Comments about ‘What would the Gipper say about HB477?’

Reagan?

Not one decent politician would have stood for this one.

Pathetic.

Shockingly, Florez has hit the mark this time. He is absolutely correct about the Utah Legislature's ever increasing level of extremism.

The legislature is wise to be wary of the left-wing extremism that permeates the national government. However, the response of creating an equally extreme state government, just extreme in the opposite direction, is not the answer. As Thomas F. Meagher famously stated, "Extremism in defense of liberty is no virtue."

Extremist governments always seek to hide the doings from the eyes of others. While this secrecy bill will have no effect on the great hordes of the public who are too busy playing video games and listening to ipods to bother looking at government records anyway. But there is at least a small, vigilant group who opposes extremism and does read the records.

The Founding Fathers wanted and expected this Country to be ruled by moderates. Ignoring this wisdom can only lead to disaster.

What a waste of a column. Mr. Florez had the opportunity to teach us WHY the bill is bad. He had the opportunity to tell WHO the bill affects. He could have told us WHAT the bill is about. He could have used the basic tools that any competent journalist would use; instead, he chose to shout and rant.

That served no purpose.

He might feel better, now that he's vented; but, we're just as ignorant of the facts as we were before reading his column.

I don't agree with the bill because it exempts "Text messages" from GRAMA (Government Records Access and Management Act). Not allowing anyone to see text messages between an elected official and his 'campaign contibutors' is reason enough to defeat the bill before it becomes law in July. Seeing text messages from his friends or his spouse might make those friends or spouse uncomfortable, but if they have private things to say, they can wait for a private moment to say it face to face.

HB 477:

Legislators exempting their electronic communications from GRAMA.

Huge, arbitrary increases in the fees charged to citizens for a GRAMA request.

Burden of proof shifts away from presuming that a citizen's request for access to information is legitimate, to presuming that a request for information in NOT legitimate and the citizen must first _prove_ the legitimacy of their need to access public info before access to the info is granted. (Prove your case before being given access to evidence - good luck with that.)

You can't solve this problem by hoping to elect more reasonable Republicans. The state's caucus system ensures that only the most far right-wing delegates nominate the most extreme GOP candidates.

There are lots of moderate, rational Democrats in our state. Start electing them.

Otherwise, HB 477 is just the tip of the iceberg and the worst is yet to come.

Reagan Himself would not be in favor of this I agree. But if his "handlers" were in favors, they would have to "lean" on him a bit in order to change his mind.

This is crazy talk, but wouldn't it be funny if Utah messed with the GRAMA law in order to conceal plans for secession from the Union? Hardy harr, harr.

Secession? No.

Hiding the sweetheart real estate & construction deals when they move the prison? Bet on it.

Name ONE company that allows it's employees to secret communications.

ONE

Every company in America allows the employer access to all employee communications.

For the People - By the People.
Who works for who?

You Conservative Republicans and your Patriot Acts and HB477 -- allowing the Government to spy on Citizens - yet not allowing public access to it's Government have all sold America completely to the Gaddiantons!!!

Great -- stay focused on the single issue of Abortion rights from 40 years ago, and keep voting Repbulican so they can completely trample the Constitution starting bogus wars, secret meetings, Corporate welfare, and Death panels.

@ LDS Liberal

I would love to find politicians that would fight against those things, but there aren't any. That Patriot Act you despise, (and I do too I might add, as a "conservative") was extended by a Democratically controlled congress. Those 'bogus wars', I don't see the Democrats doing anything serious but staying the course there, either. Closing Guantanamo? Nope, they don't do that. Sadly, the "Gadiantons" have infiltrated both parties, and the only way to stop them is to take away government power and restrain it properly by the Constitution.

Mike Richards defending the repubs even with most repub (people) are against it.

Incredible.