This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Happy New Year. With 2008 now upon us, here are my predictions (tongue in cheek, of course) for the next 12 months:
* With Utah Democrats having a hard time finding a candidate willing to run against Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., Merrill Cook comes out of candidacy retirement and files against Huntsman, as a Democrat.
* Also, with no Democrat to run against Chris Cannon in the 3rd Congressional District, Merrill Cook files as a Democrat against Cannon.
* No candidate can be found in the 1st Congressional District, so Cook files as a Democrat against Rep. Rob Bishop.
* And the Republican Party can't find anyone to run against Democrat Jim Matheson in the 2nd Congressional District. So Cook files as a Republican to run against Matheson.
* Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert voids Cook's candidacies after the Utah Attorney General's Office issues an opinion that, under Utah law, only Orrin Hatch can run for more than one political office at the same time.
* The Legislature passes a law making ballot initiatives and referendums illegal in the state.
* The Utah Supreme Court rules the ban on initiatives and referendums is unconstitutional. The Legislature then tries to impeach the entire Utah Supreme Court.
* After a large display of public outrage against the Legislature's perceived power grab, state GOP Chairman Stan Lockhart writes an op-ed piece declaring that Republicans really are good people.
* The Salt Lake County Council is in turmoil after it is revealed that a council member and former mayoral opponent of Rocky Anderson, Jim Bradley, and constant Anderson critic on the City Council Nancy Saxton actually are the same person.
* Salt Lake County Councilman Randy Horiuchi considers not running for re-election after it becomes clear that Joe Hatch has replaced Horiuchi as the media's favorite liberal to call for an outrageous quote.
* Horiuchi tries to recapture his reputation with the media as the most entertaining opposition politician by wearing a hazmat suit to point out Republican leaders' failure to stem air pollution in the Salt Lake Valley. He sparks fear and trepidation among tourists when he walks into a men's room at Salt Lake City International Airport wearing that outfit.
* A contingent of University of Utah boosters file a petition with the NCAA rules committee requesting that college football games be shortened by two minutes.
* Rocky Anderson, the former Salt Lake City mayor, bored and with nothing to do, sponsors an "impeach Bush" rally at Pioneer Park, but nobody shows up.
* Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker holds closed-door meetings with legislative leaders to convince them he is not Rocky Anderson and will try to get along with them.
* Legislative leaders are unimpressed and still pass a series of laws that financially punish Salt Lake City for being a Democratic bastion.
* Fearing similar legislative retribution against Salt Lake County, Democratic Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon buys season tickets to Real Salt Lake games.