This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
Don't you just love the rubes who write in complaining that members of the Utah congressional delegation aren't acting in accordance with the wishes of their constituents? Of course, those just slightly less naive realize that Sens. Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch and the others are in fact working diligently for their constituents. Unfortunately, that often doesn't include the rank-and-file who cast votes for them in the last election.
Political constituents are those who contribute meaningfully to paying campaign bills. When was the last time you did that? Now consider who has and does: mostly in- or out-of-state special interests with deep pockets or PACs that act on their behalf. The fact that our national representatives (in name only) are from Utah is because that's where they go every two or six years to get elected. It's just the means to an end.
So the next time you feel that your representatives aren't listening to you, pause for a moment, follow the money, and consider who the real constituents are.
Lynn Maland
Millcreek