Civility is in the Discussion, not Lack of Discussion

I'm both a man who wants to be civil and who wants the negatives about candidates vetted.

Some criticism I dismiss as people throwing stones when stones don't need to be thrown. Like, when people criticized President Obama this past week for saying when someone succeeds, others helped, the person didn't do it all on their own.

Other times, the criticism might or might not be true, but it is pertinent and needs to be discussed. Sometimes, accusations not brought right out in public simmer, traveling by word of mouth with the accused not knowing about them to be able to defend against them.

Civility lays not in failing to discuss something, but in discussing it in a fair, respectful and open-minded manner.

Fetus Looks Human, is Human

'Tis late. No time to come up with a new post, so I repost an old one.

This picture making the rounds on the Internet -- I saw it on Facebook -- makes as strong an argument against abortion as anything. The baby is said to be but 12 weeks into gestation.

"Don't know how anyone can look at this and say that is not a person." said Russell Brooksbank (a Facebook friend of mine) when he saw the picture.

. . . And, Perhaps We Don't

As a rebuttle to my own thoughts, on having a bar next to every neighborhood, I think of roommates I've had who would not have gotten a drink some nights if it was too far for them to walk.

Out of reach, out of beer.

Do we have statistics on drinking levels of neighborhoods that do have bars versus those that don't? I doubt, but it would be interesting. I can only imagine, though, that availability is a factor in how much alcohol is consumed.

Perhaps We Need a Bar Next to Every Neighborhood

Today, we consider whether I believe in the neighborhood bar.

Perhaps, a bar should be next to every neighborhood, as a service. Just as every community should be served by a hospital, and every community should have parks and libraries, so every neighborhood should have a bar.

Perhaps. Give me the statistics on how many drunk drivers are returning from the bar, and I'll probably agree that as long as we have people drinking in the bars, we should bring the bars close enough that they can walk there, not drive.

I'm not 100 percent of this opinion, but considering it.

Instill a Love of Learning, and We Will be World Class

Comes a question, from the League of Women Voters, to candidates such as I. (I'm running for the state legislature, House District 44.)

"What is crucial to creating a world-class education system in Utah? How should it be financed?"

We will need to have teachers who enjoy what they do, who teach with excitement and make the topics interesting. We will need to have students who come to class excited to learn. All the funding and all the solutions to be offered cannot substitute for those two factors. Give us just those two things, and our students will excel and learn beyond what students elsewhere are learning.

So, fostering a love of education, and simple things such as parents expressing a love of education to their children are more important than fancy programs.

That is not to say we shouldn't have the best programs we can find, and the best we can afford. It is just to say that first and foremost, we should hype the opportunity to learn. We should instill in all our people a love of learning.

If we create this love of learning, it will not so much matter whether the education is public or private. Motivation trumps system.

Let's Look into the Romney Affair

Of Mitt Romney, I offer ye all some words. I am not ready to dismiss it all as just lies and libel.

I will say, instead, while I want to vote for him, his reply has not been enough.

Mitt's been charged with some pretty heavy things. The current president -- that would be Barrack Obama -- has even wondered if he committed a felony.

And, it is a felony -- I believe -- to falsify a federal document. Romney is said to have listed himself as a "sole stockholder, chairman of the board, chief executive officer, and president" of Bain Capital in 2001, and as "Executive" in 2002.

Romney has responded that Obama is not conducting himself in accord with how a president should act. "Is this the level that the Obama campaign is willing to stoop to?" he replied on CNN. "Is this the standards expected of the presidency of the United States?"

Such a reply is not enough, for me. Did Romney falsify a federal document? He is saying he "had no role whatsoever in the management of Bain Capital after February of 1999."

Even an independent source verifies he was no longer managing Bain. "I was an owner, and being a shareholder doesn't mean you're running the business," he says.

I would not doubt the independent fact-checkers are verifing that. Although remaining owner of it, it appears he did, indeed, step away from running Bain Capital.

Alas, that document on file with the Securities Exchange Commission says not only that he was owner, but that he was chief executive officer and president. That is a different matter. It becomes a question, then, of whether it is okay to list yourself with the title, even though your functions with the company are -- of your own admission -- not such.

 Is CEO just a title? Is there no ethical responsibility to be functioning even in the least way as CEO in order to list yourself as CEO?

CBS interviewed a former SEC investigator and enforcement officer who said it is okay to put your name down as CEO without actually being an active manager. Does that mean we, as the public, should also say it is okay? Or, can we continue to look at it and ask, you had yourself listed as CEO, so you shouldn't you be functioning, at least in some fashion, as CEO?


It has been suggested that when Romney ran for governor of Massachusetts in 2004, to establish his eligibility, he said he was still with Bain, that while he took a leave of absence, he was still affiliated with the company.

Can you have it both ways? If in order to qualify for running for office you say you are affiliated with the company, and if you are also listing yourself as chief executive, is it fair to turn around and say you had absolutely no management responsibilities?

Well, these are questions we should ask. No, it is not right to suggest we drop it all, in order that we not be involved in lies and libel. We deserve answers. 

(This post edited and updated July 19.)

Accustions are Bothersome

These charges should bother us.

Mitt Romney stepped away from Bain Capital in 1999, but had himself listed as chief executive officer with the Securities Exchange Commission as late as 2002?

Romney has countered that attack with an attack of his own, suggesting Barack Obama had a habit  of "taking your tax dollars and putting it in businesses owned by contributors to his campaign."

I'd like to study more -- the story on Romney being CEO at Bain in 2002 is now four days old and I have not had enough time on it -- but bed calls.

I'm not of a mind to just dismiss it all as mudslinging without substance. To me, the charges are important. They are things that matter. Just as important as which side of the aisle you are on, is whether you can walk down the aisle with your head held high. Integrity does matter.