Tonight:

Politico is reporting Huntsman has submitted his resignation letter to the President, and the speculation has begun: Is this a first sign of a Jon Huntsman Jr. presidential run?

Out of the turmoil in Egypt comes a discussion about world leaders enacting an “Internet Kill Switch” to tamp down opposition. As of June of 2010, the American President has the same power. Find out why some are saying we’ll regret granting our leaders this power.

The Utah Senate has passed a few changes to the concealed weapons permit, we’ll discuss the changes, and what didn’t make it through the legislature concerning gun permits.  And, related, are some legislators turning our state legislative process into a country-wide joke?

A Utah rep wants to send business owners to jail if they don’t play by the e-verify rules.

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Tonight:

We’ll talk about the President’s State of the Union (and the Guv’s upcoming State of the State).  A lot of discussion today over what was or was not in the SOTU.  What did you cheer/boo for?

Utah now has a state gun.  So there’s that.

Rep. Draxler’s “Oil Education” bill passes.  Critics say it places an extra burden on Utah teachers just to send a political message.  Draxler defends the “curriculum” as optional for schools.  Where do you fall?

A Cache Valley organization is sending Utah legislators a simple message: Save our state parks! Parks may be the chopping block target of the 2011 budget process.  Is there another solution?

Britain will roll back some of most aggressive post 9/11 security restrictions.

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Tonight:

We’ll be joined wellness expert Dr. Peter Glidden BS, ND, author of The MD Emperor Has No Clothes.  Dr. Glidden is speaking in Logan tonight (7pm, Crystal Inn, Free event) about the flaws of industrialized prescription-heavy health care, and our poor national track record on longevity and overall health.

Sutherland President Paul Mero has received some criticisms for his comments during Friday night’s immigration debate.  In this week’s Mero Moment, Paul discusses the nature of civility and “keeping it real.”

We’ll hear from a USU Extension education specialist on bullying in schools.  A real problem, or hyper-sensitivity?

Tonight President Obama gives his second State of the Union address.  What do you think we’ll hear?

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Tonight:

I’m still out of the studio for the film festival, but Michael will be joined today by Morgan Bowen, and his son Jeremiah to talk about last summer’s trip to DC for several Sky View high school students, the legislative kick-off (you can watch online), the big headlines from the weekend… and whatever else you would like to discuss.

If you missed last Friday’s Immigration Debate at Thanksgiving Point (I did myself), Provo’s Daily Herald has a recap.  From Sutherland President Paul Mero’s closing remarks:

Real crime, perpetrated with evil intent, is a different matter – that we can do something about and we must.  Documented or undocumented, real criminals need to be caught and punished appropriately.  But being a real criminal has nothing to do with someone’s legal status.  And if we really want to start catching serious criminals within the undocumented immigrant community, the last thing we should do is introduce Arizona’s approach to Utah.  Every intelligent conservative knows that the power of community – the power of highly active and involved neighbors – works best to keep crime down.  We want our undocumented neighbors to rise to the surface of society where they can help keep our communities safe.  An Arizona approach in support of tonight’s resolution only serves to drive these neighbors underground where they’re of no assistance.

Discuss.

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Tonight:

Caught this History Channel doc earlier this week.  Does America have an upkeep problem?  Are our roads, levies, sewer/water systems a ticking time bomb?  The American Society of Civil Engineers gives the majority of our infrastructure a D- at best.  Considering the revenue troubles states are facing, and the fact that we’ve gotten most of the mileage we’re going to get out of the ’08 Stimulus package for infrastructure projects, what are the options?

Great discussion (I followed along on Twitter) today at the Hinkley Institute about Utah’s education system, proposed options, and legislative hurdles.  We’ll run through the ideas thrown out, and give you a chance to make suggestions of your own.

Speaking of state funding problems, much is being made about debt problems, pension troubles, and public employees in many states.  A listener requested topic, we’ll get to the reality behind the state of the states you aren’t hearing much about on the TeeVee.

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Tonight:

House GOP “repealed” the “Affordable Care Act of 2010″ with the “Repeal the Job Killing Health Care Law Act.”  At a certain point, doesn’t our government have to grow up?  The Care Act doesn’t do much to make health care affordable (yet?), but on the other side, it isn’t exactly job-killing.  The theater makes for good tv, but at a certain point, can’t we expect real solutions from these folks on the hill?

A local mobile Vet clinic will be setting up shop in Cache Valley this weekend.  If you’re a service member, this is a great opportunity and we’ll get you all the info.

Lefty think tank Think Progress is highlighting newbie Senator Mike Lee’s (R – Mars) comments this week that programs like FEMA and food safety at the federal level may be unconstitutional.  Craziness (<— hint, this one!) or an idea who’s time has finally come?  Your call, faithful FTPers…

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Tonight:

A listener requested topic: Is there any reliable Utah based polling?

