Comments about ‘Protesters rally at Capitol against big government’

Thanks to Restoration of America Foundation, The Utah 9.12 Project, The Latter-day Patriot Foundation, The Naked Republic Motion Picture Production (a documentary film about the Constitution and future of America), The Patrick Henry Caucus, The Thomas Jefferson Center, and The United Women's Forum
for putting it on.

I thought the speakers were great. I really liked Carl Wimmer calling Jim Matheson's office during the event and leaving a message about healthcare and everyone shouting out not to pass the Obama healthcare plan.

Cherilyn Eagar did a great job. While It wasn't a campaign speech, she will make a great US Senator.

The gal that sang the songs was great. I hope to be hearing her more. I can't remember the name. Ask Jared Law. He did a great job with the event.

There were several other speakers. I thought there were closer to 250 there.

I thought Deidre Henderson did a great job at representing Congressman Jason Chaffetz tonight at the rally. The speech were great, and she delivered it well. Sorry Jason, she is better looking.

I noticed Dave Hansen and Ivan Dubois from the Utah GOP. It wasn't a party event, but it is nice to know at least the Utah GOP party wants smaller government too.

I enjoyed the rally very much. As a self proclaimed "moderate" I have have not been involved in rallys before. I was so impressed with Rep. Wimmer and his ability to appeal to not only the "staunch right-wing", but also to us mainstream people who are just concerned about the direction our country is going.

It was an absolute crack-up when he called Congressman Matheson as he was speaking to the crowd, to ask him to oppose the health care bill.

I'm concerned with the growing belief that "small" is good as opposed to effective. We've seen for too long the results of "small, hands off government" -- from the slow and incompetent federal response to Katrina victims to, locally, the canal failure that killed three people in Logan. The Lt. Governor basically said that the state won't get involved in investigating the disaster and the victim's families are now left on their own to try to seek justice. Discussion centers more on that it will cost money to ensure people's safety with Utah's 5000 miles of canals. True, but doesn't it help all of us to have a government watching out for public safety?

Government is supposed to help people, but the blind belief that keeping government small at the expense of government's responsibility to the people (that is, being effective at solving social problems) is a misguided objective. How do you measure "small" government? Competent government is something you can measure!

I wished this rally centered on how to make government more responsive to the people rather pushing for some ambiguous concept of "smallness."

was Tatia Nelson.

I agree that there is a wide path that you can take, within the constitution, which is why we all don't agree. That said, the US has no business getting in to the car company business, or taking over health care. In some cases the US Gov. has to get involved, but not as often as it has in the past, as it causes more harm than good.

There are things the federal government can do and should do. Many of those items we all agree on, let's focus there.

There should be less compromise of principles and more consensus of common goals and beliefs.

Currently, there is the attitude that if one party has the votes, they should bulldoze over the other side. Members of both parties have done this in the past. One of the promises of Pres. Obama is that this would change. It has not, but is worse now than I have seen in over 30 years. The last time it was even close, was when Pres. Clinton was first elected. The democrats made the mistake, and the republicans took both houses within 2 years. History will repeat if we don't learn.

You refer to "small hands off government" with reference to Katrina and Logan canal break. I have news for you - We have a LARGE government and they did not meet your expectations.
You say - "Government is supposed to help people" - I say that you need to read and understand the Constitution. Facts are that the people gave certain power to the Federal and State governments, not the other way around. The fact is that our government has evolved into a huge beast that has rendered our Constitution down to a suggestion instead of outline for what their power is. Yet your belief is for us to push more of our responsibility off on the government - thus socialism and tyrany.
You say that "Competent government is something you can measure!" Yet you measured our large govermnet as "incompetent federal response to Katrina victims." I say that you need to grow up and take on the responsibility of being an American and helping out your fellow man instead of expecting the Government to be your MOM.
It's too bad that we have got to this point in our existance to want to give ourselves over to bondage.

What an extraordinary lead. My irony meter is pegged. Yes, in Cuba we have people wrenched from their homes and detained indefinitely by a military government, subject to harsh iterrogation techniques, without access to legal counsel or their accusers. No consitutional civil rights, but government provided meals and health care. And on the other side of the barbed wire you have Castro's Cuba.

This entire fringe of the rightwing is so embarrassing for Utah.

I wish Carl Wimmer and the rest of his conservative flock would take their own advice... If you don't like big government then do us all a big favor and LEAVE!!!

