The Salt Lake Tribune has named Senator Hatch (R-UT) the Utahn Of The Year. Why?
It has everything to do with recognizing:
- Hatch’s part in the dramatic dismantling of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments.
- His role as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee in passing a major overhaul of the nation’s tax code.
- His utter lack of integrity that rises from his unquenchable thirst for power.
Each of these actions stands to impact the lives of every Utahn, now and for years to come. Whether those Utahns approve or disapprove of those actions has little consequence in this specific recognition. Only the breadth and depth of their significance matters.
Uh oh, that doesn’t sound good. So what’s the paper’s final stance?
It would be good for Utah if Hatch, having finally caught the Great White Whale of tax reform, were to call it a career. If he doesn’t, the voters should end it for him.
Common is the repetition of the catchphrase that Hatch successfully used to push aside three-term Sen. Frank Moss in this first election in, egad, 1976.
Not that I would expect the Democrats to have much of a chance in Utah. But Hatch, with a current Trump Score of 96.4%, is clearly part of the problem and is not a moderating influence on the Hill. Replacing him with a moderate Republican, of which I suspect there may be a few in hard-headed Utah, might be a good enough solution.
