In the 2004 legislative elections, 92.3 percent of the senators who ran for re-election won; 93.5 percent of the House members who ran again won.

With those kinds of retention wins, are you really accountable when you vote against a government reform issue wanted by 80 percent of the people?

Clearly, you are immune.

Accordingly, advocates of such reform measures are left appealing to the general good will of lawmakers.

And that good will, in normal cases, seems to work. Utah is, after all, basically a well-managed state.

In addition, I hear legislators say things like: "When I talk to constituents, they never mention campaign finance reform, redistricting or lobbyists gifts. They don't care about that stuff. They trust me."

OK, then if it's a matter of trust and good judgment, here is an example to consider: What would you, Mr. Lawmaker, do if this happened to you:

You are sued in civil court. You show up the first day of trial and the plaintiff's attorney, just before the lunch break, says to the judge and jury: "I know how hard you work, and for little pay, so I'm taking you all to lunch, and the bus is outside to carry you all to the New Yorker restaurant where we'll each have a $50 meal. And tonight I'm taking you to a Jazz game, the next night to the Utah Symphony. We may or may not talk about this case, but we'll have a good time."

Can you imagine how fast a law would fly through the Legislature outlawing such a practice in the judicial branch of government, the severe penalties imposed on the gift-offering, gift-taking people involved? (By the way, there are laws against such court conduct already.)

Oh, I can hear the outraged floor speeches by legislators now.

Well, another year has gone by in the Legislature. Little or nothing has been done on legislative reform. And while I believe Utah legislators are honest, hard-working people trying to do the right thing, when it comes to dealing with their own ethical questions many are deaf, blind and oddly insensitive to what their constituents want.

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Deseret Morning News political editor Bob Bernick Jr. may be reached by e-mail at bbjr@desnews.com