Deseret News | Lawmakers exhibit different standard of behavior

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Lawmakers exhibit different standard of behavior

Vote Them Out | 12:07 a.m. Aug. 31, 2009

I agree with your analysis. I still say we need to vote them all out and start all over again. The legislators have lost their way. However, it will only happen when the Voters start becoming educated voters and stop voting because the candidate gives us hope, looks good and can read a teleprompter. They need to get off their lazy butts and do research on each candidate and then look at who has actually achieved something. Then they should vote. It won't happen until this takes place. An uneducated voter is a dangerous voter, because they vote base on advertising and gimmickery. We get what we vote for.

J | 12:36 a.m. Aug. 31, 2009

What today's lawmakers care most about is getting reelected. True statesmanship seems a thing of the past.

Here in Utah especially, I see the politicians pandering to the money interests, and lacking in compassion.

Few politicians want to do the work of talking to all sides to come up with a compromise, as they did in the past, to make some progress instead of the stalemates we have today.

tired of politics and suck ups | 2:53 a.m. Aug. 31, 2009

Well written Mr. Florez. We have put people into our seats in the federal house and senate who are pandering to lobbyists and others, worrying about how they look to their political parties. Who pays their wages? Us or the party?
And state offices are no better! Please take a look at the judges we have who decide to slap the hands of those convicted of real crimes!

We the people need to stand up and vote our principles, make our votes count for something, show our children what our towns and states and country can really be. Safe places to live and places you want to call home.

Comments continue below

Sam Cottrell | 3:21 a.m. Aug. 31, 2009

Not that I disagree with your critisism of politicians, but I do disagree with the tone of this article. Educators were foolish to extole the virtues of politicians. RARELY do you find one with any virtue whatsoever. Educators should be well versed in history, which repeatedly teaches us that politicians are a necessary evil and are typically slimeballs who are quite incapable of representing anyone but themselves. We would be better served by treating them like the enemy and holding re-election over their heads on a daily basis. Good government starts with voters who care to be informed and who speak their minds in the public forum. They also site specific examples of abuses, unlike this article. It is easy to throw mud at suspicious characters like politicians, but to speak in general terms just gives them an opportunity to look like martyrs. There will always be two standards, but it is up to us to allow their standard to work in their favor or ours.

Sam Cottrell | 3:31 a.m. Aug. 31, 2009

I agree with the critisism of politicians, but this is an ineffective article because a) it sites no specific examples and b) it makes the case that politicians have been effective in the past. Politicians are and have always been slimeballs and educators should know this better than anyone. They are the first to be offered up in a regime change and should be well versed in history. There will always be two standards when it comes to politics, but the voters have to act in order to make that standard work in their favor. Voters also need to solve their own problems rather than running to their city and state officials to solve them. Asking a politician to fix a situation that does not fall under current legal regulation is an invitiation for the state to acquire more power. Just look at the overbearing scope the Feds weild due to years of voters looking the other way. We have afforded the state similar authority on matters that are none of their concern.

Mike Richards | 4:37 a.m. Aug. 31, 2009

It's hard to know what Mr. Florez sees as a solution. I don't know anyone who is FOR corruption in Government, but without naming names and citing violations, it's hard to know which local officials are considered to be corrupt and which actions led to that conclusion.

A blanket statement that covers all politicians would be as unfair as classifying a race of people, or a neighborhood, or a family because a few within that group messed up.

Even on the opinion page, who, what, where, when, why and how still need to be answered, otherwise the article comes across as a diatribe written by a disgruntled man who is mad at the world.

Teacher talk? | 7:32 a.m. Aug. 31, 2009

Re: ". . . teachers still talk about the high standards and attributes our leaders are supposed to have . . . ."

Who's talking about the high standards and attributes TEACHERS are supposed to have?

Genius | 7:35 a.m. Aug. 31, 2009

The article on KSL yesterday about the legislators taking lunch money for lunches they didn't buy got my blood boiling.

