Yep, if there's anything about Utah, it's one of the top five most conservative states in the U.S. I also know this because my mother grew up in Ogden, Utah, one of the strongholds of the Mormon community which hasn't changed that much since my mom grew up in the 1950's and 1960's.
I'm not blaming the Utah Democratic Party at all in this case of trying to defeat Orrin Hatch for re-election as they continue to have an uphill battle. I am disappointed in the treatment of XMission CEO Pete Ashdown earlier this year at the Utah State Democratic Convention when he ran again as U.S. Senate candidate for the second time. Ashdown is a major success story in Utah, a strong progressive and a key contact the Democratic Party nation wide could use as his expertise is in IT, computers and the issue of net neutrality. Sure, Ashdown didn't beat Hatch in 2006 but he also got no support from a single grassroots campaign like Democracy for America and managed to have a strong showing against Hatch in that race considering Ashdown's considerably low campaign funds. Ashdown is a geek, just like me, passionate about computers and also a film geek as well with very good tastes.
On the other hand, when you have a competitive race like Jim Matheson (the old Democrat serving in Congress in representing Utah) faced when he ran against Tea Party Glenn Beck-Mormon convert Mia Love and almost didn't win, it's apparent being a Democrat in Utah isn't always easy, even if you're a more traditional Mormon like Matheson is.
Then again, those in Utah need good representation. No more Jason Chaffetz bozos who have the worst arguments in the world to back up their views on the issues.
And with Orrin Hatch, who has been a household name, his time is over. He may have done some "difference" in his several decades as senior U.S. Senator for Utah but he's stuck in the 1980's.
Here's U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch doing the bidding of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in spewing propaganda just so that the GOP can pander to big business:
http://www.cbsnews.com/...
One day after House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, bluntly stated that Republicans and Democrats are "almost nowhere" in their scramble to strike a deal before reaching the so-called "fiscal cliff" at year's end, President Obama slammed the GOP for holding "middle class tax cuts hostage" and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, charged that Mr. Obama's proposal is "a classic bait and switch."
Wow. More Republicans in the House of Representatives and Senate are warming up to the "fiscal cliff" deal now than in the summer of 2011 yet Orrin Hatch has the nerve to say the proposal is a "classic bait and switch."
Seriously, Hatch may have been a good friend and partner with the late U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy but he's nothing otherwise.
But in remarks echoing Republicans' general consensus, Hatch argued lawmakers looking for a long-term solution to bringing down the nation's debt will "never get there with the unserious plan the president proposed this week." The "disastrous Thelma and Louise strategy" being promoted by the other side, Hatch said, is a "bait and switch" and "would take us over the cliff, putting millions of middle-class families, small businesses, and our already weak economy in further jeopardy."
"The president has said he wants a so-called balanced approach to solve this crisis," the Utah senator continued. "But what he proposed this week was a classic bait and switch on the American people - a tax increase double the size of what he campaigned on, billions of dollars in new stimulus spending and an unlimited, unchecked authority to borrow from the Chinese. Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall him asking for any of that during the presidential campaign."
No, Hatch, this is not a so-called "balanced approach." This is a REAL proposal that is going to solve the "fiscal cliff" BIG time, if not the entire debt problem all together. Even Howard Dean himself has praised this proposal, especially considering he's a doctor.
A tax increase double the size of what he campaigned on?
Billions of dollars in new stimulus pending?
Unlimited, unchecked authority to borrow from the Chinese?
Was Orrin Hatch on Mars during the 2012 Presidential campaign?
Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall him asking for any of that during the presidential campaign."
That's probably because you, Senator Hatch, are getting old and you're letting your age make you unfit to continue being the senior U.S. Senator representing Utah.
Mr. Obama's push to let the current tax rates expire for some Americans, Hatch said, would cost hundreds of thousands of jobs and nearly a million businesses. It's also "a strange turn of events," he added, "considering that in 2010 the president and 40 Senate Democrats supported extending these very tax rates, citing our sluggish economy, which was even stronger then than it is today."
