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Show A forum for opinion r . ' a Wednesday Seotember 10. LlCSl 1986 1 in a 6A camoa srimary With nearly two months of campaigning ahead before the November elections, voters can only hope candidates will conduct themselves in a positive and appropriate manner. But, judging from some of the tactics used in primary election campaigns, hoping may be an exercise in futility. Illegal signs prompted warnings from law enforcement agencies. Advertisements, brochures and other campaign literature took a negative, even vicious, tone. Candidates were reluctant to speak with their opponents in public appearances. All this during a primary campaign forebodes an even more negative campaign prior to the November voting. Probably the worst stain on the political activities was the mailing, in the final three days before the voting, of a letter to teachers, urging them to vote for particular candidates in 10 primary pre-prima- ry races. The letter was printed on letterhead of Davis County Teachers United, a group unknown to educators in the county. M. Bryan Gray, owner of Shades of Gray Communications, a Layton public relations company, said he was paid by two teachers, whom he said represented the Teachers United group, to write and print the letter. None of the candidates recommended in the letter say they know anything about its origins. Gray, who has been involved in writing and distributing campaign literature Scouts ask for help to clean camp sites Review editor: Boy Scout Troop 150 made another assault on the Wasatch National Forest Friday, Aug. 8. Though schooled more in minimum camping than in tracking, the Scouts soon realized they were treading hallowed ground. Generations of great outdoors-me- n had preceedcd them in that section of Farmington Canyon. Evidence was everywhere Coors and Budweiscr cans, Rainier bottles, and broken glass from all sorts of beverage containers. You had to be awfully careful setting up your tent, or even sitting down, (the troop went wading in the stream but only with their shoes on.) Ronald McDonald would have been proud to see his favorite lunch stop being advertised in such a remote spot, and even the Colonel could claim a used basket of recent vintage. I couldn't help but marvel at the contrast between the natural beauty of the canyon and the mess that we campers, hunters and partyers had made of it. The thought kept creeping into my mind that the Lord had gone to a great deal of effort to make such a beautiful natural wonder for a garbage dump. When we left we took out more than we brought in, and we vowed that we would take a garbage sack big enough to do that at every camp. But our troop is small and the job is large. We need help. We who use those areas owe it to ourselves, to others and to generations yet to come to or keep those haunts pristine at least serviceable and enjoyable. .We plead for the public to join us. Together we can do it. Leave a campsight or trail as you would like to have found it. If you pack it in, pack it out is a great motto, but it won't solve the problem. It will just slow down the rate of degradation. Let's bring out more than we bring in. "Take In our view for at least ,two of the candidates recommended in the letter, Sheriff Brant Johnson and justice of the peace candidate Jeffery Frost, declined to give names of the teachers he said paid for the letter. It is impossible to estimate how great an effect the letter may have had on the election outcome. Seven of the 10 candidates recommended in the letter won their races. Margins in several contests were slim, but that is not unusual in a primary election with only d of registered voters ballots. casting It does a disservice to educators to say their minds may have been changed by one piece of campaign literature. But, the eleventh-hou- r ploy may have swayed some teachers, especially since it was designed to appear to represent a legitimate education organization, giving the favored candidates Educational Recommendation. Many voters, both educatend tors and to remember best the last name they saw before entering the voting booth, especially if they have no personal knowledge of the candidates. That is why such a campaign tactic, whatever the source, is so unethical and so unfair to candidates who have not practiced a similar type of politics in their own camone-thir- non-educato- paigns. " V V Alyson Brown roo conventions Uta Currently all counties in Utah use a party convention system to determine which names will appear on the primary ballot for either political party. Some people, fearing abuse of the system, are recommending a change to a direct primary vote. As it stands now, these days, a delegate for a particular district is Jamie Erikssen Mike VanDehei Youre working with a small group (290 delegates) and most of them are going to get a feel for the issues and most are going to who would represent the voters. probably make some wise (The present system) is the choices. But when its out in front we choose canAmerican way of the general public...theyre not didates to act on our behalf. yet that involved. One of the big problems is The bottom line for me is that it would increase the number conventions. Though you have a selected, attends their political of dollars to be spent on the poproblem with special interest partys convention and votes for litical races. I know that some of groups, I still favor that. a candidate. It the candidates spent in excess of Mike VanDehei, Layton If a candidate collects 70 per- $15,000 in the primary. Multiply would seem to me staying with cent of the votes there won't be a that by the number of candidates the system they have would be less costly. Even though the othprimary race for that office. If no who started on April 15th.... A direct primary will elimicandidate collects that amount, ers say it seems fairer, the cost the two candidates with the highwould be prohibitive. nate some because of the cost est tallies compete in the primary. the