Today's Beefs

I have two beefs.

The first is the Utah legislature.  Not their total lack of reasonableness in wasting most of the 45 day session promoting "message bills" leaving themselves precious little time to deal with real issues like the budget or education.  Not that they are wasting my time and yours promoting a bill to remove the 100 foot no gun safety zone around schools so unsuspecting "carriers" don't get unwittingly trapped into breaking the law.   

My beef with the legislature is their total hypocrisy in ethics reform.  Last year they were all up in arms that they needed to control influence pedaling so they passed an "ethics in the legislature" bill.  The problem is that the bill has a whole big enough to drive a catering truck through.

Lobbyists are required to report gifts over $10 per legislator with the exception of food and beverage.  This year with 33 days in the session so far lobbyists have provided 112 separate meals.  And that is for all the legislators since under the sweeping ethics reform the lobbyists have to invite everyone.

That's more than three meals a day.  In fact that includes 15 breakfasts, 12 dinners, 27 snacks and 15 receptions among the 112 events sponsored.  I'm glad to see they took ethics reform so seriously.

The second beef is the raves at the Salt Palace.  The news reported for a second time this year (I'm not sure if that is calendar year or in the last 365 days) drugs have been confiscated and people arrested at raves at the Salt Palace Convention Center. 

Why are my tax dollars subsidizing a venue for raves?  Can't the promoters at the Salt Palace get some legitimate gigs?  Maybe they should ask the legislators who they can get for conventions?  Maybe the same people who are catering to their every wishes.  At least then their bribe food will have done some good.