From Deseret News archives:
Matheson and Bishop vote against bailout
Both opposed it this time, just as they did when the House initially rejected the bailout on Monday. On the other hand, Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, again supported the bailout as Sens. Bob Bennett and Orrin Hatch also did earlier this week in the Senate.
Matheson, D-Utah, and Republican Bishop face re-election next month. Cannon was already defeated in the primary election, so he does not. And neither Bennett nor Hatch face election this year.
Bishop said that thousands of voter calls to his office were "overwhelmingly against it (the bailout) and very passionate. But I tried to take that equation out of the picture. I really wanted to do the right thing regardless of other ramifications," he said. "I spent a lot of time soul searching."
In the end, "Deep down, I think we could have done better to safeguard the vulnerability of voters," he said.
"I sat in every meeting I could and listened to what everyone was saying especially those with expertise," he said. "But the advise was often conflicting."
If a more full debate had occurred, Bishop said he might have been able to develop comfort that the bill was the best possible but he instead was left wondering about many other proposals that did not receive close consideration and debate.
Matheson also said "a solid majority" of calls to his office were against the bailout. "The calls against it actually increased when people found out what the Senate had put in the bill" to sweeten it. "It upset a lot of people."
He said his opposition "was in no way a political vote" made simply to increase his re-election chances. "On Monday we voted no, and the stock market dropped 777 votes. If you wanted a political vote, you would want to be on the other side of that," he said.
"The overriding issue is that no one convinced me this bill will fix the underlying problem. When you talk about spending $700 billion, you want to have some certainty about what impact it will have on the problem," Matheson said.
Recent comments
I am so excited that Matheson listened to the people on this issue...
Deb Henry | Oct. 6, 2008 at 12:09 p.m.
Bennett and Hatch both need to retire. voluntarily or voted out,...
Eileen | Oct. 4, 2008 at 6:46 p.m.
This bill just makes me sick. Sen Bennett, as a long time member of...
Stewart | Oct. 4, 2008 at 1:00 p.m.
- D.A. retires, leaves mixed legacy 8:07 p.m.
- House bill would boost costs 8:06 p.m.
- $47B in suspect Medicare claims 8:05 p.m.
- Little things count in Cougar victory 8:04 p.m.
- Snowstorm hits Utah; 1 dead in crash 8:03 p.m.
- 2A title: Broncos' slippery win 7:33 p.m.
- 1A championship: Rich undefeated 7:29 p.m.
- Few call Venice home 7:27 p.m.
- Volunteers are needed 6:50 p.m.
- News seeks entries for contest 6:49 p.m.
- Apostle's wife felt comfort in attack
- Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
- Short-handed Jazz fly past Sixers
- D-Will home for daughter
- Bench proves fruitful for Y.
- Utes excited for 'dream' game
- Snowstorm hits Utah; 1 dead in crash
- Born of water and the spirit
- GameDay in Fort Worth
- No. 22 BYU holds off pesky Lobos
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
356 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
199 - Senators want food tax restored
164 - Will state consider gay rights law?
148 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
129 - No. 22 BYU holds off pesky Lobos
129 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
129 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
113 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
105
If you are looking for a bird on the cheap, the following specials from...
How do you handle kids and contests? Our oldest daughter, 7, is of the...
How does Scammed know that DHS hasn't helped snare a dozen or more attack...
Nobody is going to give Utah State a chance against Boise, but I think we'll...
So what you are telling me is that we DO need a government to do all these...
This is really cool.
Jealous? Yeah, I'm jealous, I'd rather have a sloppy win from missed kicks...
From the tone of the comments, people in Utah are content to be uneducated...
Trains don't blow their horns to disturb the peace. It's federal law that...
This ethics bill creates a commission that has NO checks or balances. The...
PG, Brighton, LP why are you saying "what if" Bingham played you. Bingham...
I dislike how they use the example of students having to change majors so...
