Utah GOP Primary: What We Learned Last Night

1. Money talks. All the state and federal offices went to the guy with the most money, and it played out that way in most of the state Senate/House races too.

2. Negative advertising works. Jason Powers may not have had a clean sweep, but three of his four victims fell in their races. Now he can fly back to Bald Mountain and plot how he can destroy Mike Kennedy two years from now. John Swallow and his PACs hit Sean Reyes early, and after that, the reaction was "Oh, they're both dirty." Brad Daw had several attacks ads against him before anyone else had decided to run against him. (Not to take anything away from Dana Layton; she ran a good campaign by herself.)

3. Name recognition is big. Most Utahns still have no idea who Dan Liljenquist or Sean Reyes is. It's just one reason why Hatch refused to debate Dan on TV.

4. Every election is different. If 2010 was the year of the Tea Party, 2012 was the year of the Status Quo. He may be a rock star at conventions, but there are plenty of Republicans who don't like or trust Mike Lee. The Establishment was not about to let their other senior Senator leave before he wanted to leave. And Mark Shurtleff, who all but hand-picked Lee to run in 2010 when his own health prevented him from doing so, was able to get his annointed successor the GOP nomination with ease.

5. The Ron Paul Revolution lives! In 2008, he got 3% of the vote. This time, he got 4%!

6. Some endorsements are more important than others. Mitt Romney endorsed his friend Orrin Hatch a long time ago. Hatch used that at every opportunity. Dan Liljenquist was endorsed by Rick Santorum. Yeah, that's not going to get you any more votes in Utah.

7.  No matter what office you're running for, run like you're running for Congress.  I give you John Swallow (whom I did not vote for) and John Dougall (whom I did).  Both went with this approach and both won.

Karl Perry endorses Sean Reyes

From Utah Assistant Attorney General Karl Perry:

On June 26, Republicans will go to the polls to choose who will be their candidate for Utah attorney general. Whoever is chosen at that time will very likely be serving as the attorney general come January.

The office of the attorney general, through his or her assistants, will likely impact you in some respect given that the office represents all state agencies from the Office of Recovery Services, Public Safety and Transportation, Natural Resources, Department of Occupational and Professional Licensing, Department of Child and Family Services and Tax and Revenue, just to name a few. The office also handles all criminal appeals of felonies for the whole state as well as handling conflict of interest cases in district courts at the county level. The AG’s office also represents the 10 public colleges in their legal needs.

All this is a big job, even for Utah’s largest law firm and its 224 assistant attorneys general. To lead this office, it requires a person with real-life experience, sound judgment, willing to make hard decisions and be free of bias. If you will take the time to do some research on the two candidates you will find that Sean Reyes meets this criteria.

Sean Reyes received his education from a top 10 law school. After law school he practiced nearly 14 years at one of the largest law firms in the state. He soon became a partner at this firm where he handled many high-profile litigation cases. He has argued cases before the state and federal courts including the Utah Supreme Court and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. During that time he was recognized as the National Outstanding Young Lawyer by the ABA and the Utah Young Lawyer of the Year within the state.

John Swallow, on the other hand, received his post as a deputy attorney general from Mark Shurtleff, not because of his credentials, but because he had been Mark Shurtleff’s fundraiser. John Swallow, who has only been with the AG’s office two years, has spent a great deal of his career fundraising or lobbying for pay-day loan companies. Much of his campaign fundraising came from multi-level marketing companies, call centers and questionable online coaching companies. Check out the lieutenant governor’s website and see for yourself. John Swallow’s campaign rhetoric regarding his involvement with Utah’s challenge of “Obamacare” is at the very least misleading.

The attorney general represents the people of Utah, and the office should be free from the influence of special interest groups. Do your research of the two candidates and make your choice carefully, and I believe you will come to the same conclusion that I did — that Sean Reyes is the best candidate.

Karl Perry
Logan

KSL Radio Debate w/ Sean Reyes & John Swallow

This is all just me typing so no errors, typos, omissions, or misrepresentations were intentional, if any.

I joined the debate late, got there during Reyes' opening statement.

Reyes emphasizes his lawyer and leadership experience, points out Swallow's lobbying experience.

QUESTION - Does it matter who's conservative?

Reyes - It matters. At the same time, most functions are non-partisan, though this is a partisan race. I'd represent the people. It's like a firefighter, you want someone with the most experience.

Swallow - I have to rely on my record. Served in legislature. I'm conservative, will be conservative.

Reyes - Office is for and of the people. Gun rights; I'm packing right now.

