Today's Featured Articles:
The Bermuda Triangle board game - Bernick and Schott on politics
Bob Bernick's notebook: There's only one way to curb gun violence
Solid majority of Utah voters say the age for all gun purchases should be raised to 21
Situational Awareness
Good morning from Salt Lake City and TGIF!
Thanks for reading Utah's must-read daily political news rundown. Please encourage your friends and colleagues to sign up for our emails.
Here are the stories you need to pay attention to this morning:
- Utah voters support raising the age to buy a gun to 21.
- A mysterious whistleblower complaint is said to involve President Trump's interactions with the leader of Ukraine.
- The House votes to fund the government through late November.
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Friday trivia
Here's an obscure head-scratcher to start your Friday, submitted by reader Gordon Jones:
What former House member from Utah became the ambassador to the Malagasy Republic following their defeat?
Send me your guesses via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The first three subscribers to send in the correct answer will be recognized in Monday's newsletter.
TICK TOCK
Days to the 2019 Utah municipal elections: 46 (11/5/2019)
Days to the first day of the 2020 Utah Legislature: 129 (1/27/2020)
Days to the Utah presidential primaries: 165 (3/3/2020)
Days to the 2020 Utah primary elections: 277 (6/23/2020)
Days to the 2020 election: 410 (11/3/2020)
Read: Top local news | National News Briefing
Today at Utah Policy
Rep. John Knotwell to resign from the Utah House
Governor appoints Scott Baird as executive director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality
Report: Water revenue mix creates ‘winners’ and ‘losers’
Most Utah voters say they're 'ashamed' by mass shootings, but it's up to families and communities to solve the problem
Medical marijuana changes include more dispensaries, access for patients
Legislators okay $1.5 million settlement with former Attorney General John Swallow
Policy News
Romney, Merkley introduce bill to address vaping crisis
McAdams supports temporary measure to keep government open
Curtis champions bipartisan lands bills to 'reduce the cost and complexity of recreation'
Stewart votes against continuing resolution
Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report
USMCA: Inside look -- Join us for a seminar on expanding your business into Mexico and Canada
Local Headlines
Deseret News
- Jay Evensen: Will anything disrupt higher education?
- Editorial: Family courts must uphold the value of child safety
- Hatch says Biden didn’t believe Anita Hill’s sexual harassment claims
- Sen. Mitt Romney proposes bill to ban flavored e-cigarettes
- Orem mayor won’t face prosecution for misuse of retirement fund
- Back from tour of U.S.-Mexico border, Salt Lake County Mayor Wilson details ‘broken’ system
- What’s it like growing up and working in Utah politics as a Latina?
Salt Lake Tribune
- Solitude gets jeers and cheers for its paid-parking plan, but either way the Utah ski resort will be going it alone this winter
- Robert Gehrke: It’s way past time that Salt Lake City address the downtown scooter menace
- Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson recounts trip to U.S.-Mexico border, where she toured a ‘broken’ immigration system
Business Headlines
- Proposed skyscraper would be the tallest building in Utah (Deseret News)
- Utah Airbnb hosts book $37 million over summer travel season (Deseret News)
- Ogden-based MarketStar acquires Irish firm, expands European footprint (Standard-Examiner)
- Local analysts warn U.S.-China trade battle impacting Utah companies (Deseret News)
National Headlines
- Just Admit It, Democrats: You Want to Lose Next Year (RealClearPolitics)
- Democrats and Republicans Aren’t Just Divided. They Live in Different Worlds. (Wall Street Journal)
- Donald Trump's approval rating surpasses Obama's (Newsweek)
- Barack Obama's biggest mistake (New York Times)
- Yang: Climate Change May Require Elimination of Car Ownership (Free Beacon)
- Elizabeth Warren calls for ending Electoral College (New York Times)
- Elizabeth Warren Hires Lobbyist One Day After Releasing Plan Calling Lobbying ‘Legalized Bribery’ (Politico)
- Pete Buttigieg ‘Can’t Even Read the LGBT Media Anymore’: ‘It’s All, ‘He’s Too Gay, Not Gay Enough, Wrong Kind of Gay' (Mediaite)
- Justin Trudeau leaves open possibility of more blackface photos (New York Post)
- Is it unethical to upgrade your iPhone? (The Week)
- Zuckerberg Meets With Trump, Faces Tough Questions From Senators (Wall Street Journal)
Lighter Side
“I actually think a woman has a better chance against Trump, especially in a debate. Women are much better at handling babies than men. It’s just a biological fact.” — JIMMY KIMMEL
Wise Words
"A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves." Lao Tzu
National Briefing
Whistleblower controversy
A potentially explosive complaint from a whistleblower in the intelligence committee is said to involve President Donald Trump and his communications with the leader of Ukraine. The complaint, which the Trump administration is withholding from Congress, involves an alleged promise made by President Trump made to a foreign leader and other actions [NYT].
In an insane interview, Rudy Giuliani, President Trump's lawyer, denied asking Ukraine to investigate former president Joe Biden, then 30 seconds later reversed himself and admitted he did so [WaPo].
Iran
Iran's foreign minister vows "all-out war" in the region in the case of a military strike by the U.S. or Saudi Arabia against that country [NYT].
The Pentagon will present President Trump with several options for responding to what the administration claims is an Iranian attack on a Saudi Arabian oil field [AP].
Shutdown averted...for now
The House passed a short-term spending bill to keep the government open through late November. The stopgap measure sets up a potentially massive fight over funding for President Trump's border wall before Thanksgiving [WaPo].
Trump's taxes
President Trump's lawyers sued in federal court to block a subpoena seeking his tax returns. They claim it is unconstitutional to investigate a sitting president [NYT].
A federal judge blocked a California law requiring presidential candidates to release their tax returns to appear on the ballot in that state [Politico].
2020
A new Fox News poll shows President Trump losing to every top Democratic candidate [Fox News].
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio ended his bid for the 2020 Democratic nomination [WaPo].
Build the wall
The Trump administration is considering a plan to once again divert billions of dollars in military funding to pay for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border [WaPo].
Scary
A new study says the number of birds in the U.S. and Canada has dropped by nearly 30 percent over the past 50 years [NYT].
