Vacated Senate Seats

Since both Barack Obama and Joe Biden are U.S. Senators (Illinois and Delaware) you might wonder what will happen to their Senate seats, especially with Biden, he was running for both the senate and vice president. He won both races. He will continue to be the senator until he becomes the vice president in January.

Come January, the governors of those states will appoint a person to fill that seat. This is the policy whenever a senate seat is vacated. The governors of both those states are Democrat.

Election Results

Local Election Results
http://electionresults.utah.gov/xmlData/main.html

History is Made

Over an hour ago the National Election Broadcasts declared Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. I have to admit that this has me down. However, history has definitely been made. I hope that he can become the great leader that our country needs.

Poll Watcher

Tonight Lisa Shepherd & I got to be poll watchers. I could see how in close local elections this would be a helpful thing, but tonight there wasn't much going on. A poll watcher gets to look at the books of the people who have voted and can call people and tell them to come and vote.
We looked over some of the voting books, and I have to say that I am so proud of our precinct. I have no idea what the percentage of voters were, but it's got to be high. I couldn't believe how many people voted. Even the bad weather couldn't keep us down. Good Job Everyone!!!
On the news last night they said that 340,000 Utahan's voted early. I think that this made a huge difference in wait time at our location. I was told by the election workers that people were lined up by 6:30 a.m. That the first hour was a little hectic, the lines were long, etc. However, this quickly died down and they were able to get people in and out fairly quickly. When we showed up to poll watch there wasn't a line at all. People were able to come right on in, sign the book and Vote.

GO VOTE!

"It is imperative that American Citizen's become alerted and informed regarding the threats to our welfare, happiness, and freedom. No American is worthy of citizenship in this great land who refuses to take an active interest in these great matters. Stand up for freedom. No matter what the cost. It can help to save your soul. And maybe your country. May God give us the wisdom to recognize the dangers of complacency, the threat to our freedom, and the strength to meet this danger courageously."

--President Ezra Taft Benson

Obama on Freedom of Choice Act

Obama said that one of the first things he will do as president is Sign the Freedom of Choice Act (which would remove all restriction on Abortion). He believes when he is president that he will be able to appoint at least one Supreme Court Justice, which will likely overturn Roe Vs. Wade, allowing abortions at anytime.

Here's a video link about it:
http://americaschoicenow.com/

Obama's 30 minute ad

Here's an article about the ad:

Obama's prime-time ad skips over budget realities
By CALVIN WOODWARD, Associated Press Writer – Wed Oct 29, 9:18 pm ET

Quotes from the article:

Obama's assertion that "I've offered spending cuts above and beyond" the expense of his promises is accepted only by his partisans. His vow to save money by "eliminating programs that don't work" masks his failure throughout the campaign to specify what those programs are — beyond the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

THE FACTS: His plan does not lower premiums by $2,500, or any set amount. Obama hopes that by spending $50 billion over five years on electronic medical records and by improving access to proven disease management programs, among other steps, consumers will end up saving money. He uses an optimistic analysis to suggest cost reductions in national health care spending could amount to the equivalent of $2,500 for a family of four. Many economists are skeptical those savings can be achieved, but even if they are, it's not a certainty that every dollar would be passed on to consumers in the form of lower premiums.

THE FACTS: His proposals — the tax cuts, the low-cost loans, the $15 billion a year he promises for alternative energy, and more — cost money, and the country could be facing a record $1 trillion deficit next year. Indeed, Obama recently acknowledged — although not in his commercial — that: "The next president will have to scale back his agenda and some of his proposals."

Republican Party Document Review Committee

Message from our Legislative District 61 Chair:

It is my belief that the work of the party also consists of support of our party documents. Many individuals have expressed concern over different parts of the bylaws.

Our district is a pro-active district full top notch citizens. Some of those extremely smart people also happen of political activists. We would like to form a committee of interested persons to review the Party Documents together. If you have not been contacted and would like to be involved, please email me.

We welcome all views and opinions. This will be a working committee hopefully with individuals who will engage in conversation and study of our documents to stir the best ideas.

This committee will meet just days after the elections.

Vote for John McCain

I am not a great writer. I am not articulate and charismatic. I am not an expert on economics and foreign policy. I am not privy to U.S. Intelligence information. I am not a war veteran. However, I am an American. I love my country and I want us to continue to do our part to save our freedoms and build this great nation up.

I am worried about this upcoming presidential election. In our current economic tailspin, I am even more saddened that Mitt Romney didn’t get the Republican nomination. This is the area of his expertise, however, I will move on…

I do not like either of the 2 main gentlemen running for the office of President of the United States. I really do not like McCain. He bullied his way to where he is. I think he’s been part of the government problem, but I’ll admit, that I think that about anyone who has been in politics over 10 years. It’s been a hard road for me to think that I will vote for him, which I will.

The reason for writing this is more to express my thoughts about the other candidate. I have had so many people ask what I thought about all this, so I decided to throw it out there. There is indeed something about Barack Hussein Obama. He is very articulate and charismatic. It would seem that his eloquent oratory has truly taken our nation by storm.

I have many family members and friends that are voting for Barack. Some truly align themselves with his extremely liberal beliefs (He was voted the most liberal Senator of 2007). Some are voting for him only because they refuse to vote for McCain. Some are claiming they are voting for him because McCain is too liberal (I really don’t understand this one). There are others, who freely admit, that they want to be able to say that they voted for the first African American President. Then there are those who are voting for him because he looks “presidential,” even his wife, Michelle, wanted him to look more presidential and made him quit smoking in public!

I feel that unless you align yourselves with his beliefs and truly believe that he will be the best candidate to act according to your own morals and desires then voting for him otherwise is extremely irresponsible. Voting is a freedom that we are fortunate enough to have. We should be responsible. Learn about the issues and the candidates, and no, getting all your information from your TV does not count!

After McCain gained the Republican Nomination, the only reason I could find to vote for him is because our next president will indeed appoint Supreme Court Judges. This will make a huge impact on our rights and liberties. I want to insure that the Judges have a moral compass more aligned with my beliefs. I am pro-life. I don’t like guns, but think that we should have the choice to own them if we choose to. I threw that last line in there because very recently (June 2008) there was a case that could of changed our 2nd amendment had it of passed and the final vote was only one vote shy of passing (5-4 decision). This is a scary thought to me that our constitutional rights and freedoms could so easily be changed by one person, one Supreme Court Judge.

Besides the worry of whom Barack Obama might put in as Supreme Court Judges, I have come up with many reasons or red flags that have me worried about having him as our next President. I will go through these in no particular order. He really has done some great things and he has an amazing family tree (I love family history, so I really can appreciate this). I don’t wish to attack any of those things and the only reason I bring up certain things is to point out the inconsistencies in what he said and what is documented as actually happening. I’m sure that I have also made mistakes in my writing, since my facts are only as good as the information received from the research I have done. The point I’d like to make it that there just seem to be an awful lot of things, too many of them if you ask me.

