Deseret News | As Chaffetz gains fame, political questions arise

Reader comments
Pignanelli & Webb: As Chaffetz gains fame, political questions arise

mike | 1:05 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

I still think Chaffetz is a sleeper agent and all this anti-immigrant blather is just to lull us into to complacency. "Chaffetz" sounds like a foreign name to me and he was a place kicker for heck's sake! How many real Americans are place kickers? I think in his second term we'll see his true agenda, and it ain't gonna be pretty. He will open the gates and we'll all be eatin' menudo, hablaing espanol and don't be surprised if he extends the frontrunner to Nogales. Don't say I didn't warn ya.

PATRIOT | 4:43 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Chaffetz and Ron Paul are the only two that are raining in spending and trying to balance the budget. Bush tripled the size of Government and Obama is worse. Google the national debt clock and you will find we are now 11 Trillon in Debt. Every American owns 35,000 out of the womb. Glen Beck is talking about real issues unlike these two.

What does it spell? | 6:42 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

C is for chump
H is for hate-mongerer a la beck / rush
A is for it's all about me (and my hot wife)
F is for the farce that typifies his positions (tent cities)
F is for not being a friend of dowtrodden, poor, huddled masses
E is for echo chamber of his ilk, of which his is loudest voice
T is for thank g he's only rep'ing Ut for two years (wake up M'dom)
Z is for zero (no hero)

Comments continue below

Reactionary | 7:14 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Chaffez is a reactionary populist throwing red meat just like the 90s congress run by Newt Gingrich and the Contract with America, which brought about welfare reform and an economic rennaissance. Let's have some more reactionaries.

Jason is great | 7:28 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

He is doing better than the others (4) from Utah.
We need more like him.

Dougall | 7:49 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Why do Pignanelli & Webb advocate Congressional earmarking which fosters corruption and influence peddling while also undercutting Utah's governance and prioritization?

Merchant of Orem | 8:21 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Just remember he is a salesman. The product right now just happens to be conservative populism.

Roger Chambers | 8:36 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Chaffez is not a progressive like Piganelli and Webb are and that is why they hate him. I have respect for Chaffez than I do for Piganelli and Webb.

h8debt | 8:58 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

I support Chaffetz 100%. Contrary to what this article represents, he's hardly the only one refusing to ask for earmarks. In fact, the Republican Leader has never used them. His career doesn't seem to have been threatened by it.

I appreciate those who post legitimate comments here - whether I agree or not. But I despise the name calling. Let's have legitimate debate. If people hate the fiscal discipline Chaffetz stands for, they have the other 99.9% of elected officials on their side. Why get so worked up that you have to use words like chump and hate monger? Unimpressive.

Dan H | 9:26 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Jason, you keep doing what you're doing and don't let the ones who want to drag you down affect you. All they are doing is trying to hang on to their little bit of power they have left.

Dan H | 10:05 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Also, remember that the authors of this column are lobbyists who see their role diminished with someone like Rep Chaffetz. Lobbyists see their time at the trough of earmarks ending with people like Jason.

re: earmarks.. | 11:05 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Rep. Jason Chaffetz has and is doing exactly what he said:

“Therefore, I, Jason Chaffetz, in my capacity as Congressman, do hereby pledge that I will personally support spending reform in Congress by refusing to seek, support, or enact earmarks during the appropriations process for fiscal year 2009.”

“Earmark reform is a critical component to reforming Washington and fixing the mismanaged appropriations process. If I am fortunate enough to win, I will join other fiscal conservatives in the fight to fix this broken system,” said Jason Chaffetz.

from his 2008 campaign website.

He did the 2009 and he is trying to fix the current system.

re: lobbyiests? | 11:06 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Congress spends our money. Do they do it by voting on a specific issue and deciding if it needs federal dollars, or to the take money that has been budgeted to a department away from that department and give it to their friends.

It is time earmarks were no longer the return on investment for big money, incumbents re-election campaigns, or lobbyists.

A city shouldn't have to pay some lobbyist to donate to a campaign fund of someone back in DC to get the help they need from the federal government.

