Utah

Update: I don't pretend to believe that Huntsman's economic policies are going to be appealing to Millennials. But even so, the GOP is in such a bad strategic spot right now that merely talking about the economy represents a turn in the right direction. --Craig

In my last post, I used Frank Rich's column to point out the triumph of the economy over social and cultural issues in the national political conversation. In this one, I'll use a Times story on Gov. Jon Huntsman in Utah to look at a way forward among youth for the GOP, now handcuffed thanks to their inability to pursue social issues.

The majority of Utah's population is affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (including Huntsman himself). Because of the church's staunch stance against the use of alcohol, the state's liquor laws have been extremely restrictive since the 1960s. But Huntsman is one Republican who wasn't afraid to sacrifice a social issue for the betterment of the economy.

The old law [in Utah]... required anyone who walked into a bar to first buy a membership card to the bar’s “private club,” which typically cost $10 to $15. Tourism and restaurant lobby groups complained for years, saying the law made the state seem unwelcoming to outsiders.

“One of our economic pillars is travel and tourism,” said Mr. Huntsman, whose family roots in Utah — and family fortune in the Huntman Corporation, a chemical manufacturer — made him prominent here long before he first ran for governor in 2004. “And if that’s going to be hampered by these jaded and old-fashioned views, then that’s going to impact the cash register and therefore our ability to fund the things that most citizens care deeply about, like our schools.”

Talk like that, at a time of economic pain and budget turmoil, gave the liquor proposal legs, and led to a compromise that would abolish the private club system while tightening rules intended to keep under-age drinkers out of the bars. It is the most sweeping overhaul of state alcohol law since the 1960s.

So here's the first lesson Huntsman is teaching his fellow Republicans, similar to what I argued in my earlier post -- in economic hardship, cultural issues are less important. While one might think this move on Huntsman's part would be political suicide in Utah, it was not. Huntsman's adjustment to the liquor law was made to push Utah's tourism-driven economy forward; the legislature met him halfway because they know their constituents care about their own economic situations, not whether people might be drinking alcohol miles away from them.

“It’s been a kindler, gentler session,” said State Representative David Litvack, a Democrat from Salt Lake City and the minority leader in the House. “Where we are economically has made a big difference.”

And then we get to the GOP's second lesson from Huntsman: If you're going to talk about social issues, moderation is the name of the game.

But there are hints that Mr. Huntsman’s message of moderation, especially given his popularity in the state, is resonating beyond the Legislature and drawing support among the broader population.

In February, for example, when the governor announced that he would support civil unions for gay couples, many politicians here braced for a backlash.

Utah voters had approved an amendment to the State Constitution in 2004 banning same-sex marriage or anything that might approximate it, and one opinion poll by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research in January said 70 percent of Utahans still opposed civil unions.

But the backlash never developed. Indeed, after his announcement, a poll by Deseret News/KSL-TV found that two-thirds of respondents said their opinion of the governor had not changed or had become more positive because of his position on civil unions. Over all, the governor’s approval rating had barely budged, with 80 percent of residents saying they thought he was doing a good job.

While civil unions are hella anachronistic in many parts of the country, the statistic above illustrates the big step Huntsman was taking when he announced his support for civil unions for gay couples. But again, in a tough economy, the public doesn't have the luxury of worrying about social issues.

What does this have to do with young people? Over the past couple weeks, many of the writers at FM have explored the impact of the economy on youth. Faced with student loan debt or in a financial situation that kept them from going to college in the first place, many young people are squeezed more each day in the job market, either being laid off or unable to find a steady job to pay the bills. Many are risking everything to hone entrepreneurial skills that might get them quick cash. If a Republican candidate can understand this and sacrifice conservative stands on social issues for some straight talk on the economy, like Huntsman has begun to do in Utah, the GOP might gain some relevance among youth.

Unfortunately, though, party boss Rush Limbaugh and his machine still control the GOP, and they'd rather become irrelevant among today's youth than give up dividing people.

• Read about how the economic recesssion is increasing enrollment numbers at community colleges.
• Lobbying campaigns for the 10 Ideas Contest winners has begun. Read about it on Change.org
• Listen to a podcast on Wiretap about how two young organizers balance the professional and personal.
• While I was listening to Obama's first press conference on NPR, I couldn't help but notice that he took a question from the Huffington Post. Think Progress commends Obama's recognition and respect for new media.
• Washington D.C. will soon welcome a populist caucus on Capitol Hill.
• A new poll reveals that young Utah voters overwhelmingly support Obama.
• Check out this listing for a FiveThirtyEight DC Internship. Sounds like a great opportunity.
• New America Media takes on the dispute over whether or not Democrats exploited hip hop to get Obama elected.
• Personal Democracy Forum offers up some good suggestions for how volunteering can be transformed through technology and crowdsourcing.
• Wanna know everything there is to know about how the Obama campaign won? Check out a list of essential reading on e.politics.

The DNC Youth Council is getting ready to hold three more trainings on how to become delegates to the Democratic National Convention in August:

Last week, we held our first conference call training on the process to be a delegate from New Mexico. The training was extremely successful and we are eager to get underway with our next round of calls.

Below one will find a listing of some of our upcoming calls. Please spread the word to as many people as possible about these. On each call we will be joined by a member of that respective state's party to go over the process to be a Congressional District, PLEO, or At-Large delegate to the Democratic National Convention. In addition to the specific training, we will be sure to provide information on how to get more involved with the State Party and other youth organizations.

The upcoming calls are:
Georgia - March 31st at 5pm EST
Phone: 866-810-8093
Code: 678-893-3989

Utah - April 1st at 6pm EST
Phone: 866-810-8093
Code: 822-976-6817

Wisconsin - April 2nd at 7pm EST
Phone: 866-810-8093
Code: 822-976-6817