About Utah Politics - May 30, 2014

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Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 9:00am

How to Sound Smart About Utah Politics - May 30, 2014

Lee says it's not inevitable that same-sex marriage will become legal across the country. Chaffetz calls for the resignation of Eric Shinseki. Hatch apologizes for remarks he made at a Memorial Day event.

Countdown:

25 days until Utah's 2014 primary elections
158 days to the 2014 midterm elections
241 days to the start of the 2015 Utah Legislature
522 days until the 2015 elections
598 days to the 2016 Iowa Caucuses (tentative)
893 days to the 2016 presidential election

Friday's top Utah political news stories:

Sen. Mike Lee says it's not inevitable that same-sex marriage will become legal across the United States [Deseret News].
Rep. Jason Chaffetz joins the chorus calling for the resignation of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki [Deseret News, Tribune].
Chaffetz names Fred Ferguson as his new chief of staff [Tribune, Deseret News].
Sen. Orrin Hatch apologizes for making partisan political comments during a Memorial Day event [Tribune].
The West Valley City Council advances a plan to possibly save the UTOPIA fiber optic network [KSL].
Scott Anderson praises Gov. Gary Herbert's Medicaid expansion alternative plan [Deseret News].
Rep. Michael Kennedy, who is also a physician, admits to undercharging poor and uninsured patients in order to give them a break [Tribune].

On this day in history:

1431 - Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in France.
1539 - Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto landed in Florida.
1854 - The territories of Nebraska and Kansas were established.
1911 - The Indianapolis 500 was run for the first time.
1922 - The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.
1989 - Protesters in China's Tiananmen Square erected a 33-foot tall statue they called the "Goddess of Democracy."
2005 - Vice President Dick Cheney predicted the Iraq war would end before the Bush administration left office.

Today At Utah Policy

Bob Bernick's Notebook: Sacred Cows
A lot of speculation this week that The Salt Lake Tribune could be sold, and the buyer could be billionaire/philanthropist Jon Huntsman Sr....

Matheson Wins 'Gold Mouse' Award for His Website
Rep. Jim Matheson's website was honored with a "Gold Mouse" award from the Congressional Management Foundation as one of the best websites in Congress....

Utah's Congressional Races not Expected to Be Competitive
Don't count on much drama as we head toward November. A new election forecast gives all four Republican candidates a whopping 99% chance of winning....

Lawmakers Consider Changing How They Handle Budget Surpluses
Both Utah legislative leaders and GOP Gov. Gary Herbert like to brag about how well-managed our state government is....

Bryan Schott's Political BS: Never Punch Down
"Never punch down." That's a sage bit of advice given to me during my radio days. It means don't legitimize lesser competition by attacking them....

Featured Items

Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report
Outdoor Notes--Tribune:Hike of the week: Northgate Peaks Trail--Tribune:The 'indescribable' fun of digging dinosaurs in Utah--Tribune:Utah's Goblin Valley 'a natural playground' for adventuring-- For the?latest wildlife news and information?and the?fishing report?visit theDW...

Bernick and Schott on Politics - Episode #189
What does the future hold for the Salt Lake Tribune? Will Salt Lake Mayor Ralph Becker run for a third term in 2015?Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott discuss the week in Utah politics....

'The Return of Romney'
In races where Mitt Romney has endorsed2014 candidates facing competitive primary challenges, he's undefeated so far, providing evidence that the "Romney wing" of the Republican Party is alive and well....