My father had a favorite poem that he wanted to commit to memory. He enlisted the help of us children to help him learn it and, as one might expect, the kids learned it faster than my dad. The poem was Kipling’s “If”, and a small part of the poem that I have remembered, after some forty years, goes like this:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
This being good advice has made waking up on this day a little easier. Meeting triumph and disaster, I have decided to treat those two imposters the same.
On the wall of my campaign headquarters (aka the guest bedroom) there is a poster that my son gave to my daughter for Christmas. It is an inspirational poster and has a quote and a lovely photo of a ski jumper. The large title is "Ineptitude". The quote says: "If you can’t learn to do something well, you should at least learn to enjoy doing it poorly." Perhaps you can imagine what the ski jumper looks like.
I think I have been well served by the sentiments of this poster. Like many of my fellow candidates in Utah County this year, my campaign for the legislature has been a new adventure. If someone had told me 12 months ago that my name would be on the ballot this year, I’d have told him he was crazy. There have been times during this year that I have decided that I was the one who was crazy. But somehow, as I have campaigned poorly in many ways, I have learned to enjoy it too.
I hope I can adequately express thanks to all the volunteers and financial supporters who believed in me. We knew we had a big challenge to overcome. I received this quote from a friend, attributed to Abraham Lincoln:
"The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just."
Many people knew our probability and pitched in with hope. I have so appreciated that encouragement.
Thank you, to all my friends!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Comparing Apples to Apples
I was encouraged early on in the campaign to make a clear distinction between my political opponent and myself. Now, this wouldn't be so hard if I could say that my opponent was a dirty, rotten scoundrel -- but he isn't. He is a friendly family man with good relationships with his friends and family, as far as I know. I assume that he wants to give public service and that is why he got involved in politics. My reason for running for office wasn't because I had personal animosity for him; I just think I have different priorities than he does.
When difficult choices are put before public officials, they need to remember that more is not always better. More laws, more micromanaging, more intervention. Sometimes the best public policy is less legislation. In other areas, intervention is necessary. For example, we need health care reform, so that health insurance is more accessible. That is why these priorities are so important.
Since my decision to run for office, I have had the opportunity to meet and visit with many people of the district by going door to door to introduce myself. It has given me added perspective about the impact of government. The economic hard times in Utah will be felt in many ways. We are better off than those in most other states because of tight spending. I do not, however, agree with many of the priorities that the legislature has acted on. Legislation should reflect how it can strengthen families and communities. It should be based on a vision for the future that includes a strong education system, a safe and healthy environment, and efficient and effect transportation.
While funding for public education was the issue that got me to pay attention to the state legislature, I would say that the thing that really moved me to action was the concern over ethics. The legislature lacks clear, specific, and reasonable ethical guidelines. These have become problematic --- especially lately when some votes have been particularly divisive. There have been proposals and sponsored legislation for stricter ethical rules but they have rarely made it out of committee and never passed. It is as if the legislators, look around at each other, smile and say, “We are all nice people; we don’t need these rules.” The rules are needed not only to stop corruption but to protect those who are acting forthrightly. It gives assurance that public officials are trustworthy. And public trust of government is extremely important. While there is no mention of ethics from my opponent, ethics reform is an item of high priority for me.
Another of the places where my political opponent and I differ is on environmental issues. He rejected a bill at first that gave consumers incentives to drive fuel efficient cars. He also voted against the bill that would prohibit school busses from idling on duty. Both of these bills, which passed, help to conserve gasoline and lessen air pollution.
It is difficult to know what he thought of school vouchers because I have found people who told me that he promised them support of vouchers and others who were promised opposition, depending on whether they supported or opposed vouchers themselves. Eventually he voted in favor of vouchers. I opposed the voucher legislation of 2006. I oppose sending tax dollars to private schools, and this particular plan had the potential to send public schools into a downward spiral. A strong public education system that unifies neighborhoods is a priority to me.
This year all of my opponent’s campaign funds have come from special interests, corporations, or other republican party coffers. Mine have come from family, friends, and neighbors in the legislative district. I have received a $1000 line of credit from the UEA, public school’s “union” because they believe me to be a better support of public education than the incumbent. It is a priority to me that campaign funding for representatives be supplied by the people they will represent.