QUESTION - Illegal immigration

Swallow - Shurtleff's been active in this. We've done a good job on this with ID theft. I'll leave immigration policy to legislators, and I'll enforce what they say.

Reyes - Fed govt wants to regulate immigration but won't fix broken Visa process, etc., I opposed HB 116. As AG, I will defend that law. I support background checks on those arrested for serious crimes. We need E-Verify.

Swallow - I'll differ with Mark on the way he leads in the press. I'd be more behind the scenes.

QUESTION - Has this race become too nasty? We have anti-Reyes ads from a PAC in Vegas. Anti-Swallow ads coming from UtePAC. Outside money coming in with nasty tones.

Reyes - I denounce SuperPACS and had nothing to do with it. Swallow's team have chosen to engage in a hitpiece SuperPAC they know are false. I'd encourage him to denounce those as well. Even before this, there were a lot of lies about me, that my father was illegal, that's not true. So many things they've accused me of. These things are dirty and disrespectful to the public, and it's what you resort to when you can't beat someone on experience.

Swallow - We have tried to run a positive issue-oriented campaign. Every ad I've approved has been positive. (WHAT?!) We kept hearing whisper campaigns from the other side. This Democrat SuperPAC is very disturbing. It's told lies about me, gave Reyes' campaign life. Why are the Democrats so interested in this GOP primary? Voters should say "We don't want to support a candidate the Democrats wants."

Reyes - people warned me it'd be dirty if I ran against Swallow, and it's been true. Pre-convention they spent thousands on dishonest push-polling. It's hard for John to say he's been above board when we both know that's not true.

QUESTION - ObamaCare

Swallow - one of my thrills was going to Supreme Court, seeing demeanor of justices. They're concerned about Constitutionality. If they rule the mandate down and ObamaCare unconstitutional, they're afraid of being seen as superlegislature by striking whole thing down.

Reyes - It's likely dead. I'd look for different ways to attack it if they don't throw it out. I'll be ready to defend Utah. My only criticism with John on this was him taking too much personal credit for the suit against ObamaCare. Anita Mitchell said he misrepresented his role.

Swallow - Anita Mitchell was that critic, and it was a malicious smear by the Democratic UtePAC against me. We were integral in our role against ObamaCare.

QUESTION - Consumer protection?

Reyes - No good reason to move it to the AG's office. They work in conjunction with AG office but they handle 1000's of complaints. It'd be counterproductive. Only other reason to do it is to concentrate power into one office, it invites abuse. People want more trust and transparency.

Swallow - When I become AG, I won't be marching in place. I will use my experience as legislator and Asst. AG. Shurtleff's wanted to move the office under AG for a long time. Most people logically think that division is already under AG office. We'd add resources.

Reyes - John wants to grow govt, make the office bigger and less efficient. It's all politics. That's not what we need in the state. This came out from the taped phone call from a potential donor. It's the context, that's what people are worried about. Trust, integrity.

QUESTION - What impact would you want to have in your first four years in office?

Swallow - That tape-recorded conversation, I was proud of it. Every single person in this country is a potential donor. Those were propagated lies. But to our public lands, it's about hunting, fishing, and jobs. Taking our lands back would fund education.

Reyes - I will be for getting our lands back, stop encroaching fed govt. My vision is to bring the AG office back to the people. People don't want increased cronyism, backroom deals, etc. (paraphrased that). Many public attorneys and private law firms are supporting me.

Swallow - The encroachment of fed govt is made manifest in ObamaCare and feds taking our lands.

QUESTION - How do we maintain productive relationship with Fed govt?

Reyes - plenty of areas, particularly law enforcement, ATF, DEA, etc. But Fed govt is so overreaching. I agree with HB 148. We need to be able to access some of the trillions of dollars of energy locked up by Fed govt. We won't destroy the state, we want areas for hunting, fishing, preservation, etc.

Swallow - We have supremacy clause in Constituion but Fed govt was supposed to protect our rights. It's a Reagan approach.

Reyes - We need help with Western states too and I'm the one with the credentials to do it.

QUESTION - What is your question for Reyes?

Swallow - I will decline. It's about the state of Utah, it's not about my opponent. It's not about Democratic PACs throwing malicious lies at me. I want the people to understand that.

Reyes - No question for him, but I can offer a soliloquy as well. I am offended that my opponent would impune my integrity. There are a lot of things I could have raised, but I've been under attack by an out-of-state SuperPAC and Swallow's campaign has come after me with lies. Swallow broke camapign laws. It's offensive to accuse me on one hand when he knows he's the one who paid restitution for violating FEC laws.

