Situational Analysis | December 17, 2021

It's Friday, heading into the last shopping weekend before Christmas. Have you noticed the supply chain problems? Me too. 

If your office party is today, you're in luck. It's National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day.

Be in the Know

1. OH Predictive Insights released its first-ever "power ranking" of Utah political leaders heading into the 2022 election cycle. Topping the list of the "most popular" potential political candidate is former Gov. Jon Huntsman, followed by current Gov. Spencer Cox, then former Gov. Gary Herbert. Former Senator Orrin Hatch is #4 and current LG Deidre Henderson is #5. This poll deliberately did not take into account politicians who won't be running again. They also created a "Demographic and Experience" score. LG Henderson tops that one. 

2. A very happy 85th birthday today to Pope Francis. He spent it by meeting with refugees who came from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Somalia and Syria. They will be supported directly by Pope Francis during their integration program, which will take a year. 

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Utah Headlines

General

• Jay Evensen: Tornadoes and devastation remind us what Christmas should really mean (Deseret News)
• 'It will haunt you for the rest of your life,' doctor warns of fatal DUI crashes (KSL)
• BYU police had claimed officers were not “out there digging up dirt on students and shipping it to the Honor Code Office.” Newly released documents confirm that’s exactly what was happening. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• USU Police Chief resigns after allegedly cautioning football team about sex with LDS women (ABC4)
• USU will separately investigate football coach’s comments that it is ‘glamorized to be a victim’ of sex assault (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Robert Gehrke: Utah needs to disband college police departments now. Misconduct and misogyny in campus police departments show us why these agencies should no longer exist (Salt Lake Tribune)

Politics

• Utah Gov. Spencer Cox says election conspiracy theorists are ‘playing a very dangerous game’ (Deseret News)
• Bad suit, good cause: State Auditor Dougall suits up for charity (KUTV)
• Gov. Spencer Cox on omicron, water conservation and ProPublica welfare investigation (KUER)

COVID Corner

• 1104 new cases, 9 new deaths in Utah
• Bill being considered in the Utah legislature would block Utah governments from imposing vaccine mandates (Fox13)
• Full vaccination against COVID-19 and a breakthrough infection builds 'super immunity,' study finds (USA Today)
• The scientist in Botswana who identified omicron was saddened by the world's reaction (NPR)

Education

• Threats at Utah schools this week are a reminder to ‘see something, say something’ (Deseret News)
• Elves help deliver shoes to over 100 Davis County kindergartners in need (Fox13)

Environment

• Is the West’s way of life dying? Rabid housing market devouring scarce horse property (Deseret News)
• Nature Conservancy in Utah says climate change conversation at Christmas is necessary (KUER)

National Headlines

General

• Judge rejects Purdue Pharma’s sweeping opioid settlement (AP)
• A legit millipede. This subterranean creature has 1,306 legs. Yes, that's a record. Also, gross. (Reuters)
• Medical advances saving premature babies pose thorny issues for abortion rights advocates (Washington Post)

Politics

• Congress agreed on drastic military sexual assault reform. Then “four men behind closed doors” got their hands on It. The now-limited reforms are a big missed opportunity. (Mother Jones)
• Ex-Trump aide reveals the text she sent to Meadows on Jan. 6 (CNN)
• Manchin rejects offshore drilling ban amid broader standoff over Biden agenda (Washington Post)
• GOP blows off Trump’s bid to oust McConnell (Politico)
• Democrats face painful reality as priorities stumble (The Hill)

International

• Ethiopian refugees say they escaped ‘final stage of ethnic cleansing’ in western Tigray (Washington Post)
• The U.S. built a hospital for Iraqi children with cancer. Corruption ravaged it. (Washington Post)

News Releases

Gov. Cox names new state Medicaid Director

Today Gov. Spencer J. Cox announced the appointment of Jack Szczepanowski as the state’s new Medicaid Director. The appointment is subject to approval by the Utah Senate. 

“I’m very pleased to welcome Jack to Team Utah,” Gov. Cox said. “His experience in analyzing financial data and understanding this important program will serve Utahns well. His perspective will also be helpful as we establish the Utah Sustainable Health Collaborative that is focused on reducing health care costs and improving health outcomes for Utahns. I look forward to working with him.”

Szczepanowski has a breadth of experience in health care and has worked directly in many of the areas critical to the Medicaid program: integrated health care, managed care, value-based contracting, drug pricing, provider networks and others. (Read More)

Congressman Blake Moore’s co-sponsored Congressional Gold Medal bill signed into law by President Biden

Today, President Joe Biden signed H.R. 5142 into law, which would posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 13 U.S. military servicemembers who were killed in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021. Co-sponsored by Representative Blake Moore (R-UT), Representative Lisa McClain (R-MI) introduced this bipartisan bill in the House in August. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced the companion bill in the Senate in September.

