Utah: Land of apathy
Two things were obvious in Utah politics over the last year. Office holders don't care much what average voters think. And average voters, apparently satisfied to be treated like gum on lawmakers' shoes, don't bother to vote.When you add it all up, it doesn't say much about the state of democracy in Utah, according to political wonks. Here's just some of the evidence:
- The Legislature passes a school voucher bill even though the public doesn't want it and has to overwhelmingly vote it down in a referendum.
- The state Senate blocks the advancement of an exceptional judge because he rubbed the gun lobby the wrong way.
- The public is disgusted with ethics on Capitol Hill, but it's already obvious lawmakers will kill any attempt at reform.
- Utah's election turnout is among the five lowest states in the nation.
Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has a subtle sense of the absurd, has formed a blue-ribbon government commission to figure out how to get Utahns to care enough to vote. Kirk Jowers, of the U.'s Hinckley Institute, will lead the effort to develop recommendations on reforming ethics, campaign finance, lobbying and redistricting. (How about a tax refund for voting?) Then all Huntsman has to do is surround Capitol Hill with the National Guard to force the reforms through the Legislature.
2 Comments:
You left one out.....Utah Gay Legislators advocate Gay Marriage and Gay Rights, even though Utahns overwhelmingly oppose by some 80%!
The National Guard may have to surround the offices of the SLLIB before those kind of facts are published on this rag!
Since when has anyone -- including smarter-than-thou Tribune reporters -- based their opinion on issues based on poll results.
People only care about poll results when it confirms their own positions.
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