A Compilation of Various Ratings of the Voting Records of the Utah Legislature. A listing of other ratings may be found under links at the bottom of the blog.

Monday, July 25, 2005

Is there a difference between Parties?

Judging from the composite Conservative Liberal Index, it appears the answer is clearly - YES!!!


The Conservative - Liberal Index


"by their Fruits shall ye know them"


There are now several groups "rating" our Utah legislators. They each have different criteria for their ratings, based on votes that those groups consider favor or oppose "their" particular issues. The Conservative - Liberal Index (CLI) is a compiled aggregate of those various ratings to determine who is "truly" Conservative or "really" Liberal.


For simplicity, Conservatives may be defined as in favor of LIMITED Government and PROTECTION of INDIVIDUAL rights and Liberals as in favor of ACTIVIST Government and PROVISION of GROUP rights. There may indeed be "a dime's work of difference" between the parties - well, maybe a nickel's.


Individually, ALL Republicans achieved a CLI higher than ALL Democrats. The Most Conservative Award goes to Rep. Morley at 88.4; the Most Liberal Award to Sen. Arent at 17.0.


All told, we might count 47 Conservatives (above 60), 27 Liberals (below 40) and 30 Mugwumps. Some might declare that a balanced, moderate group, others might yearn for stronger principles.


Please refer to the individual websites for bills considered and further rating considerations which were used.


GrsRts

GrsRts

UEA

GAY

UTA

V4M

UAR

AccUT

CLI

Life

2005

2005

2005

2005

2003

2003

life 04

HOUSE

REPUBLICAN

65

69

49

3

78

39

67

-7

65

DEMOCRAT

23

22

95

59

45

56

56

-45

26
SENATE

REPUBLICAN

55

61

40

22

90

45

88

-38

62

DEMOCRAT

20

20

79

73

41

59

55

-45

26




Sunday, July 24, 2005

2005 Utah Legislative Ratings

Rating groups used in this report were:


GrsRts = GrassRoots www.utahgrassroots.com claims: "Grass Roots is committed to the Principles of Limited Government, the State and U.S. Constitutions, Representative Government, Participatory Democracy, a Free Market Economy, Separation of Powers, and Family."


UEA = Utah Education Association www.utea.org declares their "mission is to advance the cause of public education by promoting quality teaching and learning and advocating effectively for the rights and interests of its members."


Gay = Gay Rights www.actwin.com/eatonohio/gay grades on the basis of hate crimes, same-sex marriage and "gay rights."


UTA = Utah Taxpayers Association www.utahtaxpayers.org deals mainly with tax issues and "is a non-profit, non-partisan association working for greater efficiency and effectiveness in government."


V4Mod = Voice for Moderation www.voiceformoderation.com "We promote and support the election of mainstream Republican candidates and attempt to influence legislation that is in keeping with the goals and values of the majority of the people of Utah."


UAR = Utah Association of Realtors www.utahrealtors.com reports on issues dealing with real estate on property issues.

AccUT = Accountability Utah www.accountabilityutah.com "promotes government that is restrained, fair, open, and representative; an economy based on free market principles; and strong individuals and families."

CLI = Conservative - Liberal Index: A weighted average of the above groups.

Saturday, July 23, 2005

2005 Utah Senate Vote Ratings


GrsRts

GrsRts

UEA

Gay

UTA

V4Mod

UAR

AccUT

CLI

Senator

Dist

Party

Life

2005

2005

2005

2005

2003

2004

life2004

REPUBLICANS

75

Stephenson

11

R

74

67

20

0

100

40

84

-4

75.3

Peterson *

24

R

76

80

44

0

89

50

100

-3

73.3

Hickman

29

R

59

71

0

10

60

40

100

-39

72.6

70

Jenkins

20

R

71

75

44

10

89

53

100

-14

69.7

Madsen *

13

R

70

70

30

0

89

?

?

?

