Not Your Typical Minor Party
By all typical definitions of a minor party, we should be ignored. For example, rarely does anyone see much news coverage of the Greens, the Libertarians, or Constitution Party, particularly outside of an election year. The United Utah Party should be treated the same.
However, that is not the case. In the past week, a Deseret News columnist opined on our term limits initiative. Ben Winslow of Fox 13 tweeted our views about the current legislative tax reform proposal. A reporter from the Salt Lake Tribune called me yesterday to say he was going to be attending our upcoming Salt Lake County convention. Within the past six weeks, I spoke on KSL Radio twice, and the Logan, Provo, and Cedar City newspapers announced our county conventions in Cache, Utah, and Iron County, respectively. In August, most of the major media outlets covered our announcement of the term limits initiative, including front page coverage. And Utah Policy Daily conducted a poll on our initiative to determine whether there was public support. (Seventy-five percent of Utahns expressed support!)
Again, this is not typical for a minor party. And that's because we are not a typical minor party. Instead, we have the potential to become a major party in the state.
Why is that? Because there are many frustrated voters in Utah. One evidence for that assertion is the fact that in a recent poll 15 percent of voters said they planned to vote for a third party candidate. That means dissatisfaction at the presidential level is still strong three years later. Another is that more Utahns disapprove of how most of our Utah Congressional delegation are doing than approve.
Also, once again the Utah legislature is on track to do something voters do not want. A poll in August found that less than 40 percent of voters felt tax reform was a high priority. Only 30 percent wanted the constitutional earmark for education funding through the income tax to be removed (which the legislature wants to do), and only 15 percent want the sales tax on food to be restored (which the legislature is likely to enact soon). Along with Medicaid expansion, medical marijuana, and education funding, this is yet another issue where the legislature and the public diverge. Such a divergence should not occur when they are supposed to be our "representatives."
The United Utah Party is a new political home for those who believe the two major parties have turned their backs on them. We are a radical departure from "politics as usual." We don't see more ideological polarization as the answer. We believe good policy solutions can emerge from people coming together and finding common ground rather than shouting at each other from a distance. We believe that the voters should determine policy rather than being ignored by their "representatives."
People are noticing us. Join this "not typical" minor party and help us make it a major party that changes the way government operates. Make a difference for you and your children.
Go to unitedutah.org to volunteer and donate. And share this message with others who you know are dissatisfied with politics as usual and want an alternative!
–Richard Davis, Chair
Next Week: United Utah Fundraiser with Evan McMullin
The United Utah Party is having lunch with former third-party presidential candidate Evan McMullin next week—and you are invited! The First Annual Uniter Golden Spike Award Fundraiser will be next Wednesday, November 6th, from 12-1:30 pm, at the Alta Club in Salt Lake City.
The United Utah Party’s Golden Spike Award honors Utahns who have worked hard to build bridges on the state and/or federal level. Recipients are notable for their exceptional work in three different categories: uniter, unifier, and promoter. As uniters, Golden Spike Award honorees are well-known for getting people involved in the political process and bringing people together. As unifiers, they demonstrate leadership in identifying and addressing the concerns with our government and how it functions. As promoters, they have modeled and inspired in others patriotism, civic duty, and good character.
The 2019 Honoree is Evan McMullin, former 2016 independent presidential candidate. Evan is an Utah native, former CIA officer, investment banker and House Foreign Affairs Senior policy analyst. Evan and his 2016 vice presidential running mate, Mindy Finn, co-founded the Stand Up Republic Foundation. The Foundation makes a non-partisan effort to hold government leaders of all parties, and at all levels, accountable for their protection of our rights and freedoms.
The UUP will be honoring Mr. McMullin for his work "to grow a community of Americans to defend democratic ideals, norms and institutions," as the Stand Up Republic website states. We are excited to dine with Mr. McMullin and our fundraiser donors at the exclusive Alta Club in Salt Lake City. The cost of the event is $100 per person, or $700 for a table of 8 people. A full, delicious buffet lunch will be served by the Alta Club's award-winning chefs. Money raised by the fundraiser this year will further our effort to change the political landscape of Utah.
If you would like to attend, please RSVP by Monday, November 2, at this link. If you are unable to join us but would still like to contribute to the uniter cause, please consider donating to the United Utah Party or sharing your time with us by volunteering.
Term Limits: A Relay Race
We as a party have been running full speed towards our goal of getting term limits on the ballot in 2020, but the finish line is still far beyond us. This is the stage in the race where real persistence and grit is required. Getting signatures isn't a sprint to an easy finish line. We have about 116,000 signatures to get and about 100 days to get them. That is going to require a huge effort from the whole party. We are in it for the long haul.
