Health Care Watch
Don’t Wait for Washington
In his State of the State address (posted here), Gov. Jon Huntsman endorsed health system reform legislation by Rep. David Clark and Sen. Sheldon Killpack, and said this: “It is unacceptable that a young father in Clarkston, Utah who works for a small business and wants to buy insurance for his family is denied coverage because of minor ailments. Should eczema or post-partum depression preclude a family from getting affordable health insurance?
“What business or family in Utah hasn't experienced rising health care costs or, even worse, had to forgo treatment for lack of coverage? In Utah there are now more than 300,000 people without insurance. That's one out of every eight of us. And many more fear that losing or changing a job may leave them without health insurance. In a state that prides itself on practical solutions, this issue is crying out for a fix.
“For decades, the majority of Utahns were given health insurance by their employer. That's just the way it was and everyone assumed it would always be that way. But now the trend has reversed itself. Today only 44 percent of companies in Utah provide health insurance, and premium costs have doubled in just eight years. We need to take this pressing issue into our own hands as citizens. We cannot wait for Washington's one-size-fits-all plan that does not account for Utah's unique challenges and abilities. Yes, this is a complex issue. If it were easy someone would have done it by now. Fortunately, we live in a State that believes in solutions.”
Big Year for Democrats?
The Utah Democratic Party has sent a newsletter noting that Democratic voters around the country are much more enthusiastic and active than Republicans in early presidential primary action. “With three out of four Nevadans caucusing in support of Democrats, Nevada became the third state in a row to see record Democratic turnout, showing that Democrats are poised to make significant gains in the West this year,” said the newsletter by Bill Keshlear. “Democrats also demonstrated tremendous strength among Latino voters who chose to participate in the Democratic caucuses by an astonishing five to one margin. According to exit polls, roughly 18,000 Latinos participated in the Democratic caucuses, compared to just 3,540 in the GOP caucus. More than 10 times the number of Democrats turned out for the 2008 Nevada caucus than in 2004.
“Meanwhile in South Carolina, Republican turnout fell from 565,704 in 2000 to a dismal 404,825 this Saturday. Fewer than one in five voters in the Republican primary were Independents and just 10 percent were under 30, suggesting that young voters and Independents are waiting to participate next week in the Democratic primary.”
Washington Watch
Matheson Calls for Quick Action
Rep. Jim Matheson says he hopes discussions between Congress and the White House will lead to the swift passage of an economic stimulus bill: "The fewer controversial aspects there are to the bill, the quicker we'll get it passed and to the President for his signature" (see press release).
Hatch: Repeal Ban
Sen. Orrin Hatch pens op-ed urging the repeal of the District of Columbia's comprehensive gun ban (The Hill).
Serve as Poll Worker
Utah Republican Chair Stan Lockhart is encouraging Utahns to participate as poll workers for the February 5 presidential primary. “The Salt Lake County Clerk's office is currently looking for poll workers for the Feb. 5 election,” Lockhart said in an e-mail notice. “Poll workers are paid between $120 and $220 depending on the position. Please call (801) 468-3477 if you are interested. Outside Salt Lake County, please contact your county clerk if you are interested in becoming a poll worker. Helping with the election is a great way to serve and be involved in the political process.”
Today in Political History
Jan. 23, 1907: Charles Curtis, of Kansas, becomes the first Native American U.S. Senator. (Source: NBC5)
Jan. 23, 1933: The 20th Amendment to the Constitution is ratified by the states.
Jan. 23, 1964: The 24th Amendment is ratified, barring poll taxes in federal elections. (Source: Perspicuity)
Jan. 23, 1973: Pres. Richard Nixon announces an accord had been reached to end the Vietnam War. (New York Times)
Wise Words
“All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree."
-- James Madison in The Federalist (Source: Gmu.Edu)
Communications Tip
Communicating With Congress: The 3-30-3-30 Rule
Three seconds: A headline that grabs congressional staffers’ attention. Think clearly about the essence of your issue. In other words, how you would quickly describe the document to a staffer if you were on the elevator in the Cannon Building between floors 3 and 4.
Thirty seconds: A very simple overview of the issue, its background and the position of your organization. Very short, if possible keep to 3 or 4 paragraphs.
Three minutes: A one-page policy brief that overviews the issue in slightly more detail. Think of this as the one-pager the staffer will print and hand to the Member of Congress.
Thirty minutes: The deeper White Paper providing everything staffers need to be fully informed on the issue. Congressional staffers continually tell us that although they are swamped, you shouldn’t assume that they don’t want to dig as deeply and as broadly as they need to on an issue. This includes providing archival material and links to additional resources to help provide a full picture of the issue. (Source: E-Politics)
National Politics
Best Stories From . . .
-- Washington Post: "The Democratic presidential front-runners clashed angrily in a debate [in South Carolina] Monday night, with Sen. Barack Obama accusing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and her husband of repeatedly distorting his positions and Clinton asserting that Obama is trying to run away from his record."
-- The Politico: Fred Thompson drops out of the presidential race.
-- Wall Street Journal: Columnist Fred Barnes: "John McCain has a problem. After winning South Carolina's primary last Saturday, he should be the overwhelming favorite to capture the Republican presidential nomination. He's not, at least not yet, and the reason is that he's alienated so many conservatives over the past eight years."
-- The Hill: "Under pressure from unions, Democrats are pushing for more spending on public works projects and Medicaid to be included in an economic stimulus package being negotiated on Capitol Hill. This has angered and alarmed congressional Republicans, who are worried that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson seems too eager to give in to the majority party’s demands to get something done."
Blog Watch
-- The Utah House Democrats have launched a new blog: The Democratic Caucus.
-- Andrew Hackman says: "Our Utah Legislature is heating up again. Many are headed back with an enhanced hate-on for the public schools. Last year the legislature passed a private school voucher initiative. The people of Utah had it put up for vote, and it was soundly defeated. Rather than listening to their constituents, the legislature will attempt to dictate to local school districts how they will run." (For more posts on the Legislature, see UtahSenateDemocrats, UAC Blog, Salt Lake Crawler, Simple Utah Mormon Politics, Utah State Democratic Party, and Pursuit of Liberty.)
Lighter Side
Say What?
“In light of what is happening in Pakistan it ought to give us pause as to why are so many illegals coming across these borders.”
-- Mike Huckabee on immigration (Quoted in The Economist)
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