This week’s collection of interesting quotes from Utah politicos, Utah politics and beyond, ranging from the thought provoking to the jaw dropping, from the dead serious to the just plain hilarious.
Did we miss any? Send them to us at UtahPoliticoHub@gmail.com, and we’ll consider them for next week’s edition.
Not for Money
To believe that there is a financial incentive of a few hundred dollars or even a thousand dollars that can spur teachers to achieve more than they already do with students in the classroom is laughable among those who are familiar with how education works.–Joseph Burke in a Salt Lake Tribune op-ed opposing merit assessments.
Bueller? Bueller?
Senator Stephenson compares Utah teachers to teacher in Ferris Bueller-really??? #utpol #utleg #uted
— Sharon (@UEAsharon) December 5, 2014
It’s all about the chase
The chase program is exactly as the name implies – we chased after strategically identified voters. Historically, the Democrats beat us in this area because many of their constituency groups have an army of volunteers, so they have been more effective in their get-out-the-vote efforts.
I believe the chase program was our greatest improvement from past years. Up to then, we had made it easier for Republicans to vote and to educate them on our candidates, but making sure they voted was the missing piece.– Utah Republican Party Chair James Evans on how the Republican Party picked up three additional seats in the Utah Legislature.
A New Political Class to Replace the Old One?
It’s no secret delegates frequently dismiss Jowers’ and Wright’s opinions as speculative and riddled with personal bias, making their opinions irrelevant in the current election process since they cannot manipulate the debate at party meetings and events. What matters to delegates? Logic and constitutional principles, not platitudes and worshiping the opinions of the elite. SB 54 would change such a deliberative process as sound bites and calculating jargon would rule the day by the new political class. — Chris Herrod in Op-ed: Count My Vote compromise was bought by elites
Just the facts, Ma’am.
So the #utgop is suing a #GOP Governor and a #GOP Lt. Gov. because a #GOP-super-majority #utleg passed #SB54. Got that? #utpol
— Todd Weiler (@gopTODD) December 1, 2014
Judgement Day
Giving Lyft a Lift
The skyrocketing popularity of tech-powered transportation is something the state Legislature should embrace. Utah is ready for ridesharing, and it must be welcomed with reasonable regulations that put safety and consumer choice first. I intend to introduce a bill in the upcoming legislative session that would create a sensible regulatory framework for ridesharing across Utah — one that ensures the safety of our citizens and reaffirms our commitment to free enterprise. — Sen. Stuart Adams in Op-Ed on future of ridesharing in Utah
Only Utahns Get to Mock Utah.
Suing Over Executive Action
“This lawsuit is not about immigration policy. The process is what is being challenged. The process is not legal. Regardless of how you feel about the policy, it does not justify implementation in an unconstitutional manner.” Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said in a statement announcing Utah’s role in a federal lawsuit challenging President Obama’s executive action on immigration.
Governor Herbert Announces the Healthy Utah plans
To read the full #HealthyUtah plan, visit http://t.co/XF0nzgNJjF #utpol
— Gov. Gary Herbert (@GovHerbert) December 4, 2014
We want to make sure we're not buying something today that we cannot afford tomorrow #HealthyUtah
— Gov. Gary Herbert (@GovHerbert) December 4, 2014
I want the legislature to know, they have a partner in me to meet shared goal2help Utahns who could use a hand, in a responsible way #utleg
— Gov. Gary Herbert (@GovHerbert) December 4, 2014
I look forward to working with #utleg and the people of Utah, who need to weigh in on this. #HealthyUtah
— Gov. Gary Herbert (@GovHerbert) December 4, 2014
Respect the taxpayer – brings $409 million in ACA taxes that Utahns have already paid back into our state economy #healthyutah
— Gov. Gary Herbert (@GovHerbert) December 4, 2014
But if this flawed plan is what it takes to extend the basic human decency of health care access to maybe 95,000 previously uninsured people in Utah, it should indeed be approved. — The Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Board on Healthy Utah
But not everyone agrees Healthy Utah is a good idea:
Setting a trap for more government dependence. #HealthyUtah is worse than promised or expected. http://t.co/s01PeHv9Ql #utpol
— The FGA (@TheFGA) December 5, 2014
Here is the most troubling paragraph in @GovHerbert's Healthy Utah plan. #utpol #Medicaid pic.twitter.com/4rsdC5E4lR
— Crossroads Urban Cen (@crossroadsurban) December 4, 2014
Utah spent lot of effort to create more complicated, bureaucratic, onerous, (expensive?) #healthyutah just to say it's not O'care. #utpol
— Pat Bagley (@Patbagley) December 4, 2014
(Un)Healthy Utah: Even worse than expected. http://t.co/gEZxC1c8Lq #hcr #utpol #tcot
— Nicholas Horton (@nhhorton) December 4, 2014
Re: Healthy Utah – there's no such thing as a 3-year pilot program in government. It'll be here forever. #utpol
— Michael Jolley (@UTJolley) December 4, 2014
#HealthyUtah doesn't cover as many Utahns as we could just so Guv and #utleg could say Obama not the boss of them. What leadership. #utpol
— The Left Show (@theleftshow) December 4, 2014
Meanwhile, an unexpected beneficiary of Medicaid support
Interesting. States with more than 11% of its population on #Medicaid voted overwhelmingly for #Obama. #utpol #uspol
— Todd Weiler (@gopTODD) December 5, 2014
This Week’s Top Posts
- Lame ducks in DC are counting on you! by Holly Richardson
- How Much Debt Does Utah Have? by Daniel Burton
- Photos of Protest Against Police Brutality in Salt Lake City by Jeff McGrath
- Will Eric Garner Be A Rallying Cry? by John English
