Don't Count the Tea Party Out Just Yet
by Bryan Schott
10/03/2012 | 495 views | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Republicans didn't mention the Tea Party at all during their national convention. Some say that's a sign the movement has lost it's influence and power. But, it may be premature to start writing its obituary.

The Washington Examiner's Glenn Harlan Reynolds writes there are a number of Tea Party groups trying to organize under the radar to get conservative voters to the polls and add some "grassroots muscle."

The mainstream press isn't very interested in covering this kind of thing anyway. Stories about Obama grassroots organizers in 2008 were fine. Stories about the Tea Party organizing this time around would conflict with the preferred (if somewhat contradictory) narratives that the Tea Party is (1) just a bunch of billionaire-funded astroturf; and (2) a preserve of racist "bitter clingers" who are too busy digging for Obama birth certificates to engage in hard political work.

Either way, these kinds of initiatives will make a difference. The question, again, is whether they'll make enough of a difference.

In 2010, the Tea Party movement delivered a huge setback to Obama and the Democrats in congressional elections. And from 2010 up to now, it's delivered telling blows to insufficiently responsible Republican legislators in one primary election and caucus after another. (Just ask former Utah Sen. Robert Bennett, or Indiana's Richard Lugar, or even the victorious but chastened Orrin Hatch).
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Ten Things You Need to Know for Friday
by Bryan Schott
May 24, 2013 | 22785 views | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Countdown: There are 166 days to the 2013 municipal elections, 249 days until the start of the 2014 Legislature, 525 days until the 2014 midterm elections and 962 days until the 2016 Iowa Caucuses. 

An analysis says expanding Medicaid coverage will save Utah more than $130 million and would give health insurance to 123,000 residents [Tribune].

A new report ranks Utah #1 for economic outlook next year [Utah Policy, Tribune].

House Majority Leader Brad Dee goes on a European vacation with three lobbyists, but Dee insists the trip was above board because everybody paid their own way and they didn’t discuss politics [Tribune].

Former Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is caught on tape offering to get $2 million for Utah Businessman Darl McBride if he would shut down a website critical of another Utah businessman. That money was to come from a third Utah businessman who was in trouble with the Attorney General’s office [Tribune].

Former Legislator and current blogger Holly Richardson says she’s had enough with the “culture of corruption” permeating the Attorney General’s office [Holly on the Hill].

Sen. Orrin Hatch wants to hear from Utahns who think they have been inappropriately targeted by the IRS as part of his investigation into misconduct by the agency [Tribune].

Kennecott lays off 100 workers because of the massive landslide at their Bingham Canyon Mine [Tribune, Deseret News].

The Boy Scouts vote to allow gay members in their ranks [Deseret News].

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman launches a new political action committee to support Republicans who share his point of view [Tribune].

Gov. Gary Herbert says he is confident the state can work out a deal to avoid taxing the electricity used by the new National Security Agency data center at Camp Williams [Tribune].
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