Weekly Newsletter - Get Involved!
Contents
- Chair's Note - Get Involved!
- Time to Meet Our Candidates
- Time to Flip On Term Limits
- Public Discontent with Intense Polarization
- Housing Affordability Summit
Chair's Note
Does that describe you? Are you ready to make a difference? The UUP is a vehicle for you to make a difference.
Here’s how:
Sign up to walk with our candidates. Contact Lexie Corbett at [email protected] to volunteer.
Time to Meet Our Candidates
Bring Your Friends
Lee Houghton, Utah Senate 15
Tim Zeidner, 3rd Congressional District
Eric Eliason, 1st Congressional District
Teri McCabe, Utah County Commission A
Come meet these United Utah Party candidates running for office in Utah County or close thereto!
Where: 984 E 1030 North, Orem
When: Tuesday, 9 October at 7:00 p.m.
Eric Eliason, 1st Congressional District
Tim Zeidner, 3rd Congressional District
Steve Walston, Utah House 41
Amy Martz, Utah House 42
Michele Weeks, Utah House 51
Alex Castagno, Utah Senate 9
Mark Russell, Utah House 49
Hal Miller, Utah House 64
Teri McCabe, Utah County Commission A
Eric Chase, Utah House 61
Hillary Stirling, Utah House 57
Lee Houghton, Utah Senate 15
pictured in above order
Come join us for our official, big "meet the candidates" bash for the United Utah Party. Let's give them a big boost as we head into our voting season.
This event is open to both the press and the public.
We have more candidates running in Utah races than any party other than the Republicans or Democrats. This is a great opportunity for voters to learn more about them and discover a party that reflects the mainstream of Utah voters.
The event will include an opportunity for the candidates to discuss the UUP’s recently announced legislative agenda, along with other issues that are important to voters. We’ve gotten very specific in terms of establishing our priorities. When voters discover they have a real choice, they get very excited.
The UUP Legislative Agenda focuses on education, clean air, housing affordability, lower healthcare costs, term limits, campaign finance reform, open primaries, open meetings, and an a independent redistricting commission. We’re a reform-oriented party. Our candidates believe that it’s time to make government more responsive to the voters, not to party leadership.
The fact that we have so many candidates - and not just names on ballots but candidates putting in significant time and resources into reaching out to potential voters - is very heartening for a brand new party like ours. In fact, it's unprecedented. It shows how strong the demand for change from the status quo truly is.
We'll have the chance to show many in the state what high-quality individuals we attract to run under our unifying banner.
Where: Salt Lake City Public Library, 210 E 400 South, Salt Lake City
When: Wednesday, 10 October at 3:00 p.m.
Time to Flip On Term Limits
I have been on the fence about term limits in the past. After all, once a legislator, member of Congress, or other elected official takes office, they learn so much! They are exposed to many points of view, possibly very convincing and different from their own predispositions. It makes sense that they would govern with the wisdom of experience. Therefore, I have been hesitant to throw every seasoned statesman overboard.
The turmoil in Washington, DC regarding Supreme Court confirmation has demonstrated what is at stake. The partisan divide, in this situation, has not only deprived Dr. Ford of her privacy and Judge Kavanaugh of his reputation, it has resulted in loss of public decorum among senators, escalating tit-for-tat tactics in the confirmation process, and, I fear, loss of trust in the balance of power among the branches of federal government.
The comments of Senator Jeff Flake on 60 Minutes this week was very telling. When asked if he would have been able to ask for a weeklong FBI investigation of the claims against Judge Kavanaugh, had he not decided not to run for re-election this year, he said, “No.”
No, he wouldn’t have been able to make a measured and common sense decision. Partisan retaliation would not have allowed him to make a wise choice.
How many other policy makers are bound by the highly charged partisanship of the day?
How many better decisions might be made if a greater number of members of Congress knew their term of office was ending?
Would we be facing government shutdowns multiple times over a year? Would we have better environmental protection? Would Congress be able to consider moderate regulations on firearms? Moderate immigration reform?
I am still convinced that lifelong terms for Supreme Court justices make sense and should make the Court immune to the wild swings of partisan opinion. However, term limited officials, who confirm the justices or make other critical decisions, would be freer to act upon their own understanding, rather than acting to please party leaders or serve special interests. If all members of Congress had term limits, they would be freer to act for the long-range good of the country.
- Deon Turley, United Utah Party Secretary
Public Discontent with Intense Polarization
The public doesn't like the intense partisan polarization. The United Utah Party is a concrete way to make things better.
Click here to read the poll results. To see the names of the 19 members of the Problem Solvers Caucus in the House who have committed to withhold their vote for Speaker of the House in January if the Speaker does not support the "Break the Gridlock" rules changes, click here. Depending on the election results, more may join to form a more powerful block. There are presently no Utahns among them.
For a better understanding of these rules changes, which are designed to lower the partisan polarization and allow real solutions to happen, click here.
Housing Affordability Summit
