More thoughts from Dr. John's attic

January 30, 2011

Yesterday the Utah legislature gained another Republican Representative, elected by Party delegates when it was found that the freshly re-elected Representative had been drawn out of his district by the Utah County Clerk, without notice to anyone. Why wasn't he told when he filed to run or when he was certified as elected? Nobody seems to know. What I would like to know is why Rep. frank was the only one who lost his job over this. And I would also like to know why the Republicans got to fill the vacancy in a party meeting, when their candidate was not eligible to run. I have to admit to being disappointed that the Democrats did not challenge this in Court. I was sad that this happened in a District where my party had no candidate. You can bet we would have taken legal action, if we did. Which, of course, brings up the importance of our party in Utah politics. The Democrats are afraid of their own shadows, and dare not say anything that might offend anybody. So, as an alternative the "dominant party", they are not worth much. And their numbers in the legislature are dwindling. Why not stake out a different vision, and take a chance that many Utahns really are disaffected with the right wing kooks like Senator Buttars who dominate our political structure.They won't; and we will, so join us as we grow and as we become the real alternative.

There was sad news this week that a 13 year old Utah girl who had "run away" with an older man (more than once) was killed in a shootout between her friend and the police. What makes me sadder is that nobody is putting up much of a fuss as to why the police opened fire when there was a 13 year old girl who was likely to be hit. People desperately want to be able to depend on their police for protection; and they don't ask enough questions when others are injured or even killed by the police. No, I don't know for sure who killed her; and I don't know all the circumstances. But it does not seem to me that enough questions are being asked about this tragedy. The whole idea of chasing after that guy was to "protect" the girl; and she was NOT protected. No what? Will we look and see what went wrong, so it will not happen again? Too many people injured or killed by police with too little responsibility taken.

The legislature will be in session until March 10, and I shudder to think of the damage they can do in that time. I was just reading a bill tonight that gives the police more power to arrest on misdemeanors without a warrant. The police do not need more power to arrest; and I can think of no reason to give it to them. There will be efforts to make life miserable for immigrants and their children; and who knows what other mischief they will engage in. Stay tuned, and join me in the fight to preserve and expand our freedom. The fallacy that some would have us believe is that it is always the Federal government that takes our freedoms; and that the State is here to protect us from them. Hence, the Governor's statement in his "State of the State" speech that we "are a State and not a colony". Those who see our state government as a bulwark against tyranny from Washington are not paying a lot of attention.