What is “ScrapArtsMusic”?  When you find out, you’ll want to get in the running for the tickets to the performance we have to give away. We’ll speak with Amanda Castillo, Program Director for the Cache Center for the Arts on what the group is all about. Youtube here.

Local Social Security changes a-coming.  We’ll have all the details.

SL Trib and D News are doubling down on restricting original content.  This story was reported by… wait for it… an independent newspaper.  How is less news good for newspapers?

In this week’s Mero Moment, Sutherland Institute President Paul Mero explains why you should be at Thanksgiving Point this Friday night for the mother of all Immigration Reform debates.

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Tonight:

Celebrating Martin Luther King day with a recap of his speeches you may have never heard.

Sen. Ben McAdams is sponsoring a state-wide ban on discrimination in housing and the workplace.  Many municipalities have already passed ordinances of their own.  Is it time for this in Utah, or is this a bad approach?  Weigh in at 5pm.

Eagle Forum had a conference last Saturday.  Hilarity ensued.  Sen. Chris Buttars announced to the crowd that there is creeping socialism in Utah’s education curriculum. So there’s that.

EFF has published a list of things we would have never known without Wikileaks.

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

For discussion. I’m curious what our listeners think of this:

Subject: FOR RELEASE: Utah Tenth Amendment Center Launches Utah Intrastate Commerce Project Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 23:34:02 -0500 From: Utah Tenth Amendment Center <connor.boyack@tenthamendmentcenter.com> Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Utah Tenth Amendment Center Launches Utah Intrastate Commerce Project

Initiative seeks to help promote and support legislation that exempts local commerce from federal regulations

Salt Lake City, UT, January 13, 2011 — The Utah Tenth Amendment Center today announced the formation of the Utah Intrastate Commerce Project, a coordinated effort to help draft, promote, and support legislation that would exempt local commerce from federal regulation.

“The federal government has never been delegated the authority to regulate and micro-manage every economic interaction occurring within the country,” said Connor Boyack, Utah Tenth Amendment State Coordinator. “Under the Constitution, Congress has the authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce only; local commerce that never crosses state lines does not come under their purview, though they have long usurped that power.”

The objection to this unconstitutional theft of power began in Utah during last year’s legislative session, when Senator Dayton sponsored–and Governor Herbert signed–SB11, putting into law an exemption from federal regulation for any firearms or firearms accessories both manufactured and sold within the state.

The Utah Intrastate Commerce Project was founded to expand this movement into other areas of commerce. While the exemption for firearms was an important (if mostly symbolic) first step, the Utah Tenth Amendment Center believes that other areas of commerce merit similar protection.

“The recent passage of the FDA ‘food safety’ law by Congress is an excellent example of heavy-handed regulation coming out of Washington,” said Boyack. “Family farms will soon be forced to deal with a regulatory burden that may threaten their business’ very existence. Why should the owner of a peach orchard who sells his product at the local farmer’s market be forced to comply with federal dictates? The Constitution gives Congress no such power under the commerce clause, and the Utah legislature can and should interpose on behalf of those who engage in intrastate commerce.”

The first bill being supported by the Project is one sponsored by Utah Representative Bill Wright–a dairy farmer by trade–which applies the same concept as last year’s firearms bill to agriculture. Under this bill (which is currently under review by legislative attorneys), those who produce agriculture in the state which is then sold in the state would be exempt from federal regulations.

“Few individuals and businesses are more regulated than our local farmers,” said Boyack. “Those who sell their products at farmer’s markets, through Community Supported Agriculture, to local restaurants, and in other ways to fellow Utahns would be shielded by state law in disregarding the mandates imposed by the central government which has long exceeded and abused its constitutional authority. Compliance costs would be eliminated, productivity and innovation would surge, and the booming local/natural/fresh food sector would have reduced costs passed on to the consumer. This would be a win-win situation for all Utahns.”

To learn more: http://www.utahintrastatecommerce.org

Contact:

Connor Boyack, Utah Tenth Amendment State Coordinator

(801) 376-2647

connor.boyack@tenthamendmentcenter.com

From the inbox:

Tyler Riggs
Sutherland Institute

Tonight:

We’ll speak with UHP Sgt. Rick Mayo about the string of officers struck by speeding drivers while attending roadside accidents.  UHP is asking for some common sense solutions for winter drivers: slow down.  He’ll also discuss the upcoming Polar Bear Plunge.

Peer Courts.  What are they and could they be the solution to curbing crime early?

We can see the end of Sarah Palin’s career from our front porch.

SLTrib serves up a snapshot of Utah’s richest and poorest counties and cities.  Logan scores low on the wage scale, along with two other university towns.  Some of the lowest wages in the state, but one of the highest qualities of life (according to the natives at least).  What gives?  Is there an upside to being a university town?

