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Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing
Morning must reads for Monday, July 31, 2017
Good Monday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the last day of July, the 212th day of the year. There are 153 days remaining in 2017.
State leaders vow to crack down on the homeless problem in downtown Salt Lake City. Orrin Hatch breaks with President Trump on the issue of transgendered soldiers. The Senate fails again to pass an Obamacare repeal measure.
The clock:
- 15 days until the 2017 Utah primary election (8/15/2017)
- 99 days until the 2017 election (11/7/2017)
- 175 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)
- 220 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
- 463 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
- 1,191 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)
Today's political update
- A UtahPolicy.com poll shows Utahns losing confidence in Congress (Utah Policy).
- Publisher LaVarr Webb asks if it's time to fire our congressional delegation (Utah Policy).
- In Beg to Differ podcast, Schott and Winder opine on current topics (Utah Policy).
- Utah Policy political insiders don't believe the flood of negative ads will hurt John Curtis (Utah Policy).
- Outside spending reaches more than $300,000 in 3rd Congressional District race, most targeted to defeat John Curtis (Utah Policy).
- 3rd District congressional candidate John Curtis tells why he once ran for the Legislature as a Democrat (Deseret News).
- 3rd District congressional candidates ask for votes in Deseret News essays (John Curtis), (Tanner Ainge), (Chris Herrod).
- Russia retaliates to U.S. sanctions by kicking out 755 U.S. diplomats (Washington Post) (New York Times).
- After latest North Korean missile launch, U.S. displays military might over Korean Peninsula (Reuters).
- Venezuelan election charade could result in dictatorship (Washington Post).
On this day in history:
- 1498 Christopher Columbus, on his third voyage discovers the island of Trinidad.
- 1912 U.S. government prohibits movies and photos of boxing prize fights.
- 1930 Lou Gehrig hits grand slam as Yankees beat Red Sox 14-13.
- 1966 Alabamans burn Beatle products in response to John Lennon's anti-Jesus remark.
- 2006 Fidel Castro hands over power temporarily to brother Raul Castro.
Today At Utah Policy
 | When is it time to fire our members of Congress? LaVarr WebbIt has long been the case that we Americans have a very low opinion of Congress. But, in something of a contradiction, we generally like our own members of Congress.The contrast between the generic approval of Congress and approval of our own members is dramatic. ... |
 | Utahns losing confidence in GOP ability to accomplish agenda Utahns aren't buying congressional Republicans' promise to tackle tax reform this year, a UtahPolicy.com poll shows.The Dan Jones & Associates survey finds that 60 percent of Utah adults are "not very confident" or "not at all confident" that the U.S. House and... |
 | 'Political Insiders' doubt that negative ads will hurt Curtis' campaign Our "Political Insiders" say the cacophony of negative ads against Provo Mayor John Curtis will not harm his candidacy in the GOP 3rd District primary election.... |
 | Brand new super PAC spending big to support Tanner Ainge Two more super PAC's have joined the fray in the GOP 3rd District primary.... |
 | Beg to Differ podcast: Chaos from the Potomac to the Great Salt Lake The GOP primary in CD3 is heating up. Outside groups are pounding Provo Mayor John Curtis with ads, mailers and websites. Will they have an effect? ... |
 | Maybe this is how Trump drains the swamp - Bernick and Schott on politics #336 Ballots have gone out to voters in the GOP primary in the 3rd CD. Provo Mayor John Curtis has a lead, but will it hold up?... |
| Bob Bernick's notebook: Outside attacks pushed Herbert to endorse Curtis GOP Gov. Gary Herbert said Thursday that he disagrees with the state Republican Party's new rule that only sends one candidate out from convention is a special U.S. House election.... |
 | 'Let my students go!' - Moses to the education bureaucracy Yesterday in Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee we discussed School Technology Programs and the low utilization of effective reading software in our classrooms.... |
 | Rep. Stewart introduces legislation to stop leaks of classified information Rep. Stewart (R-Utah) introduced H.R. 3448 to prevent the leaking of classified information. The Classified Information Protection Act simplifies existing law and imposes penalties for unauthorized disclosure of classified information.... |
 | League of Women Voters of Utah files suit to protect voter privacy If the lieutenant governor of Utah hands over voter data to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, he would be violating state law, the League of Women Voters of Utah and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) of Utah argued in a lawsu... |
