Where are the Ethics with Politicians???

Tonight on the news it was reported that a United States Senator was charged with 7 felony counts of accepting money and services that were inappropriate for his office. I believe in the American system of justice, however; I also feel those in public office have a responsibility to maintain the trust and honor granted by their constituents.

The public perception of a politician is not favorable and is it any wonder why? We, who hold ourselves out as leaders, have a responsibility to live by a higher standard of ethics. When those in public service falter and engage in unethical behavior, a broad brush is used to paint each of us with the stain of unethical behavior.

The news is replete with stories about politicians that have made choices that go counter to the trust granted by those that elect them. These stories include any number of crimes. Utah is not immune from these types of challenges. We who ask for the public trust should recognize the responsibility we have to avoid all semblance of impropriety. When compared with the total number of people providing public service the number that engages in unethical behavior is quite small yet the public perception is still cast on all politicians.

An excellent blog was written by Representative Urquart related to the budget and votes cast in the legislature. He opines on the need to bring greater light on these issues. I share that feeling and would also like to see greater light on issues related to lobbyists and the challenges related to gifts and contributions. There are many lobbyists and legislators that feel reporting all gifts and contributions would help improve public trust and policy. There are also many that feel there should be no gifts allowed by lobbyists. At a minimum, the light of public scrutiny should be allowed and pubic reporting should be a requirement. I hope as the next legislative session approaches greater efforts will be made to restore the public perception of a politician.

Big Tent of the Republican Party???

Is it a big tent or do I fool myself by thinking that. I have always been a Republican and am generally proud to say that, although at times I wonder if the size of the tent is getting smaller and more narrow. Is the Republican party the party of smaller government and big ideas or are we the party of localized power and protecting our base?

We as a party have some areas that we can improve in and I hope we begin to better recognize that. If you have ideas I would love to hear those through your comments.

What to do about "No Child Left Behind?"

"No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) a phrase those involved in education look upon with either hope or concern. The hope comes from the desire to see all children reach their full potential. The concern stems from the way the federal government has implemented this program. Education has always been looked upon as a state responsibility; however, with the passage of NCLB a number of years ago there has been a dramatic shift in who educators are reacting to. The federal government has replaced the states and parents with regard to accountability. Some say this is good for the system, as an educator and legislator I'm not sure what planet these people come from. I will acknowledge there have been some bright spots related to NCLB, that being the illumination of poor performance for some students within the education system and the need to provide attention to those students. Where I take exception to NCLB is the top down management and the punitive nature of that management. It needs to be re-evaluated before it is reauthorized by the federal government.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has been on the cutting edge of what improvements are necessary to the existing law. This week I will be a member of a new task force to make recommendations of how we can improve the existing statute. I would hope that if you have feed back you would email those issues to me so that I might be able to use that feedback in the discussion. This meeting will be one of others that will be discussing this issue and I look forward to a healthy debate.

Cell Phones and Texting While Driving

I am getting sick and tired of the individuals that continue to put others at jeopardy by insisting on using their phones while driving. I understand the need to stay connected; however, there is a time and place for that connectivity. Texting while driving is insane and should be against the law period!

Using a cell phone to talk while driving should be avoided except in extreme circumstances. As I was driving down the freeway the other day I took notice again on how many individuals were using a cell phone not to mention the hands free users. I was surprised by the number I observed.

There are studies that show using a cell phone while driving is similar to driving while intoxicated. We would never knowingly allow someone that was drunk behind a steering wheel, why do we allow those that are driving to operate a cell phone?

No Child Left Behind visited by NCSL

I'm preparing for the annual meeting for the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Next week I've been asked to participate with the education committee to provide feed back to the McCain and Obama education advisors. This opportunity comes as a result of my involvement in the NCSL task force dealing with "No Child Left Behind." A new task force has been formed by NCSL to address the role the federal govenment should have in public education. Some feel the federal govenment should not be involved in what is a state responsibility. In large part I share this sentiment and will work to make sure the constitutional responsibilities the states have established will be respected.

Higher Education Task Force

The task force for higher ed governance met yesterday and discussed the challenges related to career and technical education governance. A proposal dealing with career and technical education was presented to the committee. The proposal is an attempt to elevate the role of career and technical education in the state system of higher education for Utah. Increasing the relevance with the governing board for higher education, that being the Board of Regents.


In the proposal the Utah College of Applied Technology (UCAT) governance has been adjusted to include the career and technical education classes that are taught in our traditional higher education intuitions. This adjustment puts under one board, the Career and Technical Education Board, all subjects dealing with career and technical education. The board would be responsible for the promotion of classes taught within the current UCAT system along with the classes taught in our traditional higher education institutions. This will allow for improved efficiencies and a better product for citizens of the state. The role and mission of UCAT when it was created was to provide responsive and short term training for business, so that individuals could get the training necessary for employment and then move into the work force. This includes an open entry, open exit time table for training rather then the traditional semester schedule. This role and mission will not change for either UCAT or for other institutions. In fact I see the open entry, open exit class schedule being expanded. In addition the proposal puts in statute a greater degree of accountability with regard to the role and mission. It also increases the input from Workforce Sevices and the Governers Office of Economic Development.

It will be interesting to see the type of response the higher education community offers as we debate this proposal.

Time and Perspective

Today I was asked how much time serving in the legislature takes. As I thought about this question I also reflected on a conversation I had with my wife a couple of days ago. The conversation dealt with having ones priorities in the right order and the proper perspective. As with any type of activity serving in the legislature can take as much time as you allow it to consume. I have found that as I've served, the demands for your time increase. I have found myself wondering at different times how those with more responsibility manage there time and priorities. Serving in the legislature has been and continues to be one of the great blessings in my life and I believe in the life of my family, however; there is a cost. When the cost of service out weighs the benefits then it is time to reevaluate our choices. I am grateful for the support and understanding my family have with me as I try to have the proper perspective and the gentle reminders they offer when I need to regain my balance.

First Attempt at Blogging in Cyber Space

I've decided to make an attempt to keep a blog. Apparently this has become the new "thing" and it seems like a great way to tell a little bit about myself. I am currently serving in the Utah State Legislature and liked the idea of using a blog to keep my constinutents in the know.