How to Sound Smart About Utah Politics for Monday, August 15, 2016

Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

How to Sound Smart About Utah Politics for Monday, August 15, 2016

Good Monday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 228th day of the year. There are 138 days left in 2016.

Utahns say Hillary Clinton is more likely to win in November than Donald Trump. Trump's campaign manager reportedly received secret payments from a pro-Russian politician. Evan McMullin says it won't be his fault if Trump loses.

The clock:

• 85 days until the 2016 presidential election - (11/8/2016)
• 161 days until the first day of the 2017 Utah Legislature - (1/23/2017)
• 206 days until the final day of the 2017 Utah Legislature - (3/9/2017)

Ten talking points for Monday:

1. When asked who they thought would win the 2016 election, more Utahns picked Hillary Clinton than Donald Trump [Utah Policy].
2. Uh oh. Secret ledgers from the pro-Russia politician Viktor Yanukovych show $12.7 million in funds set aside for Donald Trump's campaign manager Paul Manafort in what is described as an illegal payment system [New York Times].
3. Republican party leaders have reportedly discussed possibly cutting off financial support to Donald Trump in October, shifting that money to endangered members of Congress [Politico]. Party officials are pushing back hard against the report [Slate].
4. Donald Trump wants supporters to act as poll watchers to prevent any "cheating" that could cost him the 2016 election [Washington Post].
5. Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin says he won't be the cause of Donald Trump losing the election because it's likely Trump will lose anyway [ABC News].
6. Former Attorney General John Swallow gets a new trial date in February of 2017. Swallow is still pushing to get the public corruption charges against him released [Deseret News].
7. Unified Fire Authority Chief Michael Jensen announces he is leaving his position amid allegations of improper compensation to top executives [Deseret News].
8. Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox says unless Donald Trump changes his tone and rhetoric, he will not be able to cast a ballot for the GOP nominee in November [Tribune].
9. The State School Board delays a vote on a proposal to lure a Facebook data center to Utah [Tribune, Deseret News].
10. A jury rules that Francine Giani, executive director of the Utah Department of Commerce, wrongfully terminated an employee in 2013 [Deseret News].

On this day in history:

• 1057 - Macbeth, King of Scots, was killed in battle by Malcolm, the eldest son of King Duncan, whom Macbeth had slain.
• 1939 - The "Wizard of Oz" premiered at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
• 1945 - The Allies proclaimed V-J day, one day after Japan agreed to surrender unconditionally.
• 1969 - The Woodstock Music and Arts Festival opened on Max Yasgur's farm near Bethel, N.Y.

Today At Utah Policy

Poll: Utahns Expect Hillary Clinton to Win the White House in November
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Nearly half of all Utahns think Hillary Clinton will win the White House in November, while a little more than a quarter say Donald Trump will be the victor....

How McMullin Can Win
By Golden Webb
National Review's Josh Gelernter says it's actually possible forindependent candidate Evan McMullin towin the presidential race, but only if he runs in Utah and nowhere else....

Genius Panelists: Bears Ears Monument Designation is Likely
By LaVarr Webb, Publisher
This Week’s Question: Will Pres. Obama designate a new Bears Ears national monument before he leaves office, or will Congressman Bishop’s Public Lands Initiative bill pass Congress, or will some combination of the two occur? What do you believe should happen?...

Donald Trump - Crazy Like a Fox
By LaVarr Webb, Publisher
When Donald Trump said the Second Amendment people might go after Hillary Clinton, I assumed he was mostly joking. I didn’t believe he was advocating violence. I didn’t get outraged over the comment....

How to Smartly Sustain Social Security
By Randy Shumway, Zions Bank Economic Advisor
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security act in 1935 to ensure aging generations against disability, economic downturns, and declines in health that affect worker productivity. Today, more than 80 years later, Social Security helps lift nearly 15 million el...

'Political Insiders' Say Evan McMullin Won't Have Much Impact on the 2016 Race
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Our "Political Insiders" say Utah native Evan McMullin's independent bid for the White House won't accomplish much....

Policy News

State Office of Rehabilitation Opens Waiting List to Serve More than 2,300 Utahns with Disabilities
Starting immediately, the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation’s Vocational Rehabilitation Program will open its waiting list in order to begin providing services to 2,353 additional Utahns with disabilities, with the goal of achieving successful employment for each cli...

Utah Makes Progress on Cancer-Fighting Public Policies; Lawmakers Have Additional Opportunities to Save Lives and Money
Utah is falling short when it comes to supporting policies and passing legislation to prevent and reduce suffering and death from cancer....

$5,000 Water Conservation Grants to Be Awarded To Four '2016 H2Oath Thirst Games' Winners
The Utah Division of Water Resources is pleased with the hundreds of Utah Citizens who have taken H2Oath: Utah’s Water-Wise Pledge....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Op-ed: Facebook deal is corporate welfare funded by taxpayers

Editorial: Green River nuclear plant is looking like a tough sell

Utah's new air ambulance companies raise the prices, and maybe danger, for patients

Former air ambulance worker: 'I do not want to die on the job'

Utah environmental regulators reviewing spill of Rocky Mountain Power coal ash into Price River

School board delays decision on $240 million Facebook deal

Back on the street: Evicted homeless family owes thousands in attorney fees and penalties

On the first day of Speed Week, complaints about the Salt Flats and the BLM

Utah's lieutenant governor says, barring huge changes, he won't vote for Donald Trump

Rolly: Chaffetz wants to topple America's top taxman, but are his motives pure?

Deseret News

Frank Pignanelli & LaVarr Webb: Alternative presidential candidates, BYU and Sen. Hatch

Op-ed: Talent builds championships and our economy

John Florez: Welfare ignores children

Op-ed: West Jordan and Project Discus

Editorial: Presidential candidates' economic plans alarming

New trial date set for ex-A.G. John Swallow

BLM to offer huge coal tract for lease at Greens Hollow

State school policy creates new alternative to teacher licensing

2 reasons Romney and Trump are different, 1 reason why they're the same

Unified fire chief announces 'mutual separation' with agency amid audits

State School Board holds off taking position on Facebook data center deal

Trump's 'tremendous problem in Utah' a focus of presidential race

Commissioner Phil Lyman tells of jail, 'Hamilton' and his right to public land

'Access-to-care crisis': Dentists criticize changes to Utah's Medicaid plan

Study gives Utah a C- for policies protecting new, expecting parents

Other

Weber County poised to raise property taxes (Standard-Examiner)

At Weber Human Services, clients skyrocket while funding stagnates (Standard-Examiner)

National Headlines

Trump: I've stayed true to myself (Politico)

How We Killed the Tea Party (Politico)

Trump: 'Freedom of the press' doesn't mean writing false stories (The Hill)

Liberals rally to sink Obama trade deal (The Hill)

Bill Clinton accuses FBI of serving up a 'load of bull' (New York Post)

Hillary drafts illegal 'Dreamers' to get immigrants to vote (Washington Examiner)

Milwaukee residents, business owners express anger about rioting, destruction (Chicago Tribune)

Hillary Clinton's Edge in a Donald Trump-Centric Race Has Liberals Wary (New York Times)

Black students seek nonwhite roommates, spark race debate (Christian Science Monitor)

Seattle's Minimum-Wage Education (Wall Street Journal)

Kaine: 'Even Richard Nixon' released his tax returns (CNN)