Orrin Hatch promised the folks of Utah that THIS would be his last term, his having degenerated from a position of some respectability by sponsoring, with Ted Kennedy, back in the day, the Children’s Health Care Bill, to now becoming one of drumpf’s most reliable ass kissers in the Senate.
The Salt Lake Tribune has had enough.
“In a scathing Salt Lake Tribune editorial posted on Christmas Day, the editorial board claimed the longtime GOP senator had an extraordinary year — but not for any good reasons.
The editorial began by explaining that, traditionally, the honor goes to “the Utahn who, over the past 12 months, has done the most. Has made the most news. Has had the biggest impact. For good or for ill. In the case of Hatch, the paper filed him in the “Ill” column.
““It has everything to do with recognizing: Hatch’s part in the dramatic dismantling of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. His role as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee in passing a major overhaul of the nation’s tax code. His utter lack of integrity that rises from his unquenchable thirst for power,” the piece ticked off.
“Each of these actions stands to impact the lives of every Utahn, now and for years to come. Whether those Utahns approve or disapprove of those actions has little consequence in this specific recognition. Only the breadth and depth of their significance matters,” it continued.
Over the years, Hatch stared down a generation or two of highly qualified political leaders who were fully qualified to take his place, Hatch is now moving to run for another term — it would be his eighth — in the Senate. Once again, Hatch has moved to freeze the field to make it nigh unto impossible for any number of would-be senators to so much as mount a credible challenge. That’s not only not fair to all of those who were passed over. It is basically a theft from the Utah electorate,” the board wrote. “It would be good for Utah if Hatch, having finally caught the Great White Whale of tax reform, were to call it a career. If he doesn’t, the voters should end it for him.”
You can read the entire editorial here
You see, Senator Hatch, when you do things in public, on video, it is now a matter of the record.
Not the same, at all, as when you rode for the Pony Express.
And folks remember…
It’s a new day, Orrin.
Time to slink off into the sunset.