• It’s always a red flag when the media loves a politician, and they sure do love Barrack!
• It’s a red flag when the possible future leader of the free world won’t put his hand on his heart and salute the flag. (A picture of this was published in Time magazine on September 16, 2007 at Indianola, Iowa where six Democratic presidential candidates appeared. It was Iowa Senator Tom Harkin's annual "meat and greet." Pictured are: Senator Barack Obama, Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, Senator Hillary Clinton, and Senator Harkin's wife, Ruth. Not seen in the picture are three other candidates who were standing out of view on the right side of the platform, Senator Chris Dodd, Senator John Edwards, Senator Joe Biden.) Barracks response: “My grandfather taught me how to say the Pledge of Allegiance when I was 2,” Obama said, his annoyance obvious. “During the Pledge of Allegiance you put your hand over your heart. During the national anthem you sing.” I am told he did not sing the anthem either, besides does he not watch the Olympics? Even all the athletes know to put their hand on their hearts. They are proud to honor their country.
• I’m not sure that Mr. Obama is proud to be an American. The whole not saluting the flag. He has returned to wearing a flag pin on his lapel, but had refused to for some time during his campaign. He is photographed reading the book THE POST-AMERICAN WORLD, a book about the demise of America. At least I know that John McCain loves his country. He has fought for it and nearly died for it.
• He wants a nationalized Health Care System. This would be wonderful. I like the idea, in theory. The reality is that the government screws up every organization they take over. It will cost the tax payers an absurd amount of money to fund this, which is the reason I brought this up, because Barack claims this won't raise taxes. Everyone I’ve talked to that has had to have medical stuff done in Canada and Great Britain say that it’s a mess. Things you could go to your pediatrician for on the same day you call in, would take about 2 months in those countries. How do you think millions of people’s health care was going to be paid for?
• The Democrats keep saying there were surpluses when Bush took office. I don’t understand how we can have a national debt with surpluses. Obama said in the 2nd debate, “But I think it's important just to remember a little bit of history. When George Bush came into office, we had surpluses. And now we have half-a-trillion-dollar deficit annually. When George Bush came into office, our debt -- national debt was around $5 trillion. It's now over $10 trillion. We've almost doubled it. And so while it's true that nobody's completely innocent here, we have had over the last eight years the biggest increases in deficit spending and national debt in our history.” Funny how it’s congress that approves the spending.
• Barack Obama told a Selma audience that the 1965 March on Selma resulted in his conception. However he was born in 1961.
• While addressing civil rights activists Sen. Barack Obama traced his “very existence” to the generosity of the Kennedy family during JFK’s administration, which he said paid for his Kenyan father to travel to America on a student scholarship and thus meet his Kansan mother. However, Contrary to Obama’s claims, the Kennedy family did not provide the funding for a September 1959 airlift of 81 Kenyan students to the United States that included Obama’s father. According to historical records and interviews with participants, the Kennedys were first approached for support for the program nearly a year later, in July 1960. The family responded with a $100,000 donation, most of which went to pay for a second airlift in September 1960. This was also before Kennedy took the oath of office.
• Barack didn’t even think that he should run for president (at the time Jimmy Carter also agreed with him), “I am a believer in knowing what you're doing when you apply for a job. And, I think that if I were to seriously consider running on a national ticket I would essentially have to start now before having served a day in the Senate. Now, there are some people who may be comfortable doing that, but I'm not one of those people." After only one year in the US Senate he announced his candidacy.
• His church, the one that he went to every week for 20 years up until several months ago, preaches hatred against Christians and Jews (no matter their color), and white America. They also didn’t do anything to feed the hungry children in their own city. It’s a great thing about living in America, we have freedom of religion. But it’s hard for me to believe that after 20 years some of the preaching’s haven’t sunk in.
• Barack’s half brother, Malik Abongo “Roy” Obama wanted a Muslim burial for his father at the time of his death, as Obama himself states in his book "Dreams From My Father". Obama admits that Abongo felt that the black man must "liberate himself from the poisoning influences of European culture." He embraced Islam and changed his lifestyle to shun pork, and drinking and other western trappings. He sees the west as a corrupting force.
• Barack said that his father was a goat herder and a proud freedom fighter. His father was a privileged, well educated youth who went on to be a part of one of the most corrupt and violent governments Kenya has ever had.
• Barack says that his family has strong ties to African Freedom. His cousin Raila Odinga has created mass violence in attempting to overturn a legitimate election in 2007, in Kenya. It is the first widespread violence in decades. When Odinga lost the elections, his followers have burned Christians' homes and then burned men, women and children alive in a Christian church where they took shelter. The current government is pro-American but Odinga wants to overthrow it and establish Muslim Sharia law. Obama SUPPORTED his cousin before the election process here started. Brarack’s half-brother, Abongo Obama, is Odinga's follower. Barack interrupted his New Hampshire campaigning to speak to Odinga on the phone.
• Barack says that his grandmother has always been a Christian, but in her own interviews she has stated that she does her daily Salat prayers at 5:a.m.
• Barack’s family has an uncommon amount of associations with radical people. People like Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, and Bernadette Dohrn. Also associations with men like Tony Rezko. Maybe these really can all be explained away, but it’s just another red flag.
• Barack Hussein Obama says that his name is African Swahili and that he is half black. His name is actually Arabic and 'Baraka' (from which Barack came) means 'blessed'. Hussein and Obama are also Arabic. Barack Hussein Obama is 50% Caucasian from his mother's side and 43.75% Arabic and 6.25% African Negro from his father's side. While Barack Hussein Obama's father was from Kenya, his father's family was mainly Arabs. Barack Hussein Obama's father was 12.5% African Negro and 87.5% Arab (his father's birth certificate states he's Arab).
• Barack said that he never practiced Islam, but he practiced it daily at school in Indonesia, where he was registered as a Muslim. In his book, he states that he got in trouble in Koranic Studies for making faces. Kristoff from the New York Times said that in February 2007: Mr. Obama recalled the opening lines of the Arabic call to prayer, reciting them with a first-rate accent. In a remark that seemed delightfully uncalculated; Mr. Obama described the call to prayer as 'one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.'
• Barack once stated that because he lived in Indonesia that he had more foreign experience. He lived there from the ages of 6 to 10 and couldn’t even speak the language.
• Barack says that he doesn’t take PAC money or have lobbyists. He actually took a lot of PAC money and reports show that he has over 50 lobbyists.
• Barack tends to vote “present” a lot (over 130 times). We need someone who will make a decision, not coward behind a present vote or try to cry that you mis-voted when you do vote against what you had told your constituents.
• Barack claims that he has always been against Iraq. First of all he wasn’t in office to vote against it and since he has been in office he has voted to fund it every time.
• Barack claims that without him there would be no Ethics Bill and that it was hard to pass. In reality he did not write or introduce the bill and it only took 14 days, from start to finish, to pass the bill.
• Barack claims that he alone took on the asbestos Altgeld Gardens. What he doesn’t mention is that he was one person in a large group of people that helped to remedy Altgeld Gardens.
• Barack said that his Economics Bill would help America, but it lost 99-0, he even voted against his own bill.
• Barack claims that no one on his campaign contacted Canada about NAFTA, but the Canadian Government issued the names and a memo of the conversation that his campaign had with them.
• Barack claims that he passed over 900 bills in the Illinois State Senate. He actually passed 26, most of which were created by a fellow Senator and given to Barack to assist in a future bid for higher office.
• Barack claims that he is tough on terrorism, but he missed the Iran Resolution vote and his friend, Ali Abunimah, supports the destruction of Israel.
• In the last 6 months 292 people were murdered in Chicago, 221 were killed in Iraq. Senators Barack Obama & Dick Durbin, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., Gov. Rod Blogojevich, House leader Mike Madigan, Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan, and Mayor Richard Daley are the leadership in Illinois, all are Democrats, and they are all blaming each other for this since there are no Republicans.
• The Illinois State pension fund is $44 Billion in debt (worst in the country), Cook County (Chicago) sales tax is 10.25% (highest in country), and the Chicago school system one of the worst in country. I just worry about how Barack might try to fix Washington when the state he represents is such a mess.
• In the October 7, 2008 debate Obama said, “Well, we may not always have national security issues at stake, but we have moral issues at stake. If we could have intervened effectively in the Holocaust, who among us would say that we had a moral obligation not to go in? If we could've stopped Rwanda, surely, if we had the ability, that would be something that we would have to strongly consider and act. So when genocide is happening, when ethnic cleansing is happening somewhere around the world and we stand idly by, that diminishes us. And so I do believe that we have to consider it as part of our interests, our national interests, in intervening where possible. But understand that there's a lot of cruelty around the world. We're not going to be able to be everywhere all the time. That's why it's so important for us to be able to work in concert with our allies. Let's take the example of Darfur just for a moment. Right now there's a peacekeeping force that has been set up and we have African Union troops in Darfur to stop a genocide that has killed hundreds of thousands of people. We could be providing logistical support, setting up a no-fly zone at relatively little cost to us, but we can only do it if we can help mobilize the international community and lead. And that's what I intend to do when I'm president.” No matter our reasons for going into Afghanistan and Iraq doesn’t he realize that this is exactly what we are doing for the citizens of these countries? He is telling Bush that he is bad for doing the same things he claims that he will do.
• Another big red flag is that he seems to want to disarm America. He said, “As president, I will end misguided defense policies and stand with caucus priorities in fighting special interests in Washington. First, I’ll stop spending 9 billion dollars a month in Iraq. I am the only major candidate that opposed this war from the beginning and as president I will end it. Second, I will cut tens of billions of dollars of wasteful spending. I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems. I will not weaponize space. I will slow our development in future combat systems and I will institute an independent defense priorities board to ensure that defense review is not used to justify unnecessary spending. Third, I will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons. To seek that goal I will not develop new nuclear weapons. I will seek a global ban on the production of missile material and I will negotiate with Russia to take our ICBM’s off air-trigger alert and to achieve deep cuts in our nuclear arsenals. You know where I stand. I’ve fought for open, ethical and economical government my entire public life. I don’t switch positions or make promises that can’t be kept. I don’t posture on the defense policy. I don’t take money from federal lobbyists for powerful defense contractors. As president, my soul priority for defense spending will be protecting the American people.” Does he think the most powerful nation in the world has no enemies? He just told the whole world his military strategy. He has no idea how to be Commander In Chief. Even I know that when in battle you don’t let the enemy know what your next plan of attack is. I value my freedom and am so thankful to all those who serve our country and fight the battles in other countries to keep us safe. It reminds me of the words to a song that my kids always sing at their patriotic programs… “Freedom isn’t free. You have to pay the price. You have to sacrifice for you Liberty.” There is much to be said about the war in Iraq. I hate war. I always wish that there was another realistic option. I wish that people would make better choices and lead their nations to greatness, to serve their people, not dictate over them. What a better world this would be if all leaders valued every soul and allowed and encouraged them to be and do better. To me it doesn’t matter the cause… the reason… the he said… the you said… they voted… I didn’t… crap. We are at war with terrorists (somebody who uses violence, especially bombing, kidnapping, and assassination, to intimidate others, often for political purposes) of all kinds. Terrorists attacked us on our own soil and we had weapons. There are terrorists in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. They will be fighting us on American soil if we disarm America.