 | Herbert vows to end lawlessness around Rio Grande neighborhood GOP Gov. Gary Herbert said Thursday that he doesn't defend President Donald Trump's Tweet banning transgender people from serving in the U.S. military.... |
 | Weekly survey: Will negative attacks on Curtis work? Outside groups have launched a series of negative attacks against Provo Mayor John Curtis in the GOP primary election for Utah's 3rd Congressional District. Will they work? Vote now in our weekly survey.... |
| Podcast: Bernick and Schott on politics #336 Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott dissect a busy week in Utah politics.... |
Policy News
| Hatch introduces bill to provide land for support of higher education Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the senior Republican in the United States Senate, introduced the Confirming State Land Grants for Education Act-a bill that would make certain federal lands available for the purpose of raising revenue for Utah's educational institutions.... |
| Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report Outdoor Notes-- Tribune: Utah Hike of the Week: Lofty Lake in the Uinta Mountains-- Tribune: 40 things we learned touring Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in southern Utah-- Tribune: Contest aims to lure anglers to Panguitch Lake after recent wildf... |
Local Headlines
Salt Lake Tribune
Scott Anderson: Success in Provo recommends Curtis for Congress
Op-ed: New thinking needed to help the homeless
Editorial: Ex-Wayne County attorney raises questions that deserve answers
Utahns still split on new DUI law, but big majority want changes before it kicks in
Two Republican candidates to replace Chaffetz snipe at front-runner John Curtis
Biskupski declares local emergency following flooding in Salt Lake City
Gehrke: Final Republican defeat on Obamacare creates opportunity to solve U.S. health care problems
Ted Cruz in Utah to rally support for Chris Herrod's run for Chaffetz's congressional seat
Utah labor unions, teachers rally for public schools
In many Utah jails, there's no doctor in the house - and sometimes no nurse
Support grows for ballot item angling for more school money
How did Salt Lake City's homeless district get so bad and why can't we fix it?
Deseret News
Frank R. Pignanelli and LaVarr Webb: GOP vs. GOP, county consolidation and government health care
Op-ed: Utah would rank as the world's 53rd largest economy if U.S. states were nations
Editorial: Salt Lake City must push forward on the plan to battle crime in Rio Grande
Sen. Mike Lee: Senate failed American people in rejecting 'skinny repeal' of Obamacare
Rep. Chris Stewart proposes bill to crack down on government leaks
Rep. Bishop supports bill for more recreation on public lands
Cost of cleaning up after homeless rising
$163K cost of S.L. mayor's bodyguards raising questions
Some barbs in 3rd Congressional District GOP debate
Sen. Ted Cruz rallies Utahns to vote for Chris Herrod, 'a real conservative'
Outdoor Retailer organizers bid fond farewell to Salt Lake City
John Curtis: No political party has 'exclusivity on everything that's good'
Tanner Ainge throws himself into rough-and-tumble game
Chris Herrod: I believe in Republican platform
Other
Editorial: Daily Herald endorses John Curtis for special election primary (Daily Herald)
Why jobs come to Provo, then leave to go elsewhere (Daily Herald)
3rd Congressional District GOP candidates stress differences at debate (Daily Herald)
Ted Cruz stumps for Chris Herrod in 3rd Congressional District campaign (Daily Herald)
National Headlines
US Air Force unleashes supersonic bombers in 'North Korea nuke drill' (The Sun)
Wolf Blitzer Humiliates Colleague Over Quality Of Her White House Sources (Daily Caller)
ICE not alerted when sex assault suspect released from jail in 2016, official says (KGW)
Next Up for GOP Congress: Raising the Debt Ceiling (Wall Street Journal)
Xi Calls for Strong Army, Tells China Troops 'World Isn't Safe' (Bloomberg)
Kelly starts new White House gig Monday amid high hopes from Republicans (The Hill)
Trump enlists Kelly to enforce order, but can the 'zoo' be tamed? (Washington Post)
US tests defense system after North Korea missile launch (CNN)
Democrats' economic agenda needs some work (Seattle Times)
Trump right to reverse Obama's transgender experiment on the military (Washington Examiner)
Wise Words
Three Constants
"There are three constants in life... change, choice and principles." Stephen Covey
Lighter Side
Documentary
"The creators of HBO's "Game of Thrones" announced they are developing a new show that imagines what it would be like if the Confederacy successfully seceded from the United States. Well, give it a couple years and it might be a documentary." Seth Meyers
