This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Elected representatives, here's why frustration and anger are at an unprecedented level among your constituents: You're not listening.
You're making decisions behind closed doors, in hostile huddles, focused on the needs of your parties and your donors, while pretending you know what voters want. We're not small children you can pat on the head tell, "It's for your own good." We're adults with experience and ideas, and you're not hearing us.
You're not even asking.
Nobody "representing" me at any level of government has asked for my opinion about anything since Jim Matheson left office. Town hall meetings don't count; they just increase frustration and produce no usable information. Polls are unreliable; in 2016, they told us Hillary Clinton was winning and Utah was a swing state.
Instead of waiting for angry phone calls and emails, start using the internet. It's not just a cheap vehicle for your public relations messages. It's a broadly available, quick way to gather concrete data. Use it to gather input proactively. Put up surveys and send email queries. If you're not using it that way, you're sending a crystal-clear message that you have no intention of representing anything but your own interests.
I dare you to listen.
Hydee Clayton
Millcreek