69.3

Hatch

28

R

66

72

50

0

88

40

100

-29

67.6

65

Bramble

16

R

61

72

44

10

100

47

100

-50

66.4

Valentine

14

R

56

61

44

10

100

40

100

-39

63.7

Killpack

21

R

52

60

38

10

89

47

84

-43

61.2

Buttars

10

R

55

56

44

10

100

47

100

-61

61.2

Mansell

9

R

47

67

29

40

86

53

100

-57

61.1

60

Hellewell

15

R

60

63

56

10

100

60

100

-54

60.9

Waddoups

6

R

58

59

50

40

88

33

100

-39

60.3

Eastman

23

R

47

63

40

40

88

53

100

-50

58.5

Hillyard

25

R

44

47

33

40

78

33

100

-46

56.7

Christensen *

19

R

58

58

56

40

100

?

?

?

56.5

55

Thomas

18

R

48

50

45

0

89

67

84

-43

56.1

Bell

22

R

39

50

33

40

75

53

100

-54

54.1

Walker

8

R

46

63

56

70

100

53

100

-57

53.6

50

Evans, B

26

R

39

22

43

10

100

73

88

-50

48.2

Knudsen

17

R

37

47

44

70

78

67

100

-61

47.8

average

55.4

60.6

40.1

21.9

89.8

45.2

87.6

-37.8

61.6

DEMOCRATS

Dmitrich

27

D

24

30

75

80

67

73

100

-57

33.1

Mayne

5

D

29

28

67

80

44

73

71

-46

32.5

30

Allen, R

12

D

19

25

56

80

63

80

63

-57

31.4

Fife *

1

D

21

20

78

80

56

?

?

?

29.1

McCoy *

2

D

11

11

78

0

22

?

?

?

27.7

25

Davis

3

D

21

15

75

80

13

73

80

-68

24.0

Hale

7

D

18

15

100

80

33

93

63

-64

17.2

15

Arent

4

D

20

15

100

100

33

80

63

-71

17.0

average

20.4

19.9

78.6

72.5

41.4

59.0

55.0

-45.4

28.0











Friday, July 22, 2005

2005 Utah House Vote Ratings


SCALE

REPUBLICANS

DIST

Party

GrsRts

GrsRts

UEA

GAY

UTA

V4Mod

UAR

AccUT

CLI

Representative

Life

2005

2005

2005

2005

2003

2003

life2004

ave

Morley

66

R

94

100

31

0

91

36

78

75

88.4

85

Frank

57

R

95

95

31

0

91

36

78

29

84.6

Dayton

61

R

83

95

29

0

90

36

100

35

83.4

Lockhart

64

R

86

95

33

0

90

43

100

37

83.0

80

Hughes

51

R

81

85

38

0

100

43

100

34

79.3

Ferrin

58

R

79

84

31

10

100

57

100

3

77.3

Oda *

14

R

95

95

46

0

82

?

?

?

77.3

Alexander

62

R

80

86

36

0

90

57

100

-4

76.7

Tilton *

65

R

86

86

31

0

91

?

?

?

76.7

Donnelson

7

R

83

90

46

0

91

43

78

19

76.6

Daw *

60

R

90

90

38

0

82

?

?

?

76.5

75

Newbold

50

R

74

76

31

0

90

50

100

-3

74.6

Dougall

27

R

79

79

36

0

100

71

78

-4

73.3

Ure

53

R

76

79

38

0

91

71

100

3

73.2

Wheeler *

68

R

85

85

46

0

91

?

?

?

73.2

Wyatt *

5

R

78

78

33

0

100

?

?

?

73.1

Kiser

41

R

70

80

33

0

91

50

78

1

72.7

Urquhart

75

R

69

70

23

0

80

57

100

-22

71.9

Painter *

67

R

80

80

38

0

82

?

?

?

71.9

70

Harper

43

R

68

79

38

0

73

43

78

8

70.5

Christensen

48

R

73

85

50

0

82

57

78

8

70.3

Walker *?

45

R

71

71

31

10

91

?

?

?

69.0

Adams

16

R

62

78

42

0

90

57

100

-25

68.4

Buttars

3

R

66

81

45

10

90

64

100

-26

68.3

Johnson, B

70

R

65

71

36

10

91

71

100

-19

67.7

Ferry

2

R

59

83

42

0

70

64

100

-29

66.7

Clark

74

R

64

59

38

0

73

50

100

-7

65.9

65

Clark, S

63

R

60

55

38

10

91

36

100

-22

65.0

Curtis

49

R

52

63

40

0

100

43

100

-33

64.5

Wallace

42

R

57

60

31

10

80

50

100

-37

64.4

Snow, G

54

R

63

75

50

0

78

?

