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Utah's Daily Policy Resource, Brought to you by Utah Policy

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Situational Awareness - Aug. 6, 2018

Good Monday morning. Welcome to the first full week of August. Here's hoping the smoky skies clear soon. This weather pattern can't continue forever.

   TICK TOCK   

 64 days until the last day to register to vote by mail (10/9/2018)

• 71 days until mail-in ballots are sent to voters (10/16/2018)
• 78 days until in-person early voting begins (10/23/2018)
• 85 days until the last day to register to vote in person or by mail (10/30/2018)
• 88 days until in-person early voting ends (11/2/2018)
• 92 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 175 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019)
• 220 days until the final day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (3/14/2019)
• 820 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

  HERE ARE THE STORIES YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO TODAY  

Trump and the news media. The Trump/news media feud is getting nastier. Publisher LaVarr Webb says it's not going to end well and both sides are at fault (Utah Policy).

GOP fights to hold conservative seat in Ohio special election. The entire national GOP machinery is in Ohio to try to protect a reliably red seat in Tuesday's special election, the last before the midterm elections. But polls show Democratic candidate Danny O'Connor surging. Trump stumped for Republican Troy Balderson in a rally Saturday evening (Politico)

  OTHER UTAH HEADLINES   

• Pignanelli & Webb examine the politics of the inland port (Deseret News).
• Trump's proposed 'space force' is worth thoughtful consideration, says Congressman Chris Stewart. Other members of the delegation are awaiting more information (SL Tribune).
• Opinion: A culture of permissive abortion is antithetical to the equality women deserve, says Jenet Jacob Erickson (Deseret News).
• Is Utah growing too fast? Thoughts on a few topics by LaVarr Webb (Utah Policy).
• Girls in in polygamous group continue to marry as young as age 15 (SL Tribune).
• Woman who was kicked out of BYU-Idaho by her bishop for getting drunk was also sexually assaulted and says she should not have been suspended (SL Tribune).

  NATIONAL HEADLINES  

• Democratic presidential hopefuls engage in early 2020 presidential dress rehearsal at Netroots Nation conference (Politico ). Early polls favor Joe Biden, but plenty of skeptics exist (The Hill).
• Trump reimposes first batch of sanctions against Iran today (Washington Post).
• No one in the Trump administration is "starry-eyed" about North Korea giving up its nuclear stockpile, says John Bolton (Politico).
•  Trump says Don Jr. was simply interested in dirt on Hillary Clinton when he met with Russian lawyer (Wall Street Journal, Politico).
• Powerful quake rocks Indonesian tourist island, 82 dead; 20,000 homeless (Associated Press).
•  Venezuelan President Maduro claims he was targeted in a drone attack (NY Times).
• Stockton, Calif., is soliciting wealthy philanthropists to help solve its budget crisis (The Atlantic via Route Fifty).

  ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY   

• 1815  A peace treaty with Tripoli--which follows treaties with Algeria and Tunis--brings an end to the Barbary Wars.
• 1861 Congress adopts the nation's first income tax to finance the Civil War.
• 1892 Harriet Tubman receives a pension from Congress for her work as a nurse, spy and scout during the Civil War.
• 1930 Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, is born.
• 1962 Actress Marilyn Monroe dies under mysterious circumstances.
• 1981 Pres. Ronald Reagan fires 11,500 striking air traffic controllers.

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Today At Utah Policy

Trump & the news media: a battle to the death
By LaVarr Webb, Publisher
 The relationship between Pres. Trump and the traditional news media is noxious and getting worse. I've never seen such literal hatred between a major politician and the press. As a former journalist, I think it's highly unfortunate.However, it's not all Trump's fault, ...

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Opinion briefs: Thoughts on a few current topics
By LaVarr Webb, Publisher
A good adversary can be helpful. It seems contradictory, but a good enemy can provide a lot of benefits. For example, Pres. Obama was an avowed opponent of the gun rights lobby. But he sold more guns than any president in history. Every time a crackdown on gun sales was prop...

