tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post113199171015732487..comments2023-09-11T08:58:24.710-06:00Comments on Reach Upward: With Urquhart Out, It's Most Likely Term Six for HatchScott Hinrichshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1132150725148498992005-11-16T07:18:00.000-07:002005-11-16T07:18:00.000-07:00Call it what you want; I'm simply trying to report...Call it what you want; I'm simply trying to report the facts. I'm not trying to pass moral judgment on Utah voters; I'm merely stating my understanding of their views. It's absolutely fine for you to disagree with the views of the majority of Utah voters. We have a pluralistic society with a constitution that, when properly applied, is designed to handle differences effectively.<BR/><BR/>You are also free to disagree with my understanding of the views of the majority of Utah voters. However, I believe my analysis of those views is borne out by the voting record.<BR/><BR/>But Utah demographics are in flux. In one to two decades you could see a substantial change in the views of the majority of voters.Scott Hinrichshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1132088753005225092005-11-15T14:05:00.000-07:002005-11-15T14:05:00.000-07:00If the rag fits... I think the evidence is quite c...If the rag fits... I think the evidence is quite clear on the Republicans' environmental record.<BR/><BR/>If you're giving anything a rest, try those tired old "moral issues" of the right like "traditional family values" and "judicial restraint". They're just right-wing ideology summarized in bumpersticker-sized code words.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1132078430699163532005-11-15T11:13:00.000-07:002005-11-15T11:13:00.000-07:00I never claimed that Senator Hatch was a great mor...I never claimed that Senator Hatch was a great moralist. However, when it comes to supporting traditional family values, valuing the lives of the unborn, and promoting judicial restraint, Hatch aligns with the only major political party that speaks in terms that most Utah voters identify with, even if his voting record misses on some points.<BR/><BR/>You can argue with what most Utahans consider to be morally important in government and politics, but you cannot change it overnight with the wave of a magic wand. You can dislike the fact that most Utah voters put more value on some moral issues in the political arena than on others, but that does not change the fact. I do not say that I agree with the majority of Utah voters. I think I have been quite forthcoming about wanting to retire Perma-Hatch. But I also understand reality.<BR/><BR/>(BTW give the "Republicans want to pollute the world" rag a rest. That goes in the same extremist bag with wanting to starve schoolchildren to death, etc.)Scott Hinrichshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1132075592647563472005-11-15T10:26:00.000-07:002005-11-15T10:26:00.000-07:00I agree with some of your analysis so far, but I m...I agree with some of your analysis so far, but I must disagree with some aspects. I agree that most Utahns are not yet disenchanted with Hatch enough to vote against him, I feel most Utahns would like someone better. Second, I agree that Pete is a fiscal conservative, but I argue that he is also a moral conservative. As a some who tries to be moral, I find it offensive that political morality is drawn in such rigid terms that ignores greater morals. For example, hypocrisy is immoral; anyone who has read the New Testament can at least agree with this. Orrin Hatch has made hypocritical statements in many ways. First of all is his 1976 campaign slogan in which he said that Frank Moss' 3 terms was too many; now he is going for his 6th. He was the instrument, if not the architect, of blocking President Clinton's judicial nominees. Now he gets upset when Democrats find a way to stop nominees; the obstructionism is wrong on both sides, but Hatch is hypocritical.<BR/>Also, I do not see how torture is moral; I urge anyone to look at the wikipedia article on torture and tell me that the methods used were moral. However, Senator Hatch supports the CIA and other shadowy government agencies using torture.<BR/>Furthermore, I do find it immoral that Hatch is pro-life but does not care what happens to the mother or child after birth. It is moral to help women avoid abortion, but that morality requires giving them the resources to care for the child before and after birth.<BR/>It is not moral to allow companies to pollute our waters to such a great extent that we cannot eat fish and duck without fears of mercury poisioning. But Orrin Hatch wants to loosen environmental regulations about clean air and water so that it will be easier to build refineries, which will produce more polluting gas. Senator Hatch ignores the morality and practicality of environmental regulations.<BR/>Suffice it to say, Hatch only cares about the morals that help him get elected. Pete Ashdown cares about the morals that matter, not just the ones that will help him get elected.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-1132069656466198432005-11-15T08:47:00.000-07:002005-11-15T08:47:00.000-07:00Good analysis of the race so far. Hatch really ha...Good analysis of the race so far. Hatch really hasn't done anything serious to rock the boat, so why would voters kick him out? His seniority is an asset - I believe he like most Republican Senators are fiscally conservative, but the institution in which they operate requires them to get all they can for their constituencies. Its like Hatch, Bennet, Dole, Domenici ect...saying 'I don't want to spend that much on XYZ but I'll be damned if Oklahoma is going to get more than me!'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com