I notice in the blogosphere that there is talk about his poor attendance record at legislative interim committee meetings. I can understand this. He is a young dad with many family responsibilities. While I don’t judge him for how he prioritizes his time, I will commit the time and energy needed to represent the people of this legislative district, both during the legislative session and throughout the year. I think that the people of the district deserve this commitment.
Finally, independence is a priority to me. My opponent is a reliable follower of Republican Party leadership. I find that the Republican Party leadership has so tied up the political process to protect incumbents, that new-comers cannot get past the county convention. This denies candidates a chance for a popular vote, which is at the heart of a democracy. Although I have been a republican all my life, I discovered that the Utah County Platform for the Democratic Party is very moderate—and conservative in the aspects that are important to me. I felt that the Republican Party was not likely to heal itself from the inside and decided to run for the legislature as a democrat. I will not be bullied or threatened by members of my own party or any other. It is essential to have a better-balanced legislature to ensure ethics reform and dialog on important issues.
When difficult choices are put before public officials, they need to remember that more is not always better. More laws, more micromanaging, more intervention. Sometimes the best public policy is less legislation. In other areas, intervention is necessary. For example, we need health care reform, so that health insurance is more accessible. That is why these priorities are so important.
Since my decision to run for office, I have had the opportunity to meet and visit with many people of the district by going door to door to introduce myself. It has given me added perspective about the impact of government. The economic hard times in Utah will be felt in many ways. We are better off than those in most other states because of tight spending. I do not, however, agree with many of the priorities that the legislature has acted on. Legislation should reflect how it can strengthen families and communities. It should be based on a vision for the future that includes a strong education system, a safe and healthy environment, and efficient and effect transportation.
While funding for public education was the issue that got me to pay attention to the state legislature, I would say that the thing that really moved me to action was the concern over ethics. The legislature lacks clear, specific, and reasonable ethical guidelines. These have become problematic --- especially lately when some votes have been particularly divisive. There have been proposals and sponsored legislation for stricter ethical rules but they have rarely made it out of committee and never passed. It is as if the legislators, look around at each other, smile and say, “We are all nice people; we don’t need these rules.” The rules are needed not only to stop corruption but to protect those who are acting forthrightly. It gives assurance that public officials are trustworthy. And public trust of government is extremely important. While there is no mention of ethics from my opponent, ethics reform is an item of high priority for me.
Another of the places where my political opponent and I differ is on environmental issues. He rejected a bill at first that gave consumers incentives to drive fuel efficient cars. He also voted against the bill that would prohibit school busses from idling on duty. Both of these bills, which passed, help to conserve gasoline and lessen air pollution.
It is difficult to know what he thought of school vouchers because I have found people who told me that he promised them support of vouchers and others who were promised opposition, depending on whether they supported or opposed vouchers themselves. Eventually he voted in favor of vouchers. I opposed the voucher legislation of 2006. I oppose sending tax dollars to private schools, and this particular plan had the potential to send public schools into a downward spiral. A strong public education system that unifies neighborhoods is a priority to me.
This year all of my opponent’s campaign funds have come from special interests, corporations, or other republican party coffers. Mine have come from family, friends, and neighbors in the legislative district. I have received a $1000 line of credit from the UEA, public school’s “union” because they believe me to be a better support of public education than the incumbent. It is a priority to me that campaign funding for representatives be supplied by the people they will represent.
I notice in the blogosphere that there is talk about his poor attendance record at legislative interim committee meetings. I can understand this. He is a young dad with many family responsibilities. While I don’t judge him for how he prioritizes his time, I will commit the time and energy needed to represent the people of this legislative district, both during the legislative session and throughout the year. I think that the people of the district deserve this commitment.