Sorry this is so long… I’ll jump down now!

Candidates, Issues & Judges

Names in Red are the REPUBLICAN candidates. I also stated my opinion on voting for the issues and judges! Enjoy!

We will be voting on the following:

President of the United States of America & Vice President running mate:

• John McCain – Sarah Palin
• Barack Obama – Joe Biden
• Charles Baldwin – Darrel Castle
• Bob Barr – Wayne Root
• Gloria La Riva – Eugene Puryear
• Ralph Nader – Matt Gonzalez
• Cynthia McKinney – Rosa Clemente

U.S. Congressional District 3

• Jason Chaffetz
• Jim Noorlander
• Bennion Spencer

Utah State Governor & Lieutenant Governor

• Jon Huntsman, Jr. - Gary Herbert
• Dell Schanze - Joey Hobbs
• Bob Springmeyer - Josie Valdez

Utah Attorney General

• Mark Shurtleff
• Jean Welch Hill
• W. Andrew McCullough

Utah State Auditor

• Auston Johnson III
• Clare Collard
• Richard Proctor
• Mike Stoddard

Utah State Treasurer

• Richard Ellis
• Dick Clark

Utah State Senate District 13

• Mark Madsen
• Kenneth Peay

Utah State House of Representatives District 61

• Keith Grover
• Deon Turley

Utah State School Board District 13

• Kyle Bateman ("School board member, Provo Freedom Academy; commissioner, Utah County Planning Commission; 23 years active in business administration; service on numerous nonprofit and for-profit boards.")
• C. Mark Openshaw ("I have four children in the public school system, my wife is the PTA president - I, my family, and our future is invested in the system.")

VOTE - does someone want to weigh in? I'm leaning toward Openshaw.

