Comments about ‘Delegates don't like Sen. Bob Bennett, but poll says voters do’

Kudos to the reporters. This is one of the best laid our political reports I've seen in a long time.

If Bennett could only get Ron Paul to introduce him - this crowd will more Ron Paul than Mitt Romney. In reality it should be dubbed the Libertarian Party Convention because that is where this years crop of delegates fit most snugly.

Utah needs Senator Bennett's experience, skill and the power of his seniority in Washington now. These are perilous times. Yesterday I was attacked by anti-Bennett bloggers, who offer no grounding, (as usual), for their assertions, saying I was using scare tactics by mentioning the sovereign debt crisis in Greece with the contagion spreading to Portugal, Spain, Italy and perhaps even the U.K. Today, we see the concern in world financial markets. Tomorrow we will see if Spain's attempt to float $30 billion in new debt is successful, with important implications for the financial sovereign bankruptcy contagion to other countries in the EU.

Again, I reiterate that now is not the time for Utah to send an inexperienced Senator back to Washington. no matter how capable they may one day be. Senator Bennett is an expert on the very issues that are important to the economy and supporting our national security today. The financial crisis, the dramatic rise in health care costs that is destroying the American middle class, and the costs of Medicare and Medicaid that will bankrupt the nation, if we don't act soon to move to more market based solutions.

As a Republican who strongly supports Senator Bennett, I've had quite a battle on these threads the last few weeks with those who are against him. Several claim to be delegates. I appreciate those who have been intellectually honest and said why they support a certain candidate other than Bennett. I have not appreciated those who make ad-hominem attacks, who base weak assertions on falsehoods, or who make no attempt to back up what they say with facts. I have not been impressed that these later people are informed voters.

In general however, and thinking reflectively over my caucus meeting and the strong anti-incumbent ferver, I understand pretty much what has happened this year. People should be angry, but they need to ground that anger in factual data. Delegates' conservative principles are right on, but their understanding of issues is weak. For example, if you want to understand the true causes of the financial crisis and why the Bush TARP was necessary to avoid a deep depression you can't get it from the media or talking with your your neighbor. These are complex issues.

For Utah's sake, delegates please ponder carefully, choose wisely.

I too am currently in the Bennett camp. Although I disagree with some of his voting record, at least he has one. None of the others running has held so much as a city council seat. Nancy Pelosi will be reelected and sending a novice at this point against this well funded Democrat congress is a bad idea. I think Utah cannot afford to have 2 of 5 Congressional representative as freshman.

The most important thing to remember though is that this is the last term Bennett may get and not running for reelection frees him, to not care about special interests. The other major candidates have to to get reelected in 6 years. Only in Utah are we crazy enough to think Bennett is not conservative.

In that scenario we get a new Senator in 6 years no matter what. And remember we will likely dump Hatch as well in 2 years. Do we really want 2 freshman Senators in that corrupt seniority system in Washington?

Thank you Bennett for your years of service rendered.

-Big Oil
-TARP
-The Banking Industry
-Other Special Interest Groups

It is time to send someone else, a non-career politician. Anyone who claims this is not the time to send an inexperienced rep. doesn't understand why Bennett is on the way out along with many other incumbants. He and the others have become self-serving. We WANT change. Sending them back for another dip in the money pool is exactly what we want to end.

It will all be academic second-guessing by tomorrow.

"Not conservative enough?" Phooey.

Time for change? Right on.

Yes, goatsnotes - how's that hopey changey thing workin out for ya? And Steve Jarvis - what about Big Oil, TARP, the Banking Industry, and "other special interest groups" What? What? What are you talking about? You had another couple hundred words left in your post - please explain. My guess is that you are just chanting again with no real understanding or expertise on these issues. Your type of electioneering, slogan driven politics is the very reason we need to do what Jon Huntsman floated - get the process open to a lot more people.

@facts_r_stubborn or should I say Bennett staff employee, In case you havn't noticed our dear senator Is the problem, and keeping him on because of his seniority is not the solution, so Bob, step aside let go of the ring and let a real conservative take the reigns.

Are those who vote Bennett out, going to personally hire all those who lose jobs because of it?
Are they going to write checks to the state of Utah for the federal funds we will lose?
Will they pay the Utah ranchers, for the cows that will die without water?
It is really easy to be a right wing wack job when you have money.
Bennett was rated as one of the best in getting earmarks for his state.
They guy did the job that I sent him to do.
I want our rep to go and get money for our state and protect our states interest.
Bob Bennett has done that.
The other candidates do not get it.
What good will it do having a new Utah senator yelling in an empty chamber?
Goodbye Utah water, goodbye Utah jobs, good bye Utah portion of federal funds. If we do not re-elect Bennett.

It sure seems that the media is desperate to keep Bennett around for another 6 years. Every day there's some new story about how the public just loves Bennett.

Funny thing, after 18 years, I can't think of a single thing that Bennett has done for the state, except make it possible for churches to utilize illegal aliens as volunteers without facing any liability.