FINAL STATEMENT

Reyes - Visit my site http://www.seanreyes.com and see who endorses me and why. We are not running for Lobbyist General or Fundraising General. Leading other lawyers to victory matters. Honesty and integrity really really matter. We need a lawyer first, not a politician. I'm the most ready to serve.

Swallow - I want to categorically denounce what he said before his closing. I'm running for this office becuz I believe in this office. I'm a conservative. I don't have support of the liberal media or the Democratic SuperPAC like my opponent. I'm proud of that. As a legislator, I worked to cut taxes and strengthen our rights. I've led against ObamaCare. I'll continue to lead.



There you have it.

I've said before I'm supporting Reyes, and this really helped cement it for me.

I've had many people tell me John Swallow's a good guy, but his campaign has been so dirty that I can't believe what he says.  Reyes denounced the SuperPACs; Swallow did not.  Jason Powers is helping run John's campaign and everything I've seen from him this year suggests he specializes in negative campaigning.  But then, Swallow's statewide campaigns always feel like that.  I remember feeling dirty after the Swallow-Bridgewater race, and I wasn't even paying too close attention to it.  Of all the races, Swallow winning actually makes me the most nervous.  Reyes strikes me as the most honest of the two.

I'm Aiming to Be a KSL Correspondent

But I need your vote to get me closer.  Please go here, and give my video five stars.

https://www.facebook.com/KSLNewsradio?sk=app_171559679570755

First step, be the guy at the Republican Convention in August for KSL.  Then, do the Movie Show with Doug Wright, talk sports with Alex Kirry, argue politics with Ethan Millard.  Yes, it's all coming together...

KSL Radio Debate Hatch-Liljenquist

I listened online. Actually I watched the webcam too at times. I see other cameras in there.

All of it's me typing so I missed some stuff. Apologies for typos or inaccuracies.

9:06 - Doug Wright thanks the two of them for clearing out their schedules. Opening statements.

OH - Our country is at a crossroads. I'm going around the country raising hundreds of millions of dollars to help GOP senators get elected. I'm running not only to help Mitt, but to be chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. The SFC addresses Soc Security, Medicare, Medicaid, tax reform. Seniors won't have a good future unless we get things under control. That's why I'm running. This is the greatest country in the world.

DL - It's time for new leaders in DC. Hatch and his leaders have run up the greatest debt in the history of mankind. They've raised the debt ceiling, they've wasted billions in earmarks for their own buddies. I'm running becuz you could be chairman not despite of it. We have to have leaders who will do more than just "talk" about reforming. I focussed on the two biggest financial problems in Utah in the senate. We reformed pensions, we reformed Medicaid. We need people in DC who will do what they said they're going to do, not just talk a good game when it's time for the next election.

9:12 - Buffering!

9:14 - OH - ACU gives me a 90% voting record for my entire time in senate. I have fought my whole senate service for a Balanced budget Amendment. To be honest, Dan, I've been in the trenches fighting; we just need enough Republicans in the senate to get things done. We've never had that majority. If Mitt Romney is president, there's no end to the good we can do. That's why he endorsed me.

DL - That is simply not true. You had the majority in 2003 and you passed Medicare Part D, raising our debt by trillions.

QUESTION - You've been in office 36 years, why should we believe it will change?

OH - First we need Mitt Romney. Second, we need me in the SFC. Dan doesn't understand we've always had 3-4 liberal Republicans to prevent us from doing what we want to get done. Even Democrats appreciate my leadership in the SFC. Dan's done a good job in the Utah senate. Give me 75% GOP senators and you wouldn't believe what I can get done. That doesn't mean as a freshman senator he can make a difference.

DL - Did those liberal Republicans force you to vote for medicare part D? Those are powerful liberals. Those are your votes I'm talking about. I'm not talking about the main liberals. I'm talking about YOUR vote.

OH - You voted for the expansion of S-CHIP, which I voted against. Look, I'm shameless when it comes to supporting Utah companies. It's a shame Razor Technologies didn't work out.

QUESTION - To both candidates, the environment in DC is toxic. What will you do to reverse this?

DL - That is a huge frustration of mine. It's GOP and Dems that got us into this mess. Becuz Razor was a Utah company, OH would fight for them. Had Solyndra been a Utah company, would you have fought for them too? It is the hypocrisy of people who point to the other side when their own votes belie that fact. We got Medicaid reform passed in Utah becuz it's a reality issue not partisan issue.

