Want to keep your HEAD IN THE GAME…

Audio of today’s (Monday) Redistricting Committee meeting.  Click HERE.

Agenda for tomorrow’s Redistricting Committee meeting.  Click HERE.

Four Proposed Redistricting Maps.  Click HERE.

Ken Starr testimony regarding Washington D.C. and Full-Voting-Representation (.pdf format).  Click KenStarr_Testimony1.pdf .

Related News Stories:

KCPW Radio 1010AM “Bennett Skeptical of Fourth Seat for Utah”  Click HERE.

Day 64 (Monday).  Back to the gym.  It was a good workout after having been “under the weather” for about two and a half weeks.  Elliptical Trainer: 40:00 minutes, 4.02 miles, 662 calories. 500 crunches.  Weight: 191.4 ppppounds.  oops.  This five pounds should drop off relatively quick.

Day 57 (Monday) through Day 63 (Sunday, November 19)

A lingering head cold has hampered my workout schedule.  Monday morning should be the day I start back at the gym.

***WARNING***  This Blog Contains Speculative Conjectural Hypothetical Meanderings…

The REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE, organized to address the discovery phase of the redistricting procedure, has been announced on the Legislative Website and is composed of the following individuals hand-picked by President Valentine and Speaker Curtis:

The SENATE 

Sen. Curt Bramble (R-Provo), Committee Co-Chair and Senate Majority Leader-Elect [CPA]

Sen. Chris Buttars (R-West Jordan), Prominent Senator (2001) [Retired]

Sen. Sheldon Killpack (R-Syracuse) current Senate Assistant Majority Whip [VP, Academica West]

Sen. Gene Davis (D-SLC) current Senate Minority Whip [PR]

Sen. Mike Waddoups (D-West Jordan), current Senate Rules Chair, Non-voting** [CPM]

The HOUSE

Rep. Dave Clark (R-Santa Clara) Committee Co-Chair and House Majority Leader-Elect [Banker]

Rep. John Dougall (R-Highland), Prominent Rep. [Businessman]

Rep. Ben Ferry (R-Corinne) current House Assistant Majority Whip [Agri-business]

Rep. Greg Hughes (R-Draper) Chair, House Conservative Caucus and all-around good guy [Construction/PM]

Rep. Steve Urquhart (R-St. George) current House Majority Whip [Attorney]

Rep. Jackie Biskupski (D-SLC) Prominent Rep. (1999) [Auto Insurance]

Rep. David Litvack (D-SLC) House Minority Caucus Manager-Elect [Advocacy Coordinator]

There are eleven voting members of this hugely capable, bright “power” ad-hoc committee (3 Republican Senators, 1 Democrat Senator, 5 Republican Representatives, 2 Democrat Representatives)

Although the final map has NOT been drawn, the anticipated preliminary 4th District Map may include the southern portion of Salt Lake County (a peninsulative finger  extending out from the west desert to snatch certain southerly portions of Salt Lake County, a co-mingling of rural and metro so-to-speak), Toole County, Juab County, Millard County, Beaver County, Iron County, and Washington County.

Voting Senators and Representatives from the committee representing areas within 4th District boundaries (or potentially from within the boundaries depending on where lines are drawn): Sen. Buttars, Sen. Davis, Rep. Clark, Rep. Hughes, Rep. Urquhart (maybe Rep. Litvack).  So, I’ll count 5 members of the Committee who potentially represent areas within the new 4th District boundary, or 45.5% (plus or minus).

**Also, Sen. Waddoups, although a non-voting member of the Committee, may potentially represent an area within the 4th District depending on where lines are drawn.

Conspicuously absent from this Redistricting Committee are Speaker Greg Curtis (R-Sandy), with a current campaign account balance (as of Oct. 31, 2006) totaling $200,494.48 and Rep. LaVar Christensen (R-Sandy/Draper), a well-to-do Real Estate Developer and Attorney, who ran against incumbent Jim Matheson (D-UT) for the 2nd Congressional seat and was defeated in the November General Election—currently on vacation with his family…recharging his batteries, perhaps?!.  Both of these gentlemen would potentially reside within boundary of the new 4th District.

