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Young Dems Barbecue
The Young Democrats of Utah, a grassroots organization for 18 to 35-year-olds, is inviting everyone to attend a free BBQ on Friday, June 29, 6-9 p.m. at Liberty Park. The event will feature Salt Lake City mayoral candidates, games, and plenty of food to celebrate the upcoming 4th of July holiday.
“This is great time for young people to get involved,” YDU President Matt Lyon said. “We want everyone to come out and have a good time – this is a great way to meet fun, like-minded people.” The Young Democrats organization includes over 100 active members, and hosts weekly meetings, service projects, political awareness discussions, and campaign involvement. For more information, call Mikel Gajkowski at 633-4855 or visit www.YoungDemsofUtah.org.
Washington Watch
Hatch: Correct Sentencing Disparity
Sens. Orrin Hatch, Ted Kennedy, Dianne Feinstein, and Arlen Specter introduce legislation "to correct the disparity in Federal sentencing between powder and crack cocaine violations" (see press release).
Today in Political History
June 26, 1945: UN Charter is signed by 50 nations in San Francisco. (Source: perspicuity)
June 26, 1963: President John F. Kennedy visited West Berlin, where he made his famous declaration: "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am a Berliner). (New York Times)
June 26, 1990: President George H.W. Bush, who campaigned on a "no new taxes" pledge, concedes that tax increases would have to be included in any deficit-reduction package. (NBC5)
Wise Words
“Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.”
-- Dale Carnegie (Quote Garden)
Leadership Tip
People Skills Pay the Bills
To succeed in today's workplace, it's not enough to be smart, technically savvy, and experienced. You also need to be people-smart to get along well with people and bring out their best.
According to Daniel Goleman, in Working with Emotional Intelligence, "We're being judged by a new yardstick: not just by how smart we are, or by our training and expertise, but also by how well we handle ourselves and each other…. The new measure takes for granted having enough intellectual ability and technical know-how to do our jobs; it focuses instead on personal qualities, such as initiative and empathy, adaptability and persuasiveness."
Five people skills help ensure success on the job: Connecting, listening, communicating, speaking and influencing. (Source: Wittcom)
National Politics
Best Stories From …
-- U.S. News & World Report: Columnist Michael Barone: "The Republican primary electorate is fluid; the Democratic primary electorate is viscous. That's my conclusion when I look back over the plentiful polls that have been tracking the two electorates' choices in this wide-open presidential race."
-- New York Times: "At first glance, Rudolph W. Giuliani should be an appealing presidential candidate for observant Roman Catholics. ... But church leaders say they are frustrated by prominent Catholic politicians like Mr. Giuliani who argue that while they are personally opposed to abortion, they do not want to impose their beliefs on others" (see also related New York Sun story).
-- Fortune: "A Fortune survey of where business leaders are lining up in the 2008 race, based on dozens of interviews with top executives, reveals a concerted push by Democratic candidates to secure the blessing of big business while they continue to take their swipes at corporate America on behalf of the little guy."
-- Philadelphia Inquirer: Editorial: "President Bush is not listening, so states should go their own ways and not listen to him. On Wednesday, Bush vetoed the second bill within a year to ease restrictions on federal funding for human embryonic stem-cell research that destroys the embryo. ... Senate leaders should drum up a resounding response to remind the president that his stance is deaf to public sentiment, scientific consensus, and the suffering of people with incurable neurologic diseases and disorders. And then? The states should thumb their noses at a policy designed to serve, not all the people, but only a favored coterie."
Blog Watch
-- Rep. Steve Urquhart says: "Gov. Huntsman and Attorney General Shurtleff loaned their political cachet to John McCain. Since then, in an effort to derail Mitt Romney, McCain [staffers have attacked Romney's Mormonism]. ... Gov. Huntsman and AG Shurtleff should demand that McCain move beyond hollow lip service and actually fire the latest religion-baiter. Should McCain refuse, they should drop their endorsements. That might let the Senator know that these highly-effective 'slips' also have a downside" (for more on the Romney/Mormon issue, see The Utah Amicus and COL Takashi).
-- At The Senate Site, Sen. Lyle Hillyard pays tribute to Sen. Chris Buttars, noting: "I know that [Buttars] has had serious health challenges. Most people would understand if he called an end to this high pressure job and started enjoying the freedoms of retirement. ... You may not agree with his decisions ... but watching him work makes me better appreciate how a citizen legislature functions: People willing to stand up and make a difference without really being paid or complimented for the time and effort made."
-- At Utah Senate Democrats, Sen. Mike Dmitrich says of his opposition to the proposed voucher program: "Vouchers are not a 'bureaucrat and liberal union' issue as has been cited by voucher proponents. Instead, the core issue is whether or not it is in the best interest of our public education system to subsidize private schools. In my opinion, the voucher law is blatantly unfair to Utah's students, particularly those who reside in rural areas of the state."
-- Paul Rolly reports: "One of the attorneys for the State Office of Education who was technically fired as a designated assistant attorney general by A.G. Mark Shurtleff is now being recruited to run against Shurtleff in 2008. Jean Hill confirms that she has been approached by the Democratic Party and has a meeting scheduled later this week with Democratic State Chairman Wayne Holland. She says at this point, however, she is making no commitments."
-- Frank Staheli says: "People may agree with Rocky Anderson, or people may disagree with him, but to question his honor and integrity because he is a 'secularist' is as insensitive as it is insensible. And it is extremely insensible."
Lighter Side
“Sure, housework probably won’t kill you, but why take the chance?”
-- Phyllis Diller |
