Politics and Pizza

Beginnings of being a Precinct Delegate

The morning after becoming a delegate for the Manti Unincorporated Precinct, the voice on my cell phone asks, “Do you want to meet with Congressman Chris Stewart at Roys Pizza?”

Well . . .  let me think . . . um, Yeah!

Here is a great man I have respected and admired and supported long before I knew I would get to shake his hand, and thank him in person over pizza.

  

Troy Shelley and Connie Smith.  The Smiths and Chris Stewart.  We Olsens and Chris Stewart.

And what a privilege to sit next to Troy Shelley and his friendly wife.  He is our leader to whom I will look to for knowledge, clarity and valued opinions.  He reinforced my understanding of the role of a delegate, which isn’t to poll each member’s  wishes on how to vote, and then try to vote the way the majority wants – it is to vote for the candidate I understand is best from my knowledge and research of the issues, being informed, and passing on what I have learned in any friendly, open manner to anyone who wants to know. . .  And learn about other’s reasoning and feelings who want me to know about issues and why and how they have come to their stand. . .  And count other’s as a critical part of my own education on everything that matters.  

 

On the other side of me sits Jennie Peterson, my friend, neighbor, mother of 7 terrific-ific chilrens, sweetheart/wife of one of our finest soldiers and professional plumber . . .  Her love of God, Country and Family is unquestionable and her example of ‘civil, civic service’ is exemplary too!  

 

I think this is our County Commissioner Scott Bartholemew talking with Chris Stewart. Jim Bob Pipes, Connie Smith, Sheriff Brian Neilson.

Besides meeting Chris Stewart, we met some of his staff; Connie and Dale Smith (Dale is Utah Chief of Staff, Connie helps with the campaign), Brian Steed who is Chief of Staff in Washington,

Congressman Chris Stewart and Sheriff Brian Neilson

 

Some things I heard about that I need to learn more about:  PILT - Payment in lieu of taxes (Since yesterday I have learned that our Senator Mike Lee did not vote for the Farm Bill because PILT was attached to it, and he felt it is important enough to be on its own.  The media made it sound like he is against PILT which, of course, is not true at all. 75% of Utah is federally owned.)     -   learning about this led to learning about . . .

SNAP – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (renamed from Food Stamps and includes school lunches) SNAP takes the lion’s share of the Farm Bill. Obama cut it 8.7 billion over 10 years which amounts to about 1% of it. These kinds of numbers are just about lost on me.

Yay! for my first experience as a precinct delegate.

 

Same day – another alert that there is yet another candidate to meet.  This time at the Ephraim Firehouse at 6:00 (it is 5:55) and we’re having Roy’s Pizza (it was just as delicious this time).  Bob Fuehr and his staff were also genuine and friendly.  He has tossed his competent, experienced and personable ‘hat’ into the ring in the race for U.S. Congress for the 4th District.  The 4th District.  Jennie and Matt and I didn’t notice that it was for the 4th District until long into the evening (we are 2nd District voters).  It was an unnecessarily l – o – n – g evening as I witnessed first-hand and first-time what a delegate should not be like.  The meeting was dominated by a (one) delegate with supposed superior political and moral wisdom than the candidate has.   I never want to forget that meeting candidates and hearing and asking questions is a privilege, not a forum in which to toss civility, good will and respect aside.  It is never acceptable to speak condescendingly to anybody.  I don’t ever want to feel that politics excuses people from decorum and propriety.  Self-righteous bluster is never in good taste.  I feel to compliment Mr. Fuehr on his restraint and hope his meetings today were much more productive and rewarding.

Manti Unincorporated Precinct’s caucus results March 20, 2014 . . . . in the Library . . . .at the High School . . . . (sounds like a game of Clue)  It WAS pleasant.  Our precinct was so small we laughed that it would be easier to discover who didn’t want an ‘assignment’ and draw for the rest.