However, it doesn't have to be a huge effort for each of us individually. This marathon race to get signatures for term limits is more like a relay race: we each must do our part to make this happen! There are two easy steps that absolutely everyone reading this letter can and should do.
First, we need everyone reading this newsletter to sign the petition. If you're not sure how, sign up here or attend the next county convention and we can get you in contact with someone about signing! (Unfortunately, signing online only indicates that you would like to sign the petition and does not count as a signature on the petition. If we could get signatures online, this race would be over in a flash!)
Second, after you've signed, hand on the baton and let the relay race continue. We need everyone who reads this newsletter to share, share, share! That's it!
According to a UtahPolicy poll, 75% of Utahns support term limits for legislators. If everyone who reads and signs the petition chooses to then share the petition, encouraging other Utahns to sign and share the petition, the odds of us getting to the finish line with all 116,000 signatures by February drastically increases!
So tell your neighbors and friends, talk to your colleagues at work, let your sewing groups and bowling groups and book clubs know! Post it on your social media accounts, email old friends, and help your parents get in touch with a signature gatherer. Just get the word out to your fellow Utahns! If you share it, they will sign.
In particular, please share the Initiative's facebook page (Unite 4 Term Limits) and share the following link so that your friends and neighbors who are interested in signing can get in touch with a signature collector and add their names to the cause:
https://unite4termlimits.nationbuilder.com/sign_the_petition.
Of course, there are other BIG ways you can help us get to that finish line with all the necessary signatures in February.
We still need people to help collect signatures. Sign up here to volunteer to get those signatures. We'll get you hooked up with a leader in your area who can get signature packets to you. We have been amazed at how many great volunteers have come out of the woodwork and shown their willingness to take around packets.
But the truth is, we're going to need a whole lot more. Soon, we'll be launching more materials that will allow you to start gathering signatures today, if you are willing. All you'll need is a printer, a phone or email address, a stapler, and a way of getting to the county clerks office.
Another huge way that you can help is by making a donation. Click here to support us financially today. Every dollar counts! And every dollar will be used to help get more signatures on the petition.
Every signature, share, volunteer, and donation gets us that much closer to those 116,000 signatures. Every signature gathered gets us one step closer to our finish line of getting term limits on the table in 2020.
Thanks so much for your support on this great initiative!
Last County Convention This Saturday
There is only one more county convention this year! If you haven't made it to one yet, please prioritize making it to this last convention! Salt Lake County's convention will be November 2, at 10:30 am. (Please note, the time has changed from previous announcements!) Come show your support of bipartisan values and help make a difference in your community!
From Midvalecity.org
The purpose of the county convention is to elect new county officers, help party supporters get to know each other, and work together to build the party in the county. We invite all that are interested in a new alternative to the extremism and divisiveness of the two major parties!
Come join us in building a new political system built on moderation, common sense, and practicality. At any United Utah convention, you will find logical discussion of solutions rather than finger-pointing and name-calling, and you will meet other like-minded people who want to end the partisan gridlock that dominates today's politics.
United Utah county conventions are open to the public, however, only registered members of the party can vote on party business, such as elections. For those who are not already UUP members, voter registration can be done in advance at vote.utah.gov or at the door.
Mark your calendars!
|
County |
Date | Place |
| Salt Lake |
Sa, 2 Nov |
Midvale Middle School, 7852 S. Pioneer Street, Midvale |
A Personal Invite to the Salt Lake County Convention
From Josh Gregg, Interim Salt Lake County Chair
Fall is in the air. Leaves are changing color, school is in session, and voting season is upon us. November is not only the month for elections in government, but in Salt Lake County, it is the month for elections in the United Utah Party's county leadership as well.
Join us Saturday, November 2, at 10:30 am (please note the time change from former announcements) for the Salt Lake County convention. At the convention you can rub shoulders with your new local party leaders—or even volunteer to serve as a county leader yourself. We need your voices, your passion, your commitment to a better way of governing. We will hold elections for a new county chair, and several new county vice chairs, among other positions at this convention.
Additionally, the United Utah Party is sponsoring a ballot initiative for term-limits. There will be an opportunity to sign the initiative at the convention as well. The majority of Utahns agree that term limits are a good idea—if you are one of those that supports extinguishing "career politician" as a job, please come and add your name to the cause.
The convention will be at the Midvale Middle School, located at 7852 S. Pioneer Street, Midvale.
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