White House Jobs Summit: Collaborative Effort, or Political Theater?

On Thursday the White House hosted a Jobs and Economic Growth Forum to help President Obama take “every responsible step to accelerate job creation.” Job losses are at their worst since the 1930s and the national unemployment rate has climbed steadily since President Obama took office (currently they are hovering at around 10 percent), despite unprecedented levels of government spending.  The Democratic administration is finally asking for help, requesting innovative ideas for putting millions of Americans back to work.  But will they heed the advice given by the business community — by those who know how to create jobs?

Invited to the summit were more than 100 CEOs, academics, small business and union leaders and local officials.  Reportedly in attendance were the liberal economists credited with shaping the $787 billion stimulus package, as well as union leaders, environmental advocates and executives from Google and other blue-chip firms. Not invited to the event were the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business — two of the country’s largest representatives of small business (both of which have been critical of the President’s health care overhaul).

The president addressed the group, then the guests separated into break-out sessions to brainstorm with administration officials. The president was looking for ideas that could be implemented immediately, as well as ideas that could be worked into upcoming legislation.  Several times the president mentioned his penchant for green jobs, and for “moving forward on an aggressive agenda for energy efficiency and weatherization” as a prime candidate for quick action.  He extolled this idea, comparing it to his ’successful’ Cash for Clunkers program.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters that Congress will tap unused funds from last year’s $700 billion Wall Street bailout to pay for new spending on roads and bridges and save the jobs of firefighters, teachers and other public employees.  She did not mention a price tag for her plan.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich held a rival jobs forum in Ohio, calling the Ohio meeting the “real jobs summit” and criticizing the White House forum as “political theater.”

“As the administration actively promotes job-killing health care, energy, and big labor legislation, millions of Americans struggling to find work won’t be fooled by the political theater of a ‘jobs summit,’” reads promotional material from Gingrich’s ‘American Solutions’ web site.

At Gingrich’s conservative forum, business leaders proposed taking concrete action for the economy through measures such as a two-year, 50 percent cut in payroll taxes; a reduction in America’s business tax rate (reportedly the second highest in the world); and complete abolition of capital gains and estate taxes.

David Taylor,  a leader of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association, highlighted a theme pervasive among business leaders when he said, “The government does not create wealth. The government does not create jobs. The government’s role is to allow the energy and the initiative of the American people to emerge in the marketplace. That’s where wealth is created. That’s where jobs come from.”

The White House announced that its job summit will be followed by nationwide community job forums that will run from November 30th through December 13th.  The White House Blog states that “These discussions, among neighbors, co-workers and friends, will be a source of insights and ideas that will inform the President’s approach to job creation.  Through WhiteHouse.gov, hosts can upload the results of their discussions. Back here at the White House, we’ll compile the feedback into a report that will be sent to the Oval Office for review.”   They will even email you “discussion questions and other materials to make your event as productive as possible” (in case you want a list of their ideas).

But you’d better act fast.  On Tuesday, President Obama is scheduled to give a speech presenting some of the ideas he’d like to see Capitol Hill implement in order to create jobs.  Let’s hope his ideas will avoid political agendas and burdensome mandates; let’s hope his ideas are prudent ones that will help put Americans back to work.

Workshop: How to get Involved in the Political Process

On Saturday, December 5th, the Independence Caucus and iPoliticom will host a workshop to educate the public about how to get involved in the political process.  The event will be held from 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. at Challenger School, 1260 E. 8600 S., in Sandy.  Invited to attend are “all concerned citizens, potential candidates and activists that want to get involved and reclaim their voice in the process.”

“WE THE PEOPLE are the government—let’s learn how to govern again,” said organizers.  The workshop will focus on how the caucus/delegate system works, how to elect good people, and how unity and activism can trump well-funded politicians.

The following speakers and topics are lined up for the event:

-MIKE LEE (attorney and former law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito): Defending and protecting the US Constitution

-LORI FOWLKE (Utah Representative for District 59): The Utah Legislative Ethics Bill – Why it should not pass

-CARL WIMMER (Utah Rep. for District 52 and founder of the Patrick Henry Caucus): Defending States’ rights

-CONNIE SMITH (Former Deputy Campaign Manager for Jason Chaffetz Campaign): How to use cottage meetings and rallies to organize politically and how to put it all together

-MONTE BATEMAN (Founder of iPoliticom): A complete primer on implementing the precinct strategy for 2010 elections; Blog squad and rapid response—using online media to produce a good outcome

-FRANK ANDERSON (Founder of the Independence Caucus): how to research out incumbents and how to use the research; The Independence Caucus and what it is all about.

