Ad: Plenty of Jobs in Utah
An ad placement promoting job availability in Utah will be featured this coming Sunday in 12 major metropolitan areas with an estimated total readership of approximately 3.1 million, according to this week's issue of Economic Review, EDCUtah's weekly newsletter. The ad is a 24-page color insert that promotes travel to Utah as well as living and working in the state. The insert will make its debut in newspapers ranging from Boston to Dallas, Austin, Houston, LA and areas of Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco and Chicago. What’s more, the ad will have an estimated shelf life of at least 50 to 100 days. EDCUtah, the Governor's Office of Economic Development, the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, and a variety of other public and private interests have formed a Utah Recruitment Initiative to aggressive recruit engineers and other talent to the state. Click here to read more about the initiative and how you can join.
Washington Watch
Hatch Amendments Approved
The Senate accepts an amendment sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch "which directs the Department of Education to conduct a study on the impact on public schools in states with high proportion of federal land, such as Utah, compared to states with a small proportion of federal land" (see press release); the Senate approves an amendment sponsored by Hatch that "aims to gather more information that could be used to improve safety for Western miners" (press release). Hatch votes to confirm Judge Leslie Southwick to the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals (press release).
Bennett: $$ for Utah
The Senate approves over $4 million in funding requests by Senator Bob Bennett that will support Utah health education programs, Internet safety in schools, and mine safety and operations (see press release).
Bishop: Protect 2nd Amendment
The House passes an amendment sponsored by Rep. Rob Bishop "that will ensure there will be no federal infringement of Second Amendment rights on certain public lands" (see press release).
Latino Political Participation
This Saturday, Latino immigrant voters can learn how to become more involved in Utah’s political process at an event sponsored by Proyecto Latino de Utah. The growing Latino community currently makes up nearly 12% of Utah’s population.
“Latino immigrant voters don’t understand how to get involved in the political process,” said Tony Yapias, Director of Proyecto Latino de Utah. “We hope to change that. Through this discussion, Latinos will get a clearer picture of the impact they can have on their community and state.” The event is at the Horizonte Training Center (1234 S. Main St.) in SLC from 3-5 p.m. For more information or to attend “Latino Immigrants: Civic and Political Participation in Utah,” contact Yapias at 801-577-3200.
Andrew Johnson and the Mormons
Although Johnson had many enemies and was the first President to be impeached by the House of Representatives, he was friendly towards the Saints and created quite a stir when we welcomed the son of Brigham Young to the White House on a visit. (From Mike Winder’s Presidents and Prophets: The Story of America’s Presidents and the LDS Church)
Today in Political History
October 25, 1971: Taiwan is expelled from the UN to allow Communist China to join.
October 25, 1983: The US invades Grenada after that nation's leaders are killed in a coup. (Source: Perspicuity)
October 25, 2002: Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., 58, is killed in a plane crash in northern Minnesota along with his wife, daughter and five others. (Source: NBC5)
Wise Words
“To judge from the history of mankind, we shall be compelled to conclude that the fiery and destructive passions of war reign in the human breast with much more powerful sway than the mild and beneficent sentiments of peace; and that to model our political systems upon speculations of lasting tranquility would be to calculate on the weaker springs of human character.”
-- Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 34 (Source: Patriot Post )
Capitol Update
The Capitol Preservation Board invites the public back to the "People's House" to view the beautifully restored and renovated Utah State Capitol. An Open House will be held Saturday, Jan. 5, through Friday, Jan. 11, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Each day will focus upon a unique aspect of the restoration project, culminating with Capitol Discovery Day on Jan. 12. Here is a list of the special focuses for each day:
Jan. 5: The Rotunda and niche sculptures.
Jan. 6: The VisitorServicesCenter & Fourth Floor Exhibit
Jan. 7: The Governor’s Suite, State Reception Room, and Territorial Governor’s Exhibit
Jan. 8: The Senate Chamber
Jan. 9: The House Chamber
Jan. 10: The Supreme Court Chamber
Jan. 11: The Lions
Jan. 12: The Restoration, Seismic Retrofit, & Capitol Discovery Day
(Source: Capitol Preservation Board)
National Politics
Best Stories From …
--New York Times: "Senator Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that the Bush-Cheney administration had engaged in a 'power grab' and that she would consider relinquishing some of that executive power if she followed it into the White House."
