Saturday, November 24, 2012

Election Results

Update of results from Nov. 20, 2012:

House 30 added 1036 votes including at least 329 provisional ballots. I picked up 573 votes, Rep. Fisher picked up 462 votes and one more write-in.

Final votes in this race 5385 Rep. Fisher, 5029 Rep. Cox and 11 write-in votes. 
There are 356 votes difference. 51.65% v 48.24% v 0.11%  

https://secure.slco.org/clerk/elections/results/public/

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Rainwater Capture

Small storage

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20045365,00.html

 1200 Gallons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH16e-1RwE8

8:30 into the video until about 11:30

Current law in Utah allows the 1st option, the 2nd option would have to be an underground tank. That is being proposed to change. 

Land Rulings

Land Rulings
POLLARD'S LESSEE V. HAGAN, 44 U. S. 212 (1845)
http://supreme.justia.com/us/44/212/case.html


FORT LEAVENWORTH R. CO. V. LOWE, 114 U. S. 525 (1885)
http://supreme.justia.com/us/114/525/case.html


WILSON V. COOK, 327 U. S. 474 (1946)
http://supreme.justia.com/us/327/474/


7. The State has legislative jurisdiction over the federal forest reserve lands located within it which were public lands of the United States when Arkansas was admitted to statehood. P. 327 U. S. 487.

(a) Upon admission of Arkansas to statehood upon an equal footing with the original States, the legislative authority of the State extended over the federally owned lands within the State, to the same extent as over similar property held by private owners, except that the State could enact no law which would conflict with the powers reserved to the United States by the Constitution. P. 327 U. S. 487.

Page 327 U. S. 476

(b) Such authority did not pass to the United States by virtue of the provision of Article I, § 8, cl. 17 of the Constitution, which authorizes it "to exercise exclusive Legislation . . over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the
Same shall be." P. 327 U. S. 488.

(c) Since the United States did not purchase the lands with the consent of the State, it did not acquire exclusive jurisdiction under the constitutional provision, and there has been no cession of jurisdiction by the State. P. 327 U. S. 488.

(d) Although Arkansas has conferred on Congress power to pass laws for the administration and control of lands acquired by the United States in Arkansas, it has not ceded exclusive legislative jurisdiction either over lands reserved by the United States from the public domain or over lands acquired in the State. P. 327 U. S. 488

UTAH DIV. OF STATE LANDS V. UNITED STATES, 482 U. S. 193 (1987)
http://supreme.justia.com/us/482/193/


HAWAII ET AL. v. OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS ET AL.
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/08pdf/07-1372.pdf


UNITED STATES V. SIOUX NATION OF INDIANS, 448 U. S. 371 (1980)
http://supreme.justia.com/us/448/371/ 

Why Art. 1, 8, 17 was created:
http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/a1_8_17s2.html


On the residue, to wit, "to exercise like authority over all places purchased for forts &c.

Mr Gerry contended that this power might be made use of to enslave any particular State by buying up its territory, and that the strongholds proposed would be a means of awing the State into an undue obedience to the Genl. Government--

Mr. King thought himself the provision unnecessary, the power being already involved: but would move to insert after the word "purchased" the words "by the consent of the Legislature of the State" This would certainly make the power safe.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

My Mistake

You have no reason to be sorry for me.

There are a lot of things I could have done differently. I will only describe one.

When I re-budgeted my available funds, based on what was donated, which was more than I expected anyway, I and chose to get some billboards, and a media piece for the SL Tribune - I left enough time and money for a 4th flyer.

I spent about $1500 I hadn't planned on to send out some additional Mitt Romney pieces, (trying to respond to poll info I didn't request), but I was able to get SLCO. GOP to fund or reimburse the campaign for that detour.

That still left me enough for my 4th postcard.

When the 5th flyer was proposed to me, I felt it was the wrong thing to do. It smacked of the negative political consultants and their ilk, the dregs of politics, more dangerous than the most feared and powerful lobbyist. I have seen too many races ruined in years gone past, and this year in Salt Lake and Utah Counties, listening to that "dark side".  They will create a problem just to get money for work to solve it. I was lobbied from all sides to run what I believed was a negative piece. I wouldn't budge. That wasn't a mistake.  I feel good about that choice. Even if, as some believe, it cost me the race.

I don't blame anyone for promoting the idea.

To try to deal with this new idea, with the possible funding of a 5th postcard, I delayed working on my education piece.