One legislator was even quoted as saying he didn't feel too bad about taking the money because they aren't on salary and they don't make very much!

If you use that logic then every teacher, police officer, fire fighter, etc. in the state could feel justified in taking whatever they could get.

I have an idea.

Let's put the legislators on salary for a year. The only catch is that it would be the same salary as a starting teacher.

We would quickly see the beginning salaries for public employees reach an acceptable level.

How about it legislators? Should we put our money where your mouth is?

Dave | 8:23 a.m. Aug. 31, 2009

When it comes to politics and history we were taught a lot of things in school that were not true.

Mike Richards | 10:42 a.m. Aug. 31, 2009

@ Genius,

Why should a legislator be paid anything? Public service is just that, service. How do you stop a perpetual motion machine? We will have perpetual legislators as long as its easier for them to fleece us than it is to work for a living. Take away the money and then see how many stay in office year after year after year.

Many in our community give the equivalent of a full time job to their church year after year after year without receiving a penny for that service. Why should a public servant expect to be paid to serve?

By the way, get the teachers out of the legislature who receive their full salary plus their legislative salary and then see what an unpaid legislator thinks is a fair wage for teachers.

RE: Genius | 10:54 a.m. Aug. 31, 2009

There is the solution. Put legislators on beginning teachers salaries for a year. They wouldn't last a month. "Put OUR money where YOUR mouth is?" Classic.

Anonymous | 12:59 p.m. Aug. 31, 2009

Can someone tell me what legislators are teachers?

Mike Richards | 1:30 p.m. Aug. 31, 2009

@ 12:59,

Sorry to have to do your homework for you when it is so easy to find the facts for yourself, but here you go.

Here is a list of REPRESENTATIVES who list themselves as teachers or part of the educational system (You will have to browse the SENATE list for yourself):

Ronda Rudd Menlove, Vice Provost, Utah State University Regional Campuses and Distance Education

Fred R Hunsaker, Retired Utah State University Vice President

C. Brent Wallis, Retired President, Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College

James R. Gowans, Rancher; Retired School Administrator

Neal B. Hendrickson, School Bus Driver; Owner/Operator, Geri's Swim School

Kory M. Holdaway, Teacher Granite School District

Mark A. Wheatley, Education Administrator

Carol Spackman Moss, High School Teacher (retired)

Marie H. Poulson, Teacher

Stephen D. Clark, Mechanical Contractor, Clark Mechanical Contractors, Inc.; Economic Development Director, UVSC

Bradley A. Winn, Higher Education

Christine F. Watkins, Elementary Principal

Dear Anonymous | 1:46 p.m. Aug. 31, 2009

Rep. Kory Holdaway is the only legislator who is an active teacher. He teaches special education studens.
There are several other retired educators but Kory Holdaway is the sole legislator who is currently teaching. He is a man of principle and ethics. We need more like him.
A Friend and Admirer

J | 1:59 p.m. Aug. 31, 2009

It is very good to know we have legislators in the field of education. I hope we get more.

wallofvoodoo | 3:19 p.m. Aug. 31, 2009

Teacher talk?, you know who does that ad-naseum? LEGISLATORS!

James | 4:28 p.m. Aug. 31, 2009

Why don't we reinstitute term limits within our legislature. It was repealed (I beleive) in 2003. I believe it was slipped through late on the last night of the legislature when there was no one around to speak against it.

Re: mike richards | 10:11 p.m. Aug. 31, 2009

So out of that whole list I see very few current teachers. I think we desperately need MANY MORE teachers on the legislature. Maybe they could set things straight.
I also very much like the idea of putting the legislators on a beginning teacher's salary. Great idea. That guy must be a genius!

Anonymous | 10:44 p.m. Aug. 31, 2009

you better keep their benefits like us normal citizens have too! make them live like the people they represent, so they really know what the issues are!

Nelson | 5:03 p.m. Oct. 2, 2009

Term limitations? That would put a lot of Republicans out of office, and they don't want that.

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