You know nothing about the rally or what was said, yet you feel the need to spout off. Sounds like a typical liberal-Knows nothing/spouts off. I think Obama just did that when talking about the cops.

I agree that Carl Wimmer has great appeal across a large spectrum. He is a true American who speaks as a common every day person. I really liked the music, the other speakers and the weather was wonderful in the shade.

"I thought Deidre Henderson did a great job at representing Congressman Jason Chaffetz tonight at the rally. The speech were great, and she delivered it well. Sorry Jason, she is better looking."

I agree, but I did miss the really dynamic speaking that Jason is so famous for. He instead had to deal with speaking nice about the Lakers BB team while still in DC.

"This entire fringe of the rightwing is so embarrassing for Utah...I wish Carl Wimmer and the rest of his conservative flock would take their own advice... If you don't like big government then do us all a big favor and LEAVE!!!"

The individual who posted this intellectual refuse is so ignorant that they don't understand that their hateful use of the phrase "right wing" is irrelevant here, and it puts their ignorance and hatred on display; the issue is Liberty, not the donkey or the elephant.

The point is, also, that we were here first. If YOU don't like the silent, yet vast majority here in Utah who love liberty, who adhere to principles rather than politics, you're welcome to go back to California or Massachusetts or New Jersey or whatever bastion of tyranny and oppression you came from.

Our protests should not be against big government, but oppressive, wasteful, and unaccountable government. In a Democratic society, governing should be done by the people for the people. This means lots of governors and representatives from all states working together. Our government has many resources and powers. When we cry for smaller government we should carefully consider the power transfer that would occur from the masses to the elite. Let’s remember, Kingdoms and dictatorships are small governments.
I would be interested in hearing more about Rep. Carl Wimmer’s efforts to work with the current administration in order to form a more perfect union. I am disappointed at their unwillingness to even hear his argument.

I recently lobbied for a public option-inclusive health care plan at the Federal Building and at the capital in DC. Small Business owners endorsed the plan in a meeting with Senators Hatch and Bennett's aids. Several individuals told their stories at the meeting- many included incidents similar to those where insurance companies would drop insurees for developing cancer and would label a broken finger a "pre-existing condition" The public option, implemented effectively, would cover everyone, reduce costs, help balance our deficit and fulfill our moral imperative to cover everyone. A public plan is necessary for true health care reform.

"Our protests should not be against big government"
Our rallies most certainly be against big government, for big government IS NECESSARILY TYRANNICAL, OPPRESSIVE, WASTEFUL, & UNACCOUNTABLE.

"In a Democratic society"
We live in a Constitutional Republic, NOT a democracy. Democracy doesn't work, it's an inferior form of gov't compared to the Republic. Founding Fathers knew this.

"Our government has many resources and powers"
...which they are GRANTED by THE PEOPLE. The people give the government authority, and the people and the states give the feds authority. They do not have authority they currently exercise; our massive federal government is exercising unconstitutional, unrighteous dominion over Americans, and this must end.

"When we cry for smaller government...power transfer...from the masses to the elite."
Hate to break it to you, but elite already control everything. You've got it backwards; limited government PRESERVES rights of the people!

"Kingdoms and dictatorships are small governments"
This is totally false. Kingdoms and dictatorships have massive, bloated bureaucracies and elites, if we're talking about kingdoms of men. Only RIGHTEOUS kingdoms (of God) are small governments; UNRIGHTEOUS KINGDOMS are oppressive, with high taxes and innumerable masses of leeches & "elites."

As is typical of leftist newspapers like the Deseret News, the reporter covering the event was very conservative with his estimate...the only time they are conservative, if past experience with them is any indication of future results.

There were easily 250 people at the Common Sense Rally.

Thanks to the Utah 9.12 Project, the Latter-day Patriot Foundation, the Restoration of America Foundation, and the Naked Republic Documentary Production for hosting the event.

Thanks also to the sponsors: The Utah 9.12 Project, The Patrick Henry Caucus, The Utah Eagle Forum, The United Women's Forum, The Thomas Jefferson Center for Constitutional Studies, and the Naked Republic Movie Production.

It is so refreshing to see organizations coming together for such a worthy cause!

That was a wonderful experience in a beautiful setting. Thanks also to all of the patriots who attended! It is such a welcome change from the hateful leftist protests usually at the Utah State Capitol. Entire families were at this event, and there was no hate spoken from the microphone at this event, as is the case at every leftist protest.

It's nice to see patriots rallying to freedom's cause!