About Utah Politics - April 1, 2014

Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

How to Sound Smart About Utah Politics - April 1, 2014

Judges that will hear the Amendment 3 appeal named. Johnson withdraws from 4th Congressional District race. Herbert signs bill making "revenge porn" illegal.

Countdown:

• 24 days until the Utah State Republican and Democratic conventions
• 84 days until Utah's 2014 primary elections
• 217 days to the 2014 midterm elections
• 300 days to the start of the 2015 Utah Legislature
• 580 days to the 2015 elections
• 645 days until the 2016 Iowa Caucuses
• 951 days to the 2016 presidential election

Today's Utah political news highlights:

• The three judge panel that will hear the Amendment 3 appeal is named [Tribune].
• Jennifer Johnson, a Republican candidate in Utah's 4th Congressional District, withdraws from the race [Deseret News, Tribune].
• A glitch at the state office caused some Utah Republican candidates getting incomplete delegate lists following last week's caucus meetings, which is fueling some conspiracy theories [Tribune].
• The race for House District 57 is heating up [Utah Policy].
• Gov. Gary Herbert signs a bill making "revenge porn" illegal [Tribune].
• The attorney for accused businessman Marc Sessions Jenson says the decision by the Attorney General's office to charge his client with fraud was politically motivated [Tribune].
• Utahns are frustrated by website problems on the final day to sign up for insurance under Obamacare [Standard-Examiner].
• 17 teachers in the Ogden School District have been asked to not return next year [ABC 4].
• The Pleasant Grove City Council has begun looking at a new building for the city's fire and police departments [Daily Herald].
• Neighbors around Pioneer Park are concerned by the growing number of transients in the park [Tribune].

On this day in history:

• 1789 - The U.S. House of Representatives held its first full meeting in New York City.
• 1853 - Cincinnati became the first U.S. city to pay its firefighters a regular salary.
• 1933 - Nazi Germany began persecuting Jews with a boycott of Jewish-owned businesses.
• 1945 - American forces invade Okinawa during World War II.
• 1960 - The first weather satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral.
• 1970 - President Richard Nixon signed a measure banning cigarette advertising on radio and TV.
• 1976 - Apple Computer was founded.
• 1984 - Singer Marvin Gaye was shot to death by his father.
• 1987 - President Ronald Reagan told doctors in Philadelphia "We've declared AIDS public health enemy No. 1."
• 2008 - The Pentagon made public a legal memo that approved the use of harsh interrogation techniques against terror suspects.

Today At Utah Policy

A Microcosm of the Good, Bad and Ugly of Utah's Current Election System
If you want to see the strengths and weaknesses of the current caucus/delegate/convention system in Utah, listen to the recent debate among the three Republican candidates for House District 57....

This Pro-Obamacare Bumper Sticker is Next-Level Political Trolling
The pro-Obama group Organizing for Action is distributing this bumper sticker that has conservatives freaking out....

Poll: GOP Losing Younger Voters
Voters between the age of 18-29 are turning away from the Republican party....

New York Moves U.S. Closer to Killing the Electoral College
The New York Assembly has approved a bill that moves the country closer to using the national popular vote instead of the electoral college in presidential elections....

Utah's Congressional Seats Could be All-Republican for First Time Since 1999
If, as expected, Republicans win control of Utah's 4th Congressional District seat, it will be the first time since 1999 that Utah has had a single-party delegation in Congress....

Corroon Mulling Bid for Democratic Party Chair
Former Salt Lake County Mayor Peter CorroonFormer Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon is eyeing a return to politics as he's considering a bid to replace Jim Dabakis as chair of the Utah Democratic Party. ...

Featured Items

U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson and EDCUtah Investors Discuss Public Policy at QIU Event
EDCUtah investors and friends joined in a lively conversation with Congressman Jim Matheson last week during the Quarterly Investor Update meeting at the Utah Opera Production Studios in Salt Lake City....

Conservative Mormon Family Finds Hope In Marijuana Extract
Jacob Glenn recounts his LDS mother's efforts to form a powerful "mommy lobby" that successfully pushed the Utah Legislature to legalize a cannabis extract that controls seizures....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Editorial: Citation cannot be trusted with public land

Defense argues ex-AGs have info that could clear Jenson

Republican field narrows in race for U.S. House seat

Delegate conspiracy? No, it's just a glitch in GOP lists

Governor signs 'revenge porn' bill, 110 others into law

Paul Rolly: Carl Wimmer finding peace after combat politics

Minority kids don't fare as well as whites in Utah

Can Khosrow Semnani apply his magic touch to Trolley Square?