Precinct Chair: Jennie Johnson Peterson
Precinct Vice Chair: Jonathan Allen
Precinct Sec/Treas: Marie Crowson
State Delegate: Matt, Matt N Melody Christensen
State Alternate: Lauri Kennington Olsen
County Delegate: Wayne Cox
County Delegate: Lauri Olsen
County Alternate: Shelby Shelby Mintey e

My Education on the Subject of Education

A bulleted list of my grievances about the Common Core Initiative (CCI) in no particular order

* It is ‘common’ and homogenizing – ignoring our nation’s demographic uniqueness

* National standards, national assessments, national curriculum

* I find the language on their own website a little disturbing ( i.e. several uses of the word ‘transform’ – whose vision of ‘transformation’? Certainly not this American Mom’s.)  http://www.ccsso.org/What_We_Do.html

* An abuse of the philosophy that our children ‘belong to all of us’.

* It’s voluntary, but . . .

* The fact that school and learning becomes all about the Test. ( I feel that Mark and Kyle and their fellow class mates missed out on much of the happy passion about History a teacher has because there was no time or space for such uniqueness in a classroom.  With CCI, how can this problem not increase?) 

* There were (and are) federal monetary incentives to adopt this initiative. I do not believe that government should coerce, use incentives, grants, waivers or any other form of manipulation.

 

* The appearance that any teacher, administrator or parent voicing concerns and questions and a desire to understand something about the initiative feel somehow insubordinate and disloyal. This ALONE was, and is, my biggest concern. This ALONE is a large red flag, screaming to be noticed. The lack of transparency, legislation and public discussion/input of something as sweeping and huge as this is, is so un-American to me.

* There has been no open discussion about the sure-to-be-enormous cost to acquire and maintain what we will be required to; no discussions about the cost of training and testing that will be required of us, now that we have voluntarily been coerced into it. How can it not become a huge, unfunded mandate? 

* There will be no one, locally or otherwise, that we can pick up a phone to or personally visit for any kind of input. The power will not be local and there will be a lot of shoulder shrugging and ‘it’s out of my hands’ attitude because it is (out of our hands).

* Too much evidence for me already that these controversial tests and standards may not measure the academic achievement of our students anyway – just their computer skills and ability to endure through a cumbersome task.

I don’t feel honest in pretending not to notice that, as someone else has already expressed, “ . . . our proverbial school shoes have been placed on a nationally, locally and personally regrettable path.”

We signed our names on this petition http://www.utahnsagainstcommoncore.com/

There's a Monster Under My Bed

Common Core is an initiative funded by special interests and federal government with the goal of nationalizing education.  National Education?  No thank you.  No . . .  really - NO THANK YOU!

Alas, it seems we have it already. How did we allow this huge intrusion of Federal government into our schools which is the right, privilege and responsibility of state and local governments and families?


There is so much to cover and many questions to answer; what is the CCI, SBAC, CCSSO, Race to the Top grant, etc.?  and what do they all have to do with Common Core?  The internet has plenty to study and get informed from.  Here is a bit of the essence of my recent education on the subject of Education, minus footnotes and sources.  My apologies, but this American Mom for Utah only has so much time to blog when there are peaches and tomatoes ripening rapidly in the next room, and a rodeo in Logan to get to!
 In short:

CCI's purpose is  faulty and its cause is not just.  The language they present them by is condescending and unnecessary to teachers, administrators and parents.

I despise the idea that this unholy machine, with its standards writers and wealthy backer, has decided it must inspire and transform us, and will do it with mandates and money.

At least one social scientist (Dr. Christopher Tienken) feels CCI is an example of 'data-less decision making' and says, "Major policies that we impose on children and parents should have evidence to support their effectiveness." 


