An Open Letter to Utah Democrats, Both Young and Old

Image courtesy or utdemocrats.org

The future of the Utah Democratic Party is in jeopardy. If you're a Democrat in the nation's most conservative state and you don't see it then take another look. We're in trouble. We just suffered our worst election loses since 1994. Our numbers in the Utah Legislature our pathetic. In the House and Senate combined there are 80 Republicans and 24 Democrats. Let me repeat. Twenty four.

Those numbers should terrify you even if you're not a self-identified Democrat. Utah is in desperate need of balanced government. A government made of super majorities and little debate is a dangerous one, and we're living it Utah. However, it's worse if you're a Democrat - you're facing extinction even if you won't admit it.

Think about it. Our numbers our terrible. They're flat out embarrassing. We were apathetic this last election cycle. We're all guilty and we should all take responsibility for our losses and lack of gains. I could have done more, much more, and you could have too.

We have put ourselves in an awful position. We head into redistricting with very little left to lose. In 2001 the Republicans gerrymandered us into an oblivion and they will do so again. Governor Herbert assured that on Friday when he declared an independent redistricting commission to be "unconstitutional." Give me a break.

The 2012 election cycle has all the makings to be a disaster. We're home to the Tea Party movement, people are conservative here and we cannot deny that. If the movement continues, having President Obama on the top of the ticket will rally Tea Party voters. I hate to say it, but it's true, and it gets worse. It's possible that Mitt Romney could headline or co-headline the Republican ticket. He's our golden boy. Utahns love him. Even though he governed Massachusetts just as a "Utah Democrat" would, it won't be good news for anyone with a "D" next to their name.

However, there is great hope. The odds are stacked against us. Our backs are up against the wall. Hell, can we really lose that much more? The answer is no, and we don't have anywhere to go but up. However, we're starting off on the wrong foot. Yesterday's Young Democrats of Utah (YDU) election made that crystal clear.

I've been on the YDU board for two years. It's been a great experience, and the organization has introduced me to so many great people -- many who are now great friends. I ran for a different position yesterday. I lost. The race was close, very close. I'm used to close races - my young political career (both personal races and those of others) has only been made up of squeakers. Actually I'd welcome a blow out or two. It might be less stressful. Anyway, I'm getting off topic. This isn't about me. And as I said yesterday in my campaign speech, Nicole Christensen will be a fantastic Communications Director, and I couldn't have lost to anyone better.

With that said, some of the behavior I noticed yesterday and the weeks preceding the election was unacceptable. This isn't meant to call people out or be accusatory, but it's meant to change behavior. We have to change the way we operate. None of us are perfect, but there is no place in Utah Democratic politics for name calling, backstabbing, and underhanded, shady dealings. We all play for the same team. We're too small to be so divided.

We're only signing our own death sentence. Inter-party challenges are fine. They're probably best. They keep us strong and prepared for general elections. However, we really need to take a step back and look at how they're done. Many left the YDU convention yesterday broken and hurt. Losing sucks, but YDU is too important to the future of the Democratic Party for so many to feel left out and betrayed.

The Jim Matheson and Claudia Wright contest earlier this year had the same undertones. There was fighting, name calling, and some gross nastiness. I supported Jim from the beginning and I stand by my decision. Has he always voted the way I would have liked? No way. However, it's always been my personal belief that we must put candidates on the ticket who are electable. Claudia Wright wasn't electable. November 2 proved that. Does that make a Claudia Wright supporter a lunatic? Certainly not. However is Jim Matheson a horrible wretched man? He most definitely is not. He represents his constituents, and most of his constituents are Republicans, so take from that what you will.

I'm pleading for a return to civility. We'll never post respectable numbers in Utah with such animosity. We're all Democrats. We're the party of inclusiveness. We're the party of the people. And if we truly believe that's the case then all viewpoints are welcome whether they're conservative or progressive.

We've got a long road to hoe and we need to have each other's backs. We must put aside our differences and unite. We must throw away our apathy and roll up our sleeves. On election night, I heard several well-known Democrats say, "there's nothing more we could have done." That's not good enough. We need to look at ourselves, figure out what we did wrong, and fix it. We're Utahns. We're the Beehive State for a reason, and Utah Democrats need to embody that. The only way we'll reap success is to work twice as hard as the opposing party. We have to beat them at their own game. Afterall, we're playing on their turf.

I want so much for us to shock the state and that nation with a great showing in 2012. I'm committed to all the hard work that it WILL take starting now. The question is, is anyone else?

