Newsletter - The 3 Cs Character, Competence, Content
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
Chair's Note - The 3 Cs:
Character, Competence, Content
I used to tell my students that there are three factors in deciding who to vote for. One is character - is the candidate someone of high moral character? That does not mean they have never made a mistake. But the question is are they honest, compassionate, and dedicated to serving others?
Another is competence - can the candidate do the job he or she wants?
A third is content - does the candidate agree with my issue positions?
Unfortunately, for many voters today there is only one factor - content or issue agreement. And the result can be scary for all of us.
When competence is ignored, people get elected who are unable to perform their jobs. Things don’t get done or are done poorly. Eventually, they may succeed and learn the job, but the consequences in the meantime can be hard on the public and the work of the government to serve people.
When voters do not consider whether a person is of good character, the result can be disastrous. We can end up with public officials who have little regard for the good of others, people who seek personal gain over public good, and people who cannot tell right from wrong.
Why are voters doing this now? Intense Partisanship.
One purpose of the United Utah Party is to reduce that intense partisanship that is gripping our political environment. We seek to find candidates who don’t just understand the complexity of issues, but who also are people of integrity and competence. And then we want to concentrate voters’ attention on all three factors and not just one. Only then can we avoid the dangerous results of intense partisanship.
End Straight-Party Voting
A bill (HB 259) proposed by Rep. Patrice Arent that would eliminate straight-party ticket voting was initially assigned to the House Government Operations Committee. It was voted out favorably in committee, but just barely: 6-5.
It is expected that the entire House will take up the HB 259 very soon. The United Utah Party continues to urge the immediate passage of this bill for many reasons:
- Utah is one of only eight states that still allows straight-party ticket voting. 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.
- Straight-party voting is not a partisan issue. It has long been criticized by people of all political persuasions.
- If you vote only for a party, you’re throwing your vote away in races where your party doesn’t have a candidate. You also may be casting a vote for someone tainted by scandal that even your own party no longer supports.
Please call or text your representative, encouraging a favorable vote for HB 259. While you are at it, thank them for their public service.
You can find your House representative by clicking here. If you don't know your district or representative's name, click here.
An Agenda for Moderates
Ever feel like there is nothing sexy or exciting about being moderate? Like you are sort of lukewarm in a sea of diehard blue cold and boiling red hot? Where's the drama in being in the middle?
The right has its magnetic Tribalism; the left has its electric Social Justice. Both are "based on the fantasy that the other half of America can be conquered, and when it disappears we can get everything we want." What is the compelling idea of the moderates that is not mixed in with "a bland porridge?"
David Brooks, Opinion Columnist for The New York Times, has the answer: Love Your Neighbor!
How does that work? To find out and read his entire, unique article, click here.
Veto HB 220 - Toxic Waste
HB 220, a bill that would allow for increased storage of radioactive material that gets hotter over time, is heading to Governor Herbert’s desk for a signature. In response to this bill, United Utah Party issued the following statement:
"Radioactive waste has the potential to do a great deal of damage to the health of Utahns for generations to come. We call on Governor Herbert to veto this bill and ask the legislature for further study before taking irrevocable action that could do irreparable harm.
"Both the governor and the Department of Environmental Quality have stated there are problems with the bill. With waste as dangerous as this, we can't afford to make mistakes. In addition, Energy Solutions has given significant campaign donations to legislators, and it’s clear they expect something in return. Last year, they got a hefty tax break. This year, it appears as if legislators are eager to satisfy a big donor to their campaign coffers at the expense of being cautious with the health and welfare of the people they represent.
"The United Utah Party stands for responsible stewardship of our natural resources, and we fear the legislature has moved too quickly with this bill to understand its environmental implications. That's why we urge the governor to force the legislature to slow this process down to make sure our environment is protected for us and future generations."
Convention Plans
Keep holding a spot on your calendar for United Utah's big event - the state convention:
- When: Saturday, 4 May 2019 at 10:00
- Where: Mount Jordan Middle School, 9351 S. Mountaineer Lane, Sandy
The Sinking of Proposition 3
According to a report by Politico, just days after the November election, Utah government officials began their attempt to overturn Prop 3, which had granted full Medicaid expansion by citizen initiative. Our lawmakers were determined to thwart the voters' will as soon as the voters expressed it.
To read the entire Politico article, click here.
How DO We Get Legislators to Pay Attention to Majority Will?
In a guest opinion in the Deseret News, Richard Davis recently lamented the sorry state of legislators torpedoing propositions that gained majority support in the November election and earlier.
Richard concludes, "Why are Utah legislators so dismissive of the public will? The problem is that legislators do not view themselves as answerable to the voters at large. No, their main constituency consists of the Republican activists who control the convention process and the larger group of Republican voters who participate in primary elections. Since Republican primaries are not that frequent, the real influence for legislators is that small group of Republican delegates."
To read Richard's entire article and his remedies, click here.
A Case Study in Broken Governmental Accountability
Want to watch powerful evidence that our system of accountability of government is broken in Utah?
KUTV has discovered that the people who regulate charter schools make millions off of them.
To watch the story, click here.
The United Utah Party is dedicated to providing and supporting moderate alternatives to the political extremes.
