Forget the facts, 'diversity' is a four-letter word for Utah lawmakers
Hits and Misses
By Katharine Biele @kathybiele
Just the Facts
We're pretty sure that someone in Gov. Spencer Cox's administration subscribes to The Salt Lake Tribune, but we're here to make sure they're paying attention. That's because the Trib, in its effort to make money, keeps the important news behind a paywall. This week it's the issue of DEI—diversity, equity and inclusion. Columnist Andy Larsen shredded the credibility of a Heritage Foundation report blanketing the nation's conservative halls. Shall we say that he ripped Cox a new one, too? The claim that DEI programs are ineffective is as good as saying "tall people are bad at basketball," Larsen wrote. "After all, the San Antonio Spurs have a losing record despite having 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama on the roster." Larsen points to the reason for DEI programs—to close the graduation and success gap for minorities—and says cutting them without real facts is unwise at least. But the right wing has certain talking points they pass from state to state, and fighting an unhinged belief system is difficult, as Trump has proven. Not that the Trib didn't try. They did run an editorial that anyone can read telling the Legislature to cut out the culture-war crap.
Rolling Coal
Utah is nothing if not conflicted. On one hand, we want to save the Great Salt Lake and move to "cleaner" fuels, even nuclear power. But as the Legislature begins, Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, says his goal is to keep the coal industry on life support, even without brain activity. The goal, he says, is to "protect" the citizens of Utah. But he means protection from high gas prices but not protection from unbreathable air. Rocky Mountain Power plans to close two coal-burning plants by 2032 as it works to implement alternative power sources, but the Legislature may try to change that. While it's hard to ignore lawmakers for these 45 days, there is this: Doctors recently sent an open letter urging immediate action on the lake. We need action on transit, too. Presently, mass transit has been pretty dirty, but there's hope as a test train may show that FrontRunner can move on batteries.
The Fourth Estate
While our legislative overlords begin their 2024 session, the Utah Media Coalition is introducing the Utah Transparency Project. You might want to rejoin X-Twitter because that's where the project will be rolling out its real-time ratings on legislation, telling you how it will affect your access to public records and meetings. The media—which is the public in absentia—is often the target of disgruntled people in all walks of life. Most recently a developer sued a small community paper claiming defamation from reports that showed plans for housing units had morphed into a waste facility. Maybe it's human nature to keep the bad news from the public's eye. But for a glimpse, you might want to read the Republican manifesto on what they plan to do to you this session. It's bedtime material—if you like nightmares.
About The Author
Katharine Biele
A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Katharine Biele is the informed voice behind our Hits & Misses column. When not writing, you can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.
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