It’s impossible to attend the Utah State Legislature year after year as I have without developing a sense of cynicism. The majority of Utah’s legislators strike me as well meaning but useless when it comes to actually effecting changing. The few commonsense proposals that actually make it to the floor are usually killed by the majority which follows sheeplike the wingnuttiest of their colleagues (yes, I do mean you Chris Buttars). Their reflexive conservativism tends to keep our legislative majority from really thinking through the proposals before them. If it’s conservative, they figure it must be a good idea, if it strays from their party line groupthink, the figure its bad. And this year is looking like a banner year in the wingnut circus on the Hill.

This year, there’s already a proposal to make sure none of those teenage sluts gets an abortion without getting a good beatdown from her parents first (yeah, that’s not what the sponsor claims but that’s what it’s all about it). There’s been a nice backroom deal to make sure Utah doesn’t get guaranteed healthcare for all its citizens. There’s support for yet another tax cut for the wealthy. I’m pretty sure we’re going to see a variety of attempts at payback for the groups that led the anti-voucher campaign – disguised of course as solicitous concern for Utah’s schools.

The sole proposed bill worth considering is Christine Johnson’s anti-discrimination statute, and I’m pretty sure it’s gonna suck beyond the telling of it to live through the next 8 weeks of gay bashing brought to you courtesy of Gayle Ruzicka and her terrified lackeys in the Utah legislature. I’m looking forward to the lunatic talking points our legislators will use to oppose anti-discrimination laws. Remember, these are the same people repeated, robot-like, “All crimes are hate crimes” for almost a decade in opposing passing a hate crimes law (these are also the same people who as a group once agreed that hate crimes legislation meant we’d have to teach five year olds how to have gay sex – don’t ask the reasoning on this one is, well, subrational). The bigotry and hate seems to wax and wane up on the hill. My instincts are telling me this year is gonna be one of the uglier years. Our legislative majority got a bloody nose and a good embarrassing, resounding “NO” from the people they were sure would do whatever they told them to do and they’re itching for a fight – they wanna get a pound of flesh.

I’ll be up on Capitol hill this year. I’m always up there. I’ll be watching what goes on and probably screaming with frustration about the whole thing. Our legislature is somewhere between a festival of fools and a freak show and a wingnut appreciation society with far too much power for their own good.

I love our Democratic legislators – they’re without exception a group of concerned and thoughtful people, but they are tragically ineffective at opposing the lunatic agenda of the wingnut majority in the state house. It’s not just that they don’t have the votes, but they seem incapable of playing to the stands – there are so many times and ways they could reach out to the public. And they just don’t. They get bogged down in the intricacy of the rules and processes and they seek compromises where there are no real compromises when the R’s are interested only in getting their way. I want to see them throw a few elbows and they rarely do.

But the freakshow will start up and will play to the usual crowds. It’s time to invite a new audience.

Watch the news and watch OneUtah for updates. Contact them on a regular basis.

I’ve been told by legislators on both sides of the aisle that 15 emails and 10 phone calls on a single issue a “flood” of constituent contact. There are some tricks – include you address in the subject line of your emails so they know if you a real constituent in their district. Be polite, to the point, don’t be afraid to tell them in the first line “vote yes on HB##” or “vote not on SB##”. When you call, cut to the chase. They don’t need to hear all your logic and reasoning – chances are good they don’t have time to read it. One year they had over 400 bills to consider in the 45 day session. So you need to make sure they know what you want and they need it quickly.

Anyway, that’s my rant for the day. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride my friends. It always is.