Hit: Wet Work
Even if you're a climate-change denier, you still want clean water and air—and maybe even dirty water, if droughts were to get bad. The recent election put all of this in the crosshairs as progressives worry the second Trump agenda means more coal-fired plants and worsening, drier weather in the West. That sounds bad for the over-used Colorado River. But wait, good sense may prevail. "Elections don't add water to the river," John Entsminger, Nevada's lead Colorado River negotiator, told The Hill. "The same problem we were facing on November 4, we're facing today, and it's the same problem we'll be facing into the indefinite future." Conservation plans have been moving since 1992, with a goal of continuing to provide water to the U.S. and Mexico. The president just released a list of alternatives, and while there are differences of approach, there's no lack of will to keep the water flowing.
Miss: Work Force
Sometimes you have to wonder what kind of education legislators got. In an administration that's all about the bottom line, the idea of "reallocating" funds sounds just peachy. Let's talk about higher education, where young people are filled with lofty ideas and ideals while pursuing something for the future. Well, forget that. Utah has long focused on technical education, which does provide income and jobs. But lawmakers seem focused on speeding up undergraduate work to get those kids working hard. Sen. Karen Kwan, D-West Valley, warns of going too far. Higher education, she told the Deseret News on Nov. 21, offers critical opportunities for a person to explore new ideas and fields, particularly for first-generation college students. By shutting down student support groups, it doesn't look like the Legislature wants critical thinking—or diversity—in its institutions.
Hit: Ballot Boxing
Remember the constant drum beat of election fraud from the 2020 election? The far-right Republican fear-mongering is seeping into Utah even though the state's elections system has long run smoothly. Lawmakers have opened bills to "address" late-arriving mailed ballots. At least one county clerk would like everyone to use ballot dropboxes or vote in person. Of course, the far-right believes undocumented residents are voting, too. Most of the allegations are simply false, as a KSL investigation showed earlier this year. There was, however, one instance where a county clerk saw just how a certain lawmaker voted. Uh-oh, that's totally illegal. The secret ballot is a cornerstone of democracy and has been since the 1800s. Even so, Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, is sponsoring a bill to ensure voter privacy. It is good that lawmakers are also considering transparency as part of the law.
