While Utahns are being subjected to a barrage of candidate commercials—especially in the 4th District—there is a bit of comic relief from the attorney general’s race, thanks to Libertarian candidate Andrew McCullough, one of the state’s perennial candidates and naturist with a cause. Indeed, McCullough supports the nudist lifestyle and has worked as legal counsel and lobbyist for Utah Naturists. Most recently, he argued a case before the New York Court of Appeals, seeking to exempt exotic-dance clubs from taxes because the dances are “choreographed” and taxes somehow infringe on their constitutional rights. “[The] girls … work at it, and when you see the finished product, you can’t help but say, ‘These girls are good,’ ” he said. Well, he lost 4-3 when the court didn’t buy lap dancing as an art. This was more fun than Attorney General Mark Shurtleff’s fight against the BCS.
What won’t we do to save a few bucks on energy in the winter? That we’re still seeing full-page ads for overpriced space heaters is a testament to that. Yes, the Amish craftsmen are back, as is a competing appliance—EdenPURE—being hawked by “Al Borland of Home Improvement.” At least the Amish ads no longer offer anything “free,” since the wooden cabinet (made by the Amish) costs $300 alone. They don’t deal with the electronics. But whatever you buy, keep this in mind: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, space heaters will cut your bills only if you need to heat just one room at a time.
Everyone knows the Republicans don’t like regulation, or at least they don’t like regulation targeting their interests. So, it’s no surprise that traditional bankers despise the Dodd-Frank Act, which purports to better regulate an industry that required a huge bank bailout. The Utah Bankers Association, with Howard Headlee in the lead, took the initiative to create Friends of Traditional Banking, first characterized as a super PAC to elect people receptive to their cause. Credit unions don’t mind, partly because they don’t think this is a real super PAC. Instead, it asks for small contributions to a couple of key races in the country. Don’t you know it’s targeting Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts and Shelley Berkley in Nevada, both Dems? Bankers just want some respect, says Headlee. And, of course, the power to command it.
