The House had the chance to either extend the Bush tax cuts or adjourn today. What did Matheson do? He did as Nancy Pelosi asked him to do and voted to adjourn. And the vote to extend the tax cuts failed by one vote. ONE VOTE!!!!! Phantom Jim Matheson’s vote. Simple fact. When Nancy needs him…he is with her….and against Utah.

This alone is why he needs to go…..NOW.

Dave Hansen
Chair – Utah Republican Party

Right now the war in the battlefield of ideas is raging, and yet many within the tea party groups, the 9.12 movement, and other conservative arenas are not feeling like they are winning the battle.  But are they winning the war? 

It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. -- Samuel Adams

 

The media and the government have done a great job of simply ignoring or discounting the groups and their efforts across this great nation.  Examples include how Time Magazine put not one picture of the march on Washington DC on September 12, 2009 in their “Year in Pictures.”  This is not by accident.  I was there on 9.12 and I saw the hundreds of thousands that by estimates of the crowd counters there said numbered at 1.6 million.  However, in their minds, if you are simply ignored, you will go away. 

  

Missouri votes to not allow the health care mandate (Obamacare) to stand in their state by an overwhelming 70+ %.The media does not report it.  Does that seem like an oversight to you?  It is not.  It’s very deliberate. 

  

 

A judge ignores the voters in California by overturning Prop. 8.  Even though the people of the state have voted twice and won to keep marriage between a man a woman. 

You may not feel like you are winning any battles, because the media and government continually ignore you, but you will win the war of ideas.  Truth is the key.  When you cling to the truth, you plant yourself firmly on the side of winning in the end.  Do not give up hope.  Do not stop believing in the decency of humankind.  Do not allow the media or the government to cause you to doubt the difference you have made. 

  

Stick together in your neighborhood groups.  If you don’t have one, create one.  There are like-minded people all around you.  Continue to educate yourselves in the classics of great literature, and great thinkers.  We are busy people.  We do not believe that government can fix our problems, and we want to focus on our families, our businesses, and our lives.  But make no mistake, if we do not stay focused in this critical time of alignment, our families that matter so much to us, will no longer be free.   

We are in a Fourth Turning, and while there are many places to focus, do not let yourself be weary.  You do not have to do everything, but if everyone does something, we will accomplish our goals of small government, less interference into our lives, less taxes and government waste, better quality of life with our families, and true charity among humanity by individuals and not governments.  The ills of the world are defeated one family, one community at a time, not by an overreaching federal government mandating social justice.  Dig deep, and find your own personal mission, and then live it. 

FREEDOM CAN WIN! 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), a former chairman and current member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement today announcing his opposition to Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan:

“I have carefully examined Solicitor General Elena Kagan’s record, actively participated in the entire Judiciary Committee hearing, and considered the views of supporters and opponents from Utah and across the country.  Qualifications for judicial service include both legal experience and, more importantly, the appropriate judicial philosophy.  The law must control the judge; the judge must not control the law.  I have concluded that, based on evidence rather than blind faith, General Kagan regrettably does not meet this standard and that, therefore, I cannot support her appointment. 

 “Supreme Court Justices who, like General Kagan, had no prior judicial experience did have an average of 21 years in private legal practice.  General Kagan has two.  The fact that her experience is instead academic and political only magnifies my emphasis on judicial philosophy as the most important qualification for judicial service. 

 “Over nearly 25 years, General Kagan has endorsed, and praised those who endorse, an activist judicial philosophy.  I was surprised when she encouraged us at the hearing simply to discard or ignore certain parts of her record.  I am unable to do that.  I also cannot ignore disturbing situations in which it appears that her personal or political views drove her legal views.  She promoted the Clinton administration’s extreme position on abortion, including the barbaric practice of partial-birth abortion. 

As Dean of Harvard Law School, she blocked the access by military recruiters that federal law requires.  And she took legal positions on important issues such as freedom of speech that could undermine the liberties of all Americans. 

“General Kagan is a good person, a skilled political lawyer, a brilliant scholar, and was a fine law school dean.  I like her personally and I supported her to be Solicitor General.  But applying the standard I have always used for judicial nominees, I cannot support her appointment to the Supreme Court.”

