arm around Christensen -- whom Rocky has endorsed -- near the end of the route. 'This Is What A Dyke Looks Like,' Rocky's blazing red T-shirt read in black block letters. ... Near the heart of the Pride parade, candidate Dave Buhler displayed his 'I Like Dave' signs. But his City Council colleague, Nancy Saxton, another mayoral contender, did not follow suit. Instead, Saxton plastered City Council District 4 signs on her makeshift motorcycle trailer. That came two days after financial disclosures revealed Saxton had raised just $100 in the last reporting period. So is Saxton having second thoughts about the mayor's race? 'It was a cognizant decision I made,' she said, insisting her mayoral campaign is healthy despite the funding lag and the council sign. 'I need to really be recognized for the contributions I've made as a City Council member.'"
Lighter Side
Best of Late Night Humor
David Letterman: “Top Excuses Of The Tuberculosis Traveler”: Calm down—most of the people I coughed on were foreigners; How was I supposed to know drug-resistant bacteria was a bad thing—who am I, House?; When the doctor told me I had “TB,” I assumed he meant “Terrific Breath”; Of course my judgment was impaired! I had Tuberculosis you moron!; If people with a dangerous communicable disease are not allowed to travel among innocent civilians, then the terrorists have won; Surgical mask made me feel like Spider-Man; Hey it’s still better than flying JetBlue.
Jay Leno: There are three new books out now about Hillary Clinton. One on each of her positions on the Iraq war. ... The FDA has approved a pill that stops a woman’s cycle and prevents PMS. This could end of “The View” as we know it. ... Paris Hilton got a new cellmate today: Scooter Libby. Prison is not the place to be when your nickname is Scooter. ... Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani is paying his wife $125,000 a year to help him write his speeches. She’s writing his speeches for him—and you can tell. Like last week, he gave a speech about what awful [women] the first two wives were. (Source: Patriot Post) |