-- Slate: Columnist John Dickerson looks at the "muddled progress" of Fred Thompson's presidential campaign.
-- Washington Times: Editorial: "Bobby Jindal's victory in the Louisiana gubernatorial race is emblematic of the new blood his Republican Party needs to get on track toward victory in 2008. Young, sharp, conservative, religious and the son of immigrants, Mr. Jindal is just the sort of candidate the GOP needs to recruit in droves."
-- The Hill: "After tinkering with their bill, House Democrats believe they have made the necessary concessions to attract a veto-proof majority on legislation expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)."
Democrats: No Improvement with Vouchers
The Utah Democratic Party is highlighting a new study by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute"that suggests school choice isn’t a powerful tool for driving educational improvement." Says party chair Wayne Holland: "Utahns demand that their education tax dollars be spent wisely. They demand accountability. And now we see what can happen without oversight: bad schools and little change for the better" (see press release).
Blog Watch
-- The Senate Site notes this interesting response by an anonymous journalist to Wednesday's Morning News editorial about political blogging. Says anonymous: "It has been fascinating to listen to fellow journalists anytime someone dares bring up newspaper 'blogs' such as this one. You can see them physically stiffen, and then they speak with anger. ... Why the emotional reactions? The answer goes back 500 years. Ever since the first printing press was put to work, the publishers owned a true mass medium. According to Marshall McLuhan, a mass medium is one which produces the maximum message and the minimum feedback. ... And that's what is leaving my journalistic friends so uneasy. Now readers and viewers can publicly question, criticize, debate, correct, and castigate journalists. What's more, the critiques appear attached directly to the reporter's work. That's a very uncomfortable experience for someone who has made a living sheltered by the man who buys his ink by the barrel."
-- Paul Rolly reports: "The Republican State Central Committee will consider a resolution endorsing vouchers during it's next meeting on Nov. 3. That is just three days before the election, so voucher supporters are hoping a party endorsement could spark one last media push if the Central Committee approves the resolution." (For more on the voucher issue, see Under The Dome, Reach Upward, David Rodeback, and Utah State Democratic Party.)
-- Ten Big Questions For... is back, with recent profiles of South Salt Lake Councilmember Bill Anderson, Sandy Councilmember Steve Fairbanks, Castle Dale Mayor Neil Peacock, and Vernal Councilmember Jo Ann Cowan.
Lighter Side
Best of Late Night Humor
David Letterman: “Top New Fall Shows on Al-Jazeera”: The Love Goat; Third Rock from the Sunni; Jihadin’ With the Stars; Two and a Half Mullahs; Betty Who May or May Not Be Ugly As She’s Concealed By a Burqa; The Abdul Van Dyke Show; Let’s Rob Cat Stevens; Pimp My Turban.
Jay Leno: What a terrific audience we have. We have 500 people here tonight. We have straight people, we have gay people, we have white people, we have black people. It’s like a Dick Cheney family reunion. ... Dick Cheney and Barack Obama are eighth cousins. Isn’t that amazing? Even more amazing: Dick Cheney, Darth Vader—second cousins. ... President Bush met with the Dalai Lama at the White House. One kind of awkward moment: When the Dalai Lama walked into the Oval Office, he was wearing the traditional robe, and President Bush started chanting, “Toga, Toga!” ... [The Dalai Lama] was given the [Congressional] Medal of Freedom. As you know, the Dalai Lama does not engage in sex, drugs, alcohol or tobacco. Which raises the question, what was Congress honoring him for? This goes against everything Congress represents. ... Republican Senator Sam Brownback’s campaign announced he will drop out of the presidential race. Now the hard part, of course, is breaking the news to his supporter. |