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Tonight:

Something we didn’t get to yesterday, Rep. Craig Frank discovered that for the past three years he’s been representing a district he doesn’t live in — a violation of Utah state law.  Frank turned himself in, and yesterday was ousted from office.  Newbie House Speaker Becky Lockhart called on the governor to hold a special session to redraw the district boundaries so that Frank could be reinstated.  No, I’m not kidding.  The speaker of the house wants to just redraw the boundaries of representation so that one representative can keep his seat.  Utah Senate Democrats statement of opposition here.  Conservative blogger reaction here.  Best tweeted response here.

@elforesto: Boundaries are drawn for voters, not for candidates. You getting that, Speaker Lockhart? #utpol

Social Media Club of Cache Valley is hosting the first “Tweet Up” of 2011 tonight at Cafe Sabor.  We’ll get you the details.

This week’s Mero Moment from Sutherland Institute President Paul Mero discusses the Arizona shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and civility.  As a primer, the Lawyers Guns and Money bloggers have a great examination of heated — even uncivil — debate vs. rhetoric that incites violence:

[...] we have something resembling a proper working definition of “violent rhetoric,” the next question is whether “violent rhetoric” like Palin’s is responsible for the assassination attempt on Gifford.  The answer is that I’m not convinced.**  From what I’ve read, he never expressed interest in guns until last November, so the likelihood of ads like hers stoking his imagination is slim.  The more pernicious rhetoric here is the conspiratorial variety being mainstreamed by the likes of Glenn Beck: rabid and ahistorical anti-federalism feeds into the beliefs of those who believe they’re being persecuted by vast faceless conspiracies.

Finally, Cache Community Connections is hosting the first annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.  We’ll speak with CCC chair Dean Quayle about the event.

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Tonight:

The biggest headline this week is, of course, the tragedy in Arizona.  We’ll discuss reactions locally and around the country, and listen to comments made by Pima County Sheriff, and friend of Congresswoman Gibbons, Clarence Dupnik, that have drawn praise and criticism as we all try to make sense of the insanity.  NYTimes has a list of charges filed against the shooter.

7 billion people in motion.

CNET is reporting that the Obama admin is in “talks” over developing an “Internet ID” law to, like the Patriot Act, keep us all safe.  Route to taxing the internet?  Horrible technical idea?  Futile effort?

Rep. Craig Frank was ousted for not actually living in the district he was appointed to represent.  A violation of Utah law.  New House Speaker Becky Lockhart’s response: “Let’s just redraw the district real quick!” Seriously.

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Tonight:

House Republicans kicked off the 112th congress with a reading (mostly) of the US Constitution.  It was partly interesting, partly hilarious, but in the end I still find myself asking what, exactly, was the point?  Sure it’s great theater, but otherwise what was achieved?

What media molehills were made into mountains in 2010?  Here’s a pretty graph.

Net Neutrality fan?  There’s an app for that.

The Lt. Guv and SLC Mayor Becker want to see more civility in Utah politics.  My favorite question when civility comes up: If you had a choice between civility and truth, which would you take?

Logan City Mayor Randy Watts joins us in studio to discuss his State of the City Address.

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Tonight:

Rep. Jack Draxler will be in studio to give us a “sneak peek” at the 2011 legislative session (kicking off January 24th), with a focus on the budget, and what’s in store for higher education.

Tyler sent this along. It’s an inspiring story, but it also provides a great example for the opportunity that still exists in America, regardless of the current economic conditions.

One of my favorite authors, David Sirota, has a new book out centered around one of my favorite topics: What Star Wars can teach us about life.

The original “Star Wars,” for example, warns children of the perils of aspiring eager-beaver middle management. Specifically, it warns kids not to try to show up anyone higher on the executive food chain in front of the boss, for fear of being publicly humiliated — or choked to death — at the staff meeting.

Logan City Mayor Randy Watts gave his State of the City address last night at the first council meeting of 2011.  Immigration reform was also a topic.  We’ll speak with the Mayor Thursday at 5pm, but for now, read the transcript of the speech, and some other good news for Logan.  Doing something right?  If so, what?

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Tonight:

Tom tackles the “Mormon card,” Huntsman, and the 2012 GOP nominations.

Via Thomas Burr, a law professor takes on Rep. Rob Bishop’s “Repeal” bill.

[...] as the proposed amendment is currently written, laws adopted 50 years ago might be as vulnerable as those that were passed yesterday. Appropriations for national defense would be as vulnerable as others. At a time when legislation can run to hundreds of pages, state legislators are even less likely to have read legislation than the members of Congress who enacted it.

This week’s Mero Moment, from Sutherland Institute President Paul Mero, continues the theme of challenging the “nanny state” mentality.

