'Speed dating' lobbyists is a slap at voters

The recent Utah House Republican's "speed dating" fund-raiser held at the Hard Rock Cafe was "in your face" to voters. It was brazen and sent the message that lobbyists and their money are more important than their constituents.

Equally discouraging is that it sends the wrong message to young people who are learning about how our government works. They see the myth between what their civic teachers teach about government and today's reality. Can't you just imagine parents talking at the dinner table with their teenagers and trying to convince them that they should respect their elected leaders? It's a tough sell. Is it any wonder that people are turned off about voting and place politicians and columnists at the same level of trust?

I remember in the old days when political candidates held fund-raising picnics, dinners and meetings in their districts. Sometimes candidates lost money with fund-raisers and still won big time.

When my brother, Rey, ran for state representative from Salt Lake's west side, a young Pete Suazo, who wanted to learn about politics, helped us organize his campaign. We had great fund-raising dinners with chile verde, rice and beans but ended up in the red.

Nevertheless, my brother won by some 70 percent-plus in his district. My brother would not have been a good speed dater. He stayed close to his constituents and won re-election easily.

It's too bad the House Republicans held such a classless event. It's bad enough to be courted by lobbyists with dinners and entertainment, but to have such an event is just tacky and gives other politicians a bad rap. Such events make public service less than the noble calling students in school are led to believe. They deserve better.

I wonder if the legislators involved had held a similar fund-raiser in their districts and charged their neighbors $22 to do a little bit of speed dating, how many would have attended.

Some legislators seem to operate as independent contractors and see speed dating as a quick and easy way to raise money on a one-night stand. Lobbyists like it because they can contact a lot of potential lawmakers at one time that will later carry their clients' legislative bills. The result is that during the legislative session the public can see a plethora of bills (each year there are over 600), most drafted by lobbyists, and any relationship between those bills and the voters' interest is purely coincidental.