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| 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 editor@utahpolicy.com Situational Analysis - May 20, 2021It's Thursday and National Be a Millionaire Day. I'm in. I'm also looking forward to some exciting changes coming to Utah Policy next week! Stay tuned! News You Need to Know The Utah legislature met in special session yesterday, appropriated some federal funds (some = $1.6 billion) and passed a couple of non-binding resolutions on Critical Race Theory and Second Amendment sanctuary status. Five rural Oregon counties vote to secede and join Idaho, a state they see as more aligned with their political views. It's not likely to happen, though. The Oregon legislature would have to approve it, Oregon and Idaho would have to formalize the agreement and then it would need to be ratified by Congress. Congress has only approved measures to change state lines on three occasions: Kentucky was carved out of territory previously owned by Virginia in 1792. Maine was carved out of Massachusetts in 1820 and West Virginia was admitted to the union in 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, as Union counties separated themselves from the Confederacy. The iconic Galapagos rock formation known as Darwin's Arch has collapsed due to erosion. Some day, the same fate awaits Utah's Delicate Arch (all arches, actually). If you are looking for a high-protein, low-carb dish, consider recipes using cicadas. There are recipes all over the place, from crunchy snacks to cookies to drinks. I mean, I won't be considering them, but you can. N%MCEPASTEBIN%Calendar Hatch Center: Justice and Mercy: Bringing greater balance to America's legal system with Senator Mike Lee. May 20, 11:00 am. Register here. Utah Democratic Party organizaing convention: June 26, 2021 250 days of the Cox-Henderson administration: September 11, 2021Utah HeadlinesGeneral Navajo Nation tops Cherokee to become largest tribe in US (ABC4) FBI says Chinese Communist Party poses counterintelligence threats in Utah (Fox13)Politics Why 'saber rattling' led Utah lawmakers to support making Utah a 'Second Amendment sanctuary' (Deseret News) Protest over critical race theory hits House floor, Democrats stage walkout (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Legislature approves resolutions banning 'harmful' critical race theory concepts (Deseret News) Robert Gehrke: The hysteria has taken hold, as Utah lawmakers will vote to oppose 'critical race theory' - which isn't even taught in schools (Salt Lake Tribune) School board president on critical race theory: 'This is not what Utah education is' (KUTV) What Utah lawmakers decided to do with $1.6 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds (Deseret News) Utah Legislature passes bill to ban face mask requirement in Utah schools next fall (ABC4, KUER) Utah members split as House votes to investigate Capitol siege; Romney backs it - with a caveat. (Salt Lake Tribune) How Utah's GOP congressmen voted on commission to investigate U.S. Capitol riot (Deseret News) Sen. Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch: Botching criminal justice reform comes at a steep cost (Deseret News)COVID Corner Utah reports 430 new cases of COVID-19 and four more deaths (Salt Lake Tribune) Drone companies are preparing to deliver coronavirus vaccines in rural U.S. (Washington Post) Malawi becomes the first African country to incinerate expired vaccine doses - 20,000 of them. (Washington Post) As India sets a record for covid-19 deaths, variant worries grow globally (Washington Post)Economic Development The future of the West Jordan economy: Economic Development Director Chris Pengra is working with larger companies to bring them to West Jordan. (West Jordan Journal)Elections Summit County Democrats have nominated a former judge to be the next county clerk. Peoa resident Eve Furse chosen to fill remainder of term (Park Record)Energy Utah, federal oil and gas leases, and the Biden Administration (Utah Business)National HeadlinesGeneral 'I'm scared': AP obtains video of deadly arrest of Black man as troopers stunned, hit and dragged Black man before his death (AP, Washington Post) Colorado officers violently arrested woman, 73, with dementia, and then mocked her. Now they face charges. (Washington Post)Politics House passes bill to create commission to investigate Jan. 6 attack on Capitol, but its chances in the Senate are dim (Washington Post) Rep. Tim Ryan blasts GOP opponents of Jan. 6 commission: 'What else has to happen in this country?' (Washington Post) GOP defections over Jan. 6 commission deliver rebuke to McCarthy. Ultimately, 35 Republicans joined Democrats in approving the commission. (Politico) McConnell says he opposes 'slanted' Jan. 6 commission bill (The Hill) Near-complete abortion ban signed into law in Texas, prohibiting abortions after six weeks. (New York Times) Supreme Court case throws