little guy cant afford to go up Its hard to say if it (direct The suggestion for change is to against the big bucks candidate. primary) would be really better or As a candidate it's pretty hard if there are going to be problems forego the delegateconvention there too. The system we do have process and place the names of to go out and meet all the regisall the candidates for each office tered voters. But it is possible for does seem fair. on the primary ballot. a delegate to talk with The process of switching over The voters would then directly the candidates and find out where would be too costly, to the taxdetermine which candidate would they stand on the issues. payers in the printing (of ballots) I candiin their think better we the and the running of the election, generrepresent get party al election for each race. It would dates through the convention sys- and to the supporters." the delegate in the decitem. I think the process works. sion making process. Alyson Brown, Kaysville The Lakeside Review asked arWith the present system sure ea residents and County Clerk youre going to have special interMike Allphin if they felt Davis est groups take over, thats a County should switch to a direct problem. Mostly the delegates reprimary. ally try to get out and represent Mike Allphin, county clerk their district. I dont think a direct primary I had a friend who went out would solve the apathy of the and voted for someone who he voters. In the last election only wouldnt have chosen personally. 23 percent voted and Davis He chose as his district wanted. I County is one of the highest in know youre not always going to the state. That's a small amount have that. Street talk one-on-o- by-pa- Jamie Erikssen, Clearfield (A direct primary) gives more people a chance. If there are only two people running then its just a popularity race. How do we know they are the there right ones for the job should be more people to run for the job. Fidel Rodriguez, Layton Under the present system they (the delegates) dont have the best interests of the people in mind. Someone could sway just a few delegates at a caucus and get in. As far as costs, they would be but the voice of the greater people would be heard. (the delegates) are not necessarily the best people to do the best job. They are put in by special interest groups and it just gets back to they dont keep the peoples best interest. They could care less what (the general population) wants you owe me something. You sold your soul to me. ss nothing but pictures (and gar- whose violatons they really were. Another homeowner was atbage), leave nothing but footand a heritage for tacked with violations like his prints others. house wasn't painted, the cement You may even want to go back foundation of his home didnt again yourself. aW Iverson have the usual cosmetic finish Scoutmaster and their window well didn't conLayton tain enough gravel. In reference to the second homeowner, a senior citizen working part time, efforts are under way to paint the home. Its Review editor: over half painted; however, efin forts werent seemingly fast there has Recently, Layton, been an anonymous assailant enough because a letter was sent seemingly going from home to from the city stating that legal achome and looking for things that tion would be taken to make sure are wrong with the physical that these violations were taken structure or appearance of hous- care of. Also, the complaint ares. rived just three weeks before one of his sons was to be married. a Upon finding things wrong, formal anonymous complaint Why is it that someone can viis filed with the city and the olate your home by coming close homeowner is now obligated to enough to measure how far onto correct this fault or be fined. the sidewalk your cars bumper But when the homeowner inprotrudes or look into your winquires as to who the accuser is, dow wells to see if there is he is informed that it is a private enough gravel, and file a formal citizen who wishes to remain complaint against you, yet still reanonymous and that they can not main anonymous? To me, this is not only tresdivulge that information. an Being understanding person, passing but harrassment and I can see why a complaint would should be dealt with accordingly. be filed if the problems were a The city thinks otherwise. When individuals take it upon hazard to children or adults. But themselves to force another inthe items which are being comto living as they see fit or as they plained about are extremely trivial and ridiculous to those want, the things our forefathers fought for are all in vain. receiving the complaints and outside observers and neighbors. As the Savior taught in the Sermon on the Mount, And why For instance: One homeowner was cited for over 100 discrepanbeholdest thou the mote that is in cies including items like: their they brothers eye, but considerest bushes werent the same size (a not the beam that is in thine own violation of subdivison code), eye? (Matthew 7:3) The person their second car hung out six guilty of this was called by the inches over the sidewalk, a ladder Savior a hypocrite. was hung on the garage seven feet I, for one, am not going to go above the ground, or their grapes and look for flaws in his house, even if I knew who he was, bewere growing on their back fence. cause to look for the bad instead Some of the complaints against of the good in something or the homeowners were on items that did not belong to them, but someone only degrades me. I fee! that this is the lowest because it appeared to be on their form of harrassment, to do it were charged. property, they When this was told to the city, anonymously, and that it has no those particular charges were bearing in human society. Scott R. Barnes dropped but no complaints were Clearfield the brought against neighbors Focus On America's Help Prevent Birth Defects Complaints taking away privacy rights Antique Replica 48" Table With One 24" Leaf; Ball & Claw Feet. 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