We all know that Utah is an incredibly special state. From the majestic red rocks to the striking mountain ranges, the natural beauty and adventure are never in short supply. However, the thing that makes Utah truly wonderful is the people who call this great state home, and the values we embrace.
Utah is a melting pot of different ideas and world perspectives. No matter what side of the political spectrum we fall on, the one thing most of us have in common is our values. Our ideas might be different, but at the end of the day we all want to leave behind a better future for our children, grandchildren, and every other generation that follows.
In 2010, Utahns first elected Mike Lee with the hope that he would represent our shared values. However, during his time in office, he has unfortunately chosen to place party politics and petty squabbling over the morals of the Utahns he represents. The time has come for us to elect someone who is more representative of our shared Utah values.
We all deserve a leader who fights for fairness, freedom, and the rights of all of our neighbors — someone who will work to protect and respect the people and state they represent. Mike Lee has had years to prove that he is capable of bearing the weight of this great responsibility, but he has let us down time and time again.
To put a fine point on it, here are four reasons why Mike Lee needs to go:
We are for healthcare for all.
We believe everyone should have access to healthcare, regardless of how much money they make or what zip code they live in. Healthcare is essential, and making sure everyone has it is part of how we take care of each other.
But Mike Lee doesn’t get it. He voted against the American Rescue Plan — a plan that would help those affected by the pandemic. The legislation he opposed would not only provide funding for vaccination sites, but would also lower or eliminate health insurance premiums. It would additionally continue the health coverage subsidy for anyone who lost healthcare benefits as a result of job loss or reduced hours from COVID 19.
We are for equality.
We believe that Black, Brown, and Indigenous lives are precious. We believe LGBTQ+ people deserve the freedom to live and love in ways that fulfill them. We believe in standing up for women.
In contrast, Mike Lee has a bad track record of standing up for people who are different from him. His refusal to enact anti discriminatory legislation can be seen as recently in his opposition to the Equality Act — legislation that would extend civil rights and protections for all Americans.
We are for the earth.
We believe in being good stewards of the beautiful earth. We want to leave our grandchildren an inheritance of clean air, clean water, and a stable climate.
Sadly, Mike Lee doesn’t believe in leaving things better than you found them. He’s more willing to exploit our public lands for the sake of special interests than he is in protecting them. In fact, Lee has even championed legislation that would prevent the protection and expansion of places like Bears Ears National Monument.
We are for government by the people, for the people.
Most of all, we believe in each other. We show up for each other. We dream big for each other. We believe that in a democracy, everyone’s voice should matter equally, and that government should work by the people and for the people, not for special interests.
But Mike Lee is happy to take charge on things that matter when it becomes political for him. His intent to use the force of government to go after businesses he doesn’t like (social media and MLB) is not because he actually believes in breaking up big business, but because he’s trying to retaliate against the speech and actions he doesn’t agree with.
We are Utahns, and we are humans against Mike Lee. We love our home, we care for our neighbors, and we are committed to preserving the beauty of this state, while creating a more fair and just future for all people and generations who are lucky enough to call Utah home.