abortion into the 2022 election picture (New York Times)Economy Millions are unemployed. Why can't companies find workers? Among the reasons potential workers are holding back: fear of getting Covid, lack of child care and enhanced unemployment benefits (Wall Street Journal)Elections Inspired by Arizona recount, Trump loyalists push to revisit election results in communities around the country (Washington Post) Gillibrand climbs back after a tough 2020. "I definitely want to run for president again," she said. (Politico)Infrastructure Colonial Pipeline CEO tells why he paid hackers a $4.4 million ransom (Wall Street Journal, Washington Post) In related news, Colonial Pipeline is now looking for a cybersecurity manager. (Washington Post)International Chinese authorities order video denials by Uyghurs of abuses (AP) How Russia's new Gulag tries to break convicts like Alexei Navalny (Reuters)Israeli/Palestinian Conflict Israel-Gaza: Hamas chiefs targeted as truce efforts stall (BBC) Israel unleashes strikes after vowing to press on in Gaza (AP) Few signs of 'imminent' cease-fire as Israeli airstrikes, Hamas rockets continue (Washington Post) Tel Aviv was long known as 'the Bubble' for its distance from war. This time is different. (Washington Post) 'I was surrounded by death': Gaza father is rescued, emerging to grief without his wife and other four children (New York Times) Biden's warning to Israel shakes up diplomacy - and politics (Washington Post)Policy NewsCurtis votes in favor of Jan 6 commission to 'help our country heal and finally move forward'Today, Congressman John Curtis (R-UT) released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 3233 - National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act:Rep. Stewart's Statement on a Commission to Investigate the Events of Jan. 6 Today, the House voted to establish a commission to investigate the events of January 6 on Capitol Hill. Congressman Chris Stewart (R-UT) released the following statement:Sen. Lee urges Education Department to reject Critical Race Theory Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) this week submitted a formal comment in response to the Department of Education's proposed priorities for American History and Civics education. The comment reads in part:GOP lawmakers focus on right-wing media posturing, not fixing Utahn's problems The Utah Democratic Party released the following statement:If all you read is Utah's GOP leaders endless posturing on critical race theory, you'd be clutching your pearls now, just like they do in an endless show to their base. Now, with lawmakers looking to advance a resolution supporting a ban on teaching CRT in Utah schools in today's extraordinary session, perhaps it's time for a lesson in educational policy.Mount Liberty College comments on federal "proposed priorities" for higher education in the US The following was submitted to Mia Howerton at the US Department of EducationIt is troubling, if not surprising, that the federal government expresses any interest whatever in the conduct of education in the United States of America. If there is any subject which the federal nature of our republic entrusts to local control, it is surely education. Business HeadlinesThe most likely reason Dogecoin dropped 40% in 24 hours (Deseret News) EXPLAINER: Why has the price of Bitcoin been falling? (AP) Utah awards $500,000 to nonprofit for mountain bike trails east of Zion National Park (KUER) Apollo co-founder Josh Harris to step down from his day-to-day role (Reuters) TikTok parent's founder Zhang Yiming to step down as CEO, co-founder Liang Rubo to lead ByteDance (AP, Wall Street Journal) 'I'm not very social': ByteDance founder to hand CEO reins to college roommate (Reuters) Kohl's raises 2021 forecast as apparel demand surges (Reuters) Microsoft plans to pull the plug on Internet Explorer (finally!) (Wall Street Journal) US stock futures point to fourth day of losses (Wall Street Journal)On This Day In History(From History.com) 1806 - John Stuart Mill, English philosopher, political economist and utilitarian, is born in London 1834 - Marquis de Lafayette, American patriot and French revolutionary, dies at 76 1867 - British parliament rejects John Stuart Mills' proposals on women's suffrage 1873 - Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive patent for blue jeans 1927 - Charles Lindbergh takes off across the Atlantic in the Spirit of St. Louis 1956 - United States drops hydrogen bomb over Bikini AtollWise Words"Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." ~John Stuart Mill Lighter SideLighter Side"You know, when a violent mob attacked our embassy in Benghazi, Republicans in Congress investigated it eight times. A violent mob attacks the U.S. Capitol, they're like: 'Tourists! What are you gonna do?'" ~JIMMY KIMMEL Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers. |
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