Comments about ‘Reform legislative ethics’

This initiative is another wonderful sounding attempt by the activist left and their sympathizers to inflict their views on our state.

As usual, the Deseret News can be counted on to support it.

Whatever happened to having a conservative newspaper in Utah?

REFUSE To SIGN THIS DECEPTIVE PETITION!

"Activist left." Sounds like the legislature is weighing in on the initiative. Wake up and smell the roses.

So legislaters don't need to be held accountable? In most jobs there is accountability why not at the state capitol?

The Utahns for Ethical Government web site makes a pretty convincing statement: "For a variety of reasons, many political, it is difficult for the Utah Legislature to discipline its own members..."
One has to wonder, why would any legislator object to some simple rules designed to keep the honest people honest. I urge you to read the UEG web site's Executive Summary beore judging for or against. I plan to sign the petition.

I don't see why this would be a left/right issue.

Amen.

Ethics reform will discourage good people from running for office by taking away the corrupting perks and freebies handed out by lobbyists.

Wait a minute. That doesn't make any sense. Maybe we do need ethics reform.

Red Herring, please tell us which House or Senate district you are currently serving as a legislator.

Way to go D-News!

This initiative in wholly unconstitutional. Many of the indiscipline measures clearly violate Due Process. David Irvine, the author and an attorney, should have known this when he drafted the initiative. (Which makes one wonder if this is meaningful or political theatre.) Even if it passes it will not stand. Take out the terrible parts and force the Legislature to open a bill fold that passes all of the good parts. (Yes, there are some good parts.) Also, open a bill that mandates all of the good changes on all levels of government including local and county governments and the State School Board. Meaningful reform can only come after these measures.

It's time to try citizen supported legislation. No one wants the runaway initiative/referendum governing that has crippled California. But Utah's legislature, all ensconced in safe districts, responds to the general public only at those times when it has little or no choice.

Has the DNP ever worked with the state legislature? Sure, the law "requires" committee meetings to discuss the pros and cons of bills; there are supposed to be 3 readings and votes on each bill on the floor of each chamber; and the gov has the option of signing, vetoing or "allowing" it to become law. However, DNP should have pointed out that each of the committees and the floor of each chamber can and routinely does waive the rules and those hearings and votes happen bim-bam-boom. Do you honestly think that Gary Herbert, the realtor with the most power in Utah, will ever tie the hands of his good-ole-boy realtor network in the legislature? Do you think that Gary Herbert, who refused to enforce last year's ethics reform package, will ever sign or allow to become effective any bill that controls the blatant unethical behavior of his buds in the legislature? Having worked with Utah's legislative bodies for decades, I say it's about bloody time someone finally tried to force our legislature to do something they should have done long ago. Where do I sign the petition?

Am I the only one who remembers Dave Clark promising ethics reform in his SLTrib op-ed pieces?

I too have spent a lot of time at the capitol during the legislative session. I have seen what I perceive to be problems with ethics among the legislators, but I see the problem more as citizen apathy. Most can't even name their legislators, let alone know anything about their record, other than what they see or read in political ads. Only a few have attended meet the candidate meetings that they hold.

I have begun to believe that ethic laws, term limits and such are really useless, because expecting more from the politicians than the ethics of the electorate will always be out of reach.

I say throw out anyone with poor ethical standards. We have a chance every 2 and 4 years. Oh, yes I forgot it is always the senator or house member in other districts, not or own. If the politician is in our own district and you don't like them work to remove them. This happened in the Springville, Mapleton, Spanish Fork area last year.

The initiative is overdue. Where can I sign?
From personal experience, the legislature in corrupt.
I am fully supportive of the constitution however, and would like some clarification from the poster above that had constitutional concerns. I want reform, but I want it done right.