I like the way Jason Chaffetz is doing things. Keep it up.

Penelope | 11:55 a.m. Aug. 23, 2009

"(Business leaders and local government officials)view him as something of a reactionary populist who can toss out a lot of red meat to his fans, rather than as a statesman working on real solutions to the nation's problems."

Politicians and pundits still don't get it. Red meat? Standing up for what is right and what his constituents expect is "red meat" compared with the "real solutions" of the business-as-usual back room deals with lobbyists and other politicians?

No, the REAL politicians (and I don't say that in a complimentary way) and pundits still don't get it. The results of the 2010 election may jar their misguided sensibilities.

Jason knows the minute he betrays his constituents, he'll be out on his ear. There are other true patriots out here willing to take his place if he lets us down.

Senator Hatch, are you listening?

Christie Bigham | 12:27 p.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Jason Chaffetz is MY representative, and one of the only ones who ACTS like it! I am very pleased with him.

Re: Earmarks | 1:13 p.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Wake up everybody! Chaffetz has come out saying he will support earmarks. He tries to dress it up by using a pretty name "Congressionally Directed Spending," but it's the same thing as an earmark.

When will people recognize this man for what he is, a very shrewd yet disingenuous politician trying to advance his own career?

Nathan | 1:47 p.m. Aug. 23, 2009

I'm not a Republican, but Chaffetz has my vote for as long as he stands on fiscal responsibility.

As opposed to Bailout Bob, and Ted's best friend Orrin, for whom I will never vote again.

Oh well done! | 1:50 p.m. Aug. 23, 2009

One more attack on the only decent congressman we have. What is wrong with the Deseret News?

Earl | 2:07 p.m. Aug. 23, 2009

I don't understand why there's an uproar about earmarks in the first place. They don't add money to a bill, they just redirect where the appropriated money goes. If you eliminate earmarks, that leaves the executive to have full use of all appropriated money, rather than allowing elected representatives to have a say. I say that the less we can turn over to the executive, the better. The problem we should be focusing on is the appropriated money to begin with, not with how it's divided up after. As long as our representatives aren't getting earmarked money for "bridges to nowhere" and bring back some of our hard-earned tax money, I say more power to them. It's our money, not the government's.

jimca | 3:04 p.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Hurray for Jason Chaffetz! Keep up the fight against big government and the crazy, out-of-control spending in Washington. I think it's great for a first term Congressman to have made his mark and defined himself so well. I look forward to attending his town meeting at Elk Horn Middle School in South Jordan on Wed., Aug. 26th. Pignanelli's negative remarks about the courageous Glenn Beck are a laugh! He was really talking about himself, especially the part about the "self-righteousness and outright lies." That describes Pignanelli to a T.

correction | 4:22 p.m. Aug. 23, 2009

Rep. Jason Chaffetz will be at ELKRIDGE Middle School, 3649 W. 9800 S. in South Jordan, UT on Wed., August 26, 2009, at 7 PM for a Town Hall Meeting. He'll be in Provo the night before at the Covey Arts Center (the theatre for performing arts).

Ammon Hennacy | 4:30 p.m. Aug. 23, 2009

America needs health insurance companies to dramatically cut costs. America needs a choice in who our doctors are and we need the choice a public option gives us against greedy, unsustainable insurers. America needs affordable health care for every American. When Rep. Chaffetz has any concern for these truths, I'll vote for him.

An Observer | 7:21 p.m. Aug. 23, 2009

WHen DEMOCRAT have concern for truth, I MAY consider voting for them.

With Pignanelli's snswer to the FIRST question Pignanelli show what a LEFT WING-NUT rube he can be sometimes.

And his refusal to NAME such vociferious HATEMONGERS and OUT-RIGHT LIARS, and propagandists of the LEFT, like Chris Matthews, Maddow, Olbermann, is quite telling.