Finally, independence is a priority to me. My opponent is a reliable follower of Republican Party leadership. I find that the Republican Party leadership has so tied up the political process to protect incumbents, that new-comers cannot get past the county convention. This denies candidates a chance for a popular vote, which is at the heart of a democracy. Although I have been a republican all my life, I discovered that the Utah County Platform for the Democratic Party is very moderate—and conservative in the aspects that are important to me. I felt that the Republican Party was not likely to heal itself from the inside and decided to run for the legislature as a democrat. I will not be bullied or threatened by members of my own party or any other. It is essential to have a better-balanced legislature to ensure ethics reform and dialog on important issues.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Gotta be the Economy
When the Utah Foundation surveyed Utahns for a list of prioritized issues last spring, there were a lot of items to choose from--transportation, the environment, education. I'm sure there were some who had financial worries but the worries didn't seem to be wide-spread.
There had been talk of a housing bubble. There were a lot of "no down payment" loans being pushed. There was even news of unprecedented consumer debt. Still there was definitely a feeling of being blind-sided when the financial melt down began a month or two ago.
Now, there are predictions of doomsday and comparisons being made to the stock market crash of 1929. While the Congress and the feds fuss and fume about what is to be done to mitigate the trouble, it is clear that there is no way to avoid it altogether. Both presidential candidates are blaming deregulation, so it seems that "trickle down" economics has turned into a deluge of debt that we will all be swimming in, whether we were wise in our own money management or not.
The State of Utah has a great challenge ahead of it. We will be in better shape than many states but the problems in the stock market and banking industries will have repercussions here as well as everywhere else. The decisions that will be made as budgets are cut and appropriations examined will be extremely important and will require prioritizing needs. Everyone will be wanting a larger slice of an ever-smaller pie.
As I have walked from house to house in my legislative district, I have discussed with many people the needs of individuals and families. The incentives to business must take a backseat in times like these. Lobbyists may holler but the voices of hundreds of my neighbors have my ear.
As I continue to walk door to door, the conversations with the voters are showing their concerns about future economic stability.
"My retirement is disappearing."
"I may get laid off."
"I'm worried about my mortgage."
What issues are you watching in the next year or two?
It's gotta be the economy.
There had been talk of a housing bubble. There were a lot of "no down payment" loans being pushed. There was even news of unprecedented consumer debt. Still there was definitely a feeling of being blind-sided when the financial melt down began a month or two ago.
Now, there are predictions of doomsday and comparisons being made to the stock market crash of 1929. While the Congress and the feds fuss and fume about what is to be done to mitigate the trouble, it is clear that there is no way to avoid it altogether. Both presidential candidates are blaming deregulation, so it seems that "trickle down" economics has turned into a deluge of debt that we will all be swimming in, whether we were wise in our own money management or not.
The State of Utah has a great challenge ahead of it. We will be in better shape than many states but the problems in the stock market and banking industries will have repercussions here as well as everywhere else. The decisions that will be made as budgets are cut and appropriations examined will be extremely important and will require prioritizing needs. Everyone will be wanting a larger slice of an ever-smaller pie.
As I have walked from house to house in my legislative district, I have discussed with many people the needs of individuals and families. The incentives to business must take a backseat in times like these. Lobbyists may holler but the voices of hundreds of my neighbors have my ear.
As I continue to walk door to door, the conversations with the voters are showing their concerns about future economic stability.
"My retirement is disappearing."
"I may get laid off."
"I'm worried about my mortgage."
What issues are you watching in the next year or two?
It's gotta be the economy.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Happy Constitution Day!
I want to take a break from campaigning to acknowledge a document that has changed the world. The Constitution of the United States was signed by a majority of the participants at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on this day in 1787.
I love this country. I love that it was founded on the concepts that "small people" can govern themselves. I love that this document was made to live, breathe, and grow with a country that would change rapidly in the subsequent 221 years. I love that the rights outlined in the First Amendment have challenged Americans to examine themselves and better their own instincts.
Despite its bumpy history I remain an optimist about the future of the United States. The Statue of Liberty has welcomed tired, poor, huddled masses and continues to do so. Of still greater impact is the attitude of the American people that, whatever his or her beginnings, the individual is worthy of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Americans are generous people; charitable giving and volunteerism are strong impulses. Americans have a sense of justice but love to see signs of mercy mixed in.