When I had seen Rep. Fisher's, postcard of a child walking down the road, getting left behind on education, I knew I needed to counteract it. It included the multimillion dollar distortion a few groups have funded for many years about the "essential" problem of per pupil spending and the teacher pupil ratio. I was born and went to public schools in this valley. I know a great teacher with the right tools is more important than class size, fancy buildings, or stuff. But the photo of the child walking down the road alone being left behind would sway too many parents and grandparents. It was a game changer.

My mistake wasn't agreeing to send out the modified positive slick postcard with shading and stars My supporters loved it. They told people about it. I do not, however, believe it was the game changer I needed. That was why no one else wanted to fund it.

My mistake was to use the 7000 household campaign money and mailing list for for this slick piece on leadership with stars and Gov. Herbert - and what I had left in the budget for the 2200 household campaign money and mailing list for my education piece. I should have swapped lists and money, but didn't know how. I felt trapped.

I didn't have any personal funds or credit to use. I couldn't fully fund both, and didn't have the campaign funds remaining. I had used them. When I realized I would not get funding for the 5th postcard if it wasn't negative, but it had now been re-designed to be positive and was ready to go, I felt like I had to pay for it.

I did.

I was left with no time to get more funds. I shortened my education piece mailing list to 2200 active most likely to vote for me but hadn't yet. The pretty stars and Herbert piece went to all the active voters that hadn't voted, including those that had seen the left behind child. I knew at the time that was a mistake, but couldn't figure out what other choice I had. I would not choose the dark side.

My game changing education piece, while not as fancy, clear, or well designed, would not get seen by those that needed to see it. Rep. Fisher would remain in their mind as the one to save the children and I would be seen as someone supporting Mitt and being supported by the republican governor. 

I only ended up needing to help change the mind of about 250 voters of about 9400. That would change the overall difference by 500. I would then win.

I don't know what I will do in the future. I do know if I run again, I won't choose the dark side, and I won't be detoured at the last minute.

I want to thank everyone for all the many hours, help support and ideas. I may not be as "knowledgeable" in politics as some, but I have lived here in this area for almost 25 years and the Salt Lake Valley my whole life. I can choose the good side.

I congratulate Rep. Fisher for sticking to our agreement to stay positive and for apparently and most likely winning. If the number of votes not counted yet but will be released on the 20th ends up being enough to make up the difference, I will gladly serve. That would take a miracle at this point. 

I may not get that miracle. I did get the miracle of serving these last two years and of meeting and working with wonderful people. That I will never lose.

Fred C. Cox
Representing House District 32 until the end of the year.

Monday, November 5, 2012

The 4th District Utah Congressional Map and Fox 13

I am very disappointed in the lack of accuracy of the story. Also very disappointed that Fox 13 held on to the information for weeks to release it the night before the election.  

http://fox13now.com/2012/11/05/both-parties-throw-money-into-4th-district-race/

"Cox spent nearly a year drawing maps. Cox’s map kept urban areas like Salt Lake County’s whole, but the Utah Legislature axed it."

The map of mine that was one of the top 6 maps voted on by the committee was called a hat and 3 stripes, it tried to keep the counties and cities together. There is no way to have a Salt Lake County and at least one other county whole. My map divided it [Salt Lake County] in 4. The map can be found at:

 
http://www.redistrictutah.com/maps/u-s-congressional-6-finalists/congress-rep-cox-%E2%80%9Cplan-e%E2%80%9D-hat-and-3-stripes

The map that passed [and became law] divided SLCo in only 3 and managed to keep almost all of Salt Lake City in one piece, something my map didn't do. I had the city divided [at]about I-15.

The [Grama] documents are available if the remaining cost is paid.  Fox 13 can't claim otherwise when the record they show says that their request for the documents without paying for the cost was denied. It doesn't say the documents can't or won't be released.

The legislature didn't redistrict Rep. Matheson out of the 2nd district. He lives in the current 2nd and new 2nd district. The new 2nd district and 4th district are reportedly both as republican as his current district. He said so himself last October. He chose to run in the 4th district because he resides in Utah and the US constitution doesn't say he has to run in his own district. Unless he moves, he won't be able to vote for himself this fall.

2012 Utah Voter Information Pamphlet

For those that didn't turn in the postcard and can't seem to find it online:

http://elections.utah.gov/Media/Default/VIP/2012%20Voter%20Information%20Pamphlet.pdf

A lot of information is found at:

http://vote.utah.gov/

and in Salt Lake County:

http://clerk.slco.org/