Confession 1: I am a registered Republican
Confession 2: The Tea Party Movement makes me cringe
Confession 1: The Registered Republican
Let's face it, Utah is notoriously red and we run under a one-party system. I believe the one-party system is detrimental because like any good system, it should be subject to revision and scrutiny in order to work out the kinks. When one party has a monopoly, they can push and pass bad legislation (not unlike the current U.S. Congress - but that's personal opinion), and ignore other viable options under the pretenses of partisanship.
I'm not a huge reader of the Salt Lake Tribune, nor do I agree with all of the opinions expressed by this author, but I believe that there are points in this article that are worth considering and thinking about: "The Fruits of Single-Party Government in Utah"
I consider myself a moderate conservative and an independent voter. So why am I a registered Republican? Yet another product of the single-party system. If I want to have any say the process, I can't stand by and wait until the candidates have been chosen for me to then vote for the candidate I believe will do the best job. By then it's already over because let's face it, we know the Republican will win 9 times out of 10 in Utah. I learned this the hard way this past year in the caucus that would oust Bennett and choose Lee as the republican candidate for the U.S. Senate race. Since I did not participate in caucus voting, others chose candidates for me.
To sum it up, I am a registered Republican because I want to have a say in Utah politics and I adhere to traditionally conservative principles. To be fair and not assume that my values would only be embodied by republican candidates, I considered both Granato and Lee and decided to write in Bennett. To Granato's credit, he provided real plans as opposed to Lee's limited government rhetoric and proposed legislation ...cough cough*term limits*cough cough...that I dare say would not pass in any Congress.
Personal Opinion: The check for term limits is the people, let's not forget that. I believe that the time and effort to pass a piece of legislation to determine and enforce term limits is a waste of efforts that need to be focused on more urgent problems. These midterm elections provide a good example of what a disgruntled constituency can do to end terms quickly. In all reality, what member of Congress in their right mind, or with any desire for a continued future in public service as a member of Congress, would actually vote for the end of their term?
And, I feel that I should note that when Kenz and I called Lee's office - since setting term limits is one of his positions, 2 terms for Senators and 6 for members of the House - we found that Lee had no plans for setting a timeline for his own time in the Senate. It makes me believe that we are just sending a new group of lifetime politicians to Washington based on empty rhetoric, and it disgusts me.
Don't worry, I won't go into immigration because I think any comments I have are too lengthy to add to this post. But let's just leave it at the fact that building a large wall is not going to solve our problems.
Confession 2: Tea Parties and Porcupines
Does anyone remember the tea party in Alice in Wonderland? To tell you the truth, I never liked Alice in Wonderland and my recollection of that tea party is based solely on Disney's version of the movie, which involved singing about everyone's unbirthday.
Even though I'm all for having unbirthdays, the song drove me nuts. And so here goes the comparison of how the tea party with the Mad Hatter and the Tea Party going around the country are similar:
1. They involve crazies
2. The can drive you nuts
If you have been following any sort of news that mentions politics, I have said enough or these pictures are enough.
Honestly, who picks these people???!!?? O'Donnell, a Christian zealot who has "dabbled in witchcraft", and Palin who is nice enough but I sure wouldn't want her experience (or lack of it - I don't think anyone will be forgetting this interview anytime soon) or backyard view of Russia influencing any policy in Washington. And to clear things up for us all, you will recall the O'Donnell campaign add stating that she did not graduate from Yale, is not a witch, but is "you."
But I can't help but wonder if she is us, then maybe we should be asking ourselves this question.So, here's to throwing things out there, which is what I actually like about the Tea Party. I appreciate freedom of speech even though it may drive me as nuts as the unbirthday song does, and this goes for both the right and left extremists. Government should be held under scrutiny by the governed, and freedom of speech is one way to provide the essential criticism that will lead us where we should go. I have a hard time believing that all of the answers are in the extremes. I would hope that Americans are moderate in the sense that they will consider both sides and determine that the real solution lies somewhere in the middle.
I think that the fact that there is a far-right reaction to what has turned out to be somewhat of a far-left administration and congress goes to show that America does not lie in the extremes. A movement such as the Tea Party would not exist unless there were a general attitude of disillusionment with the current administration, and there wouldn't be such a backlash against the Tea Party unless there were a popular consensus that they're a little too extreme, too.
Extremes cause us to think, and I think that the Obama Administration, democratic Congress, and Tea Party have done a great service to America because these extremes make us reevaluate what we believe and what our values are. There must be opposition in all things, and I think the opposition created by the Tea Party is a good thing.
I also admire people for standing up for what they believe in, as was the case in the first Tea Party. And yes, it was in 1773 as Palin referenced correctly.So, the Tea Party movement is kinda like hugging a porcupine - and I'm referring to how sensitive it can be and not alluding to any potential consequences of hugging a porcupine. It can be uncomfortable, some people go in for the hug without thinking much about it, others stay away from it, and some kinda dance around it without going in for a real hug. I think I'm still dancing.
image from paulabecker.comJason Chaffetz
House Representative for Utah's 3rd District
House Representative for Utah's 3rd District
Is it bad that one of the reasons I do not like Chaffetz is because he bears too much resemblance to the Grinch? It's uncanny. Also, the fact that Squaw Peak looks like the mountain where the Grinch's sled sits tipping as his dog hangs from the harness in its reindeer antlers, doesn't help me think otherwise.
Yeah, that's what I thought. But there are other reasons including his declared opposition to earmarks. Yet he doesn't have a problem going to other offices to ask Senators to earmark for him. The fact that he has only sponsored legislation that renamed a post office after his friend, Mike Lee's father (nothing against Rex Lee, he was awesome), after he went into Congress with the slogan that he was there to "legislate, not decorate" is a little ridiculous, as is his media stunt of sleeping in a cot in his office. I won't even go into what I think about his Colbert interviews.
Okay, I'm done now. Educate yourself, and get out and vote tomorrow! If you're in Utah, check out the issues and candidates here.
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