Utah Policy: Get some popcorn . . . time to watch some debates

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Utah Policy Daily Newsletter

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 lwebb@utahpolicy.com,.

Situational Analysis - September 29, 2020

Happy Tuesday morning. It's debate day. Watch for non-sequiturs, strawmen (and women), logical fallacies, red herrings, false dilemmas, ad hominem attacks, hasty generalizations, and dangling participles (oops, that's grammar).

TICK TOCK

Today is the Utah gubernatorial debate (9/29/2020)
Today is the first presidential debate (9/29/2020)
8 days to the vice presidential debate at the University of Utah (10/07/2020)
13 days to the 4th Congressional District debate (10/12/2020)
14 days to the day mail-in ballots can begin to be sent out (10/13/2020)
16 days to the 3rd Congressional District debate (10/15/2020)
16 days to the second presidential debate (10/15/2020)
20 days to the 2nd Congressional District debate (10/19/2020)
22 days to the Utah Attorney General debate (10/21/2020)
23 days to the third presidential debate (10/22/2020)
35 days to the 2020 election (11/3/2020)
112 days to inauguration day (01/20/2021)
118 days to the start of the 2021 Utah Legislature (1/25/2021)

Today At Utah Policy

Here's proof that a nice guy can be successful in politics
By LaVarr Webb
Pres. Harry S. Truman famously said, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog." Or, you could just become friends with Mike Mower. Mike Mower is living proof that it's possible to be a really nice guy and find success in politics. Mower is Utah's happy political warrior. He has friends everywhere, and if he disagrees with you on policy, it's never personal.Webb's Wrap: Get some popcorn . . . time to watch some debates
By LaVarr Webb
If you're a political junkie, this evening's back-to-back candidate debates should provide a real high. At 6 p.m. we get to watch gubernatorial candidates Spencer Cox and Chris Peterson face off. And at 7 p.m. Donald Trump and Joe Biden clash in a highly-anticipated presidential debate.I expect the gubernatorial debate will get feisty. Cox has nothing to gain by criticizing Peterson, but Peterson needs to get aggressive to show a sharp contrast and give voters a reason to vote for him over the Republican.Guest opinion: Federalism still important, even in pandemic
By Rep. Merrill Nelson, R-Grantsville
Federalism-the division of powers between the federal and state governments, is vital to our Republic. The only check on federal power is state power. Of course, the Tenth Amendment reserves most powers to the states, but Congress typically ignores that.The Tenth Amendment should be required reading for all members of Congress-most do not understand the difference between Congress and state legislatures.

Utah Headlines

Deseret News

Burgess Owens: Our nation is one of great second chances Rep. Chris Stewart: American capitalism isn't perfect, but it is worth defending Nearly 2,000 COVID-19 cases associated with Utah schools since start of school year Here's what you need to know about the first presidential debate Vet who wanted to die praises McAdams bill to study altitude impact on suicide Does Sen. Mike Lee share President Trump's distrust of mail-in voting? New Utah solicitor general apologizes for mistake, avoids sanctions in Florida case Utah's 7-day rolling average of new daily cases tops 1,000 for first time President Trump? Flake? Romney? Lee? Who gets to decide who is a conservative?

Salt Lake Tribune

Utah's rate of coronavirus cases continues to rise. State releases new school data. Utah's mail-in ballots are printed by private companies and some have had screw-ups Months after a coronavirus outbreak at Utah meatpacking plant, employees wonder why they didn't get more help Utah officials say elections here will be secure, but they're not so sure about other states Utah solicitor general apologizes, agrees to pay $3,750 for erroneous court filing

Other

Mountain Accord critics call on Federal Reserve, Utah auditor to investigate transparency concerns (Daily Herald) Weber, Davis counties - not just Utah County - seeing rise in COVID-19 cases (Standard-Examiner)

National Headlines

Who cares about Trump's tax returns? (Spectator) Project Veritas uncovers 'ballot harvesting fraud' in Minnesota (New York Post) Trump Move on Jerusalem Embassy Led to Peace (San Francisco Chronicle) Slimmer coronavirus aid package introduced in House (Roll Call) Trump's Superb Choice (City Journal) Democrats Bail on Their Mail-Voting Experiment (RealClearPolitics) Amid talk of civil war, America is already split Trump Nation has seceded (Guardian) The Left Hates Amy Coney Barrett Because She Disproves All Their Lies About Women (Federalist) Donald Trump has now become a hugely consequential president (CNN) Biden's bid to oust Ukraine prosecutor followed intense pressure by son's Burisma firm (Just the News) Davis: My advice to Joe Biden on eve of the debate - be Joe Biden (The Hill) Rural Pennsylvania turns more red, but is it enough for Trump? (Washington Examiner) Biden braces for Trump to come after his family in first debate (POLITICO) Furloughed worker: 'I'm at the top of the roller coaster with no harness' (CNN) Long-standing wealth gap between Blacks and whites remains substantial, Fed data for 2019 show (MarketWatch) Trump administration imposes restrictions on China's biggest chip maker (The Hill) Trump parades all-electric pickup truck that will be built in Ohio as he talks up the manufacturing 'comeback' in must-win state (Daily Mail) Major hospital system hit with cyberattack, potentially largest in U.S. history (NBC News)

Policy News

Treasurer Damschen announces record-breaking Permanent State School Fund distribution to Utah schools
Utah State Treasurer David Damschen has announced that the Permanent State School Fund will make the largest-ever distribution to Utah schools next year. Schools are slated to receive a record $92.84 million from the Permanent State School Fund in July 2021 - a 4.5% increase from this year's distribution of $88.83 million and a 12.3% increase from last year's distribution of $82.66 million.Stewart's final opinion essay in 'Defending America' series
Congressman Chris Stewart (UT-02) wrote an op-ed in the Deseret News defending another important idea that has fallen out of favor: American capitalism. "I defend America as an exceptional nation-created by exceptional ideals, safeguarded by humble and grateful patriotism and continuing in greatness through the opportunity and freedom created by capitalism." Stewart writes.

BUSINESS HEADLINES

Rural counties vying for a bite of Utah's global trade apple (Deseret News) Rooftop solar: What's its value and what is fair? Much at stake in Utah rate case (Deseret News) 'It all works together': Progress continues on Tech Ridge (St. George News)

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

(From History.com)

1907 - Gene Autry, perhaps the greatest singing cowboy of all time, is born in Tioga, Texas. He learned to play the guitar and sing while still a boy and made his first recording in 1929. He made nearly 100 movies as a singing cowboy.
1939 - The nazis and communists divvy up Poland, with Germany taking everything west of the Bug River and the Soviets taking everything east.
1988 - Stacy Allison of Portland, Oregon, becomes the first American woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, at 29,035 feet, the highest point on earth.
2008 - After Congress failed to pass a $700 billion bank bailout plan, the Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 777.68 points-at the time, the largest single-day point loss in its history.

Wise Words

Courage: "One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest." Maya Angelou