I agree with the observation that Alexis de Tocqueville made over a hundred years ago: "America is great because she is good." I also acknowledge the corollary that-- "If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."
The greatest service we can give to our country is to make a commitment to goodness. The Constitution has a physical structure; it is our goodness that enlivens this document and gives it longevity.
Happy Birthday and long live the Constitution of the United States!
I love this country. I love that it was founded on the concepts that "small people" can govern themselves. I love that this document was made to live, breathe, and grow with a country that would change rapidly in the subsequent 221 years. I love that the rights outlined in the First Amendment have challenged Americans to examine themselves and better their own instincts.
Despite its bumpy history I remain an optimist about the future of the United States. The Statue of Liberty has welcomed tired, poor, huddled masses and continues to do so. Of still greater impact is the attitude of the American people that, whatever his or her beginnings, the individual is worthy of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Americans are generous people; charitable giving and volunteerism are strong impulses. Americans have a sense of justice but love to see signs of mercy mixed in.
I agree with the observation that Alexis de Tocqueville made over a hundred years ago: "America is great because she is good." I also acknowledge the corollary that-- "If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."
The greatest service we can give to our country is to make a commitment to goodness. The Constitution has a physical structure; it is our goodness that enlivens this document and gives it longevity.
Happy Birthday and long live the Constitution of the United States!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Lipstick Quick-draw
When Geraldine Ferraro and Shirley Chisolm were national political candidates, the country was not at all ready to welcome a woman into the White House. Now in 2008, it has been interesting to see the excitement generated on diverse ends of the political spectrum, by the entrance of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin into the national spotlight.
Sarah Palin is rousing support by her socially conservative convictions that fit so well the culture of Utah and much of the western United States. At the same time, she is praised for the courageous handling of entrenched political power brokers in her own party and the special interests who were accommodated in Alaska state government.
Whether or not she is a candidate prepared for presidential responsibilities, her history should be looked at with interest in the state of Utah. She came to her office as governor describing herself as a "Hockey Mom", doggedly dedicated to ethics reform in state government. She saw closed door deals, politicians enjoying campaign gifts and financing from Big Oil or other special interests, and various ethical problems in the state. Her success in handling these problems is making national news. This should send chills through the Utah Republican Party.
Moderate republicans, as well as democrats, have been calling for ethics reform in the Utah legislature for years. Well-managed leadership in the State Republican Party has, however, held them at bay. As long as incumbents could recruit enough friends to become delegates to the county conventions, voters would have no say about their party nominees. The Democratic Party, hobbled by progressive national politics, could not elect a legislator in Utah County as well as much of the state, and the republicans ceased to worry about campaigning against them. As a result, the ethical questions have gone unanswered.
Unable to heal the Party from within, many traditional republicans and unaffiliated voters are looking to the Democratic Party for a "bulldog" to stir up the questions.
Thank you, Sarah Palin, for making this cause a popular one in Utah! Women's ability to take on this problem is certainly now proven. Now I just need to get a little more consistent with wearing lipstick.
Sarah Palin is rousing support by her socially conservative convictions that fit so well the culture of Utah and much of the western United States. At the same time, she is praised for the courageous handling of entrenched political power brokers in her own party and the special interests who were accommodated in Alaska state government.
Whether or not she is a candidate prepared for presidential responsibilities, her history should be looked at with interest in the state of Utah. She came to her office as governor describing herself as a "Hockey Mom", doggedly dedicated to ethics reform in state government. She saw closed door deals, politicians enjoying campaign gifts and financing from Big Oil or other special interests, and various ethical problems in the state. Her success in handling these problems is making national news. This should send chills through the Utah Republican Party.
Moderate republicans, as well as democrats, have been calling for ethics reform in the Utah legislature for years. Well-managed leadership in the State Republican Party has, however, held them at bay. As long as incumbents could recruit enough friends to become delegates to the county conventions, voters would have no say about their party nominees. The Democratic Party, hobbled by progressive national politics, could not elect a legislator in Utah County as well as much of the state, and the republicans ceased to worry about campaigning against them. As a result, the ethical questions have gone unanswered.
Unable to heal the Party from within, many traditional republicans and unaffiliated voters are looking to the Democratic Party for a "bulldog" to stir up the questions.