Talkin' Politics

You wouldn't know it from all my posts, but I love politics, and I proudly call myself a Utah Democrat. Given my partisan affiliation, I thought it was about time I ventured into the political arena here again. Luckily, I recently wrote a letter to the editor that got published in three of Utah's four papers. This isn't a big deal, but excuse me while I congratulate myself. So just in case you missed it, which you probably did, my latest thoughts on Utah gubernatorial candidate Peter Corroon:

"It's no secret that our economy is struggling. Unemployment is at 7.2 percent and the state has lost 72,000 jobs over the past two years.

The job issue won't fix itself. Utah legislators have been ineffective in addressing the job and economic crisis. This past session they dodged the important issues by wasting time with "message bills" and other non-issues.

With a state budget shortfall projected around $100 million, many of our lawmakers have neglected to propose solutions that create jobs and increase revenue.

Gubernatorial candidate and Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon presented his job plan for Utah ("Corroon wants tax break for companies," Tribune , June 10). His plan strengthens Utah's economy by supporting Utah's most important asset, its small businesses.

Utah has the highest number of small businesses per capita in the nation, and the current state government's strategy of attracting big business leaves bright-minded entrepreneurs and working families behind. Without raising taxes, Corroon's plan will invest in our future while putting Utahns back to work.

I am excited by Corroon's plan and look forward to hearing his other inventive solutions for Utah."

Published at the following links: here, here, and here.

"In My Book You'll Always Be Client #1"

I've always loved Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update, but these crass Valentine's Day cards from Eliot Spitzer might actually make V-Day more enjoyable.

Video:

This Is It

Last night, after the House of Representatives passed the first comprehensive health care reform bill, President Barack Obama tweeted, "this is history." Truer words have never been spoken. After decades of party bickering and political posturing, Congress finally did something.

Now there's no guarantee that the Senate will pass its version of the bill, or that the final version of the bill will even work. (Of course I believe it will be successful, but there are no guarantees). However, at least it's something. It's an attempt to fix one of America's biggest problems. According to CNN, if passed, the bill "restricts insurance companies from denying coverage to anyone with a pre-existing condition or charging higher premiums based on gender or medical history. It also provides federal subsidies to those who cannot afford it and guarantees coverage for 96 percent of Americans, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office."

Maybe I am simply a crazy liberal, but I will never understand how any of those outcomes deserved the heated debate that preceded the vote. I'll never buy the "it's happening too quickly" argument. The last time I checked, taking 70 years to pass a bill didn't qualify as "quickly." I don't put stock in the "it's too costly" argument either. Congressional budget figures show the reform pays for itself. Even if it doesn't, I think we'll find a way to make it work -- this country has gone to war on less information and less budget analysis. If we can't ultimately pass a bill that is meant on helping Americans, but we can irresponsibly risk the lives of thousands of our own citizens, we have a serious problem. Don't even get me started on Utah's lone "Democrat," Jim Matheson. Come 2010, if he survives a likely inter-party challenge, I am going to have a very hard time voting for him.

With the bill's passing you have morons like Sarah Palin (can't she just go away already?) saying, "Congressional action tonight just put America on a path toward an unrecognizable country. It's on to the Senate now. Our legislators can listen now, or they can hear us in 2010. It's their choice." Are you kidding me? An unrecognizable country? In my opinion, there is nothing more American than passing a bill that will improve the lives of millions. We're Americans, we're supposed to look out for each other.

Now that the House has done it's job, we wait. Harry Reid has said that the Senate may not pass it's version of the bill until early 2010, so prepare yourself for more scare tactics and ridiculous accusations. However, this moment cannot be underestimated, we're the closest we've ever been to creating a health care system that's for the people and not for corporations or bureaucracies. The next few months could define a generation, and I am hoping that it does.

Congratulations Are in Order

Bloggers Note: Those who know me, know that I like to keep my political commentaries open-minded, rational, and level-headed. However, this will be no such post. If you're a conservative, a closed-minded partisan, or a "political ambivalent" you best stay away. Consider yourself warned.

By now everyone is aware that U.S. President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize this morning. The award is a great honor and a coup for the U.S. -- or so I thought. Upon hearing the news, the Internet exploded in a heated debate. My facebook newsfeed, which is supposedly populated heavily by liberals included the following statements:

• "can't believe that man won. the world blows my mind."
• "how the hell did Obama win? really? he hasn't done anything."
• "can't really understand why Obama won. what is the world coming to?"

