Tanner Ainge, Jason Chaffetz and revamping health care. Your Thursday morning political briefing from UtahPolicy.com

Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning must reads for Thursday, June 29, 2017

Good Thursday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 180th day of the year. There are 185 days remaining in 2017. Today is the 161st day of Donald Trump's presidency.

How Tanner Ainge could win the August GOP primary. Jason Chaffetz hired by Fox News. Nobody likes the GOP health care proposal.

The clock:

• 26 days until ballots for the August primary are mailed to voters (7/25/2017)
• 47 days until the 2017 Utah primary election (8/15/2017)
• 131 days until the 2017 election (11/7/2017)
• 207 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)
• 252 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
• 495 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 1,224 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today's political TL; DR -

• A number of Republicans say political newcomer Tanner Ainge could win the August GOP primary election [Utah Policy].
   
• Surprising absolutely nobody, Rep. Jason Chaffetz announces he's been hired by Fox News as a contributor [Utah Policy, Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• Another analysis of the GOP health care plan shows about 200,000 Utahns would lose their coverage [Utah Policy].
   
• Thousands of Utahns sign a petition urging Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee to oppose the GOP health care plan [Tribune].
   
• It what can only be seen as a shot across the bow of a proposed ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana, the LDS Church issued a statement calling for more research into using cannabis for medical purposes [Deseret News].
   
• Sen. Evan Vickers praises Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's plan to recommend a reduction in the size of the Bears Ears National Monument [Senate Site].
   
• The U.S. Attorney for Utah, John Huber, says he supports legislation to increase punishment for people who re-enter the United States illegally after being deported. He also favors cutting some federal funds to so-called "sanctuary cities" [Tribune].
   
• Politico Magazine names Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski as one of America's "most interesting" mayors [Utah Policy].
   
• The Utah Transit Authority approves a controversial deal to sell land in Clearfield to a Swiss-owned rail company [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• The LDS Church announces they will be providing paid parental leave for employees. Women will be allowed to wear pants while men can wear colored shirts [Deseret News, Tribune].

National headlines:

• Wanna know why the GOP health care proposal cratered this week? Everybody hates the proposal. Just 12% of Americans, including 27% of Republicans, favor the bill. This is what happens when an unpopular president pushes an unpopular bill [USA Today].
   
• Donald Trump's vaunted reputation as a negotiator took a big hit this week as he was unable to get the Senate to pass the Obamacare repeal measure [Associated Press].
   
• Even though the effort to pass the GOP health care bill before the July 4 recess crashed and burned, Republicans are trying to secure support for a new version of the bill by the end of the week [Politico].
   
• Democrats smell blood over health care and plan to turn up the heat on Republicans during the July 4 recess [USA Today].
   
• Military leaders have revised options for dealing with North Korea, and are ready to present those options to President Donald Trump [CNN].
   
• The Trump administration's plan for dealing with ISIS looks a heckuva lot like the Obama administration's approach [Washington Post].
   
• The White House has launched a daily newsletter featuring news stories they feel are favorable to the Trump administration called "West Wing Reads." Here's yesterday's edition [WhiteHouse.gov].
   
• The Trump administration is starting to enforce their travel ban [Huffington Post].
   
• Republicans are gleefully pointing to the news that the FBI is investigating bank fraud allegations against Sen. Bernie Sanders' wife [The Hill].
   
• Boring but important financial news. All of the big U.S. banks passed the Fed's financial stress test [Wall Street Journal].
   
• The iPhone turns 10 years old today [Economist].

On this day in history:

• 1776 - The Virginia state constitution was adopted.
   
• 1958 - Brazil won their first World Cup title with a 5-2 victory over host country Sweden in Stockholm on the strength of two goals by 17-year-old Pele.
   
• 1972 - The Supreme Court ruled the death penalty could constitute "cruel and unusual punishment."
   
• 2007 - The Apple iPhone went on sale.
   
• 2009 - Financier Bernard Madoff received a 150-year sentence for his multibillion-dollar fraud.

Today At Utah Policy

It's entirely possible that Tanner Ainge wins the August GOP primary election
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Several well-connected Republicans are whispering that Tanner Ainge may very well win the August 15th primary in the 3rd Congressional District....