OH - Dan left $4 billion unfunded, but I'll compliment him on that. Some of us have fought our hearts out for what it is right. i will always fight. I won't back down in fighting for UT companies. I wouldn't have fought for Solyndra, that was a boondoggle. But Razor was a $30 million grant that I had nothing to to do with. I fought for Utah, I fought for getting spending under control.

DL - You can't wave around the BBA in one hand and in the other, pass bill after bill that makes it impossible to balance the budget. It'll take us years to clean up the pensions, but the legislation gets us on the right path. I've been looking leadership on these issues and I have not seen it.

QUESTION - Again, what will you do personally to stop the poisonous partisanship in DC?

DL - I will never go on TV and point fingers at the other side when my own record demonstrates otherwise. I think there are patriots on both sides of the aisle who can do math and want to do the right thing.

OH - i have a reputation for bringing people together. I dont bring them together to blow things out the door; I bring them together to get things under control. They dont infringe on my conservative values.

QUESTION - DOMA came under question in Boston, ruled it unconstitutional.

OH - DOMA is a bill i worked very hard to get through. I dont believe in discriminating against anybody, but I do draw the line at the definition of marriage. We wanted the states to decide, and 30 states have it written into the Constitution that marriage is between a man and a woman. Mass. ignored the law and created new law and that has to be tested in the court.

DL - I am 100% agreement on that issue. The traditional family is the best department of education and welfare in this country. It's always been a state issue.

OH - One more thing. I put together the brief on that in the West. It points out just how radical that Mass. judge was.

QUESTION - ObamaCare, we're waiting for Supreme Court decision on this. Rather than tell us you're just repealing, what is your alternative? Remember, some of us are already relying on parts of the act (pre-existing conditions). Most presidents advocate for some form of natl health care.

DL - ObamaCare is so fundamentally flawed it has to be repealed. It was Hatch and others who laid out COnsittuitonal arguemnets for it int he 1990. It was OH and Ted Kennedy who expanded childrens health care. GOP has pushed govt into health care the past 30 years and very few have done more to do that than Sen. hatch. Get govt out of the way on health care.

OH - Ia gree with some of his comments. medicare part-D has helped millionsof Americans and it's come in 40% under projections. Paul Ryan's medical plan is based on medicare Part -D. With S-CHIP, there's an S in front of it. It was for our state; it wasnt supposed to be national. Obama expanded it. I was against it. Dan voted for thr expansion. Some of the insurnace coimpanies are taking some of the things we did.

DL - That is simply not true. The vote I took removed a 5-year waiting list for legal immigrants. It was not an expansion. When you say it was a fed govt program with block grants, you are blackmailing the states with their own money.

QUESTION - have you considered what the aftermatch will be on the Supreme Court decision will be?

OH - i was one of the first to make the Constitutional argument against individual mandate.

DL - I'm glad you made the case against it, but you made the case for it int he 1990's. Individual responsibility need to reenter the equation.

OH - Can I add just one other thing? It was a Heritage Foundation bill.

DL - You're playing fast and loose becuz it was a tactic. You had your name on it, and they used it to pass ObamaCare.

QUESTION - Doesn't not having tax increase on table kill discussion of balancing the budget?

DL - At Bain when we had a failing company we did three things. 1. You fire the management team that got you in this mess. 2. You look at revenue. 3. You look at cost. I'm in favor of a fairer tax. I'm for increasking GE's taxes since they got their own loophole, but we need to broaden the base. Hatch and others have used tax code to grant subsidies, like sugar.

OH - I'm against raising taxes. Every time we've done it under the guise they'd give us deficit reduction, and we never got the promised spending deductions. Raising taxes isn't a question of revenue. The real problem is that Democrats and liberal Republicans will spend it. Everything Dan is talking about it, i can do it on my committee. This is why Mitt's endorsed me. If I am going to get criticized for everything wrong in govt, I should get credit everything right in govt.

DL - It's fiscal child abuse as you keep deferring debts and deficits to future generations.

OH - Everyone who knows me knows I fight for Utah, I fight for controlled spending.

DL - Mike Crapo will be chair if you're not there, and he voted against TARP, against the bailouts, his record is better than yours.

OH - Well, I've got to answer that. If you think you're better off having a senator from Idaho, you need to rethink it.

QUESTION - There's been no meaningful action from govt on immigration.

OH - I get criticism for DREAM Act but we were trying to follow the UT legislature. Anyone who wants to criticize me on immigration needs to realize I've done more on immigration than anyone in Utah.

DL - There are 3 things we need to do. 1. Secure the border. 2. open up legal immigration. After 9/11 we shut down the process. I want people coming through the front door with their sleeves rolled up. 3. Have employers use E-Verify in employment. With those things, we can start to clean up a lot of these issues.

