Critics of state and local government action on immigration fail to keep in mind one simple but critical point: The states have these rights. It is preposterous to take the position that, short of federal action or the commission of a crime, governors and mayors are constitutionally powerless to deal with illegal immigrants within their states and cities. The argument that state and local governments must incur enormous fiscal and societal costs, asserting that all aspects of immigration (legal or illegal) are entirely the purview of the federal government, is …
In the past year, the Congressional health care battle has usurped much of the public discourse on health care reform. In the mean time, Utah has quietly begun implementing its own version of reform, moving its health care system in a more patient-centered, consumer-driven direction. In a recent paper, Heritage analyst Ed Haislmaier outlines the obstacles Utah has overcome to achieving its objectives of giving “employers, particularly smaller firms, an easier way to offer health benefits to their workers and to provide workers and their families with more coverage choices.” …
Since our “modest proposal” essay was published in the Washington Post on Feb. 19, we have heard mostly support, but some criticism. The critics tend to question Utah’s ability to assume complete responsibility for education, transportation and Medicaid, and manage these important functions of government properly. We assert that not only can we run these programs adequately without federal oversight and interference, but we can operate them more effectively, more efficiently, and serve citizens better. It seems that many in Congress maintain an elitist attitude about government: The bigger the …
Utah is not the only Western state that is rejecting the left’s global warming regulation policies. This week Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) signed an executive order stating that Arizona will not endorse any emission-control plan that could raise costs for consumers and businesses. The Arizona Republic reports: Arizona will no longer participate in a groundbreaking attempt to limit greenhouse-gas emissions across the West, a change in policy by Gov. Jan Brewer that will include a review of all the state’s efforts to combat climate change. … State officials said …
Utah’s House Legislature took a strong stance against cap and trade as well as the alleged scientific consensus by passing a nonbinding resolution yesterday 56-17. Specifically, the resolution “urges the United States Environmental Protection Agency to halt its carbon dioxide reduction policies and programs and with its “Endangerment Finding” and related regulations until a full and independent investigation of the climate data conspiracy and global warming science can be substantiated. Most state representatives are not only questioning the scientific consensus but also the economic implications of cap and trade or …
Americans love having options. From the food we eat to the cars we drive, we relish making our own choices based on our preferences and what is best for ourselves and our families. Health care should not be an exception. Yet the proposals put forward by the Obama administration and the Democratic congressional leadership would create a massive government plan for health care and crowd out the choices Americans expect. A federal government takeover of our nation’s health care will limit, if not eliminate, an individual’s options in insurance and …
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UoSvb8yYwI[/youtube] Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a newly minted freshman from Utah, brought his laid back, candid style to Heritage at Tuesday’s blogger briefing. Chaffetz won his seat using social media and demanding fiscal discipline from Washington. We have to adhere to the Constitution, to fiscal discipline, to limited government, accountability and strong national defense. We weren’t actually executing on those. More and more you started asking people about fiscal responsibility and they wouldn’t necessarily associate Republicans directly with that issue. It’s because they had been fiscally irresponsible on that issue in my opinion, and I argued to …
What’s one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. When it comes to nuclear waste, where the government sees a problem, Salt Lake City-based EnergySolutions sees a dollar sign. And what’s best is that the government can’t stop them: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it doesn’t have the authority to prevent foreign radioactive waste from being imported into the United States. The NRC wrote in an April 9 letter to Reps. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) and Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) that the Atomic Energy Act doesn’t distinguish between domestic and foreign waste. The …
Nuclear energy provides the United States with 20 percent of its electricity, but none to Utah. If the state legislature gets their wish, it could stay that way for the Beehive State: Lawmakers on Wednesday introduced a bill in the Utah House that would effectively stop any nuclear power plant from setting up in the state. The measure would prevent nuclear power plants from operating in Utah unless there is a federally licensed facility with adequate capacity available to dispose of any high-level radioactive waste. The proposed Yucca Mountain repository …