Another analysis predicts 200,000 Utahns would lose their health coverage under GOP health care proposal
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
A new analysis by a progressive health care think tank says Utah will see just over 200,000 residents lose their health care insurance under both the GOP House and Senate reform plans....

Jackie Biskupski named one of America's 'most interesting' mayor
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Politico Magazine has profiled Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski as one of their "most interesting" mayors....

Chaffetz hired by Fox News
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
As UtahPolicy.com first reported in April, Fox News Channel has hired Jason Chaffetz, starting July 1....

Weekly survey: Will the medical marijuana ballot initiative be successful?
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
A group has launched an initiative to put legalizing medical marijuana in Utah on the 2018 ballot. Will they be successful? Vote in our weekly survey....

Policy News

Salt Lake Chamber 2017 June interim recap
After each General Session, the Legislature meets and discusses relevant items of significance during Interim Sessions....

Hatch calls for action ahead of one year mark of Joshua Holt's captivity in Venezuela
This Friday marks one year since Utahn Joshua Holt was arrested on false charges in Venezuela....

Sutherland Institute welcomes new vice president
Sutherland Institute is pleased to announce the hiring of Rick Larsen, who will be joining the team as vice president with an emphasis on development and thought leadership....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Michelle Quist Mumford: Jason Chaffetz: The Lonesome Kicker trades up

Utah man faces possible deportation as U.S. military rethinks Army program for foreign recruits

UTA approves a controversial land deal involving players from past scandals

Salt Lake saying goodbye to 'tough negotiator' who helped pilot its airport and keep $3.1B rebuild on course

Thousands of Utahns sign petition, urge Hatch, Lee to oppose GOP health care bill

Utah's U.S. attorney supports increased punishment for illegal immigrants' re-entry, wants to sanction 'sanctuary' cities

Water advisers taking another look at Lake Powell Pipeline, Bear River Project

After giving up on converting trash to electricity, Sandy plans to dump garbage in a new landfill

Ex-state employee sent to prison for $1M-plus fraud seeks to restore her Utah retirement

Jason Chaffetz is joining Fox News, with a salary that doesn't require a housing allowance

Deseret News

Jay Evensen: Voters aren't qualified to make marijuana decisions

Op-ed: Proposed rooftop solar rates are an attempt to unravel energy independence

Op-ed: How the Department of Workforce Services can help Utahns find jobs

Editorial: Pursuing family guardianship of Gary Ott is a sensible approach

Chaffetz says Fox News role just part of his post-Congress plans

U.S. Attorney asks judge tp toss Beaver County suit over wild horse programs

LDS Church calls for more study of medical marijuana

Groups present Hatch's office with 1,000 letters, 5,000 signatures opposing health care bill

Poll: Nearly two-thirds of Utahns open to voting for new United Utah Party candidates

Governor's draft water strategy draws praise, criticism

Other

Editorial: Now it's Utahns' turn to decide about medical marijuana (Standard-Examiner)

Ogden wants to bump tax rate to pay for some unfunded needs (Standard-Examiner)

National Headlines

A bullet hole, a mystery and an FBI agent's indictment - the messy aftermath of an Oregon standoff (Los Angeles Times)

Nancy Pelosi can't be beaten (CNN)

Trump Travel Ban Said to Start Thursday Evening U.S. Time (Bloomberg)

Bob Woodward Chides NYT, Mainstream Media: 'Fair Mindedness is Essential' (Daily Caller)

The media will do anything to bash Trump - and now they're hurting (New York Post)

CNN boss in crosshairs if AT&T-Time Warner merger approved (New York Post)

McConnell is trying to revise the Senate health-care bill by Friday (Washington Post)

Destruction of Arkansas' Ten Commandments monument places spotlight on separation of church and state (Los Angeles Times)

Rauner, Madigan talk 'compromise' while doing little of it (Chicago Tribune)

Minimum Wage Critics Gain Ammunition From New Study (HuffPost)

Trump takes another swipe at Amazon, saying Bezos isn't 'paying internet taxes' (CNBC)

Wise Words

Honesty
"Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom." Thomas Jefferson

Lighter Side

Democratic Party
"Following losses in two special congressional elections this week, one Democratic staffer reportedly said, "We have 80-year-old leaders and 90-year-old ranking members. This isn't a party, it's a giant assisted living center." Even worse, the reporter then asked about the upcoming G7 summit, and several people yelled "Bingo!" Seth Meyers