OH - No use kidding we're a nation of immigrants, but immigrants who follow the law. he's right; we need to secure the border. We can no longer grant amnesty. I fought against the 1986 bill becuz they granted amnesty.

QUESTION - "Hill Air Force Base."

DL - It is offensive to the men & women at HAFB to suggest that one man stands between them and oblivion. It is the most effecient AFB in the country. To say one man stands between them is wrong. In 1976, Frank Moss said the same thing. "If you lose me, you lose HAFB." it is the politics of fear. How can you justify blowing through the Soc Security trust fund and then say now, NOW the one person who presided over this run-up of debt can stop it.

OH - Jim Hansen said "We need Orrin." We're going to need a utah senator, but to my dying day, I will be very happy that me and Garn and Hansen had all of our experience when it came up. Clinton wanted to move Hill to California. Anyone who thinks we don't have to fight for Hill doesn't know what they're talking about.

DL - Carter tried to move it in 1977. You were a freshman senator and stopped it.

OH - Hill is in deep trouble. They keep trying to take things away from them. You don't know what you're talking about.

DL - Not true. (Hatch kept interrupting Dan here so I couldn't get most of his answer. Hatch is angry. I should mention Hatch gets in little interruptions on most of Dan's rebuttals. Dan hasn't interrupted Orrin once. Hatch would not shut up on this one.)

QUESTION - National parks, federal lands, most of Utah is sewn up.

DL - Utah's at a distinct disadvantage because our land has so many natural resoruces. It's very difficult to get a hold of our resources when the Feds own most of it. What's happened over the years is we've had a generation of politicians who've shifted power tot DC, to the executive branch, the EPA and others are writing new rules becuz Congress has outsourced its job. We need new people to get things fixed.

OH - I agree with you on all of that except needing new people. Gives example of guy who struck oil on private land. North Dakota got its lands back from Feds. We'd be a wealthy state if we could get our lands back. In early Reagan days we fought for sagebrush rebellion.

DL - You mentioned experience. How much more experience do you need? What's happened for 36 years? The results have been the same, not better.

OH - Seniority is important and it comes down to having someone with respect, someone who can get things done. In DC you'd start from scratch.

QUESTION - What would you ask your opponent?

OH - I don't have any questions for him. The problem is Dan's quoting FreedomWorks, who's the sleaziest organization I've ever come across. We intend to win.

DL - I think I missed his question. I have one. "Do you consider yourself responsible in any way for the national debt/deficit?"

OH - No, and I'm offended you keep bring it up.

DL - That answer was remarkable. We have a generation back there who won't take a shred of responsibility for a single vote. You said "We spent a lot of money back then." It is disengenuous. We have the most crushing debt in the history of mankind, and the next generation has to pay for it. We need new leaders determined to fix it. I will do that in DC. We need a new generation back there who see the day when we succeed or fail.

OH - We are in trouble, and it's not mainly Republicans who got us in trouble. Everyone knows that. We have to deal with Hill Air Force Base, with our water problems. Here's a story of a fellow who fell into a hole and said "Help me!" Businessman threw in $20 and walked away, next came a doctor and the man yelled "Help me!" The doctor threw in a prescription and walked away. Next came his friend, who jumped into hole. The man says "Why did you jump in here with me, now we're both stuck!" Friend said "I've been here before and I can get us out." Experience matters. (Story was from West Wing episode.)

So there you have it. Dan was ready to go toe-to-toe. Orrin was ready to counter by either being patronizing or angry.

Dan's main points were getting spending under control, getting new leadership in DC, dealing with illegal immigration, and getting our lands back.

Orrin's main points were he gets endorsements, Hill Air Force Base is doomed without him, he's not responsible in any way for any debt or deficit issue we have, and he'll have a lot of power as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. ;)

KSL.com will make the debate available to watch again in the afternoon. Hunt it down and see for yourself.

It's OK to be a RINO

RINO is the acronym for Republican in Name Only, and when following the GOP in an election year, it is the most overused, abused acronym out there. Any Republican who doesn't something the beholder doesn't like, well, that guy's a RINO. Or a progressive Democrat. Or a liberal, socialist, communist New-World-Order-favoring traitor.

But when Republicans boo the Golden Rule, that day I'm a RINO.

When Republicans boo a soldier because he's gay, that day I'm a RINO.

When Republicans claim they're for smaller government but try to make our internet more like China's with SOPA/PIPA-type legislation, those days I'm a RINO.

When they keep passing intrusive, Big-Brother-type legislation like The Patriot Act and the NDAA in the name of fighting the neverending war on terror, those days I'm a RINO.