[Note: Utah Statute does not require an individual who represents a Congressional District to reside within the District he/she represents (not preferable, but possible), which introduces all kinds of fascinating supposition into the permutation…]

Now…what can we do with all this information???  I’ll leave that up to your rational, cognitive processes…

Some have speculated that giving Washington D.C. an official voting Representative in the US Congress is just one step closer to D.C. statehood.  So where does D.C. go from here (I realize some believe this isn’t our problem)… 

Of course, the first item of business would be to drop the whole “D.C.” thing since “D” in D.C. stands for district and that just wouldn’t do to have a State called District.  And “Washington” by itself wouldn’t work because there’s already a Washington State without the whole D.C. thing.  So, what to do?!  Do you rename the Pacific northwestern state Washington something else?  How about West Washington (like West Virginia) or maybe W. Ashington (has the “West” designation embedded in it already).  But then the Washington on the East Coast would be E. Ashington and that doesn’t make any sense.  However, East Washington does work.  (The residents of the Tri-Cities of the current Washington State areas would just have to get in the habit of calling the east side of the northwestern state Eastern W. Ashington OR Eastern West Washington.)  OR, how about a completely different name entirely?!  Starbuckyland, or just plain “W” (43 would sign-off on that one in a segunda!  Talkin’ about legacy building–it’s just the thing.)…OK, this is going nowhere quick!

Then there’s the whole flag thing…where would we put that 51st star, anyway?!

I’m honestly struggling to work something out in my head following today’s House Republican Caucus meeting during our Interim lunch break.

A Special Session (presumably December 1st) will address redrawing of US House District boundaries in Utah to include an additional new 4th District area. 

It’s All Constitutional 

The drawing of a 4th District boundary is not unconstitutional.

The inclusion of a “Resolution” conveying to the US Congress that Utah believes it deserves a 4th seat is not unconstitutional.

What the State Legislature and the Governor will do related to the previously mentioned Legislative and Executive actions during a Special Session will not be unconstitutional.

What the US Congress will do to increase the House seats from 435 to 437 is not unconstitutional.  And, giving Utah either the 436th or 437th seat is not unconstitutional.  I’m OK with all that.

Engaging In Potential Unconstitutional Activity Is Up To Congress  

What will be unconstitutional will be the act of the US Congress to give Washington D.C. one of either of the 436th or 437th seats.  The action of granting an unconstitutional Congressional seat by the US Congress to the District of Columbia will be separate and distinctly isolated from anything Utah’s Legislature will do during a Special Session.  They are unrelated as to procedural protocols.

US Congressional leadership has told us (Utah) that they will, in fact, create these two new seats.  And, with or without Utah engaging in the process, will give one of these seats to Washington D.C. (unconstitutionally) and the other seat to a state (constitutionally).  Whether this “other” state seat goes to Utah depends largely on if we engage in a proper process to acquire that seat, by redistricting our congressional boundaries.

So the question is…Does Utah, by redistricting and submitting a request to the US Congress for a fourth seat, engage in unconstitutional activity to secure its own new Fourth District seat?  The answer would be, NO.

Nothing Is Politically Right That Is Morally Wrong 

Further, a closely associated “moral” query should be considered as part of the underlying philosophical argument…Does Utah, in good conscience, make application for the new fourth seat knowing that the new seat will only be granted simultaneously with the granting of a unconstitutional voting-Congressional seat for the District of Columbia? 

Should an additional resolution be crafted and sent simultaneously to the US Congress conveying our State’s legislative disapproval of their anticipated unconstitutional actions—the granting of a voting-seat to the District of Columbia?  Will it do any good?  Does a resolution have any teeth?  Do we just sit this one out and wait until 2012?

Well, it doesn’t look like I’ll have to answer these questions for myself…you see…because today the House and Senate majorities took a caucus position to support redistricting and the drafting of a resolution to ask Congress for a 4th District House seat for Utah–I was one of a handful of State House Republicans who voted against the majority action.  Sometimes you win and sometimes…

Just a quick follow-up to last Friday Evening’s Leadership Elections in the House and Senate.  (I actually lost some sleep over this last night.) 

