The DABC commission decided Sept. 28 to keep the Main Street liquor store in Salt Lake City open, for now. Originally, the store, located on 1457 S. Main, was slated to close Oct. 1 because of budget cuts, a decision heavily opposed by Ballpark-area residents and Salt Lake City leaders. To avoid closing the store, DABC staff found other ways to save money, and state Sen. Ben McAdams, D-Salt Lake, told commissioners he was confident he could get enough money during the 2011 legislative lesson to keep the store open permanently. Keeping the store open is worth a celebratory shot, but the fact that closing it was ever considered—like almost all state liquor stores, this one was very profitable—shows that too many legislators are out of touch with their constituents ... and their balance sheets.
The X-Files Platform
On Sept. 22, CBS News declared the Congressional 2nd District race, in which Republican Morgan Philpot is challenging Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, as “leaning Republican.” Two days later, CBS changed its prediction and declared the race “leaning Democrat,” which is in line with every poll so far. Philpot, however, didn’t believe the correction was innocent. On the Sept. 26 Red Meat Radio, a conservative talk show airing on K-Talk (630 AM), Philpot wondered if Matheson had pressured CBS News. This comes in the same month that Philpot joked, during a Washington, D.C. rally, that somebody should check the tag on President Barack Obama to see where he was made. While he denied he’s a “birther,” he is still pandering to that paranoia. Come on, Philpot. It’s hard enough to beat Matheson, but campaigning while wearing a tinfoil hat is going to make it nearly impossible.
Campaign for Charity
Farley Anderson, an independent candidate for governor, has proposed that people should donate to charity instead of to candidates. In a campaign video released on his website in late September, Anderson asks why millions of dollars are spent to elect a person for a $100,000 job, especially at a time when charitable organizations are struggling. The video juxtaposes pictures of the candidates and clips of news stories reporting their fundraising “successes,” especially Herbert’s recent $700,000 haul from his gala, with pictures of homeless people and news stories about the growing unemployment and shrinking donations to charity. It’s a commendable idea, especially in a campaign that has become a battle of the haves vs. the haves.
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Josh
Loftin:
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