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And So It Begins!
Utah economist Jeff Thredgold’s Tea Leaf economic update this week focuses on the future of Social Security retirement benefits, now that Baby Boomers are beginning to retire. “You may have heard the media buzz this week about Kathleen Casey-Kirschling, the retired teacher from New Jersey who is the first Baby Boomer to apply for Social Security retirement benefits. She is the first of an estimated 10,000 Boomers every day who will become eligible for benefits beginning in January.” Thredgold believes that the Social Security system is not in a crisis and politicians will keep it viable for future generations by stretching out the retirement age and making other adjustments.
Guest Essay
Children’s Health Insurance Program: Fact vs. Fiction
By Sen. Orrin G. Hatch
 Today the House of Representatives will try to override the President’s veto of a bill to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which has successfully delivered health care to children of the working poor for 10 years. This year in Utah, about 27,000 children are receiving the health coverage they need thanks to CHIP.
As part of a bipartisan coalition, I helped craft the new CHIP law, which would extend health care coverage to 10 million underserved children with an increase in taxes on cigarettes – which cost the American people billions every year in health care expenses.
Opponents of the CHIP bill criticize it for a variety of reasons. Many of these criticisms are exaggerations, and some are outright myths. To give you a true picture of what this bill really is, I have posted a document on my website that debunks some of these myths. I encourage you to visit my site to learn about the facts and fiction in the CHIP debate. And I urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to do the right thing and support children’s health.
Voucher Jousting
Proponents and opponents of education vouchers are stepping up their PR campaigns.
Anti-Voucher Lawmakers Speak
Democratic legislators call "upon their constituents to join them as 'constant champions' of Utah's Public Schools in voting against Referendum One." Says House Minority Leader Ralph Becker: "Time and time again, we have fought against the establishment of educational vouchers and tax credits. And, time and time again, we have relentlessly fought for proactive support of our public schools" (see press release). A handful of Republican lawmakers who oppose vouchers will hold a press conference today at noon, in the West Building foyer at the Capitol.
Business Leaders Support Vouchers
Meanwhile, vouchers supporters released a lengthy list of business leaders who support vouchers. (See www.businessleadersforvouchers.com) Said Questar’s Keith Rattie: “When you do the math it’s clear that vouchers are good for our kids, public schools, taxpayers, teachers, and business. A ‘yes’ vote for Referendum 1 is a vote for parent choice, competition, smaller class sizes, higher per-pupil funding …and a chance to do something about substandard teacher pay.” Voucher supporters are showcasing school teachers, students, parents and State Education Board members who support vouchers and Referendum 1. They will hold a press availability today to talk about how vouchers will help reduce class sizes at 4:15 p.m. in the sublevel 1 conference room in the SLC Public Library, 210 E. 400 South.
Washington Watch
Bennett Request Approved
The Senate passes "its sixth of 12 spending bills this year, the Fiscal Year 2008 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which includes Senator Bob Bennett's request for over $2 million for the meth fight in the Uintah Basin, new space technology, and juvenile outreach programs" (see press release); Bennett hails the decision of the Senate Banking Committee to extend the current Terrorism Risk Insurance Program for seven years (press release).
Utah Inventors Meet
UtahInventor.org is bringing in two world-renowned inventors to keynote the organization's first Utah Inventor Symposium, which will be held Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Salt Lake Community College Larry H. Miller Campus, 9750 S. 300 W., Rooms 150A-D, in Sandy. Vaughn North, a patent attorney and founder of UtahInventor.org, says there are approximately 3,000 independent inventors in the state and another 1,000 corporate/university-level inventors. Approximately 400-500 inventors are expected to attend the symposium. Click here to view the symposium schedule and instructors. Click here to register online.
Zachary Taylor and the Mormons
Taylor didn’t want to wrestle with the issue of slavery in the territories, so he concocted a scheme to admit Deseret and California into the union as a mega-state (like Texas). However, his plan reached California too late, and they had already drafted a plan for their own statehood. (From Mike Winder’s Presidents and Prophets: The Story of America’s Presidents and the LDS Church)
Today in Political History
October 18, 1898: The United States takes possession of Puerto Rico. (Source: NBC5
October 18, 1972: The Water Pollution Control Act (aka, "The Clean Water Act") is passed by Congress over President Richard Nixon's veto. (Source: Perspicuity)
Wise Words
“What is it that affectionate parents require of their Children; for all their care, anxiety, and toil on their accounts? Only that they would be wise and virtuous, Benevolent and kind.”