Constitutional Amendment A – amends provisions relating to the filling of a vacancy in the office of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, the process for determining the disability of those offices and the exercise of powers when temporarily disabled.
VOTE YES

Constitutional Amendment B – amends provisions relating to a permanent state trust fund. It expands the sources of money that can be placed in the trust fund.
VOTE YES

Constitutional Amendment C – moves the beginning date of the annual general session of the Legislature to start one week later, instead of starting on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and ending one week and one day (extra day because of Presidents Day) later than the constitution already states.
VOTE YES

Constitutional Amendment D – modifies the provision requiring the Legislature to divide the state into congressional, legislative, and other districts, to be no later than the annual general session.
VOTE YES

Constitutional Amendment E – provides an exception to the general rule that would allow the State to invest in stocks and bonds with money from the State School Fund or with money from certain land granted to the state by the federal government.
VOTE – would someone like to weigh in on this?

JUDGES – we are voting whether to retain the judge for another term. Before the judge stands for this retention election, they are evaluated by the Judicial Council. Any judge that you are voting on has been certified by the Judicial Council that this person is qualified for this retention election.

We are the FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
VOTE YES TO RETAIN ALL THE JUDGES

EARLY VOTING

I mentioned before the locations where you can go to vote early. I thought it was worth mentioning again.

Early Voting: Weekdays October 21 - October 31 at the locations and times listed below. Bring your ID and proof of address (utility bill).

• Utah Community Credit Union - Hours 1 to 5 p.m., 1364 North Commerce Drive, Saratoga Springs
  

• American Fork Library - Hours 3 to 7 p.m. (3 to 5 on Oct 31), 64 S 100 E, American Fork

• Utah Valley University, Sorensen Student Center - Hours 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., UVUSA Office (SCI05), 800 W University Parkway, Orem

• Utah County Administration Building - Hours 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 100 E Center Street, Room LL900, Provo

• Spanish Fork National Guard Armory - Hours 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., 2801 N Main, Spanish Fork

Tune In - Presidential Debate

Tonight at 7:p.m. is the Town Hall Debate between McCain & Obama.
The event will be hosted at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and is being moderated by NBC's Tom Brokaw.

ABC's Match-O-Matic

Just for fun, you can answer some questions and see which candidate best matched your answers.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/MatchOMatic/fullpage?id=5542139

Caution: This is just for fun and must note that this is done by a media outlet (always biased). As a voter, you must be responsible and study the candidates and make an educated decision on who you think will be better for you and our nation.

143 Days

This was sent to me and I thought it was interesting (yes, I know the # of days in now more, but still...):

• You couldn't get a job at McDonald's and become district manager after 143 days of experience.


• You couldn't become chief of surgery after 143 days of experience of being a surgeon.


• You couldn't get a job as a teacher and be the superintendent after 143 days of experience.


• You couldn't join the military and become a colonel after a 143 days of experience.


• You couldn't get a job as a reporter and become the nightly news anchor after 143 days of experience.

BUT....

• From the time Barack Obama was sworn in as a United State Senator, to the time he announced he was forming a Presidential exploratory committee, he logged 143 days of experience in the Senate. That's how many days the Senate was actually in session and working.


• After 143 days of work experience, Obama believed he was ready to be Commander In Chief, Leader of the Free World .... 143 days. We all have to start somewhere. The senate is a good start, but after 143 days, that's all it is - a start.


• AND, strangely, a large sector of the American public is okay with this and campaigning for him. We wouldn't accept this in our own line of work, yet some are okay with this for the President of the United States of America? Come on folks, we are not voting for the next American Idol!

Republican Victory Office Needs You!

Volunteer Anytime!

That's right. With the new Republican Victory Office in Provo - you can volunteer for John McCain and Sarah Palin anytime you want! You only have an hour a week? Perfect. Go to www.tinyurl.com/phonebank and choose the time that works for you!

What can I expect?

At the Victory Office you make outgoing phone calls to Colorado or New Mexico - important swing states this election. They have a script for you to use and you just ask a few simple survey questions. The information we gain helps Republicans run an even more effective, and more personal campaign in those states!

Questions: apiner@rnchq.org

Mike Duncan - RNC Chairman

Tomorrow morning from 10:45 am-12:00 noon the Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan will be in Utah visiting the Provo Victory Office. He'll be joined by local Congressional candidates Jason Chaffetz and Bill Dew.

Come and help us welcome the Chairman to the great state of Utah!

RNC Victory Office
746 E 820 N Provo
Across the Street from Cougar Copy
Wed. Oct. 1st, 10:45am
Parking will be available behind the building - no one will be towed that morning.

Please RSVP to: apiner@rnchq.org

Town Hall Meetings with Jason Chaffetz

September 23rd
· Elk Ridge Town Hall Meeting - 7:30 pm - With Mike Morley and Mark Madsen at Liberty Academy.

September 27th
· Juab County Visit - 10 am - 160 North Main Street, County Commission Chambers, Nephi
· Beaver County Visit - 2pm - Beaver Senior Citizen Center

Debates

Presidential Debates
· Friday, September 26, 7:00 pm - First presidential debate


Vice-Presidents Debates
· Thursday, October 2, 7:00 pm - Palin/Biden debate (the only vice-presidential debate)


Utah Debates
District 3:
· Wednesday, October 1, 7:00 pm - Daily Herald Debate at UVU
· Monday, October 6, 9:00 am - Mark Maxon Show debate AM 630
· Monday, October 13, 6:30 pm - KSL-TV Conversation with the Candidates
· Friday, October 24, 7:30 KUED Debate
· Wednesday, October 29, 9:00 pm - KBYU Debate

Milken Institute's Best Area to Live In

The Milken Institute came out with a new ranking this week.
They deemed the Provo/Orem area as the
#1 "The best city/area to live in".

ELECTION DAY

Presidential Election Information

Election Day: November 4, 2008 - 7:00 am to 8:00 pm

Early Voting: Weekdays October 21 - October 31 at the locations and times listed below. Bring your ID and proof of address (utility bill).

Utah Community Credit Union - Hours 1 to 5 pm, 1364 North Commerce Drive, Saratoga Springs

American Fork Library - Hours 3 to 7 pm (3 to 5 on Oct 31), 64 S 100 E, American Fork

Utah Valley University, Sorensen Student Center - Hours 10 am to 2 pm, UVUSA Office (SCI05), 800 W University Parkway, Orem

Utah County Administration Building - Hours 8 am to 5 pm, 100 E Center Street, Room LL900, Provo

Spanish Fork National Guard Armory - Hours 3 to 7 pm (3 to 5 on Oct 31), 2801 N Main, Spanish Fork

In-Office Registration:Utah County Clerk's Office - October 7 - October 20, 8 am - 5 pm.

Absentee Ballots: Please call the Utah County Clerk's Office at 851-8128 to request an absentee ballot and an application form will be mailed to you. Please have all absentee requests made as early as possible and all applications in the mail as soon as possible to ensure your ballot arrives in time for the election.

You may check your registration and obtain your polling place location and sample ballot by going to the Lt. Governor's web site: http://elections.utah.gov/ OR by calling the County Elections Clerk at 851-8128.

