From Deseret News archives:

Blame politicians for disillusionment of Utahns

Published: Saturday, July 5, 2008 12:10 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
July is the month we celebrate citizenship and patriotism and pioneers and other soul-stirring recollections of our great heritage.

But Utah held an election not long ago, and fewer citizens showed up to vote than show up at college football games on a typical Saturday afternoon in September. It's another indication of how badly broken the political system is in Utah...and in other states, as well.

First, the dominant political party moved primary elections to late June, a time when voters have their minds on everything but elections. To add insult to that injury, the dominant political party made primary elections closed elections. Voters must declare party affiliation before they are allowed to vote. Utah voters don't like being forced into party affiliation; they don't trust political parties to protect confidentiality; and they don't understand why party loyalty is a prerequisite for voting. Utahns may favor one political party, but many think of themselves as independent, and they resent being forced into a political pledge of allegiance.

Story continues below
Second, both political parties indulge in name-calling, especially those party leaders most likely to be quoted. Their rhetoric categorizes political opponents as not simply mistaken but evil. If politicians call opponents evil, then debate and compromise become weaknesses, not strengths. Gone are the days of rational discourse and personal respect.

Third, the dominant political party put in place a system of school board elections that allowed as many as 15 candidates to be on the ballot for a single office. Party leaders had neither the courage nor the good sense to give voters a reasonably limited list of candidates. The purpose was clearly to spread votes so that candidates selected by party leadership had a better chance of winning.

Fourth, leaders of the dominant political party are so vindictive toward a popular governor (of their own party) that they advanced a candidate for treasurer who was clearly not qualified but would favor legislative leadership over public interest. The pre-election squabbling confused some voters and angered others. (Fortunately, the political maneuvering did not work in this case.)

Fifth, the so-called "grass-roots nominating process" of neighborhood caucus meetings has been compromised by power brokers of the dominant political party. Caring citizens who attend neighborhood caucuses but question the predetermined outcome are ignored, ridiculed and marginalized.

Recent comments

Thank you, Don Gale, for revealing Utah republicans for the autocrats...

Will Pearson | July 7, 2008 at 6:13 p.m.

@lorie,

Did you just refer to the Deseret News as "the liberal...

Adan | July 7, 2008 at 11:32 a.m.

This commentary generated a brief little spark of optimism when I...

Justin | July 7, 2008 at 11:27 a.m.

previousnext

Latest comments

Top 5 Players in minutes played: Utah 1 Fr, 2 Jr, 2 Sr Jr Carlon Brown...

Yep "self righteous" if the rest of us who don't rubber neck left, you would...

Jazz notes: 15th most-valuable team

Thank you for keeping the team here for all of these years, and for always...

Jazz fall apart late at L.A.

of misery, inconsistency, road games losses and of course, NO TITLE ! Long...

Glad to hear about Matt and the others who demonstrate you can play at a high...

I guess they forgot that God made clothes for Adam and Eve and that was...

and good luck.

Panel passes BCS playoff bill

There is an inherent problem in any rating system -- it takes into account...

Give Phillips some credit. He was 5/5 in field goals in the YBU game, and the...

Letters: Earth at center?

Mr. Bender's kind of thinking doesn't even acknowledge that the world is...

Advertisements