-- Abigail Adams, letter to John Quincy Adams (Source: The Patriot Post)
Leaders Who Built Utah
Maurice Abravanel
The development of the arts and the enhancement of the cultural quality of life in Utah owe much to Maurice Abravanel, music director of the Utah Symphony for more than three decades. A true internationalist, Abravanel was born in Greece of Spanish and Portuguese parents in 1903. His early life was spent in Switzerland and he studied in Germany under Kurt Weill, who profoundly influenced his professional life. Abravanel first conducted an orchestra at the age of sixteen in Switzerland. His conducting abilities soon placed him before the orchestras of several renowned opera houses in Europe, including the Berlin State Opera and the Paris Opera. He spent two years in Australia, doing much to influence the growth of symphony orchestras there. At the age of 33 he was engaged to conduct the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, being the youngest conductor at the Met at that time. Abravanel then turned his talents to Broadway, where he enjoyed great success as conductor of all of Weill's American productions.
At age 44, and with such vast experience behind him, Abravanel knew what he wanted to accomplish -- to build a permanent symphony orchestra of his own. In 1947 he accepted a one-year contract to conduct the fledgling Utah Symphony. The local mountains and the symphony orchestra were both to his liking, and Abravanel stayed, eventually maintaining the position of Music Director for 32 years. The Maestro retired from the podium in 1979, but he remained active in the world of music and in Utah's cultural community until his death. (Source: Utah .Edu)
National Politics
Best Stories From …
-- The Hill: "In a concerted effort to deflect attacks on her presidential credentials, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y) and her allies repeatedly say she has 35 years of relevant experience. She has been an elected official only seven years, but the drumbeat of sound bites and statements touting the 35-year figure appears to have paid off. Even her Democratic rivals prefer to assail her electability rather than her experience."
-- Washington Times: "The top Republican presidential candidates [Tuesday] repeatedly threatened attacks on Iran if it pursues nuclear weapons, drawing lines between themselves and the Democratic candidates on what's likely to be the major foreign-policy issue of the next presidency."
-- Washington Post: Columnist George Will says of the SCHIP reauthorization/expansion controversy: "SCHIP is described as serving 'poor children' or children of 'the working poor.' Everyone agrees that it is for 'low income' people. Under the bill that Democrats hope to pass over the president's veto on Thursday, states could extend eligibility to households earning $61,950. But America's median household income is $48,201. How can people above the median income be eligible for a program serving lower income people? Politics often operates on the Humpty Dumpty Rule (in 'Through the Looking Glass,' he says, 'When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less'). But the people currently preening about their compassion should have some for the English language."
-- Human Events: Robert Novak and Timothy Carney: "While the rest of the country seems to be in the middle of a Democratic surge, Louisiana appears to be moving in the opposite direction. The state will hold its open primaries on Saturday, October 20, followed by runoffs on November 17. ... Rep. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) appears to be cruising to the governorship, and he could even win without a runoff by securing a majority of the vote in the October 20 primary."
Lighter Side
Best of Late Night Humor
David Letterman: “Top Messages on Al Gore’s Answering Machine”: Hi, Mandy from The Cheesecake Factory. You left your credit card; George W. Bush here. Congratulations on your Latin Grammy; It’s Larry from Toyota. This global warming paranoia is great for business; Put on Letterman. Some idiot is going to jump over interns; This is Hillary. If you run for President, I’ll snap your neck; I’m calling from the EPA. Turns out there is no global warming; You’re just sweating because you’re getting fat; This is Jimmy Carter. Want to use our medals to score some babes?
“Top Questions President Bush Asked the Dalai Lama”: What is that, some kind of Halloween get up?; I got one for you—why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?; Where’s Mrs. Lama?; Are you that Japanese guy my dad threw up on?; How’s business in Dollywood?; I know your cousin Barack O’Lama.
Jay Leno: Congratulations to former Vice President Al Gore. He won the Nobel Peace Prize. How about that? And he did it without a single vote from Florida. ... Now that he’s won the Nobel Prize, Al Gore has a huge, international platform to fight global warming. Kind of sad—today he stepped onto that platform and it collapsed. ... A lot of people are wondering now if Al Gore will run for president. Which would make it a Gore vs. Hillary Democratic primary. Kind of a global warming vs. global cooling. ... Barack Obama is attacking some of Hillary Clinton’s comments on torture. At one point, Hillary had said that “in some narrow cases torture could be acceptable.” Like, for example, if your husband is sneaking in at 2:30 in the morning. ... The Taco Bell restaurant chain is about to open in Mexico City. Today, the government of Mexico called it a hate crime. ... China is outraged that we would honor the Dalai Lama at the White House. I hope they don’t try to get back at us—you know, maybe put lead in our toys or antifreeze in our toothpaste. |