Central Committee Meeting

Last night we had our Utah County Republican Party Central Committee Meeting. The legislators all got shirts with their last name and district #.There wasn't really any items of business, just lots of information about upcoming events and a few speakers.

Jason Chaffetz spoke about meeting our soldiers, spending the last few days in Sevier County, going to see miners in coal mines, and going to Alaska where he and several others, including Governor Palin, spoke in favor of drilling in ANWAR. As Vice President, Sarah Palin will help to bring drilling in ANWAR.

Our Legislative District had the best attendance. We had 25 officers/delegates there. I believe there are about 13 districts and our district has 22 precincts.


Things to note:
The RNC (Republican National Committee) has opened an office at 746 E. 820 N., in Provo. They can be reached at 374-9968. For the next 6 weeks The Utah County Republican Party will share the office with them. Just so you know they only have 5 McCain/Palin signs right now so give them a week or so before they get more in. They are also in need of volunteers to help with the phone banks. If you can help please stop by.


ELECTION WANT ADS
(thanks for this info, Lisa):

WANTED: Voter Registration.
DEADLINE is October 6 for this election.
Fact:Utah has the lowest percent of registered voters in the U.S.

WANTED: Poll Workers. Hours: 6:00 am to 9:00 pm on November 4, 2008. Pay ranges from $100 for poll workers to $180 for poll managers. Attendance at training sessions is mandatory for all poll workers. If interested, call the elections office: 851-8130.

WANTED: Informed and United Republicans. The RNC has crafted a new National Republican Party Platform. Each state had two members work on it. They had great consensus and feel it is the best ever! To read the platform, go to: http://www.gop.com/2008Platform/

WANTED: Your attendance. Bring your family. A public celebration commemorating the signing of the US Constitution will be held at the Provo Tabernacle on September 17 at 7pm.

Save the U.S. Treasury $5M

This was sent to me - just something to think about!

A president's pension currently is $191,300 per year.

Assume the next president lives to age 80.

Sen McCain would receive ZERO pension as he would reach 80 at the end of two terms as president.

Sen Obama would be retired for 26 years after two terms and would receive $4,973,800 in pension.

Therefore it would certainly make MORE economic sense to elect McCain in November.

How's that for non-partisan thinking?

Attempted Child Abduction

Last week there were 2 attempted child abductions.

The first was around the Lakeview Elementary School. The man (20-30 yr) had a dark complexion, wavy hair, and a mustache. He was in a light blue truck.

The second was around Amelia Earhart Elementary School. This time the man was driving a white minivan, but the description is the same. The police believe this is the same man.

Please use this as a reminder to talk to your kids about stranger danger. It's always good to talk to them and help them to understand so that if they are ever in a terrible situation that the will instantly know what to do.

If you near these schools when kids are coming and leaving, you might want to spend a few minutes outside or watching out your window to make sure that the kids passing your yard do so in safety.

Why Women Should Vote

This was sent to me. I do not know who the original author is. I did do some research to see if the stories were true. Although I didn't look at every account, I did find supporting material from the National Archives and other resources. I think all women should understand what it took to have the freedom to vote.

.....

WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE - {author unknown}

This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.

Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.

The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.

And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'

(Lucy Burns)

They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

(Dora Lewis)

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote. For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.

(Alice Paul)

When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.

So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because- -why, exactly?

We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?

Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' {Christy's side note - this movie came out in 2004} It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say.

I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.

All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote. Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient.

My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said. 'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use, my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.'

The right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'

HBO released the movie on video and DVD. I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing, but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think a little shock therapy is in order.

It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.

The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'

Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know. We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote.

History is being made.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf

Meghan's Blog

Check out Meghan's blog for a first hand account of life on the political trail with her father, John McCain.

http://www.mccainblogette.com/index.shtml

Sarah Palin

It seems that we don't know to much about Sarah. This is what I've found out:

She likes cheeseburgers and moose burgers.
She likes to hunt and fish.
She plays the flute.
She likes to snowmobile.
She owns a float boat.
She is a hockey mom.
She was born in Sandpoint, Idaho, in 1964.
She moved to Alaska shortly after she was born.
She played high school basketball (point guard).
She won the Miss Wasilla pageant.
She was 1st runner up to Miss Alaska.
She received a scholarship to the University of Idaho.
She got a bachelors degree in journalism.
She was a sports anchor in Alaska.
She worked as a commerical fisherman with her husband.
She is a PTA member.
She served 2 terms on the Wasilla, Alaska city council.
She served as mayor of Wasilla.
She was elected as president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors.
She served as Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
She was elected as Governor in 2006.
She was the first woman Alaskan Governor and youngest at 42 years old.
She put a stop to the Bridge to Nowhere project.
She is pro-life.
She supports capital punishment.
She opposes same sex marriage.
She is a life long member of the NRA (National Rifle Association).
She eloped with Todd Palin (her high school sweetheart), a native Yup'ik Eskimo.
Todd works for BP, an oil field on the North Slope.
She has 5 kids: son - Track (18 yr. old son, will be leaving for Iraq next month), daughters - Bristol (17 yrs.), Willow (13 yrs.) and Piper (7 yrs), and son - Trig Paxson Van Palin, who has Down syndrome (4 months, born April 18, 2008).
She returned to work 3 days after giving birth!

McCain's Vice President Pick

It is being reported that John McCain has finally settled on a running mate. This person will be officially revealed in a noontime rally on Friday (tomorrow) in Dayton, Ohio. That evening they will be in Pennsylvania at a minor league baseball stadium, located southwest of Pittsburgh. On Sunday, they will be in the St. Louis Missouri area at a minor league baseball stadium. This event will also feature Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee — the GOP presidential finalists who effectively divided the vote three ways in Missouri's Super Tuesday primary.

Speculation is that one of these 3 men will be announced as the running mate:
former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman.

I'm still hoping for Mitt!

Update (Friday morning): I have to admit that I am somewhat shocked that McCain had it in him to pick a women, the Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, to be his running mate. I guess the analysts had that one all wrong!!! I'm excited though. What an election year this is turning out to be!

Drive the Speed Limit

Yesterday on the way to school one of the students was hit by a car. It wasn't the driver's fault the child was crossing through a red light. Thankfully the child was not hurt at all, neither was the bike or car for that matter. But it was definitely a wake up call. We have all been so worried about all of the kids making it to school safely, especially around Geneva Road. After this accident they had the police issuing tickets. At last I heard they issued over 40 speeding tickets yesterday during school.

Please, please, please for the safety of our loved ones drive the speed limit. Which is greatly reduced in a school zone!!!

