Show Matheson Christensen and Brister Each are idiots all fight for 2nd Congressional District House seat n tJ d s Jeff Dixon Opinion Editor Well Vell people its it's time again for that biennial event that restores that civic spirit that hope for the lie future US U.S. Congressional elections Before I get to what I think of four of the candidates running tor Utah's Second District I must first stress how important it is for EACH of you to vote on Tuesday Nov 7 If you do not vote and even more so if youre you're not into politics youve you've nothing to complain about Y 1 Jr J Ji i Sr r l 4 X t La LaVar Var Christensen you have and youve you've had your chance to speak By not reading about thinking about and acting upon the issues that affect you your family your community and your country you will have effectively neglected your duty as a US U.S. citizen an accomplice to our many ills Forget being into politics on a regular basis if you dont don't get even mildly involved by studying the issues and candidates for a few hours prior to election day and taking a little time to go toa toa to toa a polling location and cast your ballot I loathe you I loathe voters non-voters more than I do my political enemies You voters non-voters you complacent ignorant lazy people who have the privilege to participate in ina a system that not every person in the world presently and historically is able to are a sad group You belong in the lowest caste you are un- un American And voila that's anywhere from 40 to 60 percent of the populace depending on the race I must sound like a misanthrope with such harsh words but such belligerence is warranted cuz cuz the me stakes r r high In the words of the great Ralph Nader If you dont don't turn on to politics politics will turn rum on you Its It's too late to avoid that though its it's already happened In order to create change everyone needs to be involved Including you So please get off for 30 minutes and visit so you know your stuff before you enter the voting booth With that said we start with Utah's only congressional seat held by a Democrat the Second Salt Lake County voters see map Despite their best efforts to gerrymander this district and thus the States State's Democratic voting contingent a few years back Democrat Jim Matheson is a shoo-in shoo for re reelection reelection reelection re- re election and a fourth term in the US U.S. House of Representatives Hes He's done doneso so by being a different sort of Democrat a Utah Democrat which is much in the same vein as other Western Democrats like Nevada Senator Harry Reid and Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer who've succeeded at the polls by r A a r l 1 i ley f n J r VI CJ c The Official Map Mlp O Of 1 i X 7 HEIt E w ENSEN C Congressional Di 2 4 Z F Sah II Lade Lale uni O fk 4 r j tah's Utah's Second Congressional r District t u staying in in touch with prevailing Western values unlike godless gun haters such as Ted Kennedy and Nancy Matheson's so-far- so behind behind- the that i n- n the the-po that Ils-that- wont won't money him-money opponent La LaVar Var Christensen in all of his ineptitude defies the obvious differences between the Matheson and and makes repeated desperate attempts to link the Matheson and who is a Congressional representative for San Francisco He mentions hern her n name name ine and hometown twice on his campaign and at least once in print media A led house something Matheson would vote for is why America needs at least him in order to stop such disastrous scenario His efforts are ineffective among the majority of District 2 voters whore who're still behind their favorite Democrat Matheson Merely mentioning name isn't cutting it in the guilt- guilt by-association by game Christensen Try this little Rove-ism Rove is from abortion- abortion loving smoking pot-smoking terror-supporting terror why not welfare-abusing welfare gun-banning gun pouring free-pouring bondage throwing parade-throwing San Francisco and is soon to be Speaker of the House leading the party of fibbing philanderer Bill Clinton Who knows Perhaps Matheson who is ALSO a Democrat willbe willbe will willbe be unfaithful to HIS wife WITH who'll then abort late in the tenn term their Alas Christensen cant can't think like Rove who would do something like that and more to win an election But Roves Rove's magic is wearing off as he and the Republicans are scrambling for their political lives and have their hands full controlling damage from the Abramoff illegal bribery scandal the Foley- Foley Hastert Instant Message- Message gate and of course the Vietnam-sized Vietnam mistake that thatis is the Iraq war None of this though dooms Christensen as much as Matheson's proven knack for playing up his Nanny Daddy State credentials to fearful Second-District Second voters From wanting to censor violent video games to remaining mum and thus complacent with the Bush Administration on a host of civil liberties violating issues Matheson has you covered This is why Rocky Anderson doesn't endorse his fellow Dem but rather a Green Bob Brister Irv Bristers Brister's r sy f values are r more aligned with Rocky's and those x associated with f the Progressive Movement a living wage an immediate fr d withdrawal withdrawal's r from Iraq and anywhere else we may be high taxes on 4 f. f high-earners high universal 4 health care drug treatment r rather than incarceration and so on Bob Brister While Rocky may agree with Brister more on the issues he could have his sights set on Matheson's seat which could be realigned to include more Democrats if Utah gets a fourth seat in the US U.S. house a proposal Matheson opposes or perhaps fears Matheson shouldn't worry about Rock Rocky or Brister though Rocky's cult of personality doesn't extend beyond South And Brister while having some great ideas about protecting and restoring civil liberties restricting pollution and equality his vision for a big government is too extreme to gain much acc acceptance outside of the halls of academia the Avenues Park City or Rocky Andersons Anderson's office The only other candidate in this campaign who might be worth anything doesn't seem to think this campaign is worth anything Austin Lett a Libertarian from St. St George who hasn't updated his campaign a blog with recorded visitors at the time of this writing since July which i happens to be when he started it J JAll All in all the second 5 t district offers nothing to un conventional un moderate voters I praise Brister for at least mounting a campaign and trying to tackle the two- two party behemoth Although both Matheson and even i t Christensen are quite J t tg g t rational 1 on some issues Issues both pander to to the fears of potential constituents and thus negate those positives by supporting boneheaded ideas which will serve no noone noone noone one including themselves especially not th those these se of us who love Jove freedom If a semi-irrational semi SJ J representative is what any of you Second District voters want on election day just close your eyes and touch the screen You You wont won't be disappointed with selection Just hope that your voting machine isn't programmed to change it as soon as you leave the booth rJ oj w y r. r rr 1 1 t ti t jt j f Jim Matheson |