utah legislator's

[frank ryan]

who is your least favorite Utah legislator? Non-Utahns feel free to take part

[YOhio]

I don't have a particular legislator that is my least favorite, but I have a distaste for the usual suspects. Howard Stephenson, Michael Waddoups, Chris Butters, Becky Lockhart. Though John Swallow isn't currently a member, he gets special recognition.

[Jeff Lebowski]

That's a tough call between Bramble and Buttars.

[frank ryan]

That's a tough call between Bramble and Buttars.

I would've pegged you as being in the bramble camp

[Jeff Lebowski]

I would've pegged you as being in the bramble camp

That's like asking someone to pick a favorite child. But in reverse.

[All-American]

I'll say this much about Utah's legislators.

I have had some degree of interaction with all of the above named legislators, as well as all of the others mentioned in the other thread. I'm aware of the stories and rumors that go running around, of the stupid things they've said that have landed them in hot water, and a number of other things for which they have earned public ire. So I'm not speaking in ignorance when I say this.

I have been generally and genuinely impressed by the high caliber individuals that are serving in the state legislature. They work for 45 days of the year for about $110 a day and put themselves in the public spotlight, where they are subject to a media that is liable to tear them to pieces given the chance. It is a tremendous personal and financial sacrifice to do what they do, and they do it out of love of the state and nation in which they live ,and out of an effort to serve their fellow man. They sound like hollow words, I'm sure, but let me assure you, when doors are closed, nobody else is around, and they ask themselves why they are putting themselves through the political process, that is the answer.

Whether you feel they deserve your vote or not, I would hope they would at the very least merit your respect.

[frank ryan]

I'll say this much about Utah's legislators.

I have had some degree of interaction with all of the above named legislators, as well as all of the others mentioned in the other thread. I'm aware of the stories and rumors that go running around, of the stupid things they've said that have landed them in hot water, and a number of other things for which they have earned public ire. So I'm not speaking in ignorance when I say this.

I have been generally and genuinely impressed by the high caliber individuals that are serving in the state legislature. They work for 45 days of the year for about $110 a day and put themselves in the public spotlight, where they are subject to a media that is liable to tear them to pieces given the chance. It is a tremendous personal and financial sacrifice to do what they do, and they do it out of love of the state and nation in which they live ,and out of an effort to serve their fellow man. They sound like hollow words, I'm sure, but let me assure you, when doors are closed, nobody else is around, and they ask themselves why they are putting themselves through the political process, that is the answer.

Whether you feel they deserve your vote or not, I would hope they would at the very least merit your respect.

bullshit on the financial sacrifice part

you are leaving out all the money they take from lobbyists. greg curtis pocketed a quarter of a million dollars when he left. if you forget the money from lobbyists they still clear about 20 k for that part time job. they also leave office with health care for life.

[TripletDaddy]

I'll say this much about Utah's legislators.

I have had some degree of interaction with all of the above named legislators, as well as all of the others mentioned in the other thread. I'm aware of the stories and rumors that go running around, of the stupid things they've said that have landed them in hot water, and a number of other things for which they have earned public ire. So I'm not speaking in ignorance when I say this.

I have been generally and genuinely impressed by the high caliber individuals that are serving in the state legislature. They work for 45 days of the year for about $110 a day and put themselves in the public spotlight, where they are subject to a media that is liable to tear them to pieces given the chance. It is a tremendous personal and financial sacrifice to do what they do, and they do it out of love of the state and nation in which they live ,and out of an effort to serve their fellow man. They sound like hollow words, I'm sure, but let me assure you, when doors are closed, nobody else is around, and they ask themselves why they are putting themselves through the political process, that is the answer.

Whether you feel they deserve your vote or not, I would hope they would at the very least merit your respect.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I'll say this much about Utah's legislators.

I have had some degree of interaction with all of the above named legislators, as well as all of the others mentioned in the other thread. I'm aware of the stories and rumors that go running around, of the stupid things they've said that have landed them in hot water, and a number of other things for which they have earned public ire. So I'm not speaking in ignorance when I say this.

