Here’s an AP Article about Blogging in Utah Politics.  Click HERE for link.

The blog has certainly enhanced, to a very small degree currently, the ability for some in the ”spotlight” to communicate their agenda (i.e. public agenda, private agenda, and/or global agenda).  For this reason, the blog is used for a number of different purposes.  Corporations use the blog for timely world-wide communications and answers to FAQ.  Religious organizations have used the blog for creating an open forum for gospel and ecclesiastical discussion.  Educational institutions use the blog to enhance academic freedom through uncensored dialogue.  Still further, mom’s use the blog to record family history by documenting daily familial events.  The blog has become…well…whatever one wants it to be.

Print Media Is Messy…and, Not Environmentally Friendly 

The print media world, recognizing the potential power of the blog, have succumbed to using the blog for a secondary news source to post the personal opinions of staff, writers, and editors.  In a traditionally “we-report-you-decide” atmosphere, the blog has given reporters the venue to formulate opinions of their own and come to personal conclusions–all for public censure.  Blogging for reporters becomes the ultimate exposition of their personality–not so much how they write, but who they really are and what they actually think.  For example, by reading the Tribune’s Blog, one sees that some of these reporters go beyond restrictive editorializing and appear to actually have and express a sense of humor…underdeveloped as they might be…but, nontheless, real wit!

I’m still looking into the D-News…

The Senate Site (Blog) 

Ric Cantrell does a fabulous job managing and writing for the Senate Site blog.  He’s among the best and represents well the musings of that august body from the “other side” of a our state’s bi-cameral house.  Ric deserves…and I’m giving credit where credit is due…a big raise a bigger office more time off a faster internet connection KUDO for keeping on top of this time consuming and at times thankless job of maintaining what has become one of my primary sources of Legislative information and commentary…oh, and also an occasional gardening tip or two (thanks Senator Hillyard).  Way to go Wolfman (Cantrell not Hillyard).

BI-CAMERAL BY NATURE…And It’s OK

Equally arrogant, a bi-cameral house creates by its very structural nature the desire (and determination) to be different. 

Not uncommon is the FACT that the House and the Senate as separate and distinct bodies find themselves with differing opinions regarding critical (and sometimes not-so-critical) issues.  For example:  The House, in the past favored the removal of sales tax on non-prepared foods.  There has been further discussion about the potential removal of sales tax on non-prepared food by the House this coming year–just discussion.  The Senate although somewhat supportive of a partial removal of the sales tax on non-prepared foods in the past has recently expressed its concern about further reductions to this sales tax component.  That’s OK.  Let’s hear it for internal checks-and-balances.  The majority of each body must determine philosophically what is best for the citizens of the State of Utah.  And with limited fiscal resources (I know that’s not what the papers are reporting) its important to have a vigorous and thorough debate on this issue.

THOROUGH DEBATE

A thorough debate happens on a number of different levels and in a number of different places.  It happens in Committee Rooms.  It happens on the House Floor.  It happens on the Senate Floor.  It happens in the Governor’s Office.  It happens in the hallways outside Committee Rooms.  It happens in the Speaker’s Office and in the President’s Office.  It happens in the Lobby.  It happens in the breakroom.  It happens in Public Meetings.  It happens in the Print Media.  It happens in the Broadcast Media.  It happens on the Internet.  And, yes Virginia, it even happens in the blog.

My Opinion

Everyone has an opinion and everyone is entitled to a Constitutionally protected opinion.  I’m no exception.  Just remember one thing as you read my posts…This Is Just My Dumb Blog!  Nothing else.