A more viable option, Hatch said, is focusing on shoring up Medicare and Medicaid in sweeping entitlement reforms. Democrats "want more and more of the American people's tax dollars to spend without putting in place any meaningful and responsible reforms to the biggest government programs on the books," he said. "That just doesn't make sense."
Ahhh, yes, entitlement reforms! Spoken just like your fellow Mormon, Mitt Romney. Not all Mormons, by the way, believe in this. Only those who pander to big business do.
By the way, did Orrin Hatch just say the economy is sluggish? Stronger in 2010 than it is today?
Get a load of this. From the website of Utah's own Republican Governor Gary Herbert:
http://www.utah.gov/...
Utah Adds Jobs, Shrinks Unemployment in August
Sep 21 2012
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - The State of Utah's latest jobs report shows continued economic growth and a reduction in the unemployment rate for the month of August.
"Utah continues to add jobs even while many other state economies remain stagnant," Governor Gary R. Herbert said. "If you're looking for examples of wise economic stewardship and fiscal prudence - look to Utah."
Utah's unemployment rate dropped to 5.8% for the month of August, and the job count grew by 2% compared to August 2011. This equates to a 12-month job increase of 24,300 jobs. This data shows a stark contrast to the national job growth of 1.4% and unemployment rate of 8.1%
Utah's lowest job count in the aftermath of the recession was measured in February 2010, and since then Utah has added more than 60,000 jobs.
One company that exemplifies Utah's growth is Edwards Lifesciences. Edwards is a medical device technology producer that is a market leader in high-tech heart valves. Edwards is known for producing a device called a trans-catheter heart valve, which allows surgeons to replace a heart valve without performing open heart surgery.
Edwards is based in Irvine, California, but has a growing facility in Draper, Utah.
In the past two years Edwards has doubled the number of jobs at its Draper facility, and plans to reach 1,000 jobs in the next few years.
Sluggish economy eh Senator Hatch? Edwards Lifesciences not adding enough jobs? Did you read the words that were coming out of the mouth of the article? Edwards Lifesciences plans on reaching 1,000 jobs in the next few years at its Draper, Utah facility?
Oh and isn't Utah's unemployment now dropping to being one of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S.?
No happy dance Senator Hatch?
Wait, ahhhh, I get it, big businesses that are supporting you aren't adding enough jobs. I get it.
They sure don't make brains like they used to!
Ok. Now for some action, in case you have the time to fire up the phone lines and e-mail like crazy:
E-mail:
http://hatch.senate.gov/...
Office Contact Information:
Washington DC
104 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-5251
Fax: (202) 224-6331
Salt Lake City
8402 Federal Building
125 South State Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84138
Tel: (801) 524-4380
Fax: (801) 524-4379
Provo
51 S. University Ave.
Suite 320
Provo, UT 84601
Tel: (801) 375-7881
Fax: (801) 374-5005
St. George
Federal Building
196 East Tabernacle, Rm 14
St. George, UT 84770
Tel: (435) 634-1795
Fax: (435) 634-1796
Ogden
1006 Federal Building
324 25th Street
Ogden, UT 84401
Tel: (801) 625-5672
Fax: (801) 394-4503
Cedar City
77 N. Main Street
Suite 112
Cedar City, UT 84720
Tel: (435) 586-8435
Fax: (435) 586-2147
Salute to Orrin Hatch!
And Utah Republicans are going crazy!
Utah Republicans Sing "Call Me Maybe" from Bryan Schott on Vimeo.
Sun Dec 02, 2012 at 12:04 AM PT: I'm taking a break from working on my 10-12 page IT research project due this coming Monday and relaxing at the Au Coquelet Cafe.
It appears we are having a good discussion here. Keep up the good outside the box, practical thinking! :)