Morning must reads for Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning must reads for Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Good Tuesday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 73rd day of the year. There are 292 days remaining in 2017.

Lawmakers are growing increasingly hostile toward SB54. A pro-Orrin Hatch mailer is causing some heartburn for Republicans. Trumpcare would cause 24 million people to lose their health insurance.

The clock:

• 15 days until the last day Governor Gary Herbert can sign or veto bills (3/29/2017)
• 67 days until the Utah Republican State Convention (5/20/2017)
• 95 days until the Utah Democratic State Convention at Weber State University (6/17/2017)
• 238 days until the 2017 municipal elections (11/7/2017)
• 314 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)
• 359 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
• 603 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 1330 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today's political TL;DR -

• It's clear that the SB54 compromise, which allows candidates to gather signatures to secure a spot on the primary ballot, is in trouble in the Legislature. The law barely survived an attempt at repealing it on the final night of the 2017 session [Utah Policy].
   
• Some Utah Republicans are upset about a pro-Orrin Hatch mailer sent out by the state party [Utah Policy].
   
• Sen. Mike Lee is worried that President Donald Trump's protectionist trade policy could hurt companies in Utah [Utah Policy].
   
• To say Utah is struggling to keep teachers from leaving is an understatement. Turnover among Utah's teachers hit 56% between 2008 and 2015 [Deseret News].
   
• South Salt Lake officials push back against two possible sites for a new homeless shelter in their city saying they don't have the resources to support such a facility [Tribune, Deseret News]. Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams says no decisions have been made as to where the new shelter will finally end up [Tribune].
   
• Garfield County Commissioners vote in favor of a resolution calling for a smaller Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument [Tribune]. 
   
• Former Gov. Jon Huntsman has a difficult assignment ahead, to say the least, now that he's becoming the U.S. ambassador to Russia [Tribune].
   
• The Congressional Budget Office says the Republican health care proposal would increase the number of Americans who don't have health insurance by 24 million, but would cut the budget by $337 million [New York Times]. The White House's own analysis of "Trumpcare" paints an even bleaker picture [Politico]. Congressional Republicans are hammering the CBO's assessment of the plan [Washington Post].
   
• Here comes another government shutdown fight, but this time it's Democrats who may close things down to prevent President Trump from moving ahead with his border wall proposal [New York Times]. Given Trump's pugilistic nature, the fight may be too tempting for him to pass up [Bloomberg].
   
• The Department of Justice is asking Congress more time to come up with proof to support President Trump's accusation that President Obama ordered wiretaps on him during the 2016 campaign [Politico]. Meanwhile, the White House is backpedaling on the claim, saying Trump really didn't mean "wiretapping" when he used that word [Wall Street Journal].
   
• An internal poll from Republican Congressman Darrel Issa shows his support for President Donald Trump is dragging down his support among voters [Los Angeles Times]. 
   
• Breitbart posts embarrassing audio of Speaker Paul Ryan on a conference call saying he would not defend Donald Trump anymore following the release of the Access Hollywood tapes where he bragged about sexually assaulting women [The Hill].
   
• President Donald Trump has given the CIA the authority to conduct drone strikes against suspected terrorists [Wall Street Journal].

On this day in history:

• 1743 - The first recorded town meeting in America was held, at Faneuil Hall in Boston.
• 1794 - Eli Whitney received a patent for the cotton gin.
• 1812 - The U.S. government authorized the issue of America's first war bonds -- to pay for military equipment for use against the British.
• 1900 - Congress ratified the Gold Standard Act.

cvQ

Today At Utah Policy

Analysis: Shifting alliances mean petition route to the primary ballot is endangered
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
“Oh! What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive” – Sir Water Scott from his epic poem “Marmion.”...

Pro-Hatch mailer rankling some GOP feathers
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
A pro-Orrin Hatch mailer is causing waves among Utah Republicans because it looks like the state party is throwing their support behind the seven-term senator ahead of the 2018 election....

Lee wary of Trump's trade agenda
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
A number of Republicans in Washington are starting to sour on President Donald Trump's protectionist trade agenda. Count Sen. Mike Lee among them....

Policy News

Utah's redesigned Public Services Commission website
The Public Services Commission of Utah announced the launch of a newly redesigned website....

500, 147, 69, 1,866: Judiciary Committee pays tribute to Hatch at 40 year miIestone
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) paid tribute to Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT)—the Committee's senior member and former Chairman—to commemorate his 40 years of service on the Committee....

Treasurer Damschen urges Senators Hatch & Lee to stand up for states' rights to serve constituents without unnecessary interference from Washington
In recent letters, Utah State Treasurer David Damschen urged Utah Senators Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee to stand up for states’ rights to serve constituents without unnecessary interference from Washington – and uphold important DOL Rules that protect state innovatio...

Division of Consumer Protection warns fake utility scam still calling Utah consumers
Francine A. Giani, Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce, announced the Utah Division of Consumer Protection and Rocky Mountain Power continue to receive reports that callers falsely claiming to be affiliated with Rocky Mountain Power are still targeting resi...

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Editorial: Utah has work to do fighting pollution

Huntsman faces 'impossible' task as U.S. ambassador to Russia

Utah lawmakers OK sweeping juvenile justice changes - but not without some opposition

Young refugee loves life in U.S., but wonders about fate of sister left behind

Utah's U.S. attorney offers resignation, as requested by Sessions

Redesigned UTA ski bus service drawing bigger crowds

Rolly: If money talks, Utah GOP is losing to its own legislators

Garfield votes for a smaller Grand Staircase despite divided constituency

Utah Obamacare 'victim' meets with Trump

South Salt Lake officials: We're too small, too poor to support county's homeless shelter

Utah puts up funds to settle lawsuit, saying mentally ill defendants languish in jail

McAdams: 'The options are open' on Salt Lake County shelter site

Kenyan couple agree to leave U.S. after losing appeal of their asylum request

Lengthy revision of Salt Lake County canyon rules is nearly done

Utah school board passively repeals revision for student-athlete transfers

Deseret News

Editorial: Transportation bond

Utah U.S. attorney submitted resignation at Trump administration request

The Bangor Daily News says Maine's national monument battle 'is nothing compared to Utah'

Teacher turnover in Utah exceeded 55 percent over 8 years; turnover for young teachers 73%

South Salt Lake, West Valley mayors stand firm against homeless shelter plan

Other

Box Elder commissioner meets with Trump (Standard-Examiner)

National Headlines

White House Seeks to Cut Billions in Funding for United Nations (Foreign Policy)

Tennessee sues federal government over refugees (USA Today)

Democrats Warn of Showdown Over Trump's Border Wall (Roll Call)

Trump administration reviewing ways to make it easier to launch drone strikes (Washington Post)

The Obamacare replacement bill could die on Wednesday (McClatchy)

Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber says Republicans setting up a 'scam' (Boston Herald)

The CBO Deals Paul Ryan's Health-Care Plan a Major Blow (Atlantic)

Michael Brown video: Prosecutor calls filmmaker's claims 'just stupid' (CNN)

Sean Spicer gets confronted in Apple store; Trump responds (Washington Post)

Video shows environmental activists defacing popular Trump golf course (Washington Post)

Putting 'America First,' Trump said to plan lighter foreign travel than predecessors (CNN)

Wise Words

Good Government
"The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government." Thomas Jefferson

Lighter Side

One More Time
"For the second time, RadioShack has filed for bankruptcy. Experts say if RadioShack goes bankrupt one more time, it can officially run for president." Conan O'Brien