Chaffetz's Constitution, Health Care Reform, Utah's Economy & Claire Geddes' Return
By Ted McDonough
Un-citizens
Congressman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, is cosponsoring legislation that would deny citizenship to children born in the United States to non-citizen parents, reversing long-standing law that everyone born in America is a citizen. Thankfully, the so-called Birthright Citizenship Act is meaningless, since it would take a constitutional amendment to make the change. Citizenship birthright is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which recognizes that there are no second-class citizens in America.
Health Hopes
Health care reform may be on the way … if only because things have gotten so bad. A recent study by Small Business Majority, a California outfit lobbying for health reform, found that even in conservative Utah, business owners are ready for significant overhaul of the nation’s health-insurance system. The Salt Lake Chamber was already in the forefront of the Beehive State’s health-reform push. The reason is simple: According to new survey, 40 percent of Utah small businesses can’t afford health coverage for their employees.
Into the Fire
A new study suggests more suffering ahead for Utah before the economy improves. Economic forecasts predict that 2009 will be the worst for Utah’s economy since the end of World War II, according to the University of Utah’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research. The report says Utahns should brace for wages to decrease by record levels, while the economy sheds 55,000 more jobs in 2009. A return to economic growth is predicted to be 18 months to two years away.
Sheeeee’s Back
Claire Geddes, long a one-woman watchdog of the ethically challenged Utah Legislature, is returning to Capitol Hill after several years absence to care for a sick relative. Geddes and her group, Utah Legislative Watch, have worked to reform Utah government since the early 1990s, calling attention to lawmakers’ secret backroom dealings, imports of nuclear waste and attempts to eliminate ratepayers from decisions about hiking electric bills. Unfortunately, Utah still needs her.
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