Thank you, Sarah Palin, for making this cause a popular one in Utah! Women's ability to take on this problem is certainly now proven. Now I just need to get a little more consistent with wearing lipstick.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
The pain in Campaign
The challenge of running for office as a democrat in Utah County is in discovering who the "swing" voters are. I happen to know that among the registered republicans, there are quite a few "closet democrats" who just wanted to have a chance to vote for something (as in, vote in the Republican Primary). There are also a number of disenchanted republicans who are looking for a way to change the State Legislature and just need to know there is an alternative to the incumbent.
So how does one find these potential supporters?
Walking the district -- going door to door to introduce myself to the neighbors. And that's what I have been doing this summer.
My door to door campaign is one of the reasons my blog entries have been so sparce this summer.
I enjoy the experience of meeting people and visiting with them at their doors. It does, however, have its dangers.
One Saturday, I stood at a door, campaign flyer in hand, and admired the floral wreath hanging there as I waited for the owners to open the door. As it opened, the jarring startled three or four bees who had been nestled in among the flowers of the wreath. They flew out and into my face and one stung me on the cheek when it hit. The lady of the house accepted my flyer as I grimaced and stuttered my greeting, "Hello, my name is Deon Turley and I -- I've just been stung by a bee!"
So how does one find these potential supporters?
Walking the district -- going door to door to introduce myself to the neighbors. And that's what I have been doing this summer.
My door to door campaign is one of the reasons my blog entries have been so sparce this summer.
I enjoy the experience of meeting people and visiting with them at their doors. It does, however, have its dangers.
One Saturday, I stood at a door, campaign flyer in hand, and admired the floral wreath hanging there as I waited for the owners to open the door. As it opened, the jarring startled three or four bees who had been nestled in among the flowers of the wreath. They flew out and into my face and one stung me on the cheek when it hit. The lady of the house accepted my flyer as I grimaced and stuttered my greeting, "Hello, my name is Deon Turley and I -- I've just been stung by a bee!"
Friday, June 13, 2008
The Educrat
A newspaper recently carried letter to the editor that commented on the large numbers of opposition candidates vying for a seat in the state legislature. Noting that many were from the teaching profession, it warned against the election of “educrats” who wanted to take over the legislature.
Certainly there is a strong showing of the education community in the field of candidates this year. I see it as a natural response to the legislature’s arrogant disregard of constituents' support of public education.
I was, however, fascinated by the term “educrat”. It isn’t found in the dictionary and the word itself sounds like something spat on the ground. Who would want a title like that?
If having a commitment to public education makes me an educrat, it is a label I'll gladly accept. If recognizing the need for excellence in institutions of higher education in the state, and wanting to fund them sufficiently makes me an educrat, I admit to it. If efforts to provide everyone literacy training and educational opportunity would make me an educrat, sign me up.
Statistically, Utah is the youngest state in the nation. Families are large and school-age children make up a large percentage of our population. Young people left to popular media, television and advertising, won't find training for informed citizenship. Preparation for their emergence into responsible adulthood requires a large investment.
It is well-established that education is power – not only measured in earning capacity but in ability to control one’s own life. We want our children to understand how to function in an increasingly complex world. The educated citizen is more likely to tell a good idea from a bad one, a trustworthy steward from a swindler. Parents play the greatest role in raising their children. Most families rely on public schools to help them teach their children to become independent, thoughtful individuals.
Our society also invests in the future through education. Public schools should prepare children to become productive, informed citizens. We all benefit when doctors know how to operate, architects can design a building well, and engineers create planes, trains, and cars that get us where we need to go in a safe manner.
The training of teachers has never been better. They are being prepared to teach a wide range of children with various individual challenges, family circumstances, and cultural backgrounds.
The administrators of public schools and state institutions of higher education shoulder responsibilities that are comparable to CEO's of large businesses in terms of employee management, legal navigation, contract negotiations, capital investments, and the logistical maze of governmental requests, requirements, and restrictions.
The biggest difference between schools and business enterprises is that business generates its own income; public education must rely on public revenue controlled by elected officials.