Further troubling me is the growing awareness that my own state,  local teachers and administrators and parents seem to have bought it hook, line and sinker. Those that may not like it have got to feel a sense of dread to speak out since it would place them in a position of seeming insubordinate. That fact alone is a red flag to me; a big, red flag waving desperately to be seen.  I value our teachers and administrators decisions and abilities, and I mourn that their power to effect changes and ideas for unique local needs and wants is in jeopardy, which will increase without check. I value a teacher, principle, and locally elected school board over any bureaucrat in Washington. There is no amendment process in place for Common Core.

Cost, power, lack of due diligence, data collection, training, books, testing, grading, implementing, loss of power for our families and communities, one size fits all standard, demographic differences, no idea of side effects, no transparency or legislative or public input . . .

If it were only about standards . . . but nationalizing our education is monstrously much more.

Loyalist or Rebel?

A COMMON SENSE APPROACH and a modern application


“Mom, would you have been a Loyalist or a Rebel (now referred to as a Patriot)?” That was the question the twins posed.
“Well, a Patriot, of course.” I thought - I hoped, aloud.
Exciting and true tales about Concord and Lexington and the intrigue of the Green Mountain Boys have piqued their interest and excited their young warrior-like imaginations. Hence the question about Loyalist or Patriot, and many others about government, and right and wrong, and heroes and traitors . . . We have watched Stan Ellsworth’s American Ride and read young Joseph Martin Plumber’s entries of his experiences as a Revolutionary soldier. We have read about some of the inspiring documents and speeches written that stirred the souls of men.
Catching the fire of the Revolution myself, one evening, I decided to read Thomas Paine’s Common Sense in its entirety. It took me hours. The wording and language pulled me back and into the place of a colonist. Each paragraph reasoned with, and appealed to my own common sense. I couldn’t read fast enough. And I could imagine the colonists doing the same – eager for the next pamphlet.   When I finished, I closed down the computer and went to bed that night KNOWING, that I too, would have been a Patriot. I too, would have been inspired by the truths and ideals that this man gave wings to with his words. I like knowing that.
I also like what reading that document makes me feel now. I found contemporary application from the timeless common sense of Common Sense:
“There is something exceedingly ridiculous in the composition of Monarchy; it first excludes a man from the means of information, yet empowers him to act in cases where the highest judgment is required. The state of a king shuts him from the World, yet the business of a king requires him to know it thoroughly . . .”
While I do not call anyone exceedingly ridiculous, (except for our Twinners at dinner-time) I think there is resemblance between a career politician and monarchy in that he, by necessity, is removed from the world for the duration of his term(s) and, yet, the highest judgment of what he is removed from is required of him. His ‘business’ requires him to know our nation’s ‘business’ thoroughly. Long term absence may exclude him from the means of information and he runs a high risk of coming to know “politics” instead of “patriotism”, “business as usual” instead of “business of our country”.
For this reason, and for a hope for a fresh and fit candidate to win the race for Utah's United States Senator I went on the hunt just before Caucus. I found him and was delighted that he had just enough other support to force a primary election. We have a choice now between 37-years-in-the-Senate incumbent  Orrin Hatch and new challenger Dan Liljenquist (pronounced Million-quist with an ‘L’)  My choice is Dan.  And this is why: (this video is 7 minutes)

He is not only willing to meet the BIG problems in our United States Senate, but already done so in our Utah Senate with Pension and Medicaid Reform.
He has filled his life with education and experiences in family, service, law, and business. (see the video above) 
 
 
Yesterday, at the Scandinavian Festival Parade, Dan walks with 2 of his kids and gives my camera a great smile, as do Richard (a terrific county Delegate and Coordinator) and Bridget.  Stiff cold winds!
In this debate, (warning! it’s an hour and a half long, but you can fold your laundry or eat chocolate while you watch/listen.  Multi tasking is nice if you can do it) I think Dan shows his courteous, competent and co-operative spirit.

 

It was very clear how he adores his kids.
I met him at an Ephraim Town Meeting the evening before, then yesterday, at the end of a parade, he saw me and remembered my name.  Good Grief.

Dan Liljenquist - Fresh and Fit for the race