Weak Veto
Spencer Cox, our new rural-rooted governor, has that fresh-faced look of a boy who got his first bicycle. But looks can be deceiving when you want to see what's under the façade. Ideology, of course, is prime, and Cox's recent—and only—veto is a good example. Cox vetoed a social-media bill, which the Deseret News notes was sponsored by a relative of Cox—Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork—that was designed to keep tech giants from squelching conservative thought. This is absurd when you consider Politico's findings that conservatives not only dominate social media but "outpace their liberal rivals and traditional news outlets." Cox said only that his veto was based on "technical issues"—technical, probably because it would be unconstitutional. But Utahns don't expect Cox to opine against right-wing thought and should expect McKell to bring back this misleading, false and yet seductive narrative. Cox stood by his base by approving unfettered concealed carry and supporting the inland port over the health and welfare of those liberal urbanites who surround it.
Lettered in Gun Law
Speaking of gun safety—or not—we can always depend on Utah's Sen. Mike Lee for sound, partisan and arrogant retorts. You have to understand that Lee knows more about the Constitution and what the Founders really thought than anyone. Following the latest ho-hummers of mass shootings, Lee found someone to testify about the racist history of gun control and again emphasized the God-given right to arm and defend oneself. "It's almost never the wealthy and well-connected whose safety is impaired by restrictive gun-control laws," he tweeted. "This was true in England in 1671 when King Charles II prohibited commoners from owning guns, and it remains true in America today. We should protect the constitutional right of all law-abiding Americans—including those in low-income communities—to protect themselves and their families." Yeah, nothing has changed since 1671. And because there was no mention of AR-15s or bazookas, apparently that means we must defend ourselves against the approaching hoards of zombies.
Cu Today, Te Tomorrow
You may not know much about tellurium ("Te" on the periodic table; copper is "Cu"), but the mineral might just boost Utah into the solar energy field and be a boon to the economy. Sounds counterintuitive for Utah, doesn't it? Still, Rio Tinto's Kennecott mine plans to start mining operations soon, according to the Deseret News. The rare element is used in photovoltaic solar cells, much in demand worldwide, and Rio Tinto is set to invest $2.9 million in a new plant to start production of tellurium. Mining is a $4 billion industry in Utah, and copper from Kennecott has been most valuable. Rio Tinto, though, sees the worth in moving into solar energy generation, and Utah needs to see this as a future trend—one without fossil fuels.
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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