Comments about ‘Citizen-initiative efforts unsettle conservatives’

I trust legislators such as Waddoups and Stephenson to redraw the legislative boundaries without citizen input. They are just and honorable men who want the best for all Utah citizens. NOT!!

If the committees, for ethics or redistricting, are still appointed by the power structure, how are they 'independent'?

I don't often agree with Bernick and find most of his stuff drivel...But...In this case he is right.

The whole boundry process has become a power grab and needs to be taken out of the hands of any political body and put under the care of an independant unaffiliated entity. At the very least there needs to be some objective guidlines established as to the process that would curtail the current gerrymandering that is allowed to go on.

And ethics? We would not need ethics reform if our citizenry would simply vote informed and our media would act responsibly.

As it is...I do not trust the people of this state to make terribly informed decisions and I have seen the media(including this paper and the author of this opinion piece) vilify and exploit slips of the tongue while ignoring out-right corruption.

Until we the people wake up, learn our heritage, understand our values, vote informed, and expect a higher standard,...

we will get what we have gotten.

Why do we have such a power-hungry legislature, most of whom seem to care nothing for what their constituents want? It seem very ironic in this most "moral" state where so many members of the legislature are also members of the dominant religion and probably hold positions of authority in that religion. Where is the disconnect between what they learn and teach on Sundays and what they do as representatives of the people? Something is wrong.

Hmmm. I didn't realize corruption, greed, and power mongering were conservative values...

I agree that bad people should be removed from the opportunity to damage the rest of us. I don't deny there are people in the state government who are corrupt, greedy, and/or trying to expand their power. I also don't deny there are people in the state government who state they are conservative.

I do disagree that all conservatives are corrupt, greedy, power-mongers. I also disagree that all corrupt, greedy, power-mongers are conservative. Therefore I disagree with Mr. Bernick's implication that one equals another.

Here's a suggestion for the angry minority out there: go to every state where there is a Democrat majority, and get them to agree to independent redistricting commissions. And good luck, by the way. Comparing Republican gerrymandering in Utah to Democrat redistricting in (go ahead, fill in the state of your choice) is only going to embarrass you.
Conservatives, do not unilaterally disarm to the whining of the Democrats and their willing accomplices in the media, education, etc. When they want an honest agreement, be ready to meet them at the table. Bring your lunch, though, because they won't show up if honesty is a prerequisite.....

When are we going to get some conservative columnists in the Deseret News. Why does this newspaper needle its conservative supporters every day with left-wing editorials and attacks against conservatives?

There are some a good number of smart, experienced and well-regarded Utahns supporting these initiatives. And they have nothing to gain from any change, since their political careers are over. It would be nice to read more about them and their reasons for supporting these measures, and less about paranoid conservative rantings. Can you help us out there, Bob?

When you start out with such a warpped assertion,

that a conservative cannot "deal with the problems of education, the poor and sick and disadvantaged",

when you are so unreasonable and have such a wrong headed notion to start out with,

when you characterize negatively the majority,

HOW can you have any resaonable discussion about the issues?

It's time to end the conflict of interest where legislators choose their own voters by drawing the boundaries of their district.

There is NO such thing as an INDEPENDENT comission. If they have no political interests then they will have no desire to serve on a comission...appointed by politicians.