National Conventions Coming Up

August 25-28, 2008

Democratic National Convention in Denver

September 1-4, 2008

Republican National Convention in Minneapolis - St. Paul
visit their website and sign up for email updates http://www.gopconvention2008.com/

A.G. Visit with President George W. Bush

Dear Supporters,
An email has been circulating around the web about A.G. Mark Shurtleff's attendance when President Bush was in town. Many have asked if A.G. Shurtleff actually wrote that email. WE WANTED TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. HE DID WRITE THIS EMAIL (which is the same one that has been circulating) and we wanted to share it with you.
-Jessica Fawson
Attorney General Mark Shurtleff 2008

May 2008
From Attorney General Mark Shurtleff:

I had an extraordinary experience this week with President Bush's visit and wanted to share it with you. I was on the host committee and, because I was able to raise a couple hundred thousand from friends, I was able to be at all the meetings and with a small group that welcomed him. He spent over two hours in two appearances speaking and answering questions and the most common remarks people had of the experience was that (1) he seemed so relaxed, happy, and "at peace," and (2) he is nothing like what the media portrays him to be; in fact, he was articulate, personable, and very spiritual.

I believe he was in such high spirits because he knows that Utah is one of the few places where he still has a favorability rating above 50 percent. He joked that he was surprised by the friendly welcome. "In fact, while I was driving up here in my motorcade, most of the people were waving at me with all five fingers!"

Cynics say that we here in Utah still look favorably on him only because we are "sheeple" not "people" and used to "blind obedience," or that we must not be educated enough. I believe that, in fact, we here hold the office of the president in high regard because we are led by the example of our prophet to pray for President Bush and to support him in a very difficult task. I know he felt that special spirit while he was here. In over two hours of comments about such pressing national issues such as the economy, war on terror, energy crisis, immigration, etc. he spent a lot of time talking about faith, religious freedom and prayer!

When I greeted him at the Stewart mansion for his luncheon appearance, I had a moment to speak to him and told him that we here in Utah love him and are praying for him. I told him my brother had served recently in Afghanistan and that he had informed me that the troops support him. He seemed very touched by that and, as I said, he spent a lot of time while here speaking about spiritual matters. Members of his entourage said that was unique--that he didn't often speak so much about religious things.

He spoke of the importance of religious freedom and emphasized that "it didn't matter whether we were Mormon or Catholic or Jew or Vegetarian..." He paused while people chuckled, and then he said with a wink, "See, this is why I didn't let cameras in here." I know that Vegetarian isn't a religion, but if someone had been filming that, the only news out of my entire visit to Utah would be how stupid Bush is for thinking Vegetarian is a religion" He laughed and then got serious again.

"My point is, it...doesn't...MATTER! What matters is that we are FREE. You see, that's what makes us so different from our enemies in radical Islam. They want to kill those who have different religious views. And that is why we must persist in our war against them. THEY MUST NOT PREVAIL!"

He spoke about the relationships he had developed with world leaders and that he often bore his testimony to them. (That's right, our president!) For example, he spoke of his relationship with the communist leader of China, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.

He said, "I wanted to impress upon him how positive religion can be." He said, "I told him that God had changed my life. I was a drunk, Mr. Prime Minister! I had a serious problem and, if it hadn't been for God, I would not be here today. He saved my life! He had a little help from Billy Graham who was his messenger, but it was God who helped me with my addiction and turned my life around. Religion can make your people better, Mr. Prime Minister! Won't you please consider giving them their religious freedom?"

Isn't that extraordinary? Let me share another special story. He talked about King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. He invited him out to his ranch in Crawford, Texas, because he felt it was important to get to know him and develop a relationship of trust and a spiritual bond. He said that King Abdullah, of course, is a strict practicing Muslim with many wives, just like his father and grandfather before him, but noted that the King's son and heir has decided to have only one wife. He said he wanted to impress upon the King that, as a Christian nation, we are not enemies of Islam and that we have much in common. He told King Abdullah, "I am a believer. I believe in God. I believe he is the same God as Allah. Now, we differ a little in that I believe Jesus Christ is the son of God and my Savior and Redeemer, while I know you consider him to just be a prophet, but we are 'People of the Book,' like you." King Abdullah wasn't really responding so he felt impressed that they needed some time alone so he invited him to go for a ride in his pickup truck around the ranch. The two got in alone and started down a dirt road (can you picture all the staff and security scurrying after them?)

President Bush was pointing out different trees and his cows when they came around a corner, and there stood the biggest tom turkey he had ever seen in the middle of the road just looking at them. He said that he was surprised because he didn't raise turkeys and had never seen a wild turkey on his ranch. King Abdullah sat upright and was suddenly very interested. They stopped and King Abdullah asked, "What is that?" "That my friend, is a turkey!" answered Bush, "and I've never seen one on my ranch before." "What is it's significance?" asked the King. President Bush said all he could think of was to tell him that Benjamin Franklin once wanted to make it the symbol of our nation, but we chose the eagle instead.

"I will tell you what it means," replied Abdullah as he touched President Bush on the arm. "The turkey is sacred in my religion, and Allah has sent it as a sign to me that you are a believer and a good man!"

Pretty cool huh? President Bush talked a lot about his difficult decisions and became very emotional when he admitted he has made mistakes and bears the terrible burden of knowing that his decisions have led to the deaths of thousands, and then he got very quiet and said that he doesn't think he could go on without the prayers of the people. He said that, when he was a young man and heard people say, "I pray for you," he didn't give it much thought. But, at age 61 and the President of the United States, he said it means the world to him to know that millions are praying for him. He said, "Like it says in Second Corinthians, 'I am filled with Comfort'!" And he thanked us for that and said he would try to listen to the promptings and make the right and best choices for our nation and our people.

I want to bear you my testimony that whatever your politics or criticisms of President Bush and his decisions and the way he has prosecuted this war, he really is a good and decent man who believes in our Heavenly Father, who recognizes the terrible costs of his mistakes, and who seeks to do the right thing, and is buoyed up and supported, comforted, and guided by our prayers. He loves this country and is dedicated to service and has tried to do the right thing to keep us safe and to help others enjoy the blessings of freedom and liberty.

He spoke of his strong relationship with the Prime Minister of Japan and how important they are as friends and allies--notwithstanding that, when his father was 19, he was fighting them as mortal enemies and nearly lost his life in that war when he was shot down in the South Pacific. And now, just 65 years later, Japan has a vibrant democracy and is our friend. He told the graduating class at the Air Force Academy just prior to flying to Salt Lake that he believed that sixty years from now, their children would be friends and allies with Arab and Muslims around the world because we stood up to oppression and evil today in the quest for freedom and peace for all.

I am very blessed to have had this experience. Please remember President Bush in your prayers tonight.
Mark

Huntsman & Herbert

Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social

Please join Governor Huntsman and Lt. Governor Herbert for an old fashioned ice cream social.

Bring the kids for ice cream and fun!

