Gary R. Herbert: Difference between revisions

From VoterGuide
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(→‎External Resources: Added link.)
(Added Air Quality subsection.)
Line 28: Line 28:


Gary Herbert has entered the race via the signature gathering method.
Gary Herbert has entered the race via the signature gathering method.
== Air Quality ==
[[Utah/Issues/Air Quality|Air Quality]] is one of the issues that Gary Herbert is focusing on in his campaign. Utah has some unique air quality issues and hence, it makes sense, that the state government act to defend the life and property of residents against abuses by requiring that people curb emission of pollutants. there are many smart things that can be done here, such as setting workable emission standards, promoting innovation through smart policy, and promoting wise use of resources. Per Gary Herbert's website, he has worked on setting emission standards, but his attempts to set smart policy and promote the wise use of resources seems poorly thought out and unnecessarily encroach on the need for self-reliance. An example of this is Gary Herbert's proposed ban on wood-burning stoves.<ref>Brian Maffly, [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1895503-155/gov-herbert-proposes-wood-burning-ban "Gov. Gary Herbert proposes wood-burning ban in Utah"], The Salt Lake Tribune, Dec 03 2014 07:21PM</ref> If this were absolutely necessary, it might be a reasonable sacrifice, since pollutants are a threat to life and property, while his proposed ban is a threat to life, liberty, and/or property, (ie. we lose some ability to provide for our own heating, a necessary thing in the winter) all important considerations. However, it is not necessary, and it is not even significant towards the end that he proposes. Ignoring the issue of personal liberty and promoting blunt and ineffective legislation is not something we need more of.


== External Resources ==
== External Resources ==

Revision as of 18:37, 12 May 2016

Gary R. Herbert is the Governor of Utah, and is running for reelection in the November 2016 Election, Utah.

The overall impression we are left with is that Gary Herbert is not a comfortably strong ideological conservative. His actions, such as his decision to be the only Republican Governor to fail to refuse Syrian refugees in the light of the federal government's biased and insecure screening process[1], suggest an influence from his LDS religion, which speaks well for his integrity. However, his actions further suggest that he puts reelection at a premium. Alternatively this might be explained by him simply wanting to be a people pleaser, and to keep the peace. One anecdote that stands out comes from the events surrounding House Bill 477 in 2011:

"During the 2011 legislative session, Herbert signed into law House Bill 477 after it passed through the legislature in three days. The bill would have drastically reduced the ability of citizens to access public records, especially records of Legislators. After large public outcry, Herbert announced he would sign the bill yet also call a special session to repeal the new law."[2]

It is hard to imagine what would have led Gary Herbert to sign such a bill, but one might imagine that by signing the bill initially, and then passing it through the legislature again, he was acting deferentially towards the legislature. Despite the cost, this gave the legislature a chance to participate in responding to the outcry and might have spared some hurt feeling.

Another anecdote that stands out is Gary Herbert's endorsement of Ted Cruz in 2016. Gary Herbert had provided vocal support for John Kasich, and even as he went in to meet with Ted Cruz about a potential endorsement, he spoke glowingly of John Kasich. In the end, his endorsement went to Ted Cruz. Politico reported:

"Herbert, who is up for reelection himself this year, has withheld his endorsement so far. Though he expresses heartfelt admiration for his colleague, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, he acknowledges that Cruz is more in line ideologically with Utah conservatives."[3]

The impression that is left, is that although Gary Herbert prefers John Kasich, his constituents prefer Ted Cruz, so he met with Ted Cruz to get some assurances to lay the groundwork for an endorsement. His endorsement of Ted Cruz, then, doesn't really come off as genuine.

The most concerning thing, of all, in the light of these observations, however, is his signing of SB 54, and subsequent utilization of the signature process to get on the Republican primary ballot.

SB 54 represents an alarming intrusion into the operations of a set of private organizations, regulating how political parties can select their candidates for an election. We cannot see how such a regulation can be seen as legitimate. Apart from the issue of the legitimacy of regulating the internal workings of a private organization in this way, the bill burdens political parties with substantial extra cost and provides a backdoor for questionable candidates to avoid having to pass the scrutiny of a party's elected delegates. Gary Herbert, himself, having drawn the ire of conservative political observers for his relatively moderate brand of conservatism, might have had trouble getting onto the ballot as the Republican candidate, if forced to undergo party scrutiny against a more ideologically conservative candidate. However, he has signed into law his own back door, and he is using it. He has not pleased conservatives, or respected the rights of his constituents, but he may have given himself a shot at reelection.

Endorsements

He is endorsed by Senator Ted Cruz.

SB 54

Is widely criticized in the Republican Party for signing SB 54 of 2014 into law, which is disliked by Republicans, because it regulates the process by which political parties in Utah, which are private organization, choose their candidates for state and county elections. Of particular concern at the time of the November 2016 Election, Utah, is a requirement that candidates be allowed to enter a race with a political party by gathering signatures, bypassing the normal caucus system, whereby candidates are elected by delegates. This creates expense for the political parties, undermines the authority of the party delegates. In Utah County, delegates were reported to have booed signature gathering candidates for their leveraging of this abusive provision, and the official party stance has been to refuse to acknowledge candidates (with either resources or endorsement) entering races via the signature gathering method.

Gary Herbert has entered the race via the signature gathering method.

Air Quality

Air Quality is one of the issues that Gary Herbert is focusing on in his campaign. Utah has some unique air quality issues and hence, it makes sense, that the state government act to defend the life and property of residents against abuses by requiring that people curb emission of pollutants. there are many smart things that can be done here, such as setting workable emission standards, promoting innovation through smart policy, and promoting wise use of resources. Per Gary Herbert's website, he has worked on setting emission standards, but his attempts to set smart policy and promote the wise use of resources seems poorly thought out and unnecessarily encroach on the need for self-reliance. An example of this is Gary Herbert's proposed ban on wood-burning stoves.[4] If this were absolutely necessary, it might be a reasonable sacrifice, since pollutants are a threat to life and property, while his proposed ban is a threat to life, liberty, and/or property, (ie. we lose some ability to provide for our own heating, a necessary thing in the winter) all important considerations. However, it is not necessary, and it is not even significant towards the end that he proposes. Ignoring the issue of personal liberty and promoting blunt and ineffective legislation is not something we need more of.

External Resources

References

  1. ↑ Max Roth, "Herbert now only Republican gov. who has not refused Syrian refugees", Fox News 13: Salt Lake City, NOVEMBER 17, 2015
  2. ↑ Gary Herbert, Wikipedia, 22 Apr 2016
  3. ↑ Kile Cheney, "Utah governor admires Kasich but will huddle with Cruz as endorsement looms", Politico, 18-March-2016
  4. ↑ Brian Maffly, "Gov. Gary Herbert proposes wood-burning ban in Utah", The Salt Lake Tribune, Dec 03 2014 07:21PM
Retrieved from "http://voterguide.theshtick.org/mediawiki-1.40.0/index.php?title=Gary_R._Herbert&oldid=1356"