Deseret News

Editorial: Digital learning excellence

Changes proposed for Emery refinery

Gov. Herbert honors Advanced Placement students at Park City High School

Johnson withdraws from 4th District congressional race

Defense attorney wants Swallow, Shurtleff to testify in criminal case

Other

Editorial: Endangered Species Act tweaking (Standard-Examiner)

National Headlines

HealthCare.gov struggles under surge of last-minute demand (The Hill)

U.S. could free Israeli spy in deal to save peace talks (Reuters)

Yellen Says Slack in Job Market Shows Need for Support (Bloomberg)

Koreas trade fire (Associated Press)

Amid Wave of Pro-Gun Legislation, Georgia Proposes Sweeping Law (New York Times)

Obama Backs Schatz Over Hanabusa in Hawaii Race (ABC News)

Software Patents Roiling Industry Get Rare Look at Top Court (Bloomberg)

Christie's bridge scandal lawyers to be subpoenaed (Associated Press)

Democrats Must Sell Obamacare to Win U.S. Congress, Clyburn Says (Bloomberg)

Biden: People will be surprised how well Obamacare turns out (UPI)

Marketplace Website Has A Rocky Day As Thousands Try To Beat Enrollment Deadline (Madison.com)

Wise Words

Honors
"Dignity consists not in possessing honors, but in the consciousness that we deserve them."
Aristotle Quotations Page

Lighter Side

Bling Bishop
"Pope Francis had to fire a German bishop known as the 'Bling Bishop' after he spent over $43 million to renovate his house. Pope Francis was nice enough to describe it as a 'conscious     unbishopping.'"JimmyFallonPolitical Humor

2014Bizarre, Crazy, Silly, Unknown Holidays & Observances

*April Fools  or All Fools Day

*Atheist Day

*Boomer Bonus Days

*International Tatting Day

*Library Snap Shot Day

*Myles Day

*National Fun Day

National Fun at Work Day

*Poetry & The Creative Mind Day

*Reading is Funny Day

*St. Stupid Day

*US Air force Academy Day

April Monthly Observance

Adopt A Greyhound Month Link
Atlanta Food & Wine Month
Arab American Heritage Month Link
ASPCA Month  Link
Alcohol Awareness Month
Amateur Radio Month Link
Autism Awareness Month Link
Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage Month Link
Cancer Control Month
Car Care Month
Celebrate Diversity Month
Child Abuse Prevention Month
(International) Cesarean Awareness Month Link
Community Spirit Days (1-30)
Confederate History Month
Couple Appreciation Month
Cranberries and Gooseberries Month Link
Defeat Diabetes Month
Distracted Driving Awareness Month Link
Emotional Overeating Awareness Month Link
Fair Housing Month Link
Financial Literacy Month Link
Fresh Florida Tomatoes Month
Frog Month Link
Genocide and Human Rights Awareness Month  Link
Global Child Nutrition Month Link
Grange Month Link
Holy Humor Month
Home Improvement Time (April-Sept.30)
Honor Society Awareness Month (Different Sponsor Than March)
Informed Women Month
International Customer Loyalty Month
International Guitar Month Link
International Twit Award Month
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) Month Link
Jazz Appreciation Month
Keep America Beautiful  Link
Library Snapshot Month
Month of the Young Child
Math Awareness Month Link  Link
Month of the Military Child Link
National African American Women's Fitness Month
National Autism Awareness Month
National Cancer Control Month  Link
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Card and Letter Writing Month
National Decorating Month
National DNA & Genomics & Stem Cell Education & Awareness Month Link
National Donate Life Month
National Facial Protection Month Link
National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month  Link  Link  Link
National Garden Month Link
National Heartworm Awareness Month Link
National Humor Month
National Kite Month Link
National Knuckles Down Month
National Landscape Architecture Month
National Minority Health Month Link
National Multiple Birth Awareness Month Link
National Occupational Therapy Month
National Parkinson's Awareness Month Link
National Pecan Month Link
National Pest Management Month
National Pet Month Link
National Poetry Month
National Rebuilding Month
National Safe Digging Month Link
National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month Link
National Youth Sports Safety Month
Pharmacists War on Diabetes Month
 Pet First Aid Awareness Month
Physical Wellness Month
Prevent Lyme in Dogs Month Link
Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month
Rosacea Awareness Month
School Library Media Month
Soy Foods Month
Straw Hat Month
Stress Awareness Month
Tomatillo and Asian Pear Month Link
Women's Eye Health & Safety Month
Workplace Conflict Awareness Month
World Habitat Awareness Month
Worldwide Bereaved Spouses Awareness Month

 April Weekly Observances

*The APAWS Pooper Scooper  Week: 1-7
*Golden Rule Week: 1-7 Link
*Laugh at Work Week: 1-7
*Medication Safety Week: 1-7
Mule Days: 3-6
*Hate Week: 4-10
Money Smart Week: 5-12 Link