Saturday, August 23rd 5:30 - 7:00 pm
Smooth Canyon Park in Alpine

Suggested Contribution: $25 per family(Contribution is suggested but not required. Make checks payable to Huntsman for Governor.)
For more information, please contact Jeff Hartley @ (801) 557-3772 or jeff@huntsman08.com

DIRECTIONS: Smooth Canyon Park is at 900 East Healy Blvd. in Alpine. From SR92, go north on 4800 West about 1 mile to Healy Blvd. Follow Healy Blvd. east until it ends at Smooth Canyon Park.
huntsman08.com

Romney endorses Chaffetz

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY ENDORSES JASON CHAFFETZ
Calls Chaffetz "Principled Leader" in Utah's Third Congressional District Race
19 August 2008

Former presidential hopeful and Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney today formally endorsed Third District Congressional candidate Jason Chaffetz.

"I am committed to a strong military, a strong economy and strong families," said Romney. "I know Jason Chaffetz shares those values. We will need strong leadership in the Congress to move America forward."

Romney, who earned more than 90% of the vote in Utah's February Presidential Primary, is still considered a possible pick for vice president. "We need principle-driven people who are committed to the public good," said Romney of Chaffetz. "We need people who are willing to stand up, participate in the process and do what is right for America."

In a letter to be distributed in the coming weeks, Romney wrote of Chaffetz, "I know Jason personally and have had the pleasure of working with him. I can say, unequivocally, that there is no one more dedicated to Utah than Jason." Chaffetz and Romney worked together during the time Romney headed the Republican Governor's Association and Chaffetz served as Chief of Staff to Utah Governor Jon Huntsman. Chaffetz also volunteered time on Romney's presidential campaign.

"It's an honor to have the support of Governor Romney," Chaffetz said. "He is admired in Utah for his commitment to public service, his exceptional business and leadership skills, and his efforts to strengthen America's families. His support will mean a lot to the people of Utah and for that I am very grateful."

In his letter, Romney praised Chaffetz for running a "fiscally conservative, grass roots primary campaign using more than 1,000 volunteers in lieu of a paid staff." Chaffetz has used an all-volunteer staff to run his campaign and dominated the primary election despite being outspent by $600,000.

"Utah - and America - will be lucky to have this principled leader in Congress," Romney told supporters in the letter, which asked recipients to donate generously to the Chaffetz campaign.

Paid for by Utah Republican Party
Authorized by Chaffetz for Congress, LLC
www.utgop.org

Declaration of Independence in UTAH

The Declaration of Independence is coming to Salt Lake City this weekend, August 15th & 16th.

See history as one of the original copies sets up shop in the State Capitol this Friday and Saturday. Don't miss this rare opportunity to see an integral piece of this nation's history on display. The Declaration will be on the Rotunda at the State Capitol building this Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday from 10am-8pm.

Letter from Stan Lockhart

August 12, 2008

Recently, I attended a patriotic service keynoted by talk show host Glenn Beck. He left us with a memorable anecdote. He described his own experience during September 11th when he visited ground zero; his inability to process what had happened and his knowledge that the world had changed that day. He received comfort by reading the words of a pioneer song with the refrain, "All is well! All is well!"

Glenn suggested that we live in a time when everyone is begging for a leader. He said, "Where is the leader and when will he/she step forward?" While rising fuel and food prices, an economy in flux and international conflict are at the forefront of everyone's mind, Glenn Beck reminds us who we are. He said about the people of Utah and America, "You are the leader, the leader we need has always been you."

Batman "The Dark Knight" - An Analogy about President Bush This is not a movie for everyone, but I thought you might be interested in the analogy between Batman and President Bush as written in the Wall Street Journal.
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB121694247343482821-lMyQjAxMDI4MTI2NTkyNDUyWj.html

Comprehensive Energy Policy With Barack Obama saying that saying proper tire pressure would save as much energy as drilling for oil in the continental shelf and Nancy Pelosi recessing Congress without allowing a vote on additional domestic oil drilling, is it any wonder that people are getting angrier by the day about $4 per gallon gasoline.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/08/drill_and_conserve.html http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/276234/57/ http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/07/from-the-fact-1.html

Republicans in Congress including Utah's Rob Bishop are still in Washington DC during the recess calling Democrats to come back and vote. And they intend to stay there indefinitely until Democrats are willing to help find a solution to our dependence on foreign oil. Democrats have refused to address this issue in every way possible.

Read below the transcript between George Stephanopoulos and Nancy Pelosi or view it at http://blog.nrcc.org/.

And there is an entertaining Rush Limbaugh version. http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2008/08/03/stephanopoulos-pelosi-why-no-or-down-vote-drilling http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_080408/content/01125107.guest.html

Our Utah delegation has been working on a comprehensive energy policy that aims to increase the supply of American-made energy, improve conservation and efficiency, and promote renewable and alternative energy technologies. Its not an "either or". It's an "all of the above" solution. But Democrats aren't budging. House Congressional Republicans are protesting by remaining on the House floor during the month of August even though Democrats have left. Congressman Bishop is there right now continuing to address this critical issue. Read the articles below and send Rob an email of encouragement at votebishop@gmail.com

http://townhall.com/Columnists/HarryRJacksonJr/2008/08/11/politics_as_usual_-_pursuing_energy_reform http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/gop-planning-to-revolt-right-up-to-dem-convention-2008-08-06.html

New Republican Party Website You may have noticed when you go to http://www.utgop.org that there is a new fresh look to the website. I'd like to thank our IT committee Chris Kenney, Suzy Mortensen, Seth Juarez, Rick Votaw, Ric Cantrell, Nathan Rathbun, Dave Hansen and Randall Achziger for all of their hard work. In addition to a new look, in the near future you will see new features like e-donations and a blog.

Forbes Ranks Utah #2 For Best States For Business I often think of what Utah was like 30 years ago. It seemed as if we were in a perpetual downturn. Many people were underemployed. Our economy was based largely on agriculture and mining. We weren't even a blip on the national economic scene. Today, we have high paying jobs in high technology, nutritional supplements, bioscience, medical devices, industrial banks, oil and gas exploration and a whole host of other industries.

This change didn't come by accident. Over decades, our Republican leadership created a business friendly environment consisting of solid tax policy and reasonable regulations.
Yet another recognition for Utah's economy came out last week in Forbes Magazine.

