I wish to comment on the divisiveness within the Utah Republican Party, referred to several times in news articles. These articles have identified two supposedly opposed groups, differing philosophically on certain political, economic and social issues outlined in the Utah Republican Party platform.
As I read your articles, Mike Ridgeway's group seems to be described as "more conservative or ultraconservative," and Ron Fox's (Gov. George W. Bush's Utah campaign manager) group is described as "less conservative or moderate." The most amazing thing to me is the genuine paradox of this whole scenario.Gov. Bush is from Texas. I have read the Texas Republican Party platform on the Internet. If you were to read it, you would know that our Utah Republican platform is milquetoast in comparison to the conservativeness of the Texas platform.
Ridgeway's group (and Eagle Forum) actually is more philosophically in harmony with Bush's Texas platform. The Texas platform is drenched in "ultra-conservatism" ideals, perhaps so much so that I fear many Utah Republicans might be mortified to see the moderateness of our platform in comparison.
I wonder if the Texas Republican platform would be more accepted/or rejected by the Utah Republican Party.
I also wonder how Bush could be labeled by our "current Republican power-brokers" or your political editor as a moderate if he supports his own state's platform.
Cathy Barlow
Bountiful