"The laws and constitution of the people…should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles." (D&C 101:77)
I always have to write about Constitution Day. This year, I invite you to read an article I wrote for our blog at work. Please pass it on to family and friends to help us all remember the significance of our great Constitution. Here it is:
Let’s be worthy of our great Constitution
What do you think?
Posted in Constitution.
– September 16, 2011
Photo credit: Scott Catron
I’m glad to see that Utah state government is returning to a five-day workweek. I can’t tell you how many times, well, okay, probably 15-20 in the past year, I’ve tried to call a state office on Friday, having forgotten about the four-day workweek, and been greeted with an answering machine telling me no one would be available to help me until Monday.
When most everyone else in the state works at least five days a week, it makes sense that state employees should follow the same schedule. Many people like me need to obtain data or other information from government as part of my job; others need do things like renew a driver’s license, get help filing taxes, or register a business. Certainly, we can do these things on another weekday, but certainly state employees can work on Friday. Continued…
Posted in Uncategorized.
– May 7, 2011
The world is full of information, almost an infinite quantity. As much as we might like, we can’t learn or understand everything. We don’t have enough time, access to needed facts, or, perhaps, adequate specialized education or training. And yet, we have to make important decisions: which house to buy, school to attend, mutual fund to invest in, candidate to vote for, and on and on.
How do you make important decisions with so many limitations? Use intuition? Flip a coin? Guess? Pray?
Posted in Citizenship, Misc.
– May 4, 2011
The Utah State Legislature recently passed a bill that would have altered the ability of citizens to access government information. After several public protests and other pushback, the Legislature chose to repeal the bill and start over. As legislators work to craft a new version of HB 477, here are some of my thoughts on the issue.
The purpose of GRAMA
In my view, the main purpose of Utah’s Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) should be to provide a way for citizens to obtain information that will help them hold public officials (elected or not) accountable to the people. It should also provide a means for obtaining useful information that government stores but is not required by law to publish in an official report or on a website. For example, when a government agency signs an agreement with a private contractor to provide a needed service but does not make the contract publicly available, interested citizens should have the ability to see the contract if they want.
Posted in Citizenship, Politics.
– April 25, 2011
Should film companies receive special tax treatment for producing films in Utah? This question is the subject of my latest writing. It’s only three pages and you can read it here:
Film Subsidies: If You Don’t Build It, They’ll Still Come
You can also hear a radio interview of me talking on KCPW about this issue; here’s the link:
Think Tank: Film Incentive is Bad Deal for Taxpayers
What do you think?
– March 2, 2011
I recently wrote an opinion piece and a report on the relationship between high school athletics and academics in Utah. These publications address a bill (SB 53) that will soon be considered in the Utah Legislature. Take a look and let me know what you think.
-SL Trib: UHSAA transfer rule unfairly burdens student-athletes
-Sutherland Institute: Open Transfer Rule for Student-Athletes: Six Myths Debunked
Also, here is an opinion piece written to oppose the bill (I think it’s far off base, but I’ll let you decide what you think):
-Deseret News: Politicians need to stay out of athletics
What do you think?
Posted in Education.
– February 9, 2011
Here’s a link to my latest work:
“Utah’s Government Boards: A Case for Transparency and Accountability”
It’s about the 1,600 boards in Utah’s state, county, and city governments. You might be surprised to know what some of these boards do, often without the knowledge of almost every taxpayer.
The Deseret News published an article about the paper and Sutherland Institute’s new website www.transparentutah.org. Here’s the article:
“Group promotes better access to state’s 1,600 government boards”
What do you think?
Posted in Citizenship.
– November 13, 2010
Today in Salt Lake City, a group of community and civic leaders issued and signed “The Utah Compact: A Declaration of Five Principles to Guide Utah’s Immigration Discussion.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also issued a statement in support of the Compact, which you can read here.
In my opinion, The Utah Compact is a reasonable, succinct summary of the principles that should guide the immigration debate in Utah and nationwide. In contrast, the “rule-of-law” crowd’s support for rigid enforcement is unrealistic and inhumane, and the “no-borders/amnesty-for-everyone” crowd imprudently ignores the importance of the rule of law and order.
Read through the text of the Compact below and let me know what you think. Do you agree with it and support it? Why or why not?
Posted in Immigration, Principles, Rule of Law.
– November 11, 2010
Being prepared to vote requires doing a fair amount of research regarding candidates and issues on the ballot.
Citizens who put their pen to the ballot without being informed run the risk of voting contrary to how they would vote if they were informed. Thus, uninformed voting can be not only an act of self-betrayal but also betrayal to one’s civic responsibility to vote in the best interest of one’s community, state, and nation.
Posted in Citizenship, Civic Duty.
– October 26, 2010
223 years ago today, our nation’s founders signed the Constitution of the United States of America. Since 1787, that inspired document has been a bulwark of liberty and justice for Americans and a pattern for many governments around the world. Unfortunately, it has also been misinterpreted, violated, and abused. Still, the Constitution has withstood the test of time, and the recent groundswell of conservative political grassroots efforts will likely help it endure continued assaults — at least for now.
The drafting and ratification of the Constitution did not come easily. The founders disagreed on many of its provisions. They had to make many compromises in order to gain the approval of the delegates and the people. Despite these challenges, the Constitution was, and is, a masterful synthesis of enduring principles sufficient to help form a more perfect union.
We should be grateful for our framing document, study it, defend it, and celebrate it on this day, Constitution Day.
What do you think?
Posted in Constitution, Federalism.
– September 17, 2010
The courts have launched another attack on religious freedom – in the name of protecting “freedom from religion.”
Last Wednesday, a federal appeals court ruled that 13 memorials for fallen Utah Highway Patrol troopers violate the First Amendment. Why? Because the memorials are in the shape of crosses and are located next to highways on public property; therefore, the state government must be endorsing Christianity.
Is the court’s reasoning well-founded? Hardly.
Let’s begin with the claims of the plaintiff. In order for the court to consider a case, the plaintiff must allege that through some unlawful conduct he or she has been harmed in some way. The allegation in this case?
Posted in Church and State, Constitution, Religion/Morality.
– August 23, 2010
For decades, government has tried to eliminate poverty by giving people what it thinks they need. Not only has this approach not worked, but it has also created a culture of dependency on government. There are better ways to help those in need.
Part of the problem is that government uses “poverty lines” or “poverty thresholds” to determine who gets what and how much. Using these arbitrary indicators to dole out aid doesn’t get to the root of the problem. Those who are in need don’t just need stuff, they need to be able to provide for themselves, not just now but in the long-term. In other words, they need to become self-reliant.
To promote self-reliance, Sutherland Institute has created a Self-Reliance Index. This new tool will help individuals and families determine if they provide what they need for themselves or if they depend on extended family, their community, or government. Having this understanding will help them know what steps to take to become more self-reliant.
I encourage you to read a brief paper I wrote on self-reliance, which includes the Self-Reliance Index and a simple Self-Reliance Quiz.
Here’s the paper: Helping Utahns Help Themselves: A Self-Reliance Index
What do you think?
Posted in Self-reliance, Welfare/Poverty.
– July 22, 2010
I’ve recently begun writing opinion pieces (op-eds) for Pepperdine’s school paper the Graphic. I think I’ll post the ones that might interest you, though they’ll be a little different from what I typically do here.
Below is my op-ed that was published in today’s issue of the Graphic. Or you can see it on [...]
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