Despite warnings from medical professionals, Utah is pushing forward with reopening schools this fall. Teachers are, yet again, going to bear the brunt of the burden. 

Utah’s spending per student is the lowest in the Union, and well below the national average for per student spending on schools. This means that teacher salaries are low, and materials and supplies are in short supply. This becomes particularly concerning at times like now when teachers are being asked to go the extra mile for our students.

I noted an anniversary a few days ago that relatively few people would remember. It was on August 9, 1974 that Richard Nixon resigned as president of the United States as a result of the Watergate scandal.

That scandal was a tumultuous moment for our country. A president had been accused of breaking the law—obstructing justice by attempting to cover up a crime. A recording of conversation in the Oval Office uncovered that he had, indeed, broken the law. After a two year investigation by the press, the Senate Watergate Committee, and the House Judiciary Committee, (and a Supreme Court decision), President Nixon finally resigned. President Gerald Ford was correct when he said at his inauguration that day that "our long national nightmare is finally over."

One person told me yesterday that they had been hoping for a moderate party to form for a long time. They jumped at the chance to join the UUP when it was organized.

While celebrating Independence Day with my family, I have a patriotic playlist we listen to. It’s pretty eclectic—from Aaron Copeland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” to “Is Anybody There?” and from the soundtrack of the Broadway play 1776 to Katy Perry’s “Firework.”

But one song was particularly striking to me this year. It speaks of our nation being on a “long, hard ride” with “a ways to go” as we seek “better days.” It lauds the fact that “we’re not the same, but that’s what makes us strong.” And most importantly, it repeatedly affirms “this is still the place that we all call home.”

The song is Dierks Bentley's "Home." Ironically, it was written in 2012, a year that seems almost idyllic in retrospect. Eight years later, we’re facing a global pandemic, staggering unemployment, and nationwide protests against racial inequality. We are truly on a long, hard ride with a ways to go. 

E pluribus unum: Out of many, one. This is the  former motto of our great country. Thirteen states came together through compromise and strife to become one. Had they remained 13 individual states, they could not have lasted, for they were not strong enough on their own. They needed the strength that comes from unity. 

When COVID-19 was first about to hit Utah, the governor went into action. Schools were shut down, public gatherings were restricted, and restaurants were forced to serve take out if they wanted to serve at all. In those early days of the virus, there were few cases in Utah, and the spread was slow. Hospitals had few if any cases of COVID to deal with.

We are in the midst of a primary season in Utah. The Republican race for governor is dominating the headlines, as well as the ad time. Other Republican races for lower level offices also are going on simultaneously. Thousands of Utahns are receiving emails, mailers, texts, and phone calls asking for their vote for a Republican candidate for this or that office. And thousands of signs are dotting the sides of roads or in yards to catch voters' attention.

All eyes are on the government.

We are waiting.

For a change, or a promise, or anything that might signal movement.

It’s been two and a half weeks since the death of George Floyd. Two and a half weeks of daily protests. Gov. Gary Herbert and Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox met with members of Utah’s black community to listen to their stories, and the Governor said that he wanted to see change. 

Ed Phillips, who served as one of Utah’s longest-serving sheriffs, is now the United Utah Party candidate for the Millard County Commission. He will be holding a Virtual Town Hall on Wednesday, June 17th, at 7:00 PM. 

In last weeks blog post, we spoke about the death of George Floyd and what we could do to push for meaningful change towards better policing and to reduce the suffering of blacks and other people of color in America. Since that time, we have seen little movement for change from our government, either here in Utah or in our country. We’ve seen some politicians show some empathy, but many have shown precious little. We’d like to see our elected political leaders, both local and national, act more like some of these Utah community leaders, who have shown great abilities to work across political and cultural divides, and help where they can.