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World Trade Center Utah upcoming events
By Staff
World Trade Center Utah is sponsoring several important upcoming events. Here's a look:--The trade war has begun: how to avoid becoming collateral damage. Friday, Aug. 10, noon, Little America Hotel, a Thought Leader Symposium will feature remarks by Sen. Orrin Hatch. A...

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Press release: Paul Edwards, Herbert's deputy chief of staff, will be Toll Fellow
By Press release
LEXINGTON, Ky.-Paul S. Edwards, deputy chief of staff in Utah's Office of the Governor, is among the 48 state leaders from across the country selected to participate in The Council of State Governments' 2018 Henry Toll Fellowship, the nation's premier leadership develop...

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Could redistricting commission create a safe Democratic congressional district?
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
On this November's ballot will be a citizen initiative proposal that, if passed by voters, will set up a bipartisan, independent citizen commission that will redraw U.S. House and state legislative districts following the 2020 Census.Earlier this week I wrote a story about a...

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There's more nuance to Trump than liberals are willing to admit
By LaVarr Webb, Publisher
One thing partisan Democrats and arch-liberals can't understand is why many mainstream, traditional Republicans don't turn against Pres. Trump. They understand why right-wing conservatives support Trump. But it is a mystery to them why some reasonable, even moderate, Republi...

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That man has never bought groceries in his life - Bernick and Schott on politics Ep. 383
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
State officials are worried they won't be able to implement the medical marijuana ballot initiative if it's approved by voters. They also say it could end up costing Utah taxpayers....

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From wildfires to winter inversion, USTAR-supported projects look to better understand Utah's air quality issues
By Brian Somers, USTAR Managing Director
With Utah's-and the rest of the western United States'-wildfire season in full swing and winter inversions lurking beyond, several Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR) supported projects are aiming to better understand and monitor air pollutants such as wi...

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California city will use cumulative voting in local elections
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Voters in Mission Viejo, California will cast ballots using a "cumulative" voting system in their local elections, allowing them to cast multiple ballots for a single candidate if they choose....

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Podcast: Bernick and Schott on politics Ep. 383
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
 Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott reconnoiter the big stories this week in Utah politics....

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Policy News

Salt Lake Chamber CEO Success Stories: Governor Gary Herbert
The Salt Lake Chamber has created a new podcast called "CEO Success Stories." In every episode Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance, sits down with a top CEO from across the state to hear from them their leadership philosophy, b...

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How the Utah Legislature fine-tuned its 2018 income tax changes
The past 12 months have been a wild ride for income taxes. Utah's last major income tax reform took place back in 2008. Since then the income tax has seen relatively few changes. However, that changed at the end of 2017 when Congress passed a bill modifying the federal incom...

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Salt Lake Chamber President's Message: Engaging Professionals for Good
As communities grow and evolve, so must the organizations that serve it. Part of the Salt Lake Chamber's mission is "championing community prosperity" and while the Chamber cannot be all things to all people, we believe that learning to adapt and evolve with our local commun...

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Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report
Weekend EventsOutdoors Report--Tribune: Keep an eye (and ear) out for coughing sheep in Zion National Park--KSL:Fishing slams for anglers in UtahNew Films-- Christopher Robin: KSL reviewConcerts-- 3hattrio Performs American Desert Music: Gloriously Beautiful, Savagely Strang...

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Shopping for solar? New state website provides one stop online consumer resource
Francine A. Giani, Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce announced that the Utah Division of Public Utilities and Office of Consumer Services have created a new state website for electricity customers using or considering solar resources....

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Wise Words

Kindness

"You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lighter Side

About Right

"Apple is close to becoming the first U.S. company worth over $1 trillion. Then Americans looked at their drawers filled with old iPods, and said, "Yep. Seems about right." Jimmy Fallon

 

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