Our state legislators show their commitments by what they are willing to nurture, support, and entrust.
Nurturing the education community means giving them manageable class sizes. The current student to teacher ratios in Utah are among the highest in the nation. This means our students get the lowest levels of individual attention of any group of public school students in the country.
Supporting the education community means providing the funds necessary to do the job. That hasn’t happened in our state. Public school employees in Utah are among the lowest paid in the nation. Per-pupil funding of education continues to place Utah at the bottom of the stack, relative to every other state in the nation.
Trusting the education community means allowing parents, teachers, and administrators at the local level to control their budgets and curriculum. In this year's legislative session a big part of the increased education funding went to specific state-defined programs. School officials who see, at close range, the needs of the students and employees, are constantly shuffling budget categories to meet the requirements of earmarked funding.
The effects of this neglect take years to emerge but they are showing up now. Scores that show preparation for post-high school training are dropping and measurements of technical understanding among Utah's population are showing a decline. This trend must stop. To scrimp on education is to leave the next generation unprepared for the challenges of a complex world.
We must be willing to nurture, support, and trust the education community. Our legislature could use a few more educrats who will do that.
Certainly there is a strong showing of the education community in the field of candidates this year. I see it as a natural response to the legislature’s arrogant disregard of constituents' support of public education.
I was, however, fascinated by the term “educrat”. It isn’t found in the dictionary and the word itself sounds like something spat on the ground. Who would want a title like that?
If having a commitment to public education makes me an educrat, it is a label I'll gladly accept. If recognizing the need for excellence in institutions of higher education in the state, and wanting to fund them sufficiently makes me an educrat, I admit to it. If efforts to provide everyone literacy training and educational opportunity would make me an educrat, sign me up.
Statistically, Utah is the youngest state in the nation. Families are large and school-age children make up a large percentage of our population. Young people left to popular media, television and advertising, won't find training for informed citizenship. Preparation for their emergence into responsible adulthood requires a large investment.
It is well-established that education is power – not only measured in earning capacity but in ability to control one’s own life. We want our children to understand how to function in an increasingly complex world. The educated citizen is more likely to tell a good idea from a bad one, a trustworthy steward from a swindler. Parents play the greatest role in raising their children. Most families rely on public schools to help them teach their children to become independent, thoughtful individuals.
Our society also invests in the future through education. Public schools should prepare children to become productive, informed citizens. We all benefit when doctors know how to operate, architects can design a building well, and engineers create planes, trains, and cars that get us where we need to go in a safe manner.
The training of teachers has never been better. They are being prepared to teach a wide range of children with various individual challenges, family circumstances, and cultural backgrounds.
The administrators of public schools and state institutions of higher education shoulder responsibilities that are comparable to CEO's of large businesses in terms of employee management, legal navigation, contract negotiations, capital investments, and the logistical maze of governmental requests, requirements, and restrictions.
The biggest difference between schools and business enterprises is that business generates its own income; public education must rely on public revenue controlled by elected officials.
Our state legislators show their commitments by what they are willing to nurture, support, and entrust.
Nurturing the education community means giving them manageable class sizes. The current student to teacher ratios in Utah are among the highest in the nation. This means our students get the lowest levels of individual attention of any group of public school students in the country.
Supporting the education community means providing the funds necessary to do the job. That hasn’t happened in our state. Public school employees in Utah are among the lowest paid in the nation. Per-pupil funding of education continues to place Utah at the bottom of the stack, relative to every other state in the nation.
Trusting the education community means allowing parents, teachers, and administrators at the local level to control their budgets and curriculum. In this year's legislative session a big part of the increased education funding went to specific state-defined programs. School officials who see, at close range, the needs of the students and employees, are constantly shuffling budget categories to meet the requirements of earmarked funding.
The effects of this neglect take years to emerge but they are showing up now. Scores that show preparation for post-high school training are dropping and measurements of technical understanding among Utah's population are showing a decline. This trend must stop. To scrimp on education is to leave the next generation unprepared for the challenges of a complex world.
We must be willing to nurture, support, and trust the education community. Our legislature could use a few more educrats who will do that.
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