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

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Situational awareness - Aug. 3, 2018

Good Friday morning from Utah's capital. Another week nearly gone!

Pres. Trump dominates every news cycle every day. Would anyone like to watch a newscast or read a newspaper and not read one word about Trump? Fat chance.

  TICK TOCK  

• 67 days until the last day to register to vote by mail (10/9/2018)
• 74 days until mail-in ballots are sent to voters (10/16/2018)
• 81 days until in-person early voting begins (10/23/2018)
• 88 days until the last day to register to vote in person or by mail (10/30/2018)
• 91 days until in-person early voting ends (11/2/2018)
• 95 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 178 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019)
• 223 days until the final day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (3/14/2019)
• 823 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

  HERE ARE THE STORIES YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO TODAY  

Trump and mainstream Republicans. Why don't mainstream Republicans turn totally against Trump? Publisher LaVarr Webb explains why. Hint: Trump is crazy, but the Democratic alternatives would be worse (Utah Policy).

Redistricting and Democrats. If voters pass the ballot proposal setting up an independent redistricting commission, Contributing Editor Bob Bernick theorizes that a safe Democratic congressional district could be created with liberal-leaning Salt Lake City as its base. (Utah Policy).

Apple is worth $1 trillion. That milestone reflects the rise of the powerful megacompanies (New York Times).

  OTHER UTAH HEADLINES   

• EPA report says Utah's air is getting cleaner, with hazardous air pollutants dropping significantly since 1990 (Deseret News).
• Orrin Hatch rips into Democrats for trying to block Brett Kavanaugh from being confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court (Deseret News,  SL Tribune).
• SL County health board endorses the Medicaid expansion ballot proposal, but stays neutral for now on medical marijuana (Deseret News).
• Trump is actually tough on Russia, says Chris Stewart (SL Tribune).

  NATIONAL HEADLINES  

• CNN's Jim Acosta clashes with Sarah Huckabee Sanders, then makes a quick exit (The Hill,  New York Times).
• White House aims to freeze fuel standards for cars (Wall Street Journal).
• Trump blasts media in Pennsylvania rally amid chants of 'CNN sucks' (The Hill,  Politico).
• White House makes show of force with entire national security team focused on election meddling (The Hill).
• Pope Francis opposes death penalty under all circumstances (Associated Press).

  ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY   

• 1492 Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sets sail from the Spanish port Palos, in command of the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Nina.
• 1846 The ill-fated Donner Party encounters its first long delay in Utah's Wasatch Mountains as it attempts to travel to California.
• 1861 The last installment of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is published.
• 1914 Germany and France declare war on each other.
• 1949 The National Basketball Association is born, with a merger of the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League.
• 1958 The U.S. nuclear submarine Nautilus accomplishes the first undersea voyage to the geographic North Pole, traveling nearly 1,000 miles under the Arctic ice cap.

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Today At Utah Policy

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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Utah agriculture officials say medical cannabis initiative may impossible to administer, eventually could cost Utah taxpayers big
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
State agriculture officials are worried they won't be able to meet deadlines mandated by the medical marijuana ballot initiative, which they say will lead to unregulated cannabis cultivation by the public....

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Digging into Utah's 2016 electoral map
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
We all know that Salt Lake City the state capital and its largest city is Democratic....

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Utahns very confident about job availability as expectations about the economy improve
By Press release
The Zions Bank Utah Consumer Attitude Index (CAI) increased 1.7 points to 113.6 in July. In comparison, the national Consumer Confidence Index increased 0.3 points to 127.4 this month....

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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

Ignorance

"The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance." Benjamin Franklin

Lighter Side

Meddling

"President Trump suggested today that Russia will meddle in the upcoming midterm elections in favor of the Democrats because, quote, "They definitely don't want Trump." Then again, neither did we." Seth Meyers

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