Loose Cannon

Putting Ideology Before Constituents

By John Yewell, 4-12-05

Once again, we ask: Do Utah’s elected representatives care more about ideology than their own constituents?

The question is prompted by Utah Rep. Chris Cannon, quoted in today’s Deseret Morning News saying why he not only supports, but is the House floor manager for, bankruptcy reform legislation moving through Congress. The legislation, says Cannon, "will encourage people to be more responsible."

The question is, how on God’s green earth will it encourage them to be healthier?

A recent Harvard University study found that over 50 percent of bankruptcy filings in this country are related to health related expenses or other catastrophic misfortunes. The real scofflaws are the wealthy, who find loopholes to shield their assets from creditors.

Cannon’s view leans to the punitive terrain of the "ownership society" (or as Warren Buffett calls it, the sharecropper society) view. The real tragedy which Utahns know well (and which is pointed out in the Deseret News story) is that Utah has the highest rate of bankruptcy in the country. Said the paper:

"The legislation is likely to hit Utahns harder than most. There were 20,629 bankruptcies in Utah in 2004, and the last time national figures were compiled Utah had the highest numbers of bankruptcies per household in the nation."

Whose interests is Chris Cannon looking out for?

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