-MORGAN PHILPOT (State GOP Vice Chair): “You Can’t Change What You Don’t Understand–How To Work Within The GOP System”

-MICHELLE AND BRANNON KING (Cache County Coordinators for the Independence Caucus): What can and will go wrong with running a candidacy and what to do about it

-RYAN MCCOY (Region 3 Rep for the Independence Caucus): Turbocharging our efforts using technology to the hilt. The hows and whys

-CORY JONES (business and marketing expert and dedicated volunteer): Using marketing tools and techniques to further the cause of Freedom

2010 Senate candidates James Williams, Cherilyn Eagar, and Tim Bridgewater have also been invited to attend and give presentations.

For more information, visit the iPoliticom Facebook page.

Upcoming Legislation

The 2010 Utah legislative session does not begin until January 25, but legislators have been hard  at work for some time now meeting with constituents, drafting legislation, and attending interim committee meetings.  Several interesting bills are taking shape.  We plan to post several articles from now through the legislative session highlighting various pieces of legislation.  Here are a few issues with which legislators are currently grappling (please note that these bills are in process and have not yet been assigned bill numbers).  Please contact your legislators regarding these or any other legislative issues that concern you:

• Elections, Lobbying, and Campaign Finance Enforcement Commission (Senator Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City) — This bill would create a commission to enforce election, campaign finance and lobbying requirements.  Other legislation addressing campaign finance reform, including limiting campaign contributions, is also expected to make an appearance this session.  Separate legislation to address ethics within the legislature via an independent screening commission is also in the works.

• Assertive Community Mental Health Treatment Pilot Program — (Representative Carol Spackman Moss, D-Salt Lake) — The goal of this bill is to keep the severely mentally ill and those who lack a support system from ending up in jail or in the state hospital (which can cost as much as $40k per person per year).  This bill would create a pilot program for as many as 50 people and would provide a network of doctors, psychiatrist, and social workers who would visit patients in their homes (projected cost would be cut to about $10k per person per year).  Moss ran a similar bill last year that faltered on fiscal concerns.

• Increasing sales tax on Food – Legislators are batting around the idea of raising the sales tax on food, only a couple of years after two cuts (2006 and 2007) reduced the state food sales tax to 1.75%. With the weak economy causing a state budget crisis, watch out for legislators looking for ways to shore up state coffers.  Some legislators want the sales tax on unprepared food to be raised and/or restored to the same rate as the general state sales tax: 4.70% (don’t forget about local and county tax rates which are added on top of the state rate).   This will be a debate worth watching as details unfold.

• Anti-discrimination bill – Representative Christine Johnson (D-Salt Lake City) has told reporters that she plans to run an anti-gay discrimination bill this session, but no legislation is logged yet as ‘in progress’ under her name on the legislature’s website.  However, she has carried similar legislation during the past 2 sessions, so it will be likely to come forward again.  Johnson said the bill will be similar to the Salt Lake City Council’s recently passed anti-discrimination ordinances, which received an endorsement from the LDS church.  Those ordinances will prohibit discrimination against gay and transgender workers, homebuyers and renters.  Legislation would likely include an exemption for churches or small businesses.

Visit the Utah Legislature’s website for a wealth of legislative information.

State GOP Approves Resolution to Oppose Ethics Initiative

When our GOP State Central Committee met this past Saturday, approximately half of the meeting time was devoted to discussing the Government Ethics Reform ballot initiative.  The initiative is sponsored by Utahns for Ethical Government (an ironic name, considering the content of their proposed initiative).

Tucked into this 20-page initiative are several questionable and unconstitutional provisions, including no due process for legislators, legislators are guilty until proven innocent, compromised right to privacy between legislators and their business clients, no checks and balances for the members of the commission and the signatories of the bill, signatories attempting to insert themselves into government operations, and blank-check appropriation of taxpayer money to an ineffectual commission.  We hope all voters will take the time to read and examine this ballot initiative before deciding whether or not to sign the petition to put it on the ballot.

The Utah Republican Party strongly supports ethics in government; however, this initiative is a flawed and dangerous route to take to arrive at the goal of increased government ethics.  Utah legislators have been working diligently on ethics reform and are continuing to make progress; in fact, legislation that has already been passed, and current legislation in the works, will render parts of the ballot initiative void because specific issues have already been (or are currently being) addressed.

