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Washington Watch
Cannon Faces GOP Opposition
Rep. Chris Cannon appears to be heading toward another vigorous intra-party challenge as he seeks a seventh House term in '08 (Congressional Quarterly); the House Judiciary Committee approves the Regulatory Improvement Act of 2007, a Cannon-sponsored intiative that would "eliminate needless federal regulation and bureaucracy" (see press release); the Judiciary Committee approves Cannon's Internet Tax Moratorium, which "puts the brakes on taxing access to the Information Superhighway" (press release).
Recession is Unlikely
Utah economist Jeff Thredgold’s Tea Leaf economic update this week notes that revisions in job growth numbers indicate a healthier economy with a recession less likely. The August employment data were revised from a loss of 4,000 jobs to a gain of 89,000 jobs, and July employment gain was revised higher by another 25,000 jobs. Overall, economic news is mixed but, “Our view continues that a recession remains unlikely,” Thredgold said. “Weakness in housing is largely offset by strength in U.S. exports to the world. Powerful global economic performance and a weaker U.S. dollar have fueled record levels of American exports to the world. Strong export growth is leading this nation’s trade imbalance with our global partners lower for the first time in six years.”
Business Incentives Explained
This week's edition of Economic Review, EDCUtah's newsletter, discusses the state's EDTIF and IAF tax incentive programs, which help keep Utah competitive in business recruitment and retention efforts, without risking tax payer dollars. Jason Perry, executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development, says, "The logic behind tax incentives is that the new economic activity created by the recruited business will be more than offset by the money paid out in tax incentives." Jeff Edwards, EDCUtah's president/CEO, says business incentives have become an essential part of the process of recruiting companies. (On Tuesday, the GOED Board approved a potential $85 million tax-rebate incentive for Proctor & Gamble if the Cincinnati-based company will build it's $540 million paper products manufacturing plant in unincorporated Box Elder County and bring with it 900 jobs that would pay 200 percent of the county's median wage.)
Procurement Symposium
This week's newsletter from the Zions Bank Business Resource Center highlights GOED's upcoming Procurement Symposium, which helps Utah companies engage in government contracting opportunities. The symposium will be held Oct. 18 in the South Towne Expo Center. Utah companies interested in government contracting should plan to attend the symposium, which runs from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register online or email your registration information to PTAC@utah.gov. For more information call Myrna Hill, (801) 538-8775.
William Henry Harrison and the Mormons
The Latter-day Saints campaigned for Harrison in 1840, and mourned when he died only one month into his presidency (Harrison had given the longest inaugural address ever in a freezing rain without a coat.) “We voted for General Harrison because we loved him,” remarked Joseph Smith. “He is now dead, and all his friends are not ours.” (From Mike Winder’s Presidents and Prophets: The Story of America’s Presidents and the LDS Church)
Today in Political History
October 11, 1968: Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, is launched with astronauts Wally Schirra, Donn Fulton Eisele and R. Walter Cunningham aboard. (New York Times)
October 11, 1973: President Richard Nixon nominates House Minority Leader Gerald Ford of Michigan to succeed Spiro Agnew as vice president. (National Journal political calendar)
October 11, 2002: Former Pres. Jimmy Carter wins the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for what presenters cited as decades of work seeking peaceful solutions and promoting social and economic justice. (Source: Perspicuity)
Wise Words
“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”
-- Winston Churchill (Source: Quote Garden)
Candidates Needed
Representative democracy works only when citizens get involved. A recent Tribune article shows what happens when apathy takes over a community. There are three City Council seats up for grabs in Uintah, Weber County, but no one filed against two incumbents in two races, and no one at all filed for the third seat. ''Overall, I'd like to see people get a little more involved in their community,” said Council member Charles Thorsted. “It's a little discouraging.''
National Politics
Best Stories From …
National Review: Columnist Byron York: "Team Thompson was very, very happy here at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center Tuesday night. Sure, the first Republican debate to include Fred Thompson, a debate which focused mostly on economic issues, was a little dull. And sure, it went on for too long. And sure, moderator Chris Matthews -- well, don't get them started on him. But the bottom line was, Fred Thompson did just fine."
-- Detroit Free Press: "The choices for Michigan Democrats shrank significantly Tuesday as five candidates, including top contenders Barack Obama and John Edwards, withdrew their names from a Jan. 15 primary intended to guarantee the state a bigger voice in choosing presidential nominees."
-- Washington Times: Editorial: "If Sen. Hillary Clinton is to chart her own course independent of her husband, why did she choose Sandy Berger to give her advice on foreign policy? This suggests reunion time for cronies. In 2003, Mr. Berger took several highly classified documents about the Clinton-era Millennium terror plot from the National Archives while 'aiding' the September 11 commission. ... Were he anything less than a member of the permanent Clinton establishment, he would be in sitting in a prison cell, with few prospects."
-- The Hill: "House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) on Wednesday released an interview with GOP lawyer Dana Jill Simpson implicating former White House adviser Karl Rove in the prosecution and conviction of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman (D) on corruption charges."
Blog Watch
-- At The Senate Site, Sen. John Valentine posts part two of his report on his recent trip to Turkey.
-- Utah Senate Democrats note that Sen. Karen Hale has been chosen by the state Democratic Party as this year's recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Award.
-- KVNU's For The People posts audio of last night's voucher debate at Utah State between Rob Miller and Paul Mero. (For more on the Democrats’ response to Mero on the voucher issue, see Utah State Democratic Party.)
Lighter Side
Best of Late Night Humor
Conan O’Brien: “During a recent speech, President Bush said, ‘My job is a decision-making job. As a result, I have made a lot of decisions.’ Apparently, Bush’s decision that day was to write his own speech.”
David Letterman: “Top Signs Hillary Clinton Is Getting Cocky”: Already selected her victory pantsuit; Canceled today’s campaign appearances; Went to see “Good Luck Chuck”; Spent most of the last debate listening to her iPod; Hired Faith Hill to beat up women who’ve hit on Bill; Assembled a Las Vegas crew to steal her football memorabilia; Calling Giuliani during speeches to say she loves him; Already issuing memos about putting White House toilet seats down; Responds to difficult questions with, “Oh no you didn’t!”; Told Bill he can start dating again.
Jay Leno: It’s starting to get nasty out on the campaign trail. This week a spokesman for John Edwards is accusing Barack Obama of stealing John Edwards’ ideas. Obama apparently has a secret plan to slip into third place. ... Barack Obama announced he is flying back home to Chicago to have a have a hot 15th wedding anniversary date with his wife. Every candidate spends their anniversary differently—Rudy Giuliani spends his trying to remember which wife he’s married to, Hillary Clinton spends her wedding anniversary trying to track down Bill, and Fred Thompson spends his helping his young wife with her homework. ... Border agents have now been issued air guns that shoot pepper balls at people coming across the Mexican border. Have they thought this through? Is that going to bother people from Mexico? Pepper balls? Don’t these people eat jalapenos? Isn’t that like firing meatballs at an Italian guy? (Patriot Post) |
