Salt Lake City News

Me Blog you Long Time

Utah Legislators Take to the Blogosphere

By Tracy Medley, 12-28-06

Do you remember that uneasy feeling you got in your guts the first time you heard you mom say, “Not!” a’la Wayne’s World? Or how about the time your grandma referred to one of her many antique rings as “bling bling”? If the thought of your dad creating his own MySpace page sends shivers down your spine, then boy have I got news for you; Utah Legislators have embraced…the blog.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that a few of the Beehive state’s legislators have taken to using their Senatorial right to blog with gusto. According to The Tribune, Sen. Lyle Hillyard, a Republican from Logan and Internet newbie is one of the legislature’s most consistent bloggers, writing on everything from tax policy to gardening. “I think what I really want to create is an image out there that we’re human beings. Although we have some awesome responsibilities, we each bring with it our own personal background and life experiences,” Hillyard told The Tribune.

Hillyard is one of a small group of rogue bloggers making use of the newly created Senate Republican web log. While all Senate Republicans are encouraged to use the web log, few have actually taken advantage, which despite the slight creepiness of Senators sharing their innermost on the web, is actually a shame. Blogging could provide for the average citizen a unique peak behind the curtain when it comes to how and why politicians make decisions about public policy. If used to it’s fullest capacity, blogging could open up an unparalleled dialogue between politicians and their constituency. But, hey- maybe that’s just wishful thinking.

Ric Cantrell who manages the Senate Site blog told The Tribune, “The blog’s nice because it’s a non-pretentious way to share information. It’s not self-important.” “Nowhere in the history of civilization have citizens been able to read a document along with an elected official minutes after a meeting is over and then weigh in with their comments,” Cantrell added.

But, blogs don’t just encourage discourse between politician and private citizen; they’ve also incurred some online sparring matches between the politicians themselves, The Trib reports. Rep. Craig Frank, another avid Republican blogger aired his uneasiness with his colleague's public statement opposing the removal of state sales tax on food. Frank said on his own blog, “I told you the posturing ‘games’ have already begun and just in time for the Hollidays.”

Blogging has thrust this type of inter-party disagreement into the public conversation, which could help Utah cut through the Republican-Borg stereotype and possibly help our very divided citizenry find some common ground. Yeah, more of that wishful thinking rearing its head.

Utah Republicans aren’t the only ones taking advantage of the blogging boom; Democrats have also taken to their keyboards in an effort to share their points of view with the public. House Minority Leader Ralph Becker told The Tribune, “I think it’s a very active forum for both members of the Legislature, in particular House Democrats and for the public to have an opportunity for a lot of interactions.”

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