On second thought, no second thoughts: The few Democrats on Utah's Capitol Hill did something good but, rather than admit it, the Republicans who allowed it to happen are now claiming they were somehow bamboozled. House Joint Resolution 1, passed Wednesday, asks Congress to review the tax-exempt status of federally chartered credit unions, a review sought by banks that feel abused by the breaks offered to their not-for-profit competitors. House Democrats, who didn't like the resolution, were allowed to attach a minority report. Then Republican leaders, apparently offended by the idea of minorities having anything to say, pledged that such shenanigans would not be allowed in the future. That would be too bad, as any legislative resolution calling upon someone else to take action is, unless it was unanimous, a perfect vehicle for stating the opposing case.
Marching on Washington: Just being invited to march in the presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington is a big honor. But, like 72 other bands in the same situation, it wouldn't have meant much to the American Fork High School Marching Band unless the band could raise the $157,000 needed to get there. It was close, but the community did it, with donations large and small from around the state. And so, for once, the band and all its hard-working members got more attention than the football team.
Family values: Utah legislators began their annual session last week with a moment of creative omission. The House Rules Committee killed a proposal that would have had the Statehouse staff attach a "Family Impact Statement" to some bills, a statement that was supposed to measure how any particular proposal would affect a hypothetical Utah family's ability to "perform its function." In the proper conservative tradition of not attaching a government-approved function to any family, the idea was set aside, hopefully for good.