This is very reminiscent of how the press and campaign aides tried to prop Chris Cannon up when his ineffectiveness and unpopularity finally caught up with him. They kept trying to scare the public with tales about giving up 12 years of seniority and the impossibility of a newcomer making a difference. It seems that Chaffetz is doing a pretty decent job, even in his first term. I expect Lee or Bridgewater to do the same.

Nevada is preparing to oust Reid from the Senate. They don't seem afraid of losing their seniority and actual power held by the Senate leader. Utah should do the same.

Viva:
Exactly. Using fear tactics that we will lose so much power in DC because we will lose Bennett is ineffective and shows how desperate Bennett is. He cannot stand on what he has done to be re-elected and he knows it. I just hope he is voted out tomorrow. As you said, other states are not afraid of losing seniority; citizens of those states want someone who is more in touch with reality than DC insiders.

As a state delegate, I will be voting for Mike Lee. The reasons include:

1. His primary focus on deficit spending. Even when the GOP controlled congress, deficit spending was out of control. We do need a balanced budget ammendment.

2. His focus on constitutional principles - primarily focusing on Article 1, Section 8 and the enumerated powers congress is supposed to limit themselves to for legistation.

3. His fight to repeal health care - either through direct repeal or the defunding of the health care bill.

As I have listened to all of the candidates through debates and cottage meetings, Mike Lee was the only candidate to not only share WHAT his positions are but also HOW he would accomplish them. He gave specifics. That was very refreshing to me.

RE: Conservative Veteran | 11:53 a.m. May 7, 2010
As a state delegate



Reply: The people should vote for who they want in Office, not a "puppet-master-state-delegate" doing it for them. Next Bob Bennett and Hatch will start asking every home owner to sell there home for $2,012, seeing the earth will implode its self on 12-21-2012 anyway, to the government, the people can live in their home "rent free" until that date, that way, when you spend the extra money you have from it, the economy and everything will get better out there after the 2008 crash, and more jobs will be created, and, if the planet don't implode on 12-21-2012, the government will own your title and deed to your property, and home to, and, you'll be homeless, for the State's to deal with you. Ya think ?. Now they get richer like Donald Trump does at the same time. All in the name of progress before re-election time comes around. But don't worry, Obama will order a few trillion more to be printed out, to cover the up front cost's.

libertarianmind,

This is exactly what you and people like you do, make ungrounded assertions, on everything. You don't live in reality so you make up your own reality to suite what you believe.

Fact is, I'm not a Bennett employee or even a campaign volunteer for any of the campaigns. I am a citizenship in the nation merit badge counselor. I have voted in every election no matter how small since I was legally able to vote 34 years ago. I have been a Republican state and county delegate several times.

And you, who do you work for my friend?

Bennett IS in touch with Washington reality -- and that's exactly why it's time for change.

First order of business next January is to scrap the seniority system for appointing committee heads. The new freshman class, sweeping out the incumbents, is the only way it's going to get done.

Mike Lee will see to it.

When you're so in touch with Washington reality that you are rumored for years to be Bob Woodward's "Deep Throat," how is this such a good thing for Utah?

Bennett's latest campaign ads are killing him -- does anyone make the connection that deficit spending is tied to bringing home the bacon to Utah?

How can Bennett presume to tout his influence and somehow disconnect himself from Obama's government-sponsored "stimulus" spending? We're not stupid.

Does anyone make the connection that trumpeting your efforts to defend earmarks is just more of the same pork barrel spending that has sunk the U.S. Treasury?

Does anyone think perpetuating Bennett/Washington-style politics as usual is such a beneficial thing that is it worth spending close to $1 million in a little over five months as Bennett has done?

Reason stares.

goatenotes,

Grasping for straws now?

You fail to mention that Senator Bennett is for term limits as was Senator Garn for 18 years before him. Fact is you need a constitutional amendment. Even 60 votes won't get that done. You need two thirds of the states. You really think a freshman Senator is going to get that done first thing?

Bennett deep throat? That is a real reach, wow, that is pretty old news and of-course not true.

You are wrong, deficit spending has nothing to do with worthwhile projects in Utah, like freeways and military bases. It has everything to do with entitlements, and particularly the growth of medicare and medicaid because of health care costs. Bennett was lauded by the Heritage Foundation for trying to do something about that.

Reality is the Constitution, checks and balances. No freshman senator is going to waltz into Washington and change the climate and be King.

Conservative Veteran,

Although we support different candidates, I appreciate your most recent very positive post.

I don't have a problem with people who ground their assessments.

Fact check: The seniority system does NOT require a Constitutional amendment, but term limits would -- get it right. Seniority committee chair appointments are only a traditional convention of the Congress that the parties have adopted to perpetuate the power of the incumbency.

Here's a clue: People like me don't need a term limit Constitutional amendment because those of us who believe and act upon the principle of the representative republic exercise their rights to impose term limits at the ballot box. Watch and learn tomorrow.

The convention delegates will help Senator Bennett keep his promise to NEVER become a career politician.

He cannot hold that seat as a perpetual entitlement.