A good friend of mine, and long time Cache Valley activist, pens a LTE on our “consumption” society and where we might be headed as a country:

An economy dependent on constant growth plus a culture based on accumulation is a recipe for servitude. Going back to the bad old days is not the answer. I do not want my grandchildren to live in a house like the one where I was born. But a people who put a man on the moon and became the richest country in the world ought to be smart enough to figure out how to develop a sustainable culture based on quality rather than consumption.

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.

Speculation about the 2012 Republican nominee for President has already begun, and with it the re-emergence of the so-called “Mormon Question.”   The question isn’t so much whether a Mormon could function as President as much as it is whether the intolerance in the Republican base is sufficient to bar any Mormon Republican from ever becoming President.   At question then isn’t the political integrity of Mormonism.  Instead the “Mormon Question” is about the integrity of the Republican Party and its base.  After Mitt Romney’s failed 2008 run, some blamed that intolerance.  Others explained Romney’s failed candidacy as a function of the candidates flaws (flip flopping, rigid persona), not his religion.   The truth was probably somewhere in the middle.

Now, leading into 2012 the “Mormon Question” is back.  This time, however, our old Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. may decide seek the Republican nomination.

Whether Romney or Huntsman emerge as the pre-eminent Republican Mormon candidate, old wounds from 2008 remain open for many, including Mormon author Orson Scott Card:

Mormons have delivered the vote for Republicans year after year, but the GOP would be wise to remember that Mormons don’t actually belong to them. We noticed and will not forget Mike Huckabee’s viciously anti-Mormon mockery of Mitt Romney during the 2008 campaign. If Huckabee is the Republican nominee for president, look for substantial numbers of Mormons to defect or abstain. Mormons are the key to Republican victory in many Western swing states; if Huckabee actually wants their votes, he’d better start mending fences now.

Mormons are influential in the interior Mountain West, but this is an area that is sparcely populated.  The real political power behind Mormonism is the ability to organize and raise money, as demonstrated in the Prop. 8 campaign.

I believe that Card is being a bit verbose.  Mormons leave the Republican Party?  And where would they go?  The Democratic Party?  Mormons are the most partisan religious community in the United States.  The cultural weld that has bonded the GOP and Mormonism since the 1960′s is so strong that not even Mike Huckabee could fracture it, let alone severe it.  No amount of intolerant abuse from the Republican base could end the relationship.  At worst, anti-Mormon prejudice within the GOP has the potential to keep Mormons from voting, donating time and donating money.  That being said, the Republicans should fear that loss should 2008 repeat itself.

But leave the Republican Party?

Not a chance.

Over at Religion Dispatches, Joanna Brooks thinks the Mormon Question won’t be a big deal in 2012:

Mormons who take pleasure in their persecution complexes are gearing up for a big year with the possibility of not one but two LDS presidential candidates entering the Republican primaries, as sources report this week that former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman (currently the Obama-appointed amabassador to China) may be exploring a 2012 run. While some—like Mormon sci-fi writer Orson Scott Card—are already rattling sabers over the prospect of another round of anti-Romney, Huckabee-led Mormon baiting, I’m betting that Mormonism wouldn’t be nearly as much of a political liability for Huntsman (who Obama feared enough to dispatch to China) as it has been for the mild-mannered, sometimes wooden, and often mishandled Romney. His Mormonism may, in fact, be the most interesting thing about Mitt Romney. However the Republican primaries turn out, the prospect of a Huntsman run may remind the world that Mormonism is as capable of producing urbane, globally-minded moderates as it is of producing Cleon-Skousenite-Tea-Party ideologues. (Not to mention a few liberals.) And that would be a welcome reminder indeed.

Huntsman is a different politician than Romney.   While his moderate views may be appealing to voters in a general election, he still has to pass the gatekeepers to get the nomination.  When Huntsman originally ran for Governor he was an outspoken supporter of school vouchers, an issue very important to the Utah Republican base.  However, once elected,  he abstained from the 2007 voucher referendum.    Huntsman has taken moderate positions on several issues and may be forced to bend and flex a little, if not flip flop in order to appeal to the Republican base.   In that sense, he could be a lot like Mitt Romney in that his political liabilities come not only from anti-Mormon prejudice in the GOP base, but also from his own shifting positions.

Happy 2011, ya’ll.

Kicking of the new year with:

The GOP has set a date for a “repeal vote” on the President’s Affordable Care Act.  Some are saying it’s a symbolic vote, others are saying Republicans have a veto proof vote tally.  I say let’s talk about it.  What, specifically, do Republicans suggest instead?  Your thoughts?

The EPA has slapped a Utah company with some stiff fines for violating the Clean Air Act.

We’ll discuss Governor Sissypants Herbert’s inauguration speech and budget.

An argument for abolishing drunk driving laws.

Tune in, or Log in.

435-753-5868 or 1-800-369-5868. Your calls are welcome.

Podcasts of this and previous shows are available here.