This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As reported by Doug Fabrizio on KUER's "Radio West," a group of physicians recently delivered a petition to Gov. Gary Herbert seeking acknowledgement of a serious problem with Utah's air quality. The governor's response was to dismissively ask if the group had carpooled to the event. They had.
The governor opted out of the Obamacare insurance option ("Avenue H: Utah clings to useless exchange," Our View, Feb. 9). An autonomous Utah Republican decision denies Utah's small businesses and uninsured individuals a better choice of health insurance at competitive rates.
Utah's current Avenue H insurance doesn't provide crucial functions that Obamacare exchanges must perform. But it does preserve a degree of power and income for a select few, to the detriment of many small-business owners.
Together, these two incidents suggest a pattern of choosing ideology over the common good.
They show a dismissive disregard for both the shared purpose of our nation and for the ultimate protection and benefit of Utah citizens.
Chris Orrock
Salt Lake City