Momentum--31 May 2010

Keeping the momentum is difficult. Watch any sporting event and you will see the momentum change. We have seen the same thing happen here in the Jordan School District. I went to the Board Meeting Tuesday night. The big crowds of a couple of months ago are gone. The major issues have been dodged, not resolved, and life has overtaken most people. I don’t want to suggest that people are not concerned anymore or that they are fickle. Generally they are sincere and want to be involved but they have to make choices between family, careers and being politically involved. The system should make it easier for them to be informed and to engage in constructive dialogue.

I have noticed that I am getting to be too serious and dull on this site. I actually wrote a lengthy paper on the School Board meeting. Then I went to work out. That helps to clear the mind. I decided I need to find something good and something funny to write about each time. Especially since my niece admitted that she still reads my blog but is starting to find it a little boring.

Friday night Matthew, Sid and I went camping with the neighborhood up at the Heber Valley Camp. We arrived about 8:00 pm and shortly thereafter a snowball fight broke out. Now I don’t know why the neighborhood boys don’t throw snowballs at their dads, but they had waited until I arrived. Well I was able to gain control of the strategic ground (the snow bank) and the boys were forced to make suicide runs at the snow bank to try and grab some snow before they got pummeled. Of course they got some good shots in because it was one against twenty. That is the funny, or at least fun.

My job Friday night was to provide scones. It is amazing how good Rhodes frozen dinner rolls can taste when they are flattened out, boiled in oil and smothered in honey butter. It doesn’t get much better. 144 scones were consumed.

Attack!

I received an e-mail that questioned my motives and abilities. I thought about waiting until the morning to respond, but decided I would probably sleep better if I responded immediately. I will not post the e-mail because I don’t want to detract from the issues, but following is my response:

Representative Clark and Senator Waddoups made the point in an op-ed piece that they wrote for the Washington post that the Federal Government tends to micro manage. They stated that "the federal government is attempting to do far more than it has the capacity to execute well. Congress has inserted itself into every aspect of our lives with laws and regulations". I agree with that statement. I also believe that the State Legislature exhibits the same tendencies as manifested in the large number of laws and regulations passed annually.

What I am advocating is that the Legislature restrict its actions just as the Legislature asked the Federal Government to restrict their actions.

I also believe that there are far too many people in positions of power that believe that they are indispensable. We have seen it with the high priced bankers in New York who collected large bonuses as a reward for nearly bankrupting the country, we see it in Senators and Congressman who serve for decades and we see it in state officials. Unfortunately, they have built a system that favors the good old boys over the average citizen that wants to be involved and serve.

There are many good, intelligent, honest people in this district that could serve very effectively if given the opportunity. I believe that I am one of them. I hope to inspire others in our district to get involved and take their turn at serving.

I appreciate your comments. They have made me contemplate my candidacy and strengthened my resolve that meaningful change is needed and can be achieved. I will be an effective legislator and I won't need to over-regulate to do it.

Steve Roberts.

Campaign Finances or Closet Environmentalist

Saturday morning I sold the aluminum cans that we have been collecting. The price was $0.40 per pound. I had 36 pounds. Total was just over $14. I deposited the money in my campaign account. My wife and I have been collecting (picking up) aluminum cans for years. I have a box in my office where my co-workers put their empty cans. I do this because it reuses natural resources and it helps to keep our neighborhoods clean. It is amazing how many cans a person can find in the streets.

I can't believe it is nearing the end of April and I am worried about the weather killing my tomatoes. The plants I put in two weeks ago are all still alive, but this cool weather is keeping them from growing. I was hoping to have fried green tomatoes by the end of July, but I am beginning to doubt it will happen.

I am still campaigning the inexpensive way, talking to people. I have some very nice people that are helping. It has been interesting listening to the pundits try to explain why so many incumbents are losing. They usually try to connect it to the major parties, but I think it is because people are just tired of the same people conducting business the same way, no matter which party is in charge. We just want somebody who will listen to us.

16 May 2010

Thursday I went to a speech by Greg Bell. He started by discussing how Charles Lindbergh was an isolationist and how many of the founder fathers had slaves. His point was that even our heroes and great leaders made bad decisions. I suppose that is true but we cannot use that as an excuse to make bad decisions of our own or to compromise our principles for our personal benefit.

This week we also became subject to 338 new laws. Society must have been a shambles before all those new laws were put into place to restore order. Unfortunately an effective legislature is defined as somebody who proposes many bills and has a high pass percentage. I think we would all be better off if an effective legislature was somebody who defended the constitution and protected the rights of the citizens from a tyrannical government.

I couldn’t arrange to meet anybody on Saturday and couldn’t understand why until Suzanne and I went to the nursery to buy plants. I think the whole town was buying vegetable and other plants. If all those plants grow we will be awash in produce in the fall. We should be able to get pollution credits for all the carbon dioxide that will be consumed by all those plants. I am definitely going to have to exhale more.

12 May 2010

It was nice to have a weekend with good weather to work in the yard. We had the neighborhood cleanup which is always preceeded by a breakfast. we are like a roving band of garbage collectors. We did make one delivery to the DI.

My oldest son came over to help in the yard then the neighborhood kids came over to "help" in the back yard. The garden is now mostly ready for seeds and plants, now all that is needed is a decent stretch of global warming.

Bingham's soccer team won their first state game in a shoot out. I can understand why many soccer fans take drums and cow bells. In close games there is a lot of tension, it would help to have something to relief the tension. Next game is friday at Davis.

3 May 2010

Last week I had to fix the starter on my van, change out a battery on Matthew's car and get the passenger side window on Zack's car fixed then I spent some time with my Wife, who has been a little neglected over the past month. Friday night Matthew and Sid had their final home soccer game at Bingham. It was a very well played game, unfortunately Copper Hills won 2-1. But it was a fun game to watch. So I didn't spend much time on the campaign.

I am getting some excellent suggestions on how to proceed next. This week I will be contacting delegates to see if they would be willing to help.

I meet some High School friends for lunch today. Only one lives in the District, but they were all very supportive. One had been on the Riverton City Council. He had some interesting views about the Legislature. He is a little cynical. I am hopeful that honest people with no desire to benefit personally still have a place in the legislative process.