For a century, the United States has advocated for the self-determination of peoples — the right for people to determine how they will be governed — but that scoundrel Clark won’t even let the people of Salt Lake pick their own representative. That’s democracy? That’s trust in the people? That’s darn political skullduggery! If Clark were in the South in the 1950s, he’d defend the poll tax as a way to keep blacks from voting. I get that Clark doesn’t like Democrats. I don’t get how he doesn’t like fair democracy.

Andrew Beckett

Snyderville

Hence, Matheson’s vote essentially said that he preferred to settle for nothing — to return to the status quo for an indeterminate time, each year adding to the disintegration of our health care system and to the burden on American families. He preferred guaranteed increases in insurance costs and family misery to the likelihood that this bill will start us in a more positive direction. No bill of this size and complexity could be perfect, but this one can be adjusted and improved with experience, and it will be far less costly than the do-nothing alternative Matheson evidently preferred.

Douglas Johnstone

Sandy

Greg Bateman

Bountiful

Great idea Mr. Bateman. We should also eliminate the tax on condoms and birth control pills.

It’s interesting that Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, named his legislative caucus that focuses on state sovereignty and opposes federal programs after Patrick Henry (”Panel OKs bill letting Utah opt out of health reform,” Tribune , Feb. 3). Henry did oppose ratifying the Constitution in the name of states rights, but his views changed, and by the late 1790s he supported the Federalist policies of Presidents George Washington and John Adams.

Henry warned that civil war was threatened because Virginia, “had quitted the sphere in which she had been placed by the Constitution, and, in daring to pronounce upon the validity of federal laws, had gone out of her jurisdiction in a manner not warranted by any authority.”

Similarly, Henry strongly supported Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall, who made several important decisions relating to federalism that shaped the balance of power between the federal government and the states during the republic’s early years. In particular, Henry repeatedly confirmed the supremacy of federal law over state law.

So I wonder, was the supremacy of federal law what Wimmer and the other members of the caucus had in mind when they assumed Patrick Henry’s name?

Allan J. Ayoub

West Valley City

In “LDS and equality” (Forum, March 17), Gregory Mitchell informs us that because of the Mormon policy where construction of chapels is “paid for from a common pool, East Benchers subsidize poorer congregations so all have equal facilities.” I hope Mitchell is not suggesting that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a socialist church. From every Republican definition I have heard, taking from the rich and giving to the poor is the very definition of socialism. To avoid the evils of socialism in this capitalist, market-based system, poorer Mormons should pull themselves up with their own boot straps and build their own chapels. And those Mormons who don’t have boots should wait for charity, worship without chapels or convert to a different religion.

Behrouz Motiee

Salt Lake City

Where were Sens. Orrin Hatch’s and Bob Bennett’s concerns for deficits when they voted for tax cuts, two wars and a drug plan without paying for any of them? Where was their concern for the middle class and our broken health care system during the past decade when the Republicans controlled Washington? Where was their concern on their watch (Bennett’s on the Senate Banking Committee) when regulation of banks and the securities trade were deemed unimportant? Where was their concern when they spent the budget surplus and then piled trillions of debt on the taxpayers? Americans don’t deserve taxpayer-funded health care, but Congress does! Earmarks are OK as long as it’s their “good” earmarks, right Rep. Jason Chaffetz? It’s OK now to vote against legislation he previously co-sponsored, right Rep. Rob Bishop?

Our political culture rewards hypocrisy and irresponsibility instead of serious efforts to solve our country’s problems. Winning elections is priority No. 1. We should look in the mirror every morning and recognize the biggest hypocrites of all, we who vote for these guys.

Magda Greene

Bountiful

Now, 114 years later, polygamy is practiced openly, and we have reverted to a one-party state that is heavily influenced by the predominant religion. Therefore, since we have reneged on the original agreement, I propose that Congress initiate proceedings to rescind statehood. That would save Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, and other legislators all the time they currently spend trying to secede.

M.J. Ogden

North Ogden

Robert DeBirk

Salt Lake City

If the right-wing wackos are now trying to push us into the only reform which will deliver lower costs, better health outcomes and increased public satisfaction, I say, more power to them!

Darrell Prows

Murray

No one wants to deal with the man involved. Could there be a reason for this?

Douglas Reilly

Logan

If it is wrong on the federal level, then it is just as wrong on the state or local level.

Joe Bycroft

Cottonwood Heights

Sorry, we were asleep at the switch and didn’t learn that eBay had successfully conned Utah for the third time until this timely letter by Larry Wolfe, for which we are grateful. Corporate beggars (or con men, whatever you prefer) play state governments against each other and citizens of all states get beat up time and again. When will we put a stop to this charade?

Isn’t it great that socialism is alive and well in Utah?

Larry E. Wolfe

Kearns

oil and gas, $116,650;

waste management (nuclear), $51,900;

securities and investments, $233,850;

commercial banks, $130,725;

finance/credit companies, $61,900;

insurance, $182,700;

food processing and sales, $28,900;

defense aerospace, $39,000;

defense electronics, $16,000;

health services/HMOs, $17,750;

pharmaceuticals/health products, $104,044;

telecommunication services and equipment, $815,250;

lawyers/law firms, $110,900;

lobbyists, $157,186;

automotive, $16,997;

chemical and related manufacturing, $11,200.

Given all this special-interest support, it seems Bennett does not serve his constituents.

