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News analysis: GOP still on top in Utah

Vouchers are dead, and Republicans know it. Bernick and Rolly will keep playing the voucher card until they retire.

Utah will be the last or one of the last states to implement vouchers, about twenty or thirty years from now.

GOP still on top in Utah?

No kidding!

When are they going to get off and let the common people breathe?

. . .water is still wet and things fall down when you drop them.

Please wake me when the media reports on Obama's total lack of relevant work experience. The only thing Barak has run is his mouth.

Oh yes, I forget - he is for "hope" and "change". So remember kids, the next time that you run for political office, just tell people that you are for "hope" and "change". You don't actually have to tell people how you are going to accomplish that, nor do you have to show how your background demonstrates an actual ability to get things done. Just say that you are for "hope" and "change".

I'm sorry, I forgot that being a "community activist" fully qualifies someone to run the most complex technological, political, economic, military organization that ever existed. Oh yeah, and three years as junior Senator, when he pretty much ignored his responsibilities for 2/3 of his time in office, trying to get another job. Sounds like a huge improvement over Bush to me. Because he is for "hope". And "change".

I want someone else on top. My wallet is empty.

So the Republican Party is strong in Utah. Problem is, in 49 other states, the trend, as two years ago, is decidedly downward.

Thankfully, Republican voters in Utah's 3rd Congressional District have an opportunity to help our country chart a new course -- by choosing a new kind of Republican to represent Utah in Washington.

On or before June 24th, 3rd district Republicans can take a stand against status quo sellouts whose arrogance and self-promoting agendas will guarantee Democrats even greater gains in 2008 than those achieved in 2006.

Accomplishing such a turnaround will not be easy. It will take an extremely concerted effort from conscientious, ethical, conservative Republicans and their independent compatriots. Each of us must take on the commitment to contribute more than our share in time and financial support to help Congressional candidate Jason Chaffetz win the election that he was cheated out of at the Republican convention on May 10th.

So please. Get yourself to the polls -- and then get 100 of your friends there voting as well.

Let no man count these as small things, for there is much which "lieth in futurity" pertaining to America and her freedoms which depends upon these things.

My wallet is empty too!!! I bet the GOP's wallet's aren't! I've had enough of red! All they want is to keep a war alive in other off countries while their own people here in the good ol' USA are losing houses cause our wallets are empty cause all the money goes to keep that war going. And Bush's treasure sec. doesn't even want to give anymore help to us here by allowing another stimulus check - but I bet he would give it to support the war!

Just what are John McCain's and Barack Obama's positions on the issues important to our country?. Obama says he would meet unconditionally with the world�s worst dictators, from Ahmadinejad to Castro to Kim Jong Il. Obama says he will retreat from Iraq no matter what the situation on the ground is, and no matter what advice he receives from military commanders. Caving to isolationist sentiment, Obama would reverse our path to lowering trade barriers to U.S. products. Obama opposes free trade agreements with Colombia and Korea, and would unilaterally renegotiate NAFTA. Obama proposes to increase federal spending, further increasing the burden that we will pass along to our children and grandchildren. Obama voted for the same policies that created the problem. Obama has consistently shown poor judgment about the nature of the terrorist threat and the policies needed to keep America safe. Obama proposes to raise taxes on millions of Americans and small businesses. Obama would nominate judges that would continue the judicial activism that has characterized the federal bench for years. This is why he opposed Roberts and Alito.

No surprise. Utahns have absolutely no will nor initiative. Republicans, and the thugs in office, have a long, long career here because the general culture is one of not questioning authority.

Ya get what you pay for.

GOP still on top? There was money to do a tax cut. It could have been done in a way that gave the majority of the give back to those who needed it most. Instead it went to the very rich. If you agree with this vote GOP.

The conservative movement seems to be playing itself out in most of the country. It has never been a coherent philosophy for governing, only a political means of using fear and greed to get elected. Baby Bush is the logical conclusion to a movement which is "anti" everything. He subscribes to all the requirements of being a conservative, he is anti government, anti environment etc. the problem is he can't govern worth a hoot. If the republicans are to survive nationally they will have to elect more capable and pragmatic leaders like our governor Huntsman, and California's Arnold.

That's sad news. I've been a life long Republican (except for 1972). I am so upset with the Republican leaders in Utah I could scream!!

Look what they've done lately:

(1) Promoted School Vouchers (which were solidly defeated.

(2) Spent revenues on a soccer stadium that the majority did not want and that will soon sit idle. Where are people going to park - the parking garage that was supposed to take 20 of the 35 million w

(3) Called for municipalities to ban fireworks when taking such action violates state law (the law is dumb, but hey the Republicans did not gid rid of it this past session)

(4) Are trying to work things like the US Congress where you lump everything and the kitchen sink into one bill so that the bad becomes law along with the good. Speaker Curtis is dead wrong in supporting this shameful and disasterous policy.