“These 13 fallen servicemembers gave the ultimate sacrifice to our nation on foreign soil, and I am grateful their service will be forever remembered,” said Rep. Blake Moore. â€œThey each represent the best of America’s strength, and we extend our gratitude to them and their families.” (Read More)

Sen. Lee congratulates Uinta Basin Railway Project

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) congratulates the Uinta Basin Railway Project on receiving final approval from the federal government’s Surface Transportation Board (STB).  Sen. Lee has been working with federal agencies and local partners for years toward the goal of approval.  Local efforts were led by the 7-County Infrastructure Coalition, the Ute Indian Tribe, the UBRY company, Rio Grande Pacific Corp., and DHIP Group.

Sen. Lee’s federal efforts helped guide the project to approval.  This ambitious railway project is the largest approved in the nation since 1983 and is set to bring jobs, innovation, and opportunity to the Uinta Basin for decades to come.  The new model used for this railway investment sets a new precedent and standard for the nation.

Of the project, Sen. Lee said, â€œCongratulations to all those in the Basin for the approval of the Uinta Basin Railway Project.  This project will bring thousands of jobs and decades of prosperity to this key part of our state.  Thank you to the 7-County Infrastructure Coalition, the Ute Indian Tribe, the UBRY company, Rio Grande Pacific Corp., and DHIP Group for making this a reality.  I look forward to seeing the development, people, and progress this railway will bring to the Basin.”

Number of the Day

Commentary: Redistricting controversy not exclusive to Utah

By LaVarr Webb

Redistricting is always one of the most difficult and controversial duties of a state legislature. That was certainly the case this year in Utah, with district lines drawn by both a legislative committee and an independent redistricting commission. The Legislature did not select any of the commission plans, generating a great deal of criticism.

Analysis by some outside groups show the new congressional districts favor Republicans. It remains to be seen whether any of the activist groups supporting the commission plans will file lawsuits seeking to overturn the legislative redistricting. Republican legislators believe they are on solid legal ground with the districts they created.

Controversy over redistricting is even greater in some other states. A headline in an article in governing.com notes that “Redistricting Reform is Easier Said Than Done.” Voters in several states created redistricting commission, says the article. “Some have had their work overridden by the legislature or they’ve failed to produce maps entirely.” (Read More)

Upcoming

• 2022 Legislative Outlook - Utah Taxpayers Association – Jan 12, 2022, 9:00 am. Register here
• Utah Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit 2022 - SLC Chamber – Jan 13, 2022, 8:30 am - 1:30 pm. Register here
• Utah legislative session begins – Jan 18, 2022, 10:00 am
• Utah legislative session ends – Mar 4, 2022, midnight

On This Day In History

From History.com

• 1760 - Deborah Sampson is born. During the Revolutionary War, Sampson disguised herself as a man using the name Robert Shurtliff and enlisted in the Continental Army. She is one of a handful of women who also received a military pension at that time.
• 1777 - France formally recognizes the United States as an independent nation
• 1903 - Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first successful airplane flight near Kitty Hawk, NC.
• 1900 - Mary Cartwright is born. The British mathematician was a leading contributor to chaos theory.
• 1913 - Mary Kenneth Keller is born. After taking her vows from the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1940, Sister Mary Kenneth attended DePaul University in Chicago. On June 7, 1965, she became the first woman in the United States to receive a Ph.D. in computer science.
• 1933 - The NFL hosts its first Championship Game. The Chicago Bears defeat the New York Giants 23-21. 
• 1936 - Pope Francis is born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is the 266th Bishop of Rome and head of the worldwide Catholic Church.
• 1944 - US approves the end to the internment of Japanese Americans
• 1963 - The Clean Air Act becomes law
• 1989 - The Simpsons debuts on Fox.
• 1991 - Boris Yeltsin announces the Soviet Union will cease to exist by New Year’s Eve
• 1993 - Judith Rodin is named president of the University of Pennsylvania, the first woman to head an Ivy League institution

Wise Words

“Human rights are not only violated by terrorism, repression or assassination, but also by unfair economic structures that creates huge inequalities."

-Pope Francis

Lighter Side

When my niece was a student, her class of six-year-olds sang “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” at a Christmas concert. The line “God and sinners reconciled” was a tricky one for this age group.

One little boy, with a voice that completely drowned out the rest of the choir, happily belted out, “God and sinners dressed in style!” 

—Jessie Robertson, in Readers Digest

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