When Republicans say they want the lower and middle classes to pay more taxes, those days I'm a RINO.

When they say they say they're for less regulation but let monstrosities like Sarbanes-Oxley stay in effect, those days I'm a RINO.

When the GOP voters actually think that Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich or Rick Perry or Michelle Bachmann or Sarah Palin would be a good president, those days I'm a RINO.

I wonder if Republicans should act like RINOs more often.

Political Spectrum Quizzes

I like to think I'm a pretty fair-minded guy, able to step back and objectively look at things without a partisan hat on.  (And I certainly put my partisan hat on when I want to.)  But I was taking some political quizzes on the internet and came across the Political Compass.  I've always liked the grid approach over the left-right line approach.  Here's where it put me:

I was a little surprised by this, and some of the questions are confusing, like what does astrology have to do with politics?  But then here's where it puts world leaders:

And presidential leaders:

Something tells me that if Obama and Romney sat down and took the quizzes themselves, their answers wouldn't land them so close together (though I can hear Ron Paul and Ralph Nader fans going, "Yes they would!")

So next I tried the one at GoToQuiz, and these were my results:

Huh. Not much different. I get the feeling a lot of America is close to where I am, but I do not have the personality of a politician.

So trying this further, let's see who lines up me presidential-wise, according to SelectSmart.  It's been different each time I've taken it, but here were today's results:

1.  Gary Johnson - 65%
2.  Ron Paul - 55%
3.  Mitt Romney - 55%
4.  Jon Huntsman - 52%
5.  Barack Obama - 48%
6.  Joseph Biden - 43%
7.  Newt Gingrich - 40%
8.  Herman Cain - 37%
9.  Rick Santorum - 37%
10.  Buddy Roemer - 33%
11. Rick Perry - 33%
12.  Michael Bloomberg - 24%
13.  Donald Trump - 22%
14.  Rocky Anderson - 20%
15.  Michelle Bachmann - 17%

There were others in there, but there's some of the main players.  Blows my mind that Romney and Paul are tied, but I guess they overlap on enough issues that it's possible.

Then I tried the one back at GoToQuiz.

It didn't give percentages, but the list order was:

Jon Huntsman
Ron Paul
Mitt Romney
Newt Gingrich
Rick Perry
Herman Cain
Barack Obama
Michelle Bachmann
Rick Santorum

Presidential Pictures

I wish I had a picture of me with every US president. My mom blocking Nixon from kissing me at 3 months old. Ford not tripping while shaking my 2-year-old hand. Carter offering 5-year-old me a peanut. Reagan offering 9-year-old me a jellybean. HW Bush refusing some broccoli from 17-year-old me. Clinton shaking 22-year-old me's hand while I wear rubber gloves. W Bush shaking 28-year-old me's hand while give a peace sign with his other around May 2011. Obama trying to get in the picture while Michelle and I compare biceps...

Dan Liljenquist Town Hall meeting notes - 6/2/12

Dan Liljenquist held a Town Hall meeting in Provo tonight.  Here's some paraphrased highlights from it I tried writing down. Someone recorded it so hopefully that'll be out there later.  (UPDATE: Here's the link to the recording of the whole thing.) It started at 7:00 and I got there around 7:20. (Hopefully I didn't get anything inaccurate in typing.)

DAN SPEAKING:

There's nothing the Senate should be more aggressive about than the Justices and regulatory czars.

We have for too long blamed the Democrats. It's been Republicans and Democrats that got us here. If we're intent on just blaming the other party, we'll never get anything done.

I went to 16 states helping with pension reform issues. I'm most proud these were not partisan issues, these were reality issues. The debates were civil and objective. We've got to work together to get things done.

I have great reseect for Sen Hatch; he'll go down in history as one of our finest. But this is about the future.

Hatsh said he'll be chair of senate finance committee. Well, he made the same argument in 2006. He keeps saying we're almost there. I almost have enough power. If Hatch is not reelected, we'd have Mike Crapo as chair, he's BYU grad, solid conservative, voted against TARP, he'd make good long-term decisions. He's huge Mitt Romney supporter, as am I.

No one senator is a king no matter what seat they sit in. It takes 60 votes to get anything done.

Have you heard this: If we lose, we lose Hill Air Force Base? We found some campaign literature from 1976. Frank Moss #1 argument then was "If you lose me, you lose HAFB." Hatch was elected; we didn't lose HAFB. It is offensive to the men & women of HAFB to say one person stands between them and oblivion. It is politics of fear and it is not right. No one senator is too big to fail.