(5) Brought about the ability to split school districts, which without a solid framework is causing tremendous troubles in SL County

(6) Has basically run rough shod over Salt Lake County to the point that UTA no longer has to abide by zoning laws. VOTE DEMOCRATIC IN UTAH!

I would have thought that the religious bigotry shown during the primary season--particularly in the south--would have turned many Utahns off to blind loyalty to the Republican party. The Utah Mormons have been the most loyal base of the Republican party for years, and then the southern Evangelical bigots sounded the alarm when a Mormon had the audacity to run for president. The party's base slapped the Mormons in the face. The Mormons should consider abandoing that party as a reprisal but of course they won't.

McCain can rectify the situation by giving Romney the veep spot, but that might be handing several southern states with their bigoted Evangelical populations to Obama.

I see several issues in Utah. One, it is never good for one party to dominate the political landscape. It means an environment for abuse occurs. Two, people in the state as pointed out in the article vote by party, not by issue or candidate. Until the voting public votes by the issue, or by the record of the candidate, the legislators will feel that once they are in, they are in. Finally, we need campaign refinance reform where legislators cannot keep their extra money when they are done in office. Whether true or not, the perception is that legislators are thus in bed with their donors, not with the public they represent. I do feel it is time for some major change in our state government though and over the next twenty years, it will be coming whether people want it or not.

Americans are Sick of the President! Never mind, let's keep that one party state in place--just like the old Soviet Union.

If you think taxes and such are bad under the GOP, just wait. Every Democrat running for president this season PROMISED to raise taxes. When you hear Democrats in Congress talk about money, they talk about our post-tax paychecks like it is money they have given us, as opposed to the taxes being money we have given them. It's all backwards.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not happy with a lot of what the Republicans have done in office. They promised smaller government and lower taxes. They DID lower taxes, but were not able to make the cuts permanent. The Dems have PROMISED to eliminate those cuts and increase taxes on top of that.

Here in Maryland a few years ago, we lost a Republican governor (Ehrlich) to Democrat (O'Malley) rhetoric. Ehrlich was touting a $500 million surplus in the budget. O'Malley said there was a $1.3 Billion shortfall. What he didn't tell anyone was that was due to $1.8 billion in NEW stuff he wanted the government to do for folks. O'Malley won, taxes have gone up, nothing is better for folks, and the Democrats are happy.

Well spoken,Kelly H! Not only the Mormons were thrown under the bus,but the conservatives were too. Mitt would be the right candidate to appease the Mormons and the conservatives.Mitt can raise the money and potentially bring in 2 "blue" states for the GOP. That would be Massachucetts and Michigan.

Do you think the state of Utah would ever vote for an African American? Remember Utah was the last state to honor Martin Luther King as a holiday; it has never elected a African American to a national office since 1847; and finally, look how few African Americans hold any positions in the LDS Church, Tabernacle Choir or even at BYU. Utah doesn't even mention in their history books that slavery was part of Utah's early settlement years.

I see a lot of whining on a lot of comment boards about how taxes aren't being cut for folks who need it most. Please remember that (at least for Federal income taxes) the bottom 50% of workers DO NOT PAY ANY INCOME TAXES. Please understand that. 50% of workers in this country earn little enough that they are exempt from Federal income taxes.

The top 1% of wage earners pay 30% of the Federal income taxes. The top 3% pay over 50% of the Federal income taxes.

Most of the tax cuts were in the form of increased amounts for deductions (how much you take off of your gross income) and tax credits for dependents. The tax rates for upper income levels didn't change all that much, and more people at the bottom end no longer have to pay taxes.

I'm sorry, but take a look at history. Democrats have presided over every major government expansion in our history (except following 9/11), and Republicans over every major cut in taxes. If you think Uncle Sam has his hand in your wallet now, the Democrats will want your wallet, pants, shirt, ...

Here's something to consider when voting for members of the Congress and especially the US House of Representatives...

The minority party in the house of representatives wields little if any power or influence. Before 1994, Republican members of Congress (then the minority) complainned that they couldn't get the time of day for their legislation because they were the... minority. Yup, if Utah elects Rob Bishop and Chris Cannon/whoever with an "R" behind their name we won't have much Congressional firepower. Why not vote for a conservative Democrat and at least have some say???

I met the fellow running against Rob Bishop, by the way, I have nothing in particular against Rob Bishop, anyway, this gentleman is an LDS seminary teacher, has been a businessman (owned his own business) and seems to me to be a perfect fit for Utah's ideals. And, he is a Democrat, meaning, if elected he could chair a committee or subcommittee, something Rob Bishop could not do since he is a member of the minority party.

I think people in Utah get fixated on a couple of insolvable social issues and get "con'd" out of their votes and voices in Congress. Time for a change.

OK so the Dems are going to raise taxes, mmmm would someone tell how else can we pay the huge debt that has come about the last 7 years. Who's going to pay that if taxes aren't raised? Our grandchildren in twenty years?