At the SCC meeting, Todd Weiler, former party vice-chair and one of the current legal advisors for the state GOP, proposed a resolution opposing the initiative.  After some amending, the Committee voted and the resolution passed with only one dissenting vote. The resolution is as follows:

Resolution Supporting Ethics in Government and Opposing the Utah for ethical government (UEG) initiative

WHEREAS, the Utah Republican Party Platform states: “We demand honesty, integrity, morality, and accountability of our public officials” and further states: “We will work to expose and stop corruption.”;

WHEREAS, the Utah Republican Party supports our republican form of government “by, through, and of the people” through elected representatives who are answerable to the people and who are empowered only by the consent of the governed;

WHEREAS, Utahns for Ethical Government (“UEG”) is collecting signatures in an attempt to place an initiative entitled “Government Ethics Reform” on the ballot;

WHEREAS, among other things, the UEG initiative removes responsibility for ethics in government from the people and their elected representatives, and places it in the hands of an unelected, unaccountable commission;

WHEREAS, the power to judge “the election and qualifications of its members, and [to] punish them for disorderly conduct” is a plenary power that is constitutionally vested in and reserved to each house of the Legislature;

WHEREAS, the Utah Legislature has recently passed House Bill 345 (Lobby Restrictions), House Bill 346 (Campaign Report Amendments), Senate Bill 156 (Gift/Meal Provisions for Public Officials), Senate Bill 162 (Campaign Fund Use), House Joint Resolution 14 (Ethics Training), Senate Joint Resolution 6 (Legislator Communication with Judiciary) and created an Ethics Standing Committee to address ethics reform in Utah; and

WHEREAS, the Utah Legislature shall consider a number of additional bills during the upcoming 2010 legislative session addressing ethical, transparent, and open responsive government.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Utah Republican State Central Committee demands ethical government and supports legislation to improve ethical, transparent, and open responsive government, but opposes the constitutionally flawed UEG initiative entitled “Government Ethics Reform.”

December Central Committee Meeting Rescheduled

Our next Utah County Republican Party Central Committee meeting has been rescheduled for January 21, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. (place TBA). The meeting had previously been scheduled for 12/3.

A motion to postpone the Central Committee meeting until after the holidays was brought before the Executive Committee at its Thursday meeting, and the committee voted to approve the postponement. This decision was made because there have already been 6 Central Committee Meetings this year and one has already been held in the fourth quarter, which satisfies bylaw requirements; additionally, it was felt that time in December should be freed up to avoid conflict with family holiday schedules.  Central Committee members should soon receive a postcard notification outlining the changes.  See you in January!

Senate Health Care Bill Moves Forward

Tonight the Senate narrowly cleared a key hurdle as it voted to move forward debate on its vast 2,074 page  health care bill.   Debate is expected to begin November 30.

The vote was 60-39, with all 58 Democrats and 2 Independent Senators voting to move forward debate, and 39 Republican Senators voting against (Senator Voinovich, R-Ohio, was absent; he skipped the vote in favor of a party marking the 30-year anniversary of his election as Cleveland’s Mayor.  Priorities, you know).

The deal was sealed a few hours before the vote when fence-sitters Senator Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana) and Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas) agreed to move forward with debate.  Senator Landrieu has come under fire for receiving special considerations in the bill; specifically, a $100 million appropriation for states that “during the preceding 7 fiscal years” have been declared a “major disaster area.”  Louisiana is the only qualifying state. Cha-ching, cha-ching, let the cash register ring.

Under the Senate bill, most Americans would be required to carry insurance, and taxpayer-funded subsidies would be provided for those who could not afford insurance. The bill would first ease, then ban, the practice of denying coverage due to pre-existing medical conditions.  The Senate bill also includes a provision for “insurance exchanges,” through which the government would sell insurance in competition with private companies.  A provision to let states opt-out of the exchanges died Saturday as changes were made to the bill.

And how will we pay for it all?  Through a few budget cuts and a heap of additional taxes.  Included in the list of new taxes are a raise in payroll taxes on incomes over $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples (a ‘marriage penalty’?); the bill also includes tax increases on insurance companies, medical device makers, consumers choosing elective cosmetic surgery, and drugmakers.  Expect the expense of these new taxes to be passed along to the consumer.

Republicans condemned the bill as a costly government intrusion in the private sector that would raise insurance premiums, reduce consumer choices and raise taxes. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) stated, “This 2,000-page bill will drive up the cost of health care insurance and medical care, not down.  This is not true health care reform, and it is not what the American people want. This bill will result in higher premiums and higher health care costs for Americans — period.”

Congressional budget analysts put the legislation’s cost at around $900 billion over a decade, saying it would reduce deficits over the same period while extending coverage to 94 percent of the eligible population. How do you add billions in new spending and still cut the deficit?  You tweak the numbers.  New taxes for the health care system will be levied beginning right away, while health care coverage will not go into effect until 2014.   Collect payments now, present a tidy balance sheet, issue benefits later.

Democrats are hoping for 3 weeks of debate culminating in a completed bill by Christmas, which would be followed by a compromise conference between Democratic House and Senate leaders.  They hope to have a final bill ready for a vote in mid January.