This race will come down to seniority, if the voters feel they're forced to vote for seniority and keep the same system in place, or if they can vote for someone new. In the last 7 years, there've been 49 new senators. About 10 more will be retiring soon. It's important to know that 60% of the senate is turning over; we haven't this kind of turnover since the 1970s. Hatch was committee chairman in first 4 years. That same turnover is happening now. What will get us to move forward is not relationship with Olympia Snowe, John Ensign, Ted Kennedy, etc. The future is Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, etc. I know these guys, these are the ones who lead the future of the senate, the future of this country, those relationships are being built now. We have just enough change to break through the logjam.

Time for questions.

QUESTION #1 - I emailed Hatch about an issue ten days before a crucial vote. I got response two months later and it wasn't even about what I'd asked. Actual question: Harry Reid has messed up badly. How will we structure the Senate Majority leadership rather than have stuff stuck in DC?

I want to focus on Utah as much as possible, be here most of the time. I hope you have chance to ask me directly. Hatch is hiding himself from most voters. Our debate is on radio on Friday June 15 at 9:00am on 1160. Say what you will about Obama, but he's done one thing with honesty. He has said "I do not need Congress." He goes executive order route. Congress has outsourced its job. Nancy Pelosi was never more honest than when she said "We have to pass a bill to find out what's in it." 81,000 pages of new laws and regulations not voted on, just decreed. He said he'll dare Congress to stop him. We've gone 3 years without budget. Becuz when we had GOP prez, we didn't try to rebalance things. We said its our turn to rewrite things. We're closer to having an Emperor becuz President can just decree and Congresss wont do its job.

1. Don't rubber stamp appointees. 2. No new fed regulation goes into effect until Congress approves it. Congress is built for playing defense. There is no bill so urgent you have to ram it through.

QUESTION #2 - Have you been in touch with Club for Growth?

Our preference is let us run our own race. There've been outside groups from both sides get in this race. We'll see what CFG decides, but we're running a grassroots campaign.

QUESTION #3 - Prez can affect most change. I'm for Mitt Romney, but he's endorsed Orrin Hatch. I assume Romney wants Orrin in for seniority. How would voting for you help Mitt over voting for Orrin?

Orrin came out for Romney in 1997. They have a deep relationship. They're friends. That's fine. He endorsed Hatch before I even got in the race. When Romney endorsed Hatch, who was in line to become Sen Finance Chair? Olympia Snowe. We've got to repeal ObamaCare. I don't begrudge Romney that at all, but it's important to know what he's endorsed. He's endorsed term limits. I will be big supporter of Mitt Romney. Crapo's next in line to chair committee; he's huge Romney guy. I can help.



You don't affect more change by reelecting someone whose votes the past 30 years got us into this mess. I'm running becuz he'd be chair, not despite of it. He's been on that committee 18 years; it didn't help. He helped pass Medicare Part-D. National health care w/o a way to pay for it.

QUESTION #4 - Senators should represent the states. Are you in favor of changing 17th Amendment?

I am. That's where we lost our way. One of those frustrating about serving in state senate is seeing what's coming on our way and some of it being sent to us by our own people. No Child Left Behind. If we had US senator working with legislature, we could stop these things. Founders wouldn't have set up six-year term for senators if they knew it'd turn into popular vote. Mike Lee said I know it's my role to work with state legislature. Hatch said "I don't report to you." That's why majority of UT senators support me.

QUESTION #5 - You talk about Romney. What about Ron Paul and his financial issues? How do you feel about Federal Reserve?

Congress has Constituional repsonsibility for finance. They've outsourced that to Fed Reserve. Who's loaning us that money? We have same debt-to-GDP ratio as Greece. They have Euro. They can't print their own money. We can. If Fed Reserve wasnt keeping rates artificially low, our rates would shoot up. It's the one thing keeping fed spending going. And yet, I think if we gave the power back to Congress, they'd probably print money. Congress won't act. They wont balance the budget. There should be full audit of Federal Reserve. Our inflation rate this year, excluding cars and large appliances, is 8%. Everything's going up. Try finding a candy bar for under a $1 at a gas station. Congress won't do its job. I intend to change those programs.

QUESTION #6 - In terms of Fed, where they're talking about worldwide financing with euro, how would you help stop that?

We will review the charter, audit the Fed Reserve. We created autonomous group in 1913. They say its too complex, you dont want to know. I do want to know. I understand finance; it doesnt scare me.

QUESTION #7 - I'm a skeptic. The more I researched you, the more impressed I am. Do you know the amount of debt our Fed owns compared to 20 years ago?

