The UtahPolicy.com daily newsletter gets you up to speed on the top local and national news about politics and public policy. Send news tips or feedback to bschott@utahpolicy.com, or message us on Twitter. Situational awareness - August 12, 2020Good morning from Salt Lake CityLet's Wednesday!TICK TOCK8 days to the 6th special session (8/20/2020)43 days to the 1st Congressional District debate (9/24/2020)48 days to the Utah gubernatorial debate (9/28/2020)50 days to the Utah Attorney General debate (10/01/2020)56 days to the Vice Presidential debate at the University of Utah (10/07/2020)61 days to the 4th Congressional District debate (10/12/2020)64 days to the 3rd Congressional District debate (10/15/2020)68 days to the 2nd Congressional District debate (10/19/2020)83 days to the 2020 election (11/3/2020)161 days to inauguration day (01/20/2021)166 days to the start of the 2021 Utah Legislature (1/25/2021)Here are the stories you need to pay attention to this morning:
LISTEN TO THIS!"Bernick and Schott on politics" is Utah's longest-running, and highest-rated, political podcast. We break down the big Utah political news twice a week, plus bring you interviews with newsmakers and interesting people. You can subscribe at this link, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for subscribing to Utah's must-read daily political news rundown.If you know of friends or colleagues who would benefit from our daily news roundup, please encourage them to sign up for our newsletter.Today At Utah PolicyLawmakers considering bonding to boost economyBy Bryan Schott, Managing Editor With apologies to William Shakespeare, to bond or not to bond, that is the question Utah lawmakers are wrestling with. Bernick and Schott on politics podcast: Feet and computers do not mix By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Managing Editor Bryan Schott and Contributing Editor Bob Bernick run through the news from a busy few days in Utah politics. OTHER UTAH HEADLINESDeseret News
Salt Lake Tribune
NATIONAL HEADLINESIt's KamalaPresumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden tapped California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate on Tuesday. She is the first Black and South Asian woman to be named to a major party presidential ticket [NYT]. Biden's list of possible running mates started out with roughly 20 governors, Senators, congresswoman, mayors and other Democratic figures before he settled on Harris [AP]. Democratic conventionThe speaker slate for next week's Democratic National Convention includes Barack and Michelle Obama along with the Clintons and Bidens [CNN]. Uh...what?President Trump said Tuesday morning in a radio interview that China would "own the United States" if Joe Biden wins in November. He also claimed, without evidence, that vaccines to fight the coronavirus are "ready to go" and again pushed hydroxychloroquine as a cure for the virus [Politico]. QAnon comes to CongressGeorgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Green, who is a supporter of the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory, won her primary runoff race on Tuesday, which puts her in good position to win a seat in Congress [CNN]. About that Portland Bible-burning story...A story about Black Lives Matter protesters burning Bibles and American flags in Portland that was covered breathlessly in right-wing media originated with a Kremlin-backed video news agency. It's the first direct evidence of Russian disinformation designed to upend the 2020 presidential race [NYT]. Delay of gameThe Big 10 and Pac 12 conferences officially postponed college football and other fall sports, becoming the first major conferences to do so [NYT]. BUSINESS HEADLINES
Policy NewsEducation forum: Back to school primer for employersPlease join the Salt Lake Chamber for the opportunity to learn from our state education leaders about what you and your organization need to know about how school will look this year and what school demands will look like for your employees. More National Headlines
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY1492 - Christopher Columbus arrives in the Canary Islands on his first voyage to the new world. 1851 - Isaac Singer is granted a patent for his sewing machine. 1898 - A peace protocol was signed, ending the Spanish-American War. The United States acquired Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines, and annexed Hawaii. 1914 - World War I: The United Kingdom declares war on Austria-Hungary. 1939 - The Wizard of Oz had its world premiere in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. 1964 - South Africa is banned from the Olympic Games due to the country's racist policies 1966 - John Lennon apologized for saying the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ. 1981 - IBM introduced the first personal computer. 1992 - Canada, Mexico and the United States announce the completion of negotiations for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). 1994 - Major League Baseball players go on strike, forcing the cancellation of the 1994 World Series. Wise WordsLooking for Truth "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts." Abraham Lincoln Lighter SideSame for Biden "At this point, 'friendly side of the aisle' just means anyone who won't ask a follow-up question." - SETH MEYERS, on Rush Limbaugh's wondering why Trump would talk to Axios, which he said wasn't on "the friendly side of the aisle" Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers. |