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Situational awareness - January 22, 2020

Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City

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Here are the stories you need to pay attention to this morning:

• Senators vote along party lines to approve rules for Trump's impeachment trial.
• Trump says a plan for a middle-class tax cut is coming in 90 days.
• Tax referendum could make setting next year's budget difficult.

TICK TOCK

Days to the first day of the 2020 Utah Legislature: 5 (1/27/2020)

Days to the 2020 Iowa Caucuses: 12 (2/3/2020)

Days to the New Hampshire primaries: 20 (2/11/2020)

Days to the Utah presidential primaries: 41 (3/3/2020)

Days to the final day of the 2020 Utah Legislature: 50 (3/12/2020)

Days to the 2020 Utah primary elections: 160 (6/30/2020)

Days to the 2020 election: 286 (11/3/2020)

Today At Utah Policy

OTHER UTAH HEADLINES

Deseret News

• Jay Evensen: Do 7 GOP candidates for Utah governor signal a primary election crisis?
• Child abuse prevention advocate appointed to state school board
• Utah tech ready to wield its collective political clout on education, transportation and more
• United Way announces 2020 policy agenda focusing on early childhood education
• Gen. James Mattis tells students U.S. is the 'greatest experiment' in the world
• Tax reform referendum will make November ballot, signature gatherers say
• University of Utah assistant professor, architect appointed to fill Salt Lake City Council vacancy

Salt Lake Tribune

• Utah governor fills vacancy on state Board of Education - his 4th appointment to the elected board in a year
• Tax reform repeal organizer says they have the signatures for November ballot
• Utah bill would allow wine to be shipped to your home
• Salt Lake City Council appoints architect with city planning background to seat left vacant by Mayor Erin Mendenhall

Other

• 'Death with dignity' advocates persist in Utah despite heavy opposition (Daily Herald)
• Park City School District is preparing for the legislative general session as questions swirl about tax reform (Park Record)

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NATIONAL HEADLINES

Impeachment

After a marathon session, the Senate voted along party lines to approve ground rules for the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Republicans were able to block subpoenas for documents and calls to call witnesses [New York Times].

Chief Justice John Roberts scolded President Trump's lawyers and House impeachment managers for their lack of decorum during Tuesday's proceedings [Politico].

Senate Democrats are mulling offering Republicans a witness trade during the trial. If Republicans allow former national security adviser John Bolton to testify, Democrats would support calling Hunter Biden [Washington Post].

Newly released emails show White House budget officials prepared to freeze military aid to Ukraine before President Trump's phone call with the Ukrainian president [CNN].

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Tax cut

President Trump said in an interview the White House plans to unveil plans for a new middle-class tax cut in 90 days [The Hill].

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Obamacare

The Supreme Court rejected a bid from Democrats to fast track a decision on a court challenge to the Affordable Care Act, putting off any decision until after the 2020 election [Politico].

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Whoa!

Billionaire Jeff Bezos allegedly had his mobile phone "hacked" in 2018 after receiving a message from the personal account of the crown prince of Saudi Arabia [Guardian].

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Coronavirus

A Washington State man has been confirmed as the first U.S. case of a mysterious respiratory infection that has killed at least six people and sickened hundreds more in Asia [New York Times].

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Climate

The warm winter has leaves in the Southeastern U.S. budding 22 days earlier than expected. Frosts and freezes can kill off flowering buds and lead to smaller harvests this year [Bloomberg].

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BUSINESS HEADLINES

• Ex-Utah governor calls inland port economic 'beachhead' of future economy (Deseret News)
• Salt Lake Chamber announces legislative priorities for 2020 (Deseret News)
• David Goode's legacy is more than skis (Deseret News)

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Policy News

Learn about opportunities to grow your business in the Middle East
World Trade Center Utah, in partnership with the Governor's Office of Economic Development, invites you to attend a seminar to learn about opportunities and challenges of doing business with Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E.

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Cities Work podcast: Accessing Utah's outdoor playground
You've heard of the Mighty 5, but realistically there are probably a mighty 5 million places to enjoy the Utah outdoors!

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More National Headlines

• A Year Ago, the Media Mangled the Covington Catholic Story. What Happened Next Was Even Worse. (Reason)
• Hillary Clinton on Bernie Sanders: 'Nobody likes him, nobody wants to work with him' (Axios)
• Joy Behar Blames Trump For Racial Division, Cites Two Fake Stories To Prove Her Point (Daily Caller)
• AOC Demonizes Business Owners: They're Lazy Slave Owners, Employees 'Literally Dying' (Daily Wire)
• California's AB5 Leaves Women Business Owners Reeling (Forbes)
• Russia's Role in the Libyan Civil War Gives It Leverage Over Europe (Foreign Policy)
• NBC Reporter Deletes False Tweet Claiming Gun Rights Event Is 'White Supremacist Rally' (Daily Caller)
• Hillary Clinton Pleads Ignorance About Harvey Weinstein Despite Multiple Warnings (Free Beacon)
• All Aboard the Crazy Train (Wall Street Journal)
• A thousand EU financial firms plan to open UK offices after Brexit (Reuters)
• The grooming gang cover-up is Britain's real racism scandal (Telegraph)

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

1924 - Senators investigating the Teapot Dome lease scandal declared they would use all the legal powers of the government to get to the truth.

1973 - In its historic Roe v. Wade decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down state bans and made abortion legal.

1997 - The Senate confirmed Madeleine Albright as the nation's first female secretary of state.

1998 - Theodore Kaczynski, known as the "Unabomber," accused of sending bombs that killed and wounded people, pleaded guilty to all counts against him in California and New Jersey. He was sentenced to life in prison.

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