Welcome to The Senate Site

By Lyle Hillyard
Utah State Senator, District 25

In the past two weeks, I have been involved with Sen. Chris Buttars, who chairs two committees of which I am a member. The first was a Judicial Confirmation Hearing and the second was a task force looking at the retention elections for judges.

Chris is a non-lawyer who grew up in my general area of Cache Valley. I knew him in high school and remember him as someone who was always actively involved and doing things. He has had some controversy associated with his service in the Senate because he hasn't been afraid to ask tough questions or take on difficult issues. These two committee assignments are challenging because they have very significant long-term impact.

I know that he has had serious health challenges. Most people would understand if he called an end to this high pressure job and started enjoying the freedoms of retirement. In spite of competing pressures and health concerns, Chris was there, doing more than would ever be expected of him. I was impressed.

He had prepared well for the meetings and treated people with dignity and respect. You may not agree with his decisions - as I often disagree, personally - but watching him work makes me better appreciate how a citizen legislature functions; People willing to stand up and make a difference without really being paid or complimented for the time and effort made.

I suspect that if most people took the time to really understand just how demanding legislative service is, along with the constant pressure and criticism we work under, there would be a lot more thanks given to people like Chris who work hard and do the job, in spite of competing pressures and health concerns.

7 Comments:

 Voice of Utah said...

I would appreciate his efforts more if they weren't usually so mean-spirited. (I exclude his latest insurance coverage proposal from that characterization.)

6/25/2007 2:51 PM  

 Gus said...

One man's 'mean-spirited' is another man's Principled Crusader.

6/25/2007 4:00 PM  

 Anonymous said...

This reads like an obituary...

6/25/2007 5:16 PM  

 Jeremy said...

There really isn't any good that comes from personal attacks on public servants in news print, in a broadcast or in a blog. Personal attacks create unnecessary emotional stress for those who have been entrusted by voters to serve us and they are rarely deserved. Sen. Buttars has been a popular target for many who want to criticize the legislature for what they perceive to be excessive and unreasonable extremism. The personal attacks are out of line and not fair to a man who has shown his willingness to sacrifice for his district and all Utahns in his capacity as a lawmaker.

Attacks on policy positions taken by Sen. Buttars and other public servants in government are a different story. I've recently posted on my blog a statement critical of Sen. Buttar's position on new health insurance mandates. I hope my criticism didn't hurt Sen. Buttar's feelings or contribute to his health problems. That was not my intended purpose although I don't regret speaking out though even if I did cause these problems for the Senator.

Elected legislators are given immense power by voters to control our government's monopoly on legal violence and use it within constitutional bounds to force citizens to abide by their edicts. When public servants misuse that power or they use it for unreasonable purposes I'd argue that it is the responsibility of informed citizens to call them out on it and loudly criticize what they are doing.

If any public servant's feelings have ever been hurt because I've criticized a flawed proposal they've made I'm sorry for them...but I don't regret speaking out. You need to remember the power we've entrusted you with and make sure your using it wisely before you attempt to make any citizen who is subject to your legislative power feel guilty for criticizing you. You are due the extra scrutiny because of your elected office and the power it grants you.

For the record I've also supported Sen. Buttars on his commendable policy positions in the past. Specifically I publicly lauded his key support for the Drug Offenders Reform Act (DORA). It is an example of excellent public policy and it deserved a lot more major public props than it received.

6/25/2007 11:09 PM  

 Justin said...

Does this call for respect apply to all elected leaders? How about Rocky Anderson or Hillary Clinton? Personally, I'll respect anybody whose actions demonstrate they deserve it.

6/26/2007 1:46 AM  

 Anonymous said...

Chris Buttars is a coward. He wants to hide police brutality from the public. When police abuse the public it should NEVER BE HIDDEN. Is Chris Buttars a totalitarian? He believes the state has the right to abuse the public and keep it a secret? This is America buddy not the U.S.S.R. or China...

2/15/2008 6:02 AM  

 Anonymous said...

I was told that I could not be offended without my permission. There must be a lot of people out there looking to be offended.

2/26/2008 8:59 PM  

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