It was implied by a newsperson(s) last week that Utah County had “too much leadership power.”  And, in an attempt to clarify the math as it related to Utah County and its proper proprtional representational “power,” I unintentionally omitted (through ignorance) in the equation one of the Senators who represents Utah County proper.  That individual is the distinguished Senator Mike Dmitrich (the current 05-06 and returning 07-08 Senate Minority Leader).  Mike has served in the State Legislature nearly 38 years.  And, as it was explained to me on Saturday Morning last, through redistricting a few years back, Mike was given a chunk of Utah County to round out his District numbers.  Mike also represents Carbon, Emery, Grand, and San Juan Counties.  So, geographically speaking Utah County is a small portion of his Senate District.

(Now, the County Party might CENSURE me for saying the following about a sitting Democrat…but here goes.)  Mike is one of the greatest men you’ll ever meet.  I have learned more from Mike Dmitrich about Political Civility than I have from anyone else on the Hill.  Mike IS Utah.  He pulls things out of the far corners of his mind sometimes…and if you listen to him…you might just learn somthing.  Respected by Republican and Democrats alike, Mike is a Utah Rural, Political Institution.  Gush, gush, gush…I know! However, it’s all TRUE.

Sorry I left you out of the equation, Mike.

Now let’s turn for a moment to what Utah County got out of this Leadership Election.  Lockhart, Morley, and Frank were unsuccessful at their bids for a leadership seat.  Utah County’s representation in Legislative leadership has been relatively bi-laterally nullified (or has it?).  With the impending “retirement” of Rep. Jeff Alexander and the lack of “presence” of Utah County Legislators among the top four chairs of the House, Utah County will need to band together as a Caucus (under the new Chair, Senator-Elect Margaret Dayton [R-Orem]) to get the important issues heard and considered in BOTH Houses.  Now, the saving grace for Utah County…

President John Valentine (R-Orem) & our very own “pit-bull-in-a-suit” (someone else’s reference, not mine) Senator Curt Bramble (R-Provo), the new Senate Majority Leader. 

Well…NOW I would have to agree that Utah County is disproportionately represented.  And, I’m concerned about the potential effectiveness of the interjections by candidates on Friday Evening in House Majority Leadership Elections of being “skilled” at “inter-body-negotiations” will go too far over the next two years when it comes to House and Senate Leadership bantering at the big conference table .  You see, I’ve watched Senator Bramble over the past several years (I’ve been in the Rev and Tax Standing Committee he Co-Chairs with Rep Wayne Harper)…and I’ve never been able to gather the courage to stick my hand anywhere near the man’s mouth, for fear of what I might pull back.  (Don’t be fooled by that boyish grin!) Nevertheless, I’m certain that with the right SKILLS, House Majority Leadership might coax the rubber ball away from the pit-bull for a few minutes so we (the House) can play with it for a moment, before he wants it back.  Gee…I wonder if a muzzle would work?!

Anyway, I’m sure the House team will do great things and I’m sure Utah County will be well represented (or more than well represented).  What I’m even more sure of is that the majority of both bodies will steer legislation through both houses with the careful and thoughtful consideration of the best interest of all the people of the State of Utah during the next couple of years–just remember to keep your hands close to the Body!

Rumor has it Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. will issue a Call–shortly–specifically to address issues related to the State of Utah’s potential 4th Congressional seat.  Remember, I get most of my “Special Session” information (whether or not the Legislature will meet in Special Session) from a number of news agencies, before I get the information from the House Offices.  Rightfully so.  After all, I don’t roam around the Capitol Complex all day sniffing around the base of the columns waiting for legislative tidbits to be tossed my way each day—I have an office…a job.  I’m not a news agency.

Something caught my attention in the print media this morning that surprised me and…well…how do I put this…made me feel very…uncomfortable…to say the least.  The soon-to-be US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), according to her spokeswoman Jennifer Crider, currently favors the State of Utah’s receipt of a 4th Congressional seat in the US House of Representatives.  STOP THE PRESSES! WAIT JUST A DOGGONE MINUTE!  HOLD EVERYTHING.  Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) wants the State of Utah to receive a 4th  (predictably Republican) Congressional Seat in the US House of Representatives.  WOW.  Somethin’s gotta be wrong.  So…what’s the catch?