Bennett shows no shame. It must be nice to receive a salary of $174,000 per year, and have the government pay 75 percent of his health care costs for life — both bankrolled by “We the People” taxpayers. Most of us, including retirees, can barely make ends meet, and many are without an adequate health care program, or none at all.

George J. Mierisch

Salt Lake City

Where was his concern when Bush couldn’t find the weapons of mass destruction, even as he searched the Oval Office for them in an attempt at humor. Why doesn’t Hatch express to those who lost family in Iraq how bad he feels now that the facts are irrefutable: Iraq was a war of choice, packaged and sold by individuals who wrapped themselves in the American flag and questioned the patriotism of those who saw things differently?

It’s time for Sen. Hatch to go, just as he said it was time for Sen. Frank Moss to go when Hatch ran against him all those years ago.

Alan Peterson

Mayfield

Gil Iker can hammer nails at my house. He hits ‘em right on the head.

Right-wing predators in the Utah Legislature are again on the prowl to restore the most regressive tax of all — the sales tax on food, which hits poor people hard but is little noticed by the rich.

A fairer, smarter way to replenish Utah’s recession-impacted bank balance is to increase our severance tax on extractive industries. The theory of severance taxes is that since a state’s mineral wealth is owned by all its citizens, mining companies should pay us for it. Especially since the wealth of metallic ores, oil, gas, coal, gravel and rock is irreplaceable.

Severance taxes are a small percentage of the selling price of the extracted minerals. Utah’s rate is low, and for coal, it’s free — we give coal away untaxed. In 2006, neighbor states Wyoming and New Mexico collected severance taxes of $683 million and $588 million; Utah collected $50 million. Is it a coincidence that our legislators can legally accept unlimited campaign contributions from corporations? Utahns desperately need an ethics law with teeth, but our legislators will never pass one.

We’re in a recession and Utah needs money to operate. The corporations turn a profit on what they sell. Poor people need to eat.

Gil Iker

Salt Lake City

So, citizens will bear the brunt of budget shortfalls no matter what. The question is, which citizens? Well, if we don’t raise more money from those who have it, and we slash assistance to those who don’t, we shift the burden to the least fortunate among us. That hardly seems the right spirit at this time of year, let alone any other time.

It costs money to have the society we all seem to want, and there is enough money out there to make it all work. When times are tough, those who “have” need to pitch in a bit more for those who “have not.” That’s just how it should work, unless the game is only about “me.” That’s the only explanation for the selfish senator’s sentiment and those who think like him.

Kendall Robins

Sandy

My only question is: If it isn’t dangerous, why would Italy go to such expense to get rid of it?

Tom Parrish

Sandy

Due to their religious beliefs about the “sanctity” of marriage, many feel that same-sex marriage should not be allowed. That view elevates the establishment of marriage to one above the law, above the reach of the average lay person seeking such a union, and above any deviation from the holiness of this union.

By this logic of “sanctity,” the rules of marriage must be strictly enforced. Divorce and adultery absolutely offend the sanctity of marriage. The next step for those opposed to same-sex marriage is to propose legislation to abolish divorce and to require hard time for engaging in any extramarital affair. If this course is not pursued, we can deduce that the sanctity of marriage is really not the core issue, and it should not be used to justify denying civil rights to fellow Americans.

The true issue is that the Constitution protects the rights of all the people. Marriage is a legal status free of any religious affiliation. This right cannot be denied to a group based on sexuality. This is akin to denying women the right to vote simply for being women. It is un-American to deny legal rights to anyone.

Heidi Moore

Salt Lake City

Gov. Gary Herbert threw a bash where business interests “contributed” more than a million dollars to his campaign fund (”Gary’s glitzy gala: Herbert raises $1M in elaborate fundraiser,” Tribune , Oct. 31). Why? Is there any chance he might lose the election?

In politics, money is power. If some legislators balk at some bill a “contributor” wants passed, the governor can give them a few thousand dollars from his fund to help change their minds. Or he may create political debts by giving money to broke Republican candidates.

Does the governor expect us to believe the “contributions” were pure generosity, nothing expected in return? Face it: $100 is a contribution, $10,000 is a bribe, $50,000 buys a guarantee. The governor put up his services for auction and sold them for $1 million. He didn’t even conceal it, confident that Utahns won’t care.

This is why Utah needs ethics reform. The governor and the Legislature oppose any real reform. The swamp can only be drained by an initiative. If you want better government, sign the ethics reform initiative petition. Otherwise, you will continue to be governed by whoever pays top dollar.

Brooke Jennings

Salt Lake City

Updated: 11/06/2009 05:21:07 PM MST

I am sad that voters in Maine repealed the state’s same-sex marriage law. Don’t they see that “equal” in the Constitution’s guarantee of “equal protection of the laws” means equal and not “only if I like it.” Sexual identity is almost as immutable as one’s sex or skin color, so why don’t people tolerate differences and treat gays as political equals, like they do for blacks and women?

Ay, there’s the rub — the treatment of blacks and women. Even after the Civil Warconstitutional amendments guaranteed that “The right of citizens … shall not be denied … on account of race,” it took another century, a later amendment, many court rulings, strong laws and then another a generation for the older, die-hard racists to die hard before blacks obtained their “inalienable” equal rights. Similarly, it is stunning that men in the 19th century did not include women in the Constitution’s “persons” and “citizens.”

So I take hope. The votes in Maine and in California were close. Soon, as the younger, more tolerant generation rises and people like the 77-year-old LDS Apostle Dallin Oaks pass on, the votes will be reversed. Still, such willful bigotry makes me cry.

Jens Hammer

Brighton