This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
In "Senators' query shows lack of respect" (Opinion, March 24), Paul Rolly noted that "certain constituent groups in Utah, no matter how diligent or how many they represent, have no seat at the table when bills affecting their constituencies are heard. They include environmental organizations, advocates for the underprivileged and disabled and groups sympathetic to public school teachers."
Utah's Legislature is a giant corporation with heavy investors (campaign donors) who expect large returns. Since there's little, if any, financial gain from supporting the poor, teachers or wilderness, Republicans don't.
They eliminate the costs involved so that public money can go to them and their cronies (investors) to build more highways, buy and sell real estate and breed more big corporations. They'll suck the money out of all public non-profit-making entities until they're as scrawny and nonexistent as possible.
We can expect more destitute Utahns, worse schools and a raped wilderness. Why do Utahns continue to elect conservative legislators?
As columnist Leonard Pitts Jr. wrote: "True compassion and leadership require the ability to look beyond the narrow confines of one's own life, to project into someone else's situation and to want for them what you'd want for your own."
Beverly Terry
Salt Lake City