Comments about ‘Bennett's fight signals a change in Utah politics’

Should leftists like me be pulling for Bennett to defeat his screwball right opponents? Under ordinary circumstances I would say yes, but in light of the complete lack of cooperation by the GOP in DC, I think not. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the show!

As it should be with this RINO, Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, is in real political trouble. He's in a fight for his political life, being challenged by seven Republicans, with several of them having a real chance of knocking Bennett from office. We all know that the GOP are for Big Business only, not the little guy, but this is to much. Now you know wht the tea party movement started up. This is being neck-deep in manure pit. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed an emergency enforcement action to halt an alleged fraudulent scheme by two owners of an Albany, New York, brokerage who sold debt in unregistered offerings and used the proceeds for its operations and to hire strippers. Then people like Michael Steele, Chairman, Republican National Committee whine about this, since being sworn into office, the Fundraiser-in-Chief has hosted 42 fundraisers nationwide tapping the same left-wing ATM that once started his presidential campaign to now help keep Democrats in control of Congress. When will it ever end?. Oh yea, don't forget the Pig Book on Pork / Earmarks, and how much Bennett got for Utah and himself to.

I'm all for electing new people, but the change in Utah is going more and more extreme to the right. I'm convinced Utahns are actually quite moderate, middle of the road and fair-minded. But the conservative crowd are bullying their way in, intimidating and pushing out reasonable people. It will not end well.

I love that the Leftist above was honest enough to call it what it is: Marxism.

In this battle for our Freedom 95%+ of Americans have no idea who or what is being fought over. Obama is a Marxist. Marxism has gone through many, many changes. It never works, always fails so the next group to try it always have to make changes.

Sadly, most Republicans are simply Marxist-lite, and are not aware of it. Bennett is clearly Marxist-lite. I worry that Mike Lee is simply Marxist-suprelite. He was no bastion of Constitutional constructionalism or economic freedom while Huntsman counsel.

In any case, we know what Bennett is and it's time for him to go.

@ Esquire,

Those who agree with you are "quite moderate, middle of the road and fair-minded". Those who don't agree with you are "bullying their way in, intimidating and pushing out reasonable people."

I think that says more about you than it does about the people of Utah.

----

Mr. Bennett has served Utah since 1992. Eighteen years is sufficient time to 'serve'. What good he has been able to do, has been done. He is now seen by the voters of Utah as part of the Washington problem.

He hasn't always been seen that way, but somewhere along his path of 'service', he started clinging to the ideals and ideas of Washington instead of the the principles of Utah. He needs to spend some time flipping hamburgers or washing cars or mowing lawns until he understands what his policies have done to those who feel lucky if they have an extra dollar a day to spend frivolously.

He promised us that he would only serve two terms. We allowed him to occupy the seat for three terms. That was a mistake on our part. He knows it. We know it.

Agreed,

Ex-changing one Red - Right-wing Republican for and even Redder-far-righter wack-o Republican will cause Utah more harm than good.

Utah-liban.



I'll say it again because it is so true --

Moderation in ALL things.

"Obama is a Marxist." Take it from a Marxist, Obama is no Marxist. I wish he were, but he just ain't.

If we elect another republican, you'll get exactly the same results. Just rubber stamp the candidate with a R on his forhead. If you want real change, Vote Democrat. Demcrats are doing things constructive, saving jobs, trying to fix the mess Bush put us in, with Bennet's help. Republicans are doing NOTHING. Not surprising, the havent done anything constructive in decades

@homebrew

Whichever party his replacement comes from, let it be someone who understands limited government. The current direction is toward unlimited government, and that's what needs to be reversed.

Capitalism is inherently unstable, but it appears that over the next couple of years at least, Obama and Co. of engineered an effective recovery. Guys like Bennett and Hatch who stonewalled Obama on health care are going to look increasingly stupid. I think, rather than just enjoying the Republican circus, I'll hope for Bennett's crashing and burning. For his (and Hatch's) opposition to health care reform he has earned my undying hatred.

T. Party | 11:54 a.m.

I'm all for a more limited Government.

But

First things first --

Get us out of 2 middle East Wars,

and stablize the economy ruined by the last administration.

then let's talk, shall we?....

How is he a RINO? He exacly what you would expect from a Republican.

I've never missed an election of any kind since I was old enough to vote for 34 years. I've been to the majority of my Republican caucus meetings, and have been a state and county delegate several times. This year, at caucus many said they were there for the first time ever and they were anti-Bennett. I had to ask for a vote, just to allow nominated delegates to speak. It was a big disadvantage to be someone who had always done my civic duty. According to some, I must be a RINO too.

I support Bob Bennett for another term, not because of him personally, although he is a nice enough fellow. He has done an excellent job, and is an expert on many important issues affecting Utah, especially land issues. In the current system of seniority he has significant influence to represent Utah.

A freshman Senator no matter how capable, and even if you agree with him/her on more issues then Bennett, will take years to become a player in the Senate. I'd like to see Utah have a voice at the table given the huge challenges we face.

Of-course, one way or another Senator Bennett will be replaced by another public servant either this year or sometime in the future. What about the big picture?

