People that are working, but struggling to
have enough money to pay bills often target a mortgage/rent, utilities,
transportation and then food. When someone walks into a store with $3
left to buy food, you don't tell them it is OK they don't
have enough money to buy milk or chicken, they will get $80 at the end
of the year. Raising the tax on food increases the number of people
needing help from the community, church or government and is the wrong
thing to do.
I am hopeful this will not pass the house this year, like an increase in
the food tax didn't pass the house in 2011 even though it passed the
senate.
The proposal that passed the senate in 2011 and was killed in the house
was to lower the overall sales tax and raise the tax on food to match.
It was to be no overall increase on tax.
That still would have hit fixed income individuals and those struggling to make it in the current economy.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Utah has good gun laws
Utah has good gun laws
Utah Constitution Article I, Section 6. [Right to bear arms.]
"The individual right of the people to keep and bear arms for security and defense of self, family, others, property, or the state, as well as for other lawful purposes shall not be infringed; but nothing herein shall prevent the Legislature from defining the lawful use of arms. "
The Legislature has limited it so there is no "open carry" inside the property of a K-12 public school or college campus, without a CFP, so to carry a gun on to a public K-12 school or college campus, you need a concealed fire arms permit. The permit allows an individual to carry a firearm into public schools and college campuses.
There is no reason the principal, custodians, or teachers can't obtain a concealed carry permit and carry a gun to protect themselves or their students.
Open carry doesn't allow a bullet in the chamber. If you want to carry a loaded gun with a bullet in the chamber, you need a concealed firearms permit.
You can not conceal carry without a permit.
See:
http://le.utah.gov/code/TITLE76/htm/76_10_050505.htm
Allowing it so someone without a concealed firearm permit, CFP, can open carry, may be the only reason the Utah Legislature can require a CFP for someone hiding that they are carrying a firearm.
Many people don't want to get rid of the CFP requirement.
Now Rep. Paul Ray's bill, 2013 HB 268 , Disorderly Conduct Amendments, might make it so the person with the 223 rifle strapped to their back at JC Penney might get in trouble with the law, but that same bill is going to make sure his Glock strapped to his waist is perfectly fine, as long as he isn't doing something scary with it. Without the CFP the gun can't have a bullet in the chamber, but that doesn't take too long to load in most cases.
So unless you are planning on a State Constitutional Amendment, that person with the 45 colt. strapped to their waist is going to stay. You should be grateful that a CFP is required, unless the principal gives permission, to carry a gun on to a public K-12 school. The good news is that the janitor, teacher, parent, or even the principal could be packing using a CFP. Hopefully the next time some person off their meds gets ready to shoot at a crowd, they are dropped on the spot by someone else, whether or not they have a CFP or just a glock strapped to their waist.
Remember to change the state constitution you would need 2/3 of the legislature, many of who have CFP. Some of whom would love to take things a step further and get rid of the requirement of a CFP to conceal carry.
Modifying our state constitution on firearms may not be an option as we do have a 2nd amendment for the US Constitution. While some would love to change that, that isn't going to happen .
Instead of being freaked out about the guns, why don't you take a NRA safety course. You don't have to own a gun. The NRA does a great job of teaching gun safety to scout leaders and others that teach children how to safely handle guns.
Guns are tools. Most people don't seem to mind a hammer strapped to the waist of a contractor.
For my thoughts on Constitutional Carry, see:
http://fredcox4utah.blogspot.com/2012/07/constitutional-carry-thoughts.html
Utah Constitution Article I, Section 6. [Right to bear arms.]
"The individual right of the people to keep and bear arms for security and defense of self, family, others, property, or the state, as well as for other lawful purposes shall not be infringed; but nothing herein shall prevent the Legislature from defining the lawful use of arms. "
The Legislature has limited it so there is no "open carry" inside the property of a K-12 public school or college campus, without a CFP, so to carry a gun on to a public K-12 school or college campus, you need a concealed fire arms permit. The permit allows an individual to carry a firearm into public schools and college campuses.
There is no reason the principal, custodians, or teachers can't obtain a concealed carry permit and carry a gun to protect themselves or their students.
Open carry doesn't allow a bullet in the chamber. If you want to carry a loaded gun with a bullet in the chamber, you need a concealed firearms permit.
You can not conceal carry without a permit.
See:
http://le.utah.gov/code/TITLE76/htm/76_10_050505.htm
Additional comments based on this article:
Allowing it so someone without a concealed firearm permit, CFP, can open carry, may be the only reason the Utah Legislature can require a CFP for someone hiding that they are carrying a firearm.
Many people don't want to get rid of the CFP requirement.
Now Rep. Paul Ray's bill, 2013 HB 268 , Disorderly Conduct Amendments, might make it so the person with the 223 rifle strapped to their back at JC Penney might get in trouble with the law, but that same bill is going to make sure his Glock strapped to his waist is perfectly fine, as long as he isn't doing something scary with it. Without the CFP the gun can't have a bullet in the chamber, but that doesn't take too long to load in most cases.
So unless you are planning on a State Constitutional Amendment, that person with the 45 colt. strapped to their waist is going to stay. You should be grateful that a CFP is required, unless the principal gives permission, to carry a gun on to a public K-12 school. The good news is that the janitor, teacher, parent, or even the principal could be packing using a CFP. Hopefully the next time some person off their meds gets ready to shoot at a crowd, they are dropped on the spot by someone else, whether or not they have a CFP or just a glock strapped to their waist.
Remember to change the state constitution you would need 2/3 of the legislature, many of who have CFP. Some of whom would love to take things a step further and get rid of the requirement of a CFP to conceal carry.
Modifying our state constitution on firearms may not be an option as we do have a 2nd amendment for the US Constitution. While some would love to change that, that isn't going to happen .
Instead of being freaked out about the guns, why don't you take a NRA safety course. You don't have to own a gun. The NRA does a great job of teaching gun safety to scout leaders and others that teach children how to safely handle guns.
Guns are tools. Most people don't seem to mind a hammer strapped to the waist of a contractor.
For my thoughts on Constitutional Carry, see:
http://fredcox4utah.blogspot.com/2012/07/constitutional-carry-thoughts.html
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Against Recall Elections in Utah
There is a proposal to change Utah law, or more likely the Utah Constitution to allow or require a system to recall an elected official mid term.
I do not agree with this change. We already have impeachment and other proceedings to remove someone for the abuse of office.
We have elections for a reason. It would lessen the importance of elections. We live in a republic.
"Opponents argue that it can lead to an excess of democracy, that the threat of a recall election lessens the independence of elected officials, that it undermines the principle of electing good officials and giving them a chance to govern until the next election, and that it can lead to abuses by well-financed special interest groups."
The best information I know on recalls is at:
http://www.ncsl.org/legislatures-elections/elections/recall-of-state-officials.aspx
I do not agree with this change. We already have impeachment and other proceedings to remove someone for the abuse of office.
We have elections for a reason. It would lessen the importance of elections. We live in a republic.
"Opponents argue that it can lead to an excess of democracy, that the threat of a recall election lessens the independence of elected officials, that it undermines the principle of electing good officials and giving them a chance to govern until the next election, and that it can lead to abuses by well-financed special interest groups."
The best information I know on recalls is at:
http://www.ncsl.org/legislatures-elections/elections/recall-of-state-officials.aspx
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