Newsletters and Updates

Press Release: UNITED UTAH PARTY OPPOSES BILLS THAT CHANGE INITIATIVE PROCESS

Posted by · March 04, 2019 10:47 PM

UUP urges the Utah State Senate to reject both bills

The United Utah Party announced its opposition to HB 133 and 135 - two bills recently passed by the Utah House of Representatives that make it more difficult for initiatives to get on the state ballot.

"These bills place more burdens on initiative gatherers and make it easier for opposing groups to knock off signatures," said Richard Davis, United Utah Party chair. "Plus they give more time to the legislature to revise or even scuttle initiatives they don't like."

The bills were proposed by Representative Brad Daw (Republican of Orem) and Representative Norm Thurston (Republican of Provo). They passed the House 50-20 and 50-21 respectively.

"The lesson legislators have learned from the passage of Propositions 2, 3, and 4 last year is that the initiative process is too easy and should be made harder,” Davis added. "The lesson they should have learned is they need to be more responsive to what the public wants. That is a lesson they may not ever learn until they get defeated at the polls.

Calling on the State Senate to defeat the bills, the UUP also urged citizens to contact their state senator to express their disapproval before the vote.

“The legislature wants to ignore the voice of the people,” Davis said. “The people need to use their voice to let them know that’s not acceptable."

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Newsletter - The 3 Cs Character, Competence, Content

Posted by · February 27, 2019 11:10 PM

Contents

Chair's Note - The 3 Cs: Character, Competence, Content
End Straight-Party Voting
An Agenda for Moderates
Veto HB 220 - Toxic Waste
Convention Plans
The Sinking of Proposition 3
How Do We Get Legislators to Pay Attention to Majority Will?
A Case Study in Broken Governmental Accountability

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Newsletter - Process Improvements Will Bring Good Policies

Posted by · February 19, 2019 10:10 PM

Contents

Chair's Note - "Process" Improvements Will Bring Good Policies
End Straight-Party Voting
Stiffening the Requirements for Citizen Initiatives
New Volunteer Opportunities
Convention Plans
Changes to the United Utah Party Platform
The Political Spectrum

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Press Release: End Straight Party Voting

Posted by · February 14, 2019 8:39 PM

UNITED UTAH PARTY CALLS FOR AN END TO STRAIGHT PARTY VOTING
Utah one of only eight states that still that allows people to vote for a party, not people

A bill proposed by Rep. Patrice Arent that would eliminate straight-party ticket voting was recently assigned to the Government Operations Committee. The United Utah Party urged immediate action on the bill.

"Utah is one of only eight states that still allows straight-party ticket voting,” said Richard Davis, the United Utah Party chair. "And next year, that number will be down to seven when Texas, one of the most Republican states in the country, gets rid of this outdated practice. It’s time for Utah to follow suit.”

Davis noted that straight-party voting has long been criticized by people of all political persuasions.

“If you only vote for a party, you’re throwing your vote away in races where your party doesn’t have a candidate,” Davis said. “You also may be casting a vote for someone tainted by scandal that even your own party no longer supports.”

Davis promised that the UUP will continue to support efforts to end straight-party voting regardless of what happens with Rep. Arent’s bill.

“43 other states have figured out this is a bad practice,” he said. "Utah should do the same.”

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Newsletter - A Bright Future, if We Want It

Posted by · February 14, 2019 8:33 AM

Contents

Chair's Note - A Bright Future, if We Want It
Education - Why I Joined United Utah
Respect the Will of the People
New Volunteer Opportunities
Convention Plans

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Platform Input Request

Posted by · February 13, 2019 8:24 PM

On May 4, we’ll be voting on the party platform at the UUP convention. Ahead of that, we’re deliberating on possible edits and updates. To make this process transparent and responsive, we are requesting input from all those interested in the future of the party. If there are questions or issues you think the platform should address, please send that feedback to info@unitedutah.org.

As you consider input you’d like to give please keep in mind the following guidelines:

The UUP is focused on the process by which our laws are made. We believe that good government requires transparency, fairness, and a robust and civil debate. We believe that public policy should ultimately reflect the will of the people. We don’t require candidates or members to agree on all important issues. That’s why we don’t, as a party, take rigid sides on most issues. Candidates can take sides, members should too, but the party doesn’t have a litmus test.

The UUP is not ideological. We ask instead that people come to the political process with good will and good faith. Being a Uniter means doing the listening and the hard work required to find common ground. We persuade when we can, extend a hand of friendship when we cannot, and we respect the voice of the people either way.

That is what sets us apart from all other political parties. Edits and updates to our platform must reflect this focus.

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Press Release:UNITED UTAH PARTY TO LEGISLATURE: UPHOLD PROPOSITION 3

Posted by · February 11, 2019 11:11 AM

UUP calls on lawmakers to respect the will of the people

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – The Utah legislature’s decision to pass SB96, which waters down key provisions of the Medicaid expansion approved by voters with Proposition 3, was criticized by the United Utah Party as insulting to voters, contrary to Utah values, and short-sighted.

“The voters sent a clear message they wanted full Medicaid expansion. And the legislature replied: ‘We don’t care what you want.’ And they did so with a two-thirds majority to make sure the public could not overturn them through a referendum,” said Richard Davis, the United Utah Party chair. “If anyone wonders why so many people become cynical about politics, all they have to do is look at what the legislature did to Proposition 3.”

Some proponents of SB 96 admitted they were philosophically opposed to giving health care coverage to poor people, which Davis called a betrayal of Utah values. "The rest of the nation sees our legislature cutting Medicaid coverage to the poor and they must wonder about our attitudes towards caring for the poor and needy."

Other proponents of SB96 argued that the state could not afford full Medicaid expansion. Davis called that kind of thinking “shortsighted."

“Lawmakers are ignoring the research that shows the economic value of a healthy populace,” Davis said. “When people have access to health care, they go to work and pay their taxes. So they’re not just ignoring people in need; they’re ignoring the long-term positive effect on Utah’s bottom line."

Davis predicted that SB96 is likely to erode voter confidence for years to come. “Utah already has one of the highest hurdles for getting an initiative on the ballot,” Davis said. “So in the rare instances when an initiative makes it on the ballot and gets approved by the voters, that requires a tremendous commitment of time and resources by thousands of people. And then to see the legislature water down the people's will? There’s no question we need to fight that arrogance. That's why we formed the United Utah Party. “

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Education - Why I Joined United Utah

Posted by · February 07, 2019 8:16 PM

Teaching and coaching here in Utah has been a big part of my life for nearly 20 years. Education is the main reason I have become a member of the United Utah Party. I need to point out that I believe that there are a lot of people doing their best to make education in Utah work. Over all, we are doing a lot of great things for Utah students. However, there are a few things I find frustrating.

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