-In a heavily Republican state, 3500 delegates will effectively decide who the next Senator from Utah will be if one gets 60%. This is good?

-The next Senator will be only 1 of 100 Senators in a bi-cameral legislature, in one of three branches of the government. No compromise politics? When does reality hit for a freshman?

-Citizens can have any opinion they want without grounding or evidence to support their positions & w/o being held accountable. Law makers, must seek to learn the details and facts. They hold hearings and hopefully listen to all sides of an issue. They then must make tough decisions. They will never please everyone. Does a challenger have a record?

-Giving more power to the caucus/convention system, (i.e. 60% avoids a primary), closed primaries and moving them much earlier to June, and an unwillingness to listen to different political views, have helped disenfranchise many Utah voters, and have helped create the lowest voting participation rates in the nation. This is good?

facts_r_stubborn,

It's a fact that Jason Chaffetz came into the 'even larger and tougher to make a splash as a freshman' House of Representatives two years ago and:

*proposed (and passed!) legislation

*had a strong voice, demanded, and received a place at the table as 'a player'

*wrangled his way into three seats on committees -- one traditionally reserved only for long time players

I liked his comment in Spanish Fork about two weeks ago: "It really doesn't matter what committees you chair, or how long you've held the seat if you don't vote right"

Tim Bridgewater correctly noted the other day that Bob Bennett has voted for 132 of 133 spending bills that have come across his table. It was not until last year that he found one to vote against. This, in aggregate, indicates to me that he doesn't often vote "right"

Many of the contenders impress me.

Mike Lee, particularly, looks to be able to hit the Senate floor running. He knows which legislation he opposes and supports. He knows which other Senators he can form coalitions with. I believe he'd do more good than Bennett. I'm voting Lee.

@Marxist

You may be right about Obama not being a Marxist, he is really just a left wing Chicago thug trying to be a Marxist. Aren't you glad you live in America where you have the right to call yourself a Marxist? Maybe you should find another place to live where you fit in better. On the other hand if you stay here long enough you will fit in when Obama gets done destroying this country.

Wait, what's that I hear? The sound of air rushing out of the re-election bid of Utah's venerable Senator Bennett who's in his 77th year and still clinging to power. . . Mike Lee's bandwagon is getting bigger and bigger every passing day. I spoke with a pollster the other day who disclosed as much without wanting to give me specifics until it's published. May 8th will prove to be the end of an 18-year term. Mr. Bennett did not step aside quietly and retire. He thinks he's become indispensible to Utah. Because he didn't/wouldn't/couldn't do it on his own, as state delegates we will be forced to take matters into our own hands and invoke the ultimate term limit on an aged politician. We use the ballot box to remove him. There should be no tears shed over his demise. Whatever issues remain, Bob Bennett has simply run to the end of the track. You don't promise voters only one, then two, then three terms, disavowing career politicians all the way, then assert your seat is a perpetual entitlement. The delegates will reclaim that seat for Utah.

We truly live in an ironic time. Bob Bennett is the most powerful United States Senator Utah has ever had. He is the third ranking on the Senate Appropriations Committee, the most powerful committee in the Senate. His intellect and integrity is repsected by all, and yet those attracted by simple slogans, yelling rallies and no sustained effort at policy reform want to replace him with folks who won't know where the rest rooms are in D.C. or the State Capitol. Politics should be about intelligence, integrity and accountability, all of which Senator Bennett has. Hope he surrives.

Bennett has become a cog in the Washington establishment. He may be a good person, but if he feels that the Washington lobbyists are more important to listen to than Utahns then he needs to be voted out of office. By the way this is not Bob Bennett's senate seat. It belongs to the people of Utah.

It doesn't matter if the other candidates are more right or left of Bennett. It doesn't even matter what seniority he has on important committees, because seniority is useless when his party is not in the majority of the senate, and even worse than useless if he is not representing the people of Utah.

The people of Utah have the responsibility of taking a chance on one of the unknown candidates if this senior politician no longer represents them. Utahns need to quit whining about the senators from other states and calling for term limits, if we won't clean our own political backyard.

If Bennett fails to uphold the political values of Utahns, it will be better to chose from the unknowns. If a new senator fails also, then remove him/her in six years.

There are 4 candidates that seem to have a chance of winning the GOP nominee for US Senate. Mike Lee, Cherilyn Eagar, Tim Bridgewater and Bob Bennett.

As the pollsters learned 2 years ago when Jason Chaffetz won, trying to guess what will happen at convention is pretty tough.

We do have two county delegate polls taken at Weber and Utah GOP County Conventions. Both had Cherilyn Eagar taking 2nd place over Bob Bennett and Tim Bridgewater. These two counties represent over 27% of the state delegates.
[A recent 3rd county straw poll, with 1/2 of 1 percent of the state delegates, Bennett did edge out Eagar)

With a 3 round ballot system, any of those that make it through the 1st round could win, even if they don't get 1st place for round 1.

I believe that Cherilyn Eagar is the only one running who has supported and been active in fighting for conservative values for the last 30 years at the local, state, national and international level.