PROPS:
To coach Dave Rose for quickly suspending point guard Rashaun Boradus after police pulled him over him for driving under the influence. The incident proves no one is above the Honor Code – especially athletes.
To the Bush Administration for finally deciding to discard its highly controversial surveillance program. Now they’ll go through legal procedures to obtain warrants from a special court for surveillance purposes. It’s a shame they didn’t do this in the first place, but better late than never.
FLOPS:
To President Bush’s new strategy to send 21,500 American troops to Iraq. In the wake of the botched executions of Sadaam Hussein and Barzan Ibrahim, it’s clear Iraq needs a strategy that utilizes more politics – not more troops.
To the Provo man who broke into a college student’s Orem apartment. Police said the man allegedly kicked the student, who the Provo man helped come to America to study, four times in the buttocks because he was neglecting his schoolwork. Kick-start may work for motorcycles, but not for people.
To three ungrateful pregnant teenagers who allegedly assaulted a New Hope Maternity Home owner Tuesday with a frying pan, and then ran away in her silver Dodge Caravan. Despite all this, the group home owner and her husband said they are still concerned for the girls’ welfare.
To all the BYU students who spent last Monday on the on the ski slopes. Not exactly the best way to honor Martin Luther King Jr.
To those in the media who just can’t seem to let the Myers “kidnapped bride” case slip out of the limelight. The story was interesting – even entertaining – when it happened in August, but now it’s getting redundant. Just let it go.
[ Props & Flops on Capitol Hill ]
Props to HB224, which would repeal in-state tuition privileges at state universities for undocumented immigrants. The bill is not about racism, as some critics claim, it’s about following the federal law that states any higher education benefit given to undocumented persons must be extended to all U.S. citizens.
Props to restrictions on tanning for minors. On Thursday, a Senate committee passed legislation requiring in-person parental consent before anyone younger than 18 can patron any Utah tanning salon.
Props to legislation that allows the Office of Recovery Services to suspend the driver license of anyone who falls behind on their child support. Maybe deadbeat parents won’t be so apt to miss a payment if they know it’ll cost them their driving privileges.
Props to Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, who is sponsoring legislation to increase the penalty to a first-degree felony for enticing a minor online. If only more legislators drafted bills that were as useful as this.
Flops to Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, who is pushing a state law protecting individual religious expressions on public property. The bill’s language contributes nothing the First Amendment doesn’t already protect, and is, ultimately, a waste of the Legislature’s time.
Flops to efforts to move the start of the legislative session to the day after Martin Luther King Day Jr. Proponents say they want time to honor the holiday, but what better way is there to celebrate the holiday than in civil service?
Flops to Lobbyists. According to Steve Densley of Intermountain Healthcare, two lobbyists followed a congressman into the restroom during the first week of the session, and continued politicking him while he was doing his business. “At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”
Flops to HB217, a bill that would restrict cell phone usage for teen drivers. The bill’s scope is too narrow; everyone who jives on the phone while they drive on the road is dangerous – regardless of age.