I have been generally and genuinely impressed by the high caliber individuals that are serving in the state legislature. They work for 45 days of the year for about $110 a day and put themselves in the public spotlight, where they are subject to a media that is liable to tear them to pieces given the chance. It is a tremendous personal and financial sacrifice to do what they do, and they do it out of love of the state and nation in which they live ,and out of an effort to serve their fellow man. They sound like hollow words, I'm sure, but let me assure you, when doors are closed, nobody else is around, and they ask themselves why they are putting themselves through the political process, that is the answer.

Whether you feel they deserve your vote or not, I would hope they would at the very least merit your respect.

I will admit that I don't know all of the senators. But the manner in which our local senator (Bramble) clings to power and rules with an iron fist does not match your description at all.

[All-American]

bullshit on the financial sacrifice part

you are leaving out all the money they take from lobbyists. greg curtis pocketed a quarter of a million dollars when he left. if you forget the money from lobbyists they still clear about 20 k for that part time job. they also leave office with health care for life.

20K? Last year, they got $5800 for the 45 day session. This year, they took a 16% pay cut due to the economy. You telling me that isn't a financial sacrifice? Where are you getting those figures?

As for the lobbyist money, a few questions. First, how much money goes to legislators who are NOT arguably the most influential member of the legislature? Is it at least a little arguable that the example of Speaker Curtis is an outlier? Or, more importantly, how much of that money did he get to keep as personal income?

[All-American]

Like I said, a little idyllic, and I wouldn't have bought it myself unless I had spent time with them and seen it. Maybe you'd like to contact them and talk it out yourself-- I bet you'd be surprised by how willing they are to talk. Otherwise, you're welcome to believe or disbelieve me as you wish. But that's my experience.

[TripletDaddy]

Like I said, a little idyllic, and I wouldn't have bought it myself unless I had spent time with them and seen it. Maybe you'd like to contact them and talk it out yourself-- I bet you'd be surprised by how willing they are to talk. Otherwise, you're welcome to believe or disbelieve me as you wish. But that's my experience.

I live out of state, so I have enough concern with my own local reps.

I just wonder these days about any politician. Has there ever been a politician that did not use the office for personal gain of some sort? It seems like the notion of "true public servants" is simply a romanticized vision of what we want our politicians to be, not what they actually are.

Also, people seem to have little respect across party lines...another possible sad indicia of how the public views politicians.

Was your comment about men and women of both parties? I don't follow Utah County politics, so I am not even sure who most of these names are that are being discussed in this thread.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I would've pegged you as being in the bramble camp

After the UVU fiasco I need to change my vote.

[Jeff Lebowski]

20K? Last year, they got $5800 for the 45 day session. This year, they took a 16% pay cut due to the economy. You telling me that isn't a financial sacrifice? Where are you getting those figures?

As for the lobbyist money, a few questions. First, how much money goes to legislators who are NOT arguably the most influential member of the legislature? Is it at least a little arguable that the example of Speaker Curtis is an outlier? Or, more importantly, how much of that money did he get to keep as personal income?

This goes far beyond the 45-day salary. Part of the draw is power and influence and all of the associated perks. You make it sound as if they are humble gentleman Virginia landholders, reluctantly pressed into service. I have seen how these campaigns work from the inside. It is a dogfight, where the candidates of the party in power are well-funded, almost all of the funding coming from special interest groups. They will tell you that getting elected is the crowning achievement of their lives. It's a tremendous rush. That is why they cling to power so relentlessly.

[All-American]

I live out of state, so I have enough concern with my own local reps.

I just wonder these days about any politician. Has there ever been a politician that did not use the office for personal gain of some sort? It seems like the notion of "true public servants" is simply a romanticized vision of what we want our politicians to be, not what they actually are.

Also, people seem to have little respect across party lines...another possible sad indicia of how the public views politicians.

Was your comment about men and women of both parties? I don't follow Utah County politics, so I am not even sure who most of these names are that are being discussed in this thread.

Party politics in Utah barely exists. Maybe it's just a result of having so few Democrats, but really, it's quite rare to see a vote go down party lines in this state. On the recently defeated Tobacco Tax bill, for examble, the vote in committee was 4-3; three Rs and 1 D for, 2 Rs and 1 D against. Party affiliation in Utah is a loose description of your general political beliefs, and not much else.

As for the personal gain, yeah, I'm sure the legislators get plenty out of it, but I have been very surprised by how much the motive of public service comes into play.