I don't want to debate Obama's credentials for the Nobel Peace Prize. I think the committee chose Obama because of his phenomenal potential, and I have no doubt that the President will do his best to live up to the award. (The Huffington Post has a great piece on the Nobel Committee awarding the Piece Prize based on potential here.) I don't understand why the public cannot congratulate the man on the achievement and move on. The feverish skepticism set me off. After months of remaining silent, I am "mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore."

This rant is probably more about a few fickle Democrats than the Republicans, so my blogger's note may be for not. However, I am livid with those who continually complain about President Obama "not doing anything." The man has been President for nine months. Count them. NINE. He still has at least 39 more months in office. Yes, Obama had big campaign promises. Yes, he promised change in Washington, but can you please name a President that has made radical differences in nine months? We all knew that Obama's biggest weakness was his lack of experience. It wasn't a secret. We all knew what we were getting when we voted. The decades-old Washington machine is well-oiled. It's going to take more than one man, and 3/4 of a year to change it.

Maybe its Obama's fault for setting expectations too high, but has he really done nothing? Thanks to Obama, the discussion of health care reform has come further than ever. The system has been messed up for decades and Obama is finally stepping up to the plate and trying to get something done. Reforming health care is a pretty big deal.

Who knows, I could be completely crazy, but do I blame Obama for lack of progress? Absolutely not. I blame Congress (aka the opposite of PRO-GRESS) -- the old boy's club that hasn't accomplished anything in what seems like forever. The President has a myriad of issues to tackle - it's going to take time. I for one, still believe in the him. (As a side note, for all those complainers, change rarely happens on the national level -- it's ALWAYS slow and painful. If you want to make change -- get involved in local government, contact your state legislator, vote in municipal elections. Please.)

I said it when I was 16-years-old and I'll say it again, I want a President who knows how to lead and who can inspire a nation. President Obama is still that man. We live in a world full of cynicism and doubt, and I could be naive, but I am still choosing hope, because at the end of the day, that's a lot better than the alternative.

Hatch's Folly

I am sure Senator Orrin Hatch's (R-UT) recent admission that he will vote against President's Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, comes as no surprise to anyone. More than a few people are probably thinking, "Oh, he's just the crazy conservative from Utah." Unfortunately, that is probably true.

Hatch's statement on why he will be voting against the first Hispanic nominee to the court is a bunch of empty words. Hatch has voted for every Supreme Court nominee in his more than 30 years of service. Over the course of three decades, this is the one nominee that he can't vote for? Really Senator Hatch? I don't buy it. Plus, when he says that he will not be voting for her, the only really reason he gives is that her "judicial philosophy" doesn't jive with his. However, there are no examples, no specific answers that she gave in hearings that set him off, nothing. As a constituent, I want more from my Senator.

I may be wrong, but I highly doubt that Senator Hatch's lack of support for Sotomayor has anything to do with her qualifications. His statement came days after he dropped out of bipartisan health talks. Health care is one of the greatest problems facing our nation, and because Hatch wasn't getting his way, he dropped out. Awesome. Hatch's recent behavior is an obvious signal the he's catering to the right wing of the Republican Party, more specifically the right wing of the Utah Republican Party.

Hatch's counterpart, Robert Bennett (R-UT) is currently facing a stiff interparty race from serveral challengers for his 2010 re-election bid because he is too moderate. In 2008, congressman Chris Cannon was booted by Utah Republicans for not being conservative enough (this was the guy that accused William Ayers of ghost writing Barack Obama's autobiography. He wasn't crazy conservative enough?). Are we seeing a theme here?

Hatch's recent (and extremely disappointing) behavior is simply a signal to Utah's hardcore Repbulicans that he's still a strong right winger. He's saying, "Hey, don't boot me! Even though I've been here for far too long, and don't care about representing the real interests of my constituents, re-elect me!" However, I think Hatch's constituents will have the last laugh. Maybe I'm naive, but Democrats and (moderate Republicans) are making a comeback in Utah. Gov. Jon Huntsman, the "maverick" Republican who supported civil unions for gay couples and actually believes in global warming, was wildly popular with Utahns (until President Obama exiled him to China). Democrats now rule Salt Lake County and Democrat Jim Matheson is the state's most liked congressman.

So while Hatch may think that proving his conservative credentials will keep him in office for a few more decades, I'm calling his bluff. Come 2012, Orrin better watch out because the Democrats are coming (and probably a fair share of Republicans too).