For the second year in a row, Utah is #2 in America for the Best States For Business. These awards are the fruits of many years of hard work both in the private and public sectors. While Utah's entrepreneurs should take full credit for their efforts, a Republican led legislature has created a low tax, business friendly atmosphere and our Governor has made growing the economy his top priority. This Republican leadership has helped raise the standard of living for many Utahns; better jobs, more opportunity. It's a great example of the "I can" campaign. Personal responsibility. Freedom and liberty. I can start a business. I can find a better paying job. I can provide for my family. I can help create a business friendly environment.

http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/30/virginia-georgia-utah-biz-cz_kb_0731beststates_table.html

Another Example of "Suppress the Republican Vote" Efforts As only a reporter can do, one has taken my last Chairman's letter with a plethora of Republican success stories and tried to turn it into a negative. Here it is in case you missed it: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700247119,00.html

The McCain VP Watch (We Like Mitt) It looks like John McCain may wait until the Republican National Convention to name his running mate. I don't have any inside information here, but thought I would share with you what I'm hearing and reading. As long as the economy, budgetary/management competence and fundraising are the key issues for this election, Mitt Romney is going to be high on the radar screen. He may be able to turn swing states Michigan, Colorado and Nevada to the Republican side.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/12179.html

And for those who want to read more about Mitt, here are two of my favorite speeches: http://www.conservative.org/pressroom/2008/speech_romney08.asp http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16969460

National Convention On February 5, 2008, Mitt Romney won the Utah Republican Primary with over 90% of the vote. On February 29, 2008 and after officially dropping out of the race, he sent the Utah Republican Party a letter that says in part, "Because I am no longer a formal candidate for the presidency of the United States, please consider this an official release, to the extent allowed by party rules and state law, of all delegates bound, committed, or otherwise pledged to vote for me at the 2008 Republican National Convention. I strongly encourage all released and uncommitted delegates to cast their votes for Senator John McCain at the Convention."

On May 10, 2008 at the Utah Republican State Convention, delegates overwhelmingly voted to postpone a bylaw change that would have released Utah delegates from voting for Mitt. At the time, the RNC was concerned that a bylaw change would expose our delegates to a credentials challenge. The deadline for such challenges was August 2.

Since the State Central Committee is the governing body of the Utah Republican Party, only they can take up a postponed bylaw change. A committee member requested that the postponed issue be resolved, so we have begun that effort.

I have had many discussions with the Romney campaign on this issue. They are firm in their desire for their delegates to be released and believe Utah can best help Mitt by doing so. It is highly unlikely that Mitt's name will even be placed in nomination at the convention, so a vote for Mitt will be meaningless.

I think it's important to note that the real choice today for President is between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama. Our national convention is being held to show America why John McCain is the better choice.

The State Central Committee will meet on August 23rd to resolve the matter. The meeting will only be open to committee members.

Preparing for the November 4 Election The general election season is fast approaching and we have a strong slate of candidates preparing for November's election. These candidates are capable, qualified men and women who are willing to put their name out there in the public arena. They stand for Republican values and principles. They believe in our platform. They want to represent you. I encourage you to help them. Here are a few ideas:

Get to know your Republican candidates. Call them. Tell your friends and neighbors why you support them.

Find a place to hold a cottage meeting for them in your neighborhood. Invite your friends and neighbors to attend.

Put a lawn sign in your yard.

Pass out fliers.

Get out the vote. Encourage friends and neighbors to use early voting opportunities, absentee ballots or voting early on Election Day.

Be a poll watcher for your County Party. We need people to volunteer to check who has voted in each precinct on Election Day and then call those who haven't voted yet.

More Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck made a powerful case that the leadership we seek as Americans begins with "We the people". The first three words of The Declaration of Independence. A document that changed the world. Abraham Lincoln said in the Gettysburg Address, "government of the people, by the people, for the people" Gettysburg Address. Let us invest our time, talents and resources to educate friends and neighbors that timeless traditional values are never out of style. Constitutional principles that protect life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness can be as relevant today as they were over 200 years ago. That is what Republicans stand for. That is what has made Utah a model state in this great nation. That is why we need to elect Republicans in November.

Best Regards,
Stan Lockhart
Utah Republican Party Chairman

Utah County Ramp Meters

Just thought you'd like to know ... (UDOT letter)

Ramp Meters Begin Operation in Utah County

System will help make commuting easier

Orem – The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) will turn on a ramp meter system on Interstate 15 in Utah County beginning Tuesday, August 12, 2008. Ramps between Lehi and Orem will now have traffic signals which will control vehicles entering the I-15. Each lane on the ramp will have its own signal. The green light will be long enough to allow one vehicle to enter onto the freeway per lane and will alternate between the lanes. There will also be an electronic sign at each ramp entrance notifying drivers when the ramp meter is on.

The following is a list of ramps that will now have the meter system and will be in operation the morning of August 12th:

SR 92, (southbound only) Lehi
Main Street, Lehi
Pleasant Grove Boulevard, Pleasant Grove
1600 North, Orem
800 North, Orem
Center Street, Orem
University Parkway, Orem

Initially, the meters will be in operation on northbound ramps from 7 AM to 8:30 AM and from 4:30 PM to 6 PM. Meters on southbound ramps will be in operation from 4:30 PM to 6 PM. These times and locations are subject to change.

“During the morning and afternoon commute, groups of vehicles attempt to access I-15 at the same time, which slows down traffic. Ramp meters regulate how frequently vehicles access I-15 by creating gaps which allow motorists to merge safely without creating additional travel delays,” said John Higgins, UDOT Project Manager.

The ramp meter system will improve the overall operation of the freeway system, improve safety and reduce overall vehicle emissions. This is the second ramp metering system in Utah and the first in Utah county.

I saw this in Hawaii, it made me laugh!

Happy Independence Day!!!

The United States Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, announcing that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain were no longer a part of the British Empire. Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration was a formal explanation of why Congress had voted on July 2 to declare independence from Great Britain, more than a year after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. The birthday of the United States of America—Independence Day—is celebrated on July 4, the day the wording of the Declaration was approved by Congress.

56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence:
New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts: Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware: George Read, Caesar Rodney, Thomas McKean
Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton



On July 19, Congress ordered a copy be engrossed on parchment for the delegates to sign. Most of the delegates who signed did so on August 2, 1776, although some signers were not present and had to sign later. The signed, engrossed copy is now on display at the National Archives.

The first and most famous signature on the engrossed copy was that of John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress. Two future presidents, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, were among the signatories. Edward Rutledge (age 26), was the youngest signer, and Benjamin Franklin (age 70) was the oldest signer. Late signers were Elbridge Gerry, Oliver Wolcott, Lewis Morris, Thomas McKean, and Matthew Thornton (who, because of a lack of space, was unable to place his signature on the top right of the signing area with the other New Hampshire delegates and had to place his signature on the lower right). As new delegates joined the Congress, they were also allowed to sign. A total of 56 delegates eventually signed.

Three delegates who were present during the debate never signed. Robert R. Livingston, a member of the original drafting committee, was present for the vote on July 2 but returned to New York before the August 2 signing. John Dickinson refused to sign, believing the Declaration premature. Thomas Lynch voted for the Declaration but could not sign it because of illness.