This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Column: Republicans would be praising President Romney's economy. Huntsman Jr. heralds Sen. Lee. Poll: Utahns believe Earth is warming.
Happy Wednesday. If Republicans woke up today to President Mitt Romney, they'd be heralding the low gas prices, the economic resurgence and an unemployment rate below 6 percent. But that's not the case — we're in year three of President Barack Obama's second term — and that's why we as Americans should stop looking through partisan lenses at America's standing and instead try to take things for what they are, argues Vox's Ezra Klein. [http://www.vox.com/2015/1/12/7531139/mitt-romney-president-economy" target="_blank">Vox]
Topping the news: Former Gov. Jon Huntsman and his father may be similar, but there is at least one topic that has their opinions completely at odds: tea-party Sen. Mike Lee. The younger Huntsman heaped praise on the senator just weeks after his father heavily criticized him. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2054691-155/jon-huntsman-disagrees-with-his-dad" target="_blank">Trib] [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865619538/Jon-Huntsman-Jr-disagrees-with-his-dad-calls-Sen-Mike-Lee-impressive.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> Most Utahns believe the Earth is warming and at least some of them say humans are at fault for the change, though about 20 percent don't believe it's man-caused. [http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/4501-poll-most-utahns-think-climate-change-is-happening-caused-by-humans" target="_blank">UtahPolicy]
-> Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Romney supporter, offered his take on another Bush running for office: "Been there, done that." [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/01/13/jason-chaffetz-on-bush-2016-been-there-done-that/" target="_blank">WaPost]
Tweet of the day: From @https://twitter.com/TheCulturalHall" target="_blank">TheCulturalHall "Salt Lake Valley air is so bad that breathing is against the Word of Wisdom. #Inversion #Smog #MormonProbs"
-> From @https://twitter.com/j_strong" target="_blank">j_strong "I re-watched 'Mitt' last night to see if I had missed the part that showed he should run again ... nope."
Tune in: The TLC program "My Husband Is Not Gay" has spawned interest in mixed-orientation unions, where a straight woman marries a same-sex attracted man. Jennifer Napier-Pearce leads a discussion about such marriages, particularly within the Mormon context. Watch Trib Talk live at 12:15 p.m. MTon http://sltrib.com/" target="_blank">sltrib.com.
In other news: One Salt Lake Resident received a surprise bill in the mail last month, telling him he owed the city $14,400 for the unlicensed, inoperable van he kept parked in his driveway. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2038799-155/salt-lake-city-slaps-on-big?fullpage=1" target="_blank">Trib]
-> The Salt Lake County Council on Tuesday approved using the "Pay for Success" to combat issues of on maternal/child health, criminal justice and prisoner recidivism and homelessness in the county. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2054934-155/county-exploring-3-more-pay-for" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Paul Rolly reports that teachers who were victims of Price Mayor Joe Piccolo's angry tirade over his daughter's grades last month are asking that he be given a more severe punishment. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2038781-155/rolly-price-mayor-cited-for-tirade" target="_blank">Trib] [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865619544/Price-mayor-admits-to-disorderly-conduct-after-beauty-school-dust-up.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> Hopefully Utah lawmakers' participation in their annually required ethics exercises isn't an indication that they are getting lazy with their ethics. Twelve lawmakers finished the online training exercises on New Year's Eve, with only hours to spare before the end of year deadline, and 7 missed the deadline altogether. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2053203-155/legislators-push-deadline-on-ethics-training" target="_blank">Trib]
-> A Utah lawmaker is proposing a bill to make sure this year's Oktoberfest celebrations, and those similar, don't end up dry. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2053472-155/utah-lawmaker-unveils-bill-to-prevent" target="_blank">AP] [http://www.kutv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/After-concerns-of-dry-Oktoberfest-new-bill-aims-to-clarify-alcohol-permit-process-68548.shtml#.VLVteMahl4V" target="_blank">KUTV]
-> Utah is making things a little easier for government watchdogs, and citizens alike, with a new online records portal where people can request open-records from state agencies. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2054452-155/utah-opens-new-hub-for-grama" target="_blank">Trib]
Nationally: President Barack Obama invited congressional leaders to the White House yesterday. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765666247/Republicans-press-attacks-on-Obama-agenda.html" target="_blank">AP] Despite a rocky start and little common ground in the two branch's relationship, they both expressed hope of compromising on issues such as trade, cybersecurity and the nation's tax code. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765666214/Obama-sits-down-with-leaders-of-new-GOP-run-Congress.html" target="_blank">AP] [http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-congressional-leaders-discuss-how-to-spur-economic-progress-1421169018" target="_blank">WSJ] [http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-congressional-leaders-huddle-at-the-white-house-with-few-signs-of-accord/2015/01/13/951a9f56-9b47-11e4-bcfb-059ec7a93ddc_story.html" target="_blank">WaPost] [http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/13/politics/obama-congress-leaders-meet/" target="_blank">CNN]
-> A Pew Research article shows the odds that Mitt Romney will be facing if he does decide to get back in the race — only four U.S. presidents since 1800 have come back to become president after previously being nominated but losing the presidency. [http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/10/15/romney-again-in-2016-that-would-be-unusual-but-not-unprecedented/" target="_blank">Pew] [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865619492/Is-second-or-third-time-really-the-charm.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> If there's one thing former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has against President Obama, it's the fact that Obama lets his daughters listen to Beyoncé. [http://bigstory.ap.org/article/db0b9189dc6943da8917233f6370b870/huckabee-slams-obama-letting-daughters-listen-beyonce" target="_blank">AP]
-> House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced on Tuesday that she would be naming the first Muslim lawmaker to the House's Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. André Carson, D-Indiana, was the second Muslim to be elected to Congress and will be the first on the committee. [http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/andre-carson-muslim-intelligence-committee-114213.html?hp=l6_4" target="_blank">Politico] [http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/01/13/376998473/congressman-andr-carson-to-become-first-muslim-on-house-committee-on-intelligenc" target="_blank">NPR]
Where are they?
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— Thomas Burr and Erica Palmer
https://twitter.com/thomaswburr" target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr and https://twitter.com/erica_palmer">Twitter.com/erica_palmer