On May 19, 2010, William A. (Bill) Stevenson, passed away at age 80 of natural causes at his home in Salt Lake City. Bill was born July 31, 1929 in Milwaukee, WI. He was a graduate of the University of Wyoming with a degree in engineering. Bill served in the U. S. Army where he attained the rank of Lieutenant. In 1958 he moved to Salt Lake City with his wife Mary Lee where he became involved in Utah Republican politics. He served as the chair of the Salt Lake County GOP and was the Utah State Republican Party chairman. Bill was involved in fund raising on behalf of elementary school children to provide shoes, gloves, hats, and books at Christmas. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Salt Lake City and was a deacon.

Current Chairman Dave Hansen said “For those who never met Bill, you missed quite an experience. Bill was Utah Republican Party Chairman from 1979-81. Bill spent a good part of his life helping the party and candidates. He could be the greatest of help or drive you nuts…all within an hour. Farewell my friend. There are a lot of us who are grateful for what we learned from you.”

Pearl Rex Hartzell passed away on May 24, 2010 at her home in Orem at the age of 92. Pearl had been an active member of the Utah County Republican Women for decades and was also involved in the Utah Federation of Republican Women, the state-wide organization. Pearl was a long time Republican party activist that could always be counted on to work tirelessly for Republican candidates. She was a member of the Utah chapter of the American Gold Star Mothers, an organization for those who have lost children in war, as well as the National League of Families, and worked as a volunteer for the Children’s Justice Center.

Chairman Dave Hansen remembers Pearl: ”Last evening I learned that Utah and the Republican Party lost another of its long term, grand old leaders. Pearl Rex passed away yesterday. I first met Pearl when she was a party leader in Rich County. She then moved to Utah County where she was a strong, dedicated Republican whose love of country will be missed. Our thoughts go out to her family at this time. Thank you Pearl, for all you gave to all of us.”

The Utah Republican Party would like to extend its condolences to Bill and Pearl’s families.

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Utah Governor Candidates
Richard Martin
“SuperDell” Schanze
Daniel Van Oaks Jr.
Gary R Herbert

U.S. Senate Candidates
Tim Bridgewater
Robert F Bennett
Jeremy Friedbaum
Leonard J Fabiano
Merrill Cook
David Y Chiu
Mike Lee
Cherilyn Eagar

U.S. Congress District 1 Candidates
Rob Bishop
Mike Ridgway

U.S. Congress District 2 Candidates
Neil Walter
Morgan Philpot
Ed Eliason

U.S. Congress District 3 Candidate
Jason Chaffetz

Utah House District 1 – Room 255A, 8 a.m., 60% voting threshold required
Ronda Rudd Menlove
Don S Koyle

Utah House District 2 – Room 255C, 8 a.m., 60% voting threshold required
Douglas Beazer
Lee B Perry
Ben C Ferry

Utah House District 4 – Room 155C, 8:30 a.m., 70% voting threshold required
David G Butterfield
Teresa L Theurer

Utah House District 20 – Room 155 B, 8:30 a.m., 60% voting threshold required
D.J. Schanz
R. Chet Loftis
Becky Edwards

Utah House District 25 – Room 155 E, 8:30 a.m., 60% voting threshold required
Rick Raile
Janice W Clemmer

Utah House District 53 – Room 155F, 8:30 a.m., 60% voting threshold required
Melvin R Brown
Jon Hellander

Utah House District 67 – Room 255D, 8 a.m., 50% voting threshold required
Richard L Behling
Patrick L Painter

Utah House District 68 – Room 255F, 8 a.m., 60% voting threshold required
Bill Wright
Ron Barlow

Utah Senate District 11 – Room 355A, 8:30 a.m., 60% voting threshold required
Howard A Stephenson
Dwayne Nielson

Utah Senate District 12 – Room 355D, 8:30 a.m., 60% voting threshold required
James L Leigh
Daniel W Thatcher

Utah Senate District 17 – Room 255B, 8:30 a.m., 60% voting threshold required
Jeff McNeill
Peter C Knudson

Utah Senate District 28 – Room 255E, 8:30 a.m., 60% voting threshold required
Matthew D Carling
Mathew Nephi Sorensen
Dennis E Stowell

Click here for more convention info.