Miss: Troll Lee
If you were at the Utah Capitol last Saturday, you probably heard a lot of chants. The People's March—renamed from the 2017 Women's March—was less about women's rights than every political issue dividing the country. Perhaps most prominent was the chant, "I hate Mike Lee!" So, let's talk about the senior senator, who won re-election in 2022, despite an independent-Democratic attempt to unseat him. The Salt Lake Tribune kept tabs on his relentless social media. On X-Twitter, it's one post every 28 minutes—or 13,142 in 2024 alone. Lee dwarfs that of master Tweeter Rep. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, and Gov. Spencer Cox. One political science professor suggested he is seeking national clout, which seems obvious. However, Lee's track record is slim. Since joining the Senate in 2009, he's passed six standalone bills, half of them naming federal buildings. That Utahns don't seem to care speaks volumes about their attention spans.
Miss: Marching Orders
Let's pivot to the People's March, which in 2017 was about protesting an incoming president's disdain for women's rights. Times have changed, as has the march, which suffered divisions in its ranks and debates over purpose, devolving into a fight over inclusion and lack of diversity. While thousands hit the National Mall, they were talking about immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, the poor and yes, women. Before the marches, outgoing President Joe Biden expressed his affirmation of the Equal Rights Amendment. Because it wasn't yet published, the announcement came as a whisper. Women's rights are at risk more than ever. While marches called for everything from trans rights to gun safety, the overwhelming message was "Hey, hey, ho, ho, patriarchy has got to go."
Hit: Full Court Press
It's not often we can thank the MAGA U.S. Supreme Court for anything. But lately, they've been on a roll. First, they rejected Utah's quixotic attempt to control federal lands. Then, they rebuffed the stubbornly dogmatic Phil Lyman's bid to overturn the gubernatorial election. They also declined to take up a Honolulu lawsuit by oil companies about the impacts of fossil fuels. Then, in a real stunner, they let Maryland's handgun licensing law stand. All this comes after a series of astonishing decisions, including one giving a president almost blanket immunity. The overturning of Roe v. Wade seems eons ago, as does the rejection of Affirmative Action and the expansion of gun rights. So America, take the win while you can.