About $8 trillion now. I dont know the percentages compared to 20 years ago, but it's gone up with quantitative easing. I was disturbed when China about 18 months ago, holding billions of dollars in short-term paper. They sold about 100 billion to 4 billion. They said when you print money, you've defaulted. Look at stock market. If you account for inflation, our purchasing power is no better than is was 3-4 years ago. They will set a new world currency. The international monetary system is based off the dollar but that will be not be the case down the road if we dont make changes.

Pimco (?) are smart investors, and they're shorting the dollar. Any dollar you put in treasury is devalued becuz we're printing money. People deserve a return on investment. Its a hidden tax on everyone in this economy.

QUESTION #8 - Where do you stand? In what year would you drive the deficit to zero? How aggressive will you fight to reduce the deficit?

Ten years optimistically. Here's the practical reality. The baby-boom generation who thought we put trillions away; we didn't. I think 50 years is too long, but we need to realize we're the largest economy in history and we're borrowing 10 cents for every dollar we spend. We have a $1.4 trillion deficit. Let me tell you how Bain would handle. First, fire the management team. We'd look at revenues and costs. I don't think we're undertaxed. Do we have a tax distribution problem? Yes. We need to remember, there shouldn't be such thing as too big to fail. TARP ripped us off. I'm not in favor of bailing out banks. I'd resintate Glass-Steagall. We'd put the wall back up between investment bansk (think Goldman Sachs) and deposit banks (think Wells Fargo).

The people who did well are trading on the margins. Pensions are hurt most. Ben Bernake said Fed has no authority to bail out states. Once states saw Congress not Fed would bail them out, they got serious about reform. It is not our job to nationalize risky behavior.

QUESTION #9 - Flat tax? Dept. of Education?

I'm in favor of fair tax, consumption tax. People are nervous about moving that forward. If we move forward with natl consumtion tax, they'll slap fed income tax on top of that. We've used tax code as welfare. People get tax returned when they havent paid taxes at all. Stop playing favorites with tax code. Right now you can go to Congress and get your own special tax break, like GE. I am determined to get rid of loopholes. Get rid of exceptions. Make taxes predictable and stable.

As to Dept. of Education, there's no purpose for it. No reason for Natl D o Educ. I saw that our own Davis HS was fined $15,000 for having a soda machine on during lunch. That's amazing. The Fed govt is creeping into every aspect of schools. NCLB, Common Core, when people start handing out money, we get blackmailed by our own money. The family is the best Dept of Edu., and the state is the backup.

Thank you for coming; let me wrap up and give you some hope. I am so optimistic. I am an economist. Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists of choosing between the disastrous and the inpalatable. We need to do hard things.

I said I had to reform pensions. I literally had a Senator pat me on the head and say "Good luck with that." Even though I had 4500 people protesting me, we did it anyway. I run into people here and there who really dislike me for that. But it was neat to see that you people in this state saw that we had to do something. We've given courage to other states, and they're fixing their problems. When we face reality, face the disastrous, we can fight it and fix it. I need three things from you in this race. I need your vote, a little of your time, go to DanForUtah.com, get people involved. We need a little of your financial support. We're up on TV now; we're going to stay there. With your vote, we can win this race.

Afterwards he answered individual questions. Here's some of what I remember (because I asked some of them)

- Against extending copyright any farther than we are. It's getting ridiculous.

- Against SOPA/PIPA. Six hours after he made a statement about being against it, Hatch came out against it, even though he co-sponsored it. Hatch has a lot of friends in Hollywood and music industry, so we need to keep on top of internet censorship bills.

- Against extending Patriot Act, against the NDAA.

- Would vote to repeal Sarbanes-Oxley.

- As part of getting rid of too big to fail, he'd not only bring back Glass-Steagall but one idea is to say to the big banks, "Comply, or we'll pull FDIC backing." But he needs to think more on that one, how exactly he'd tackle getting the big banks so they're no longer too big to fail.

- Supports the lawsuit to get some of Utah's lands back from the Feds.

- We need to reform and open up legal immigration, make it easier for people to emigrate here.




So there you have it. Hopefully someday I'll be able to find a Hatch event I can attend. I knew about the Dippin' Dots thing he had this morning, but I never got the postcard.

I also had a chance to talk briefly with John Dougall, running for State Auditor. Seems like a good guy. I've read some of his stuff, and right now, he's my vote, but I will make a concerted effort to get to the open house at Spanish Fork High School on June 14.  Dougall and Auston Johnson will be there, as well as attorney general candidates Sean Reyes and John Swallow.