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Vote your values Tuesday -- the choices are clear By
Thad Box When I signed on to write a column for the local newspaper, I agreed not to endorse a political candidate. But voting for a candidate may not be as important as voting for values. That, I endorse. Democracy depends on it. Being a poll watcher in the primary elections was a strange experience. Only about 12 percent of those registered voted. Most were angry over having to declare their party. Whether resentment of the Republican closed primary will cause a protest vote is hard to tell. Frankly, I am amazed at the cynicism and distrust of officials. My mail, phone calls, email, and unsolicited comments indicate people are angry over closed primaries, Powder Mountain, the Dugway, traffic, schools, the road north of Smithfield, development, jobs, health care---you name it. Complaints often come from people who do not plan to vote. Go figure. Cache voters seem to be "average" when described by various pollsters. Voters are mostly fiscal conservatives. Moderation and balance are valued. So are families and education. They love Cache Valley and want to protect its beauty and lifestyle. They are patriotic. They believe in honest work and want people to have jobs. The voter profile looks like mainstream, moderate America, yet those who actually go to the polls often elect extremists. For the past decade almost two thirds have voted Republican, many voting a straight party ticket. All the while, most will tell you they vote for the person, not the party. In the election Tuesday it will be easy to differentiate between "persons" and to vote values. The 1st Congressional District race matches far-right Republican ideologue Rob Bishop, moderate Democrat Dave Thomas and left-leaning Green Party hopeful Craig Axford. Thomas stands for open government and accountability. Bishop participates in closed party caucuses and primary elections. Thomas would crack down on crooked CEOs; Bishop wants less corporate control, Axford wants more regulation. Bishop backs land development; Thomas would seek funding to help farmers stay in business. The list goes on. Except for the military, Bishop sees little or no role for federal money. Thomas would seek outside funding to do things people need, but cannot afford. Axford wants more federal funding. The race is a clear choice between right-wing Eagle-Quorum positions of Bishop, moderate mainstream values of Thomas, and liberal values of Axford. The legislative races offer equally clear value choices. Republican incumbents include a farmer, a Realtor, and a homemaker. All are part of a super-majority that closed its primaries and its caucuses, under-funded schools and supported corporations. All list party loyalty as one of their major values. Democratic challengers include a career conservation worker, a high school teacher, and an elementary school teacher. The Green candidate is a librarian. All have distinguished records in public service. All value open government and open primaries. All pledge better support for public schools. All put community above party loyalty. In the 5th Legislative District (south end of the valley) biologist Dennis Austin runs unabashedly as a conservationist---a position many say is a kiss of death in a Republican district. His opponent is Realtor Brett Parker. They agree on family values and local control of schools. But Austin opposes nuclear storage and the Powder Mountain development. He has plans for maintaining agriculture, water, open speace and quality of life. If choosing between a natural resource expert and a real estate broker isn't a vote for values, what is? Party-line incumbent Loraine Pace, popular high school teacher Connie Morgan, and disgruntled Democrat-turned-Republican claiming to be independent Morley Cox seek the 4th District seat (Logan and Rich County). Education is the dividing issue here. Pace has been part of the Republican's poor funding of schools. Morgan brings teaching experience and an insider's knowledge of how to improve schools. Cox brings criticism of parties and teachers. In the north end of the valley, Legislative District 3, dairy farmer incumbent Craig Buttars, elementary school teacher Tim Hutson, and librarian Rob Morrison are the choices. Buttars votes the Republican party line. His main interest is farm issues. Hutson is a fourth grade teacher with a passion for teaching children and promoting democracy through accountable, open government. He lives in North Logan, and represents the more populated portion of the district. Morrison runs as an environmental candidate. In County Council races, Republican party loyalists, Layne Beck, Craig Peterson, and Paul Cook defend against retired educator Brian Chambers (north valley), youth candidate Justin Miller (Logan) and past Providence planning commission member Monti Jones (south valley). The main issues are Powder Mountain, squabbles between Logan and the county, and accountability. In every race, values are clear. Approach to problems, and life itself, pits far-right Republican ideologues against moderate Democrats against liberal Greens. My observation is that voters are frustrated, dissatisfied with the economy, and angry that they have been ignored. Anywhere else, incumbents would lose big time. But a solid minority of people in Cache Valley vote party loyalty. Whether the majority will even go to the polls remains to be seen. Specific values to watch include respecting citizen opinion, public school support and quality of life. Are folks really angry enough about closed primaries and ski developments to send incumbents packing? Will people who say they value education support professionals who teach or politicians with a record of inadequately funding schools? Will those who say they want a high quality of life vote for a scientist with a program to maintain it? Values. Will voters value professionals with expertise or professional politicians? Choosing between a natural resource scientist and a real estate salesman---or a teacher and a politician---says more about the kind of community we value than all the polls in Utah. It has been years since we've had such different things. Voters say they vote for values, not party. My guess is only a minority, mostly old folks, will go to the polls. Many will just pull a party lever. Those who complain and stay at home will vote against good government with their absence. Thad Box is Dean Emeritus of USU's College of Natural Resources. He lives and writes in Logan.
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