Karl Swan's Weber County Convention Address

WEBER COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION 2008

I'm very pleased to accept this responsibility of chairing the Convention, today. I'm relatively new to the County, moving here four years ago to share my life with Kay, who knows a great deal more than I about Weber County people and its history.
Though I'm new, that is not to say that I haven't known and admired many Weber democrats during the years I served in the Legislature. Merrill Jenkins, Dr. Winn Richards, Dr. Ed. Allen, Darrell Renstrom, Mike Monson, John Arrington, Roger Rawson and many others served constituents and democrats effectively. And the Reverend Harris may have been the first African-American to serve northern Utah.

Now, the party needs to grow, to attract new public servants. The Legislature must have more area Democrats than just hard working Lou Shurtliff and Neal Hansen.
We're here today to do the following: We'll officially nominate our County wide officials. We'll nominate in caucuses, our Legislative candidates. We'll hear from our Congressional and State Senate candidates, who will be officially nominated at the State Convention as well as party office candidates for national positions and delegates to the National Convention.
And finally, we'll draw new energy to achieve democratic victories for Federal, State and County candidates. To this end, may I attempt to make a small contribution.
What do we say to our friends and neighbors this political season? May I share a partial list of issues:

1. Will another Republican administration , supported unanimously by a lock-step Republican Congress correct the blunders of the Iraq occupation---an occupation without a strategy, an acceptance of torture including Abu Graib, and unregulated civilian contractors? If the answer is no, Vote Democratic.

2. Do the American people want a continuation of concentrating more wealth in the hands of a very small elite, while the middle class tread water financially? If the answer is no, Vote Democratic.

3. Do the American people want to continue a dysfunctional health care system where a single accident or illness can destroy the economic security of a family? If no, Vote Democratic.

4. Do we want to continue a pharmaceutical drug policy which has no restraints to keep prices reasonable? If no, Vote Democratic.

5. Do we want our regulatory agencies staffed by industry insiders whose interests are not for the public, or for workers, but whose goals are higher profits for special interests. No? Vote Democratic.

6. Do we want irresponsible tax cuts for the wealthy to continue to swell the federal debt, that debt having expanded from $5.5 trillion to $9 trillion during Bush's disastrous 7 and a half years. If no, Vote Democratic

7. Do we, the American people want to continue a foreign policy which has seen otherwise friendly nations turn against the U.S. , seeing us as the world's biggest bully and hypocrite rather than its greatest beacon of liberty, justice and opportunity. If no, Vote Democratic

On State issues we must think beyond the usual GOP staple propaganda
of "gay marriage" and abortion. Once the Pope, the ministers, the prophets and other religious leaders come to a unified position of when life begins, at what point a spirit enters into the fetus of the unborn, and a clear consensus regarding whatever rights are awarded the unborn as opposed to the rights of a mother, maybe we cannot and should not involve the federal government beyond the determinations of Roe vs. Wade.

As Democrats in this election period lets focus on the poor performance of the Utah State Legislature:

1. Arrogance, special interest favors, excessive perks, hunger for power has led this Republican Legislature away from public representation to special interest representation. No issue is quite so striking as the debate over private school vouchers. No voting district in Weber Co. voted for vouchers last fall. Yet, many of Weber legislators did--- and helped pass the bill which only won House approval by just one vote. The people had one opinion, the Republican members of the Legislature knew, however, "what was best for us". Other legislators didn't have the nerve to cross their leadership. They understand retribution!

2. Rather than acceping the public's dislike for vouchers, the GOP Legislative leadership is now in an obviously vindictive way trying to "get back" at the State School Board, because of its effectiveness in killing the voucher issue. They are now trying to change the manner of state school board elections away from the people and giving legislative leadership more say. The same big "out of state" money is also ready to fund the campaigns of the private school voucher advocates.

3. Education funding, teacher salaries, class room size, the smallest expenditure per pupil in the U.S. are still issues Republicans have not and will not adequately address. For our schools, we must Vote Democratic.

We have plenty to talk to our friends about. Let's do it! It's time for Weber county's NEW BEGINNING!

Posted by David L. Swan

Introduction from someone who knows this blogger

Karl Swan served in the Utah Legislature from 1970-1990. A school teacher by profession, he is a musician by choice. He taught chorus for many years as well as German, Civics, and Geography at Tooele High School. He has had strong opinions on policy questions regarding taxes, education, public improvements and many other areas. Though retired from public life, Karl served as chairman of the Tooele County Democratic Party for a term and has remained politically active.

This blog is intended as an online outlet for his ideas and opinions. Swan's ideas have been in the marketplace for decades, but I think it is time for them to be heard in the online marketplace.