Stewart | 9:11 p.m. Aug. 23, 2009

I don't think either Frank or LaVarr like Rep Chaffetz very much. I suppose they have gotten kind of used to the likes of Chris Cannon and Sen Bennett, who considered themselves above the people. By referring to Rep. Chaffetz's constituents as "right-wing vigilantes," they show their disgust for the voters of the Utah 3rd Congressional District. When they use "grass roots supporters" as a pejorative the really mean "We The People."

For both Webb and Pignanelli to gang up on a freshman congressman, they must fear that he actually does represent us poor rubes in the 3rd District. For those that don't remember Chaffetz beat Cannon 60 to 40 percent in a primary, and then very easily beat the democrat, who's name I forget.

I am sure that LaVarr Webb was at the Republican Convention, and saw the reception that Rep. Chaffetz, got compared to Senators Bennett and Hatch. The applause for Chaffetz was huge, while most of the delegates sat quietly on their hands for Bennett and Hatch. If the senate election had been up to the state delegates Chaffetz would have easily won. Is that what Lavarr and Frank fear?

Jessica Hall | 11:08 p.m. Aug. 23, 2009

I find personal slander from people who do not know the subject of their venom rather childish and in poor taste. We do not agree on everything, but I trust him to walk the walk.

On Obama-care (I loath that term): by limiting what can be charged, doctors will not be able to afford seeing more expensive cases; sad, but true. By limiting the reimbursement drug companies can expect from new drugs, research and innovation will be too expensive to continue. Think about economics, people.

I have seen socialist care. I have seen communist care. There is little difference. You do not want it here. It sounds good when presented in vagaries, but it is a sweet poison.

And sound bytes? I don't get sound bytes when I have talked with him. It is personally insulting to be called a fool, a dumb beast who is easily distracted, easily mollified by "red meat" sound bytes. If that is how the political majority views Us, the People, that explains why they think they know how to run our lives better than we do. Why should we value the opinions of such people?

percentage of vote | 11:46 p.m. Aug. 23, 2009

These two forget that in the general election, Jason Chaffetz got a higher percentage of votes than either Matheson and/or Bishop, and those two didn't have a 3rd party candidate that had over 5% of the vote.

Chaffetz also got 60% of the vote (OK 9 votes short) at convention and 60% at the primary.

His popularity at the state gop convention in June was rock-star like.

Can I hear some jealousy?

Mike Ridgway | 2:36 a.m. Aug. 24, 2009

Jason.

Automatic delegates.

Remember?

OAT | 7:39 a.m. Aug. 24, 2009

Pignanelli, why does your hatred for Glenn Beck belong in an op-ed piece on Jason Chaffetz? If you want to rip on Beck, the take time to substantiate your claims about "Beck's self-righteousness, hypocrisy and outright lies." I'm sorry but stay on topic!

Mike Richards | 1:30 p.m. Aug. 24, 2009

As someone who called Jason Chaffetz a "prancing pony" during the election process, I've learned to eat my words. So far, he has acted responsibly as a Representative in Congress. He has put the voice of the citizens above his own aspirations.

However, I am just a little disgusted with Mr. Pignanelli, who, having served in government, should know better than to be petty and condescending as a pundit. As a writer he knows better than to draw attention to himself and to his personal causes.

Cannon | 6:53 a.m. Aug. 25, 2009

I realize Mr. Chris Cannon never seemed to get over losing last year to Rep. Chaffetz. I also realize that Chris' brother is the editor of this paper. I would think there was no connection.

I think it more likely reason this article was written was that more and more of those running are against the earmark game for lobbyists.

Chaffetz won't play. Casey Anderson won't play and is running against Matheson. Bishop might stop playing. Cherilyn Eagar is running against Bennett who won't play this game.

By 2012, we could have Cannon, Matheson, Bennett and Hatch replaced with those not playing the earmark game. We have already replaced Cannon.

Anonymous | 2:00 p.m. Sept. 28, 2009

Chaffetz may have some valid points. However, the ends do not justify the means. It would appear that he will be a one term congressman if he doesn't learn to stop emberassing the good people of Utah with his media hogg ways. It doesn't always get reported correctly and then he appears to be worse than a prancing pony and more like a clown from Utah.

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