Rally to Help Public Get Involved in Political Process

A rally sponsored by Utah 912 chapters and Utah Tea Party is scheduled for tomorrow morning; the rally will focus on educating citizens about how they can become more involved in the political process.  The event will be held Saturday, November 14, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, at the Utah State Capitol (inside the Rotunda).

Congressman Jason Chaffetz is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the event.  Speakers will educate attendees about how the Utah delegate system works, and about how they can make a difference by representing their neighborhood as an elected State or County Delegate.  Some topics covered will include:

• The secret to making local and national political change is with you and your neighbors.
• Utah has a unique situation which gives us an enormous opportunity–we have a DELEGATE system with direct and major impact on Utah Elections.
• Delegates represent their neighborhood precinct in the State and County Conventions by voting for party candidates BEFORE the primary.
• If a candidate wins 60% of the delegate votes at the convention they become the party nominee and there is NO PRIMARY election–the winner immediately advances to the general election!  This delegate process levels the playing field for anyone who wants to run for office.

Organizers state, “We can not stress to you how important it is for you to attend and BRING A FRIEND!  If we all work together, we can start changing our nation–one neighborhood at a time.  Yes, YOU can make a difference!”

For more information, contact David Kirkham at 801-377-8224.

Health Care Bill Passes House

Call it the Congressional Saturday Night Special.  In a 220 – 215 vote Saturday night, the House of Representatives  passed sweeping and historic health care legislation.  HR3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, passed with 219 Democrats voting in favor and 39 voting against.  All House Republicans voted against the bill, with the exception of Representative Joe Cao (R-Louisiana).

The bill now goes to the Senate.  The Senate may choose to vote on the bill as passed by the House, or may choose to vote on its own version of the bill.  If the Senate passes its own version, the two versions would need to be reconciled and voted on again.  It will be interesting to see how those 100 men and women hold up under the intense pressure sure to come down on them from the government and from the public.  Be sure to let your senators know where you stand on this issue.

The Republican National Committee released the following statement after the vote:

“Today with help from their liberal House allies, President Obama and Nancy Pelosi finally got what they have been creating behind closed doors these past months — a government-run health careexperiment that will increase families’ health care costs, increase the deficit, increase taxes on small businesses and the middle class, and cut Medicare.”

The camel just squeezed its way further into the tent.

Shurtleff Suspends Senate Campaign

Mark Shurtleff today announced that he is suspending his campaign for US Senate in order to care for his daughter, who is experiencing health difficulties.

“I have chosen to take pause because my daughter’s health is very fragile,” Shurtleff posted on his senate campaign site. “She is struggling with emotional issues and has recently been placed in a treatment center.  Her recovery depends on the focus and energy we give her as parents over the next several months.  In the time since I announced my candidacy for the U.S. Senate, she has started experiencing severe mental health problems and is now in a treatment center. M’liss and I have been told by her doctors that we will be needed in numerous counseling sessions to give our daughter a chance of recovery.”

Shurtleff went on to say, “Many of you know that I had a serious motorcycle accident a few years ago, and I would have lost my leg if I had not paused and taken the time to receive medical treatment to take care of it. I am not willing to lose my daughter, so I am suspending my campaign to care for her and my family. Most folks understand physical illness; it is my hope that people will learn how serious and dangerous mental illness can be.”

The full letter of explanation can be found on Shurtleff’s Senate Site.  Shurtleff assured Utahns that he will continue to serve in his capacity as state Attorney General.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Shurtleff family, as do our well-wishes for their daughter’s speedy recovery.

Provo / Orem General Election Results

The results are in for Tuesday’s Provo and Orem Municipal Primary Elections.   Voters elected the following candidates (designated with a *):

Orem Mayor: (95.45% of votes reported)
*Jerry Washburn (6,106 votes)
(Philip Hornberger – 1,993 votes )

Orem City Council: (3 seats)
*Brent Sumner (5,150)
*Karen McCandless (5,085)
*Mary Street (3,553)
(Dean Dickerson – 3,322)
(Shiree Thurston – 3,098)
(Steven Diamond -2,440)

Provo Mayor:
*John Curtis (53%)
(Steve Clark 47%)

Provo City Council Citiwide 1:
*Laura Cabanilla (57%)
(Coy Porter 43%)

Provo City Council District 5:
* Sterling Beck (53%)
(Cindy Richards 47%)

Provo City Council District 2  (not part of the Leg 61 boundaries):
*Rick Healey (%57)
(David Acheson 43%)

Provo City has a nifty election map link that lets you mouse over each voting precinct to see how many people voted and for whom.  Orem also has a nice election results page with good info.

In Provo, the total voter turnout (as calculated for the city-wide seats) was approximately 18%.  In Orem, total voter turnout was approximately 16%.