I love Utah politics

[Northwestcoug]

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That's great.

I really haven't followed him much, and I'm sure Cox is a decent guy. But he's got to be smart enough to know no one changes, modifies, or improves Trump. He's remarkably stable, and he is who he is. I have to assume that Cox, a politician, saw the writing on the wall that he had to accept for his political future.

[beefytee]

It seems very uncalculated though. He waited until after the primary where it would have been much more beneficial to do it before then. Doesn't help him at all in the general election.

[YOhio]

It seems very uncalculated though. He waited until after the primary where it would have been much more beneficial to do it before then. Doesn't help him at all in the general election.

Yeah. The clunky nature of the whole thing makes his sincerity a bit more credible.

[USUC]

I have to assume that Cox, a politician, saw the writing on the wall that he had to accept for his political future.

This is the key and I think a lot of never-Trumpers fail to realize the dynamics of group think, mobs, and in-group/Out-group realities. If you are a republican, beleive in conservatism, and hope to help direct the party when the populist finally exits stage right, you can't be actively working to publicly undermine the organization now. The base can forgive leaving and staying your principled position. But they won't forgive actively trying to destroy it. I like David French but his latest article essentially confines him to a blacklisting. Cox no doubt knows this dynamic and the grumbling of the Utah GOP base.

[Jeff Lebowski]

That's great.

I really haven't followed him much, and I'm sure Cox is a decent guy. But he's got to be smart enough to know no one changes, modifies, or improves Trump. He's remarkably stable, and he is who he is. I have to assume that Cox, a politician, saw the writing on the wall that he had to accept for his political future.

This is the key and I think a lot of never-Trumpers fail to realize the dynamics of group think, mobs, and in-group/Out-group realities. If you are a republican, beleive in conservatism, and hope to help direct the party when the populist finally exits stage right, you can't be actively working to publicly undermine the organization now. The base can forgive leaving and staying your principled position. But they won't forgive actively trying to destroy it. I like David French but his latest article essentially confines him to a blacklisting. Cox no doubt knows this dynamic and the grumbling of the Utah GOP base.

You guys are funny. Cox is getting ZERO credit for this. He is hated by the MAGA crowd. Hence all the drama and support surrounding that nutjob Phil Lyman.

[myboynoah]

You guys are funny. Cox is getting ZERO credit for this. He is hated by the MAGA crowd. Hence all the drama and support surrounding that nutjob Phil Lyman.

Yeah. If the Trump team even gives him a thought, it's that he's a weakling and easily manipulatable.

[Maximus]

what do you think about asking randos to be armed protectors of schools?

https://ksltv.com/673024/armed-guard...y-utah-school/

A new state law requires every Utah school to have an armed guardian on site, every day.

The goal is to protect against school threats. But several districts are struggling to find volunteers willing to respond with lethal force. And there are concerns about who these school guardians will be.

Among many other things, the law clearly states the guardians can’t be teachers or principals, and they can’t be assigned the job. They must volunteer.

“Think of them kind of like an air marshal when you board an airplane,” said Matt Pennington.

Pennington is the state’s new security chief assigned to carry out the sweeping new school safety law.

Guardians will respond with lethal force in the event of a school threat.

[MartyFunkhouser]

what do you think about asking randos to be armed protectors of schools?

https://ksltv.com/673024/armed-guard...y-utah-school/

As a parent of a child that attends school in Utah, I don't like this at all.

[Bo Diddley]

what do you think about asking randos to be armed protectors of schools?

https://ksltv.com/673024/armed-guard...y-utah-school/

Vetting is key with this requirement. Is anyone indemnifying the guardians' use of force? That seems like a legal nightmare.

[beefytee]

Uggh. Such a dumb idea.

The threat of school violence is so small but you hear about every single event that happens. It is the equivalent of baby seal clubbing where emotion trumps facts and statistics. We are doing more harm to these kids with “prevention” than any likelyhood of threat that exists.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Holy cow, that seems like very poorly crafted legislation.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Holy cow, that seems like very poorly crafted legislation.

Shockingly, it is modeled after Texas and Florida laws.

It gets even worse when you dig into this. You are going to have a bunch of unemployed yahoos with guns cosplaying as John McClane at Utah schools for a one-time $500 stipend. Oh and parents don't get to know the identity of the cosplayer.

I'm reminded of Mac and Charlie going to the school with a samurai sword and a gun to "protect" the school.

[Bo Diddley]

Uggh. Such a dumb idea.

The threat of school violence is so small but you hear about every single event that happens. It is the equivalent of baby seal clubbing where emotion trumps facts and statistics. We are doing more harm to these kids with “prevention” than any likelyhood of threat that exists.

Utah police are well trained to respond to active shooters in the schools.

[Moliere]

Shockingly, it is modeled after Texas and Florida laws.

It gets even worse when you dig into this. You are going to have a bunch of unemployed yahoos with guns cosplaying as John McClane at Utah schools for a one-time $500 stipend. Oh and parents don't get to know the identity of the cosplayer.

I'm reminded of Mac and Charlie going to the school with a samurai sword and a gun to "protect" the school.

if there’s a similar Texas law, I’m not aware of it. There is no volunteer armed guard at my kids high school…maybe because our schooo district has police presence at the schools.

but having armed volunteers patrolling schools? That’s a horrible idea. They likely don’t have any real training. This is almost like arming teachers. Stupid ideas.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I have read more of the law. To start, the person has to go through 4 hours, yep, 4 hours of training. They are then required to do 8 hours of training per year.

The person who has this 4 hours of training also can "temporarily detain an individual when the school guardian has reasonable cause to believe the individual has committed or is about to commit a forcible felony, as that term is defined in Section 76-2-402." So basically, the school guardian can brandish his weapon against a kid if he has "reasonable cause" to believe the child is going to commit a forcible felony. I am sure that the 4 hours of initial training will make sure that they can 'sus that out.