The Catch

Washington D.C…that’s the catch.  Currently, the District of Columbia (e.g. district, territory, possession, island, Atoll, etc.), which is not a Constitutionally designated or defined State, and is not Constitutionally represented by a “Rep.,” is congressionally “represented” by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.).   “Del.” stands for delegate.  And, a delegate is a non-floor-voting designee to the US Congress.  Del. Norton (D-D.C.), sounds like a very nice person and she appears to be abnormally competent in her Wikipedia Bio…but, is a Del. Nonetheless.

The problem does not potentially rest with Del. Norton (D-D.C.) herself, nor does the problem rest in the State of Utah receiving a 4th Congressional seat…where the problem potentially lies, is within the method (the compromise) of securing that 4th Congressional seat.

You see, some individuals want to use that fuzzy math stuff again to secure Utah’s 4th seat…at any cost.  (In the Alpine School District to solve a complex mathematical problem such as this we use advanced investigative shapes and funny stuff like that to make different’ permutative diagrammatic cubistic boxes with parallelagrammatic distantive segmental line…things…and…hmmm…forgot where I was goin’ with all that…WELL…anyway…)  THEY (???) want us to believe that by granting little ol’ Utah another seat at the big kids’ table we (all the political players here in Utah and back in D.C.) would be willing to casually glance away for just a moment and conveniently disremember that WASHINGTON D.C. IS NOT A STATE!

Oh yeah…So, let’s do the math together.

The Math

1 (New Congressperson [D-D.C.]) minus 1 (New Congressperson [R-UT]) equals ZERO…NOTHING…NADA…NUNCA…NEUTRALITY…NO CHANGE…NO EFFECT!  Or, in other words, One Left and One Right equals somewhere in the Middle.  Or, One Liberal and One Conservative equal the voice of Moderation.  The concept seems simple to understand, I know.  So uncomplicated, how could anyone argue against its simple logic?  You see, by potentially making everything, for the time being, politically neutral, some would have us believe we are neutralizing the effects of two offsetting votes—and that makes it OK by some people’s standard.  OR…does it?  The glitch?  The entire equation is defective.

Remember, Soon-to-be-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s OK with this new arrangement!  HURRY, RAISE THE BIG RED FLAG.

The Real Math

The real math isn’t based on a compromise of giving one seat to D.C. and getting one seat back in return…Utah should receive a fourth seat because the 2000 Census folks just plain messed up.  In a public confession, census officials admitted to erroneously double-counting a dorm of 2,673 people in North Carolina causing an anomaly in the complex algorithmic process of appropriating each State the proper number of Representative seats in Congress.  Uhmmm…oops…Hello, North Carolina?…we (the census folks) messed up and so you need to give one of your seats in Congress to Utah…in fact…they’ll stop by in a few weeks on their way back to Washington and pick it up—the chair, we mean—OK?!

What’s so hard about that?

THAT’S WHY UTAH SHOULD GET A FOURTH SEAT—NOT BECAUSE SOMEONE WANTS TO GIVE INTO WASHINGTON D.C. STYLE POLITICAL GAME PLAYING TO UNCONSTITUTIONALLY ACQUIRE A LITTLE CONGRESSIONAL INFLUENCE FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL GAIN (1/437th to be exact—very small, very small indeed).

Utah deserves a fourth seat…because it’s OURS!  But, not at the expense of giving some Atoll (e.g. Johnston’s or Palmyra) a seat in return!

Day 56 (Sunday).  Off.  Head-cold. 

Days 52 through 55 (Wednesday through Saturday).  Symptoms fluctuate but have been able to slightly mask the problems with a time-release 12 hour anti-histamine.  No workouts.

Day 51 (Tuesday, Election Day).  Began feeling “flu-like” symptoms.  Low grade temperature and sinus pain and an increase in mucus, slight cough.  Many in my neighborhood and thropughout the local area are experiencing similar illnesses.  No workout.

House Results:

Speaker: Greg Curtis; Majority Leader: Dave Clark;  Whip: Gordon Snow;  Assistant Whip: Brad Dee

Senate Results:

President:  John Valentine;  Majority Leader: Curt Bramble;  Whip: Dan Eastman;  Assistant Whip:  Sheldon Killpack

CONGRATULATIONS!