?

-11

63.3

Mathis *?

55

R

67

67

54

0

73

?

?

?

62.0

Barrus

18

R

58

52

31

0

82

64

78

-26

61.9

Noel

73

R

59

60

54

0

82

57

100

-7

61.7

60

Fisher *

17

R

65

65

54

0

55

?

?

?

59.9

Cox, D

56

R

54

60

62

10

50

6

100

-26

58.7

Aagard

15

R

62

62

67

0

73

50

78

-10

58.6

Mascaro

47

R

49

50

37

10

70

50

100

-33

58.6

Last

71

R

54

62

54

0

55

57

100

-22

58.5

Ray *?

13

R

62

61

60

0

60

?

?

?

57.4

Buxton

12

R

46

50

42

0

60

50

100

-33

56.8

Dunnigan

39

R

58

64

73

0

67

57

78

-3

56.1

Gibson *

6

R

60

60

69

0

73

?

?

?

55.7

Hunsaker *

4

R

60

60

69

0

64

?

?

?

55.1

55

Hardy

20

R

44

48

54

0

73

50

100

-15

54.9

Hutchings

38

R

49

60

62

0

82

71

78

-22

54.5

Dee

11

R

52

50

69

0

64

57

100

-15

53.4

Fowlke *

59

R

57

57

77

0

64

?

?

?

52.1

Hogue

52

R

49

70

77

10

60

64

78

-30

51.6

50

Murray

8

R

44

48

69

10

55

57

100

-15

49.6

Bigelow

32

R

56

50

85

10

64

64

78

-30

48.1

Bowman

72

R

37

45

69

10

60

57

100

-37

46.7

Menlove *

48

48

85

0

55

?

?

?

45.7

45

Holdaway

34

R

45

48

85

10

55

64

78

-11

44.8

Lawrence

36

R

40

38

67

0

50

86

78

-33

43.2

Allen

19

R

36

45

77

10

64

64

78

-44

42.9

Average

64.9

69.1

49.1

2.5

77.5

39.5

66.9

-7.2

64.6



scale

Representative

Dist

Party

GrsRts

GrsRts

UEA

GAY

UTA

V4Mod

UAR

AccUT

CLI

DEMOCRATS

Life

2005

2005

2005

2005

2003

2003

life2004

ave

35

Morgan

46

D

29

35

85

10

64

71

56

-70

34.7

Gowans

21

D

41

37

100

80

55

57

89

-30

34.5

Romero *

25

D

29

29

92

0

36

?

?

?

34.2

Hendrickson

33

D

35

20

100

70

56

43

100

-18

32.3

30

Cosgrove *

44

D

19

19

92

0

45

?

?

?

30.1

Duckworth

22

D

34

24

100

80

55

57

78

-10

29.9

Wheatley *

35

D

20

20

100

0

45

?

?

?

29.0

Wiley *

31

D

15

16

92

0

27

?

?

?

27.3

Bourdeaux

23

D

23

33

86

80

45

79

67

-75

26.6

25

King

69

D

24

10

92

80

36

50

94

-37

25.4

Hansen

9

D

26

24

100

80

55

71

67

-36

25.3

Shurtliff

10

D

22

19

93

70

36

79

67

-51

23.0

Jones

40

D

16

17

90

70

50

71

67

-85

21.9

Litvack

26

D

17

24

92

80

36

86

67

-71

21.0

20

Goodfellow

29

D

19

20

100

80

40

71

67

-77

20.2

Biskupski

30

D

22

14

100

80

50

86

67

-63

20.0

McGee

28

D

16

24

92

100

55

93

67

-85

19.8

Becker

24

D

17

14

92

80

27

71

39

-56

18.1

Spackman - Moss

37

D

15

19

100

80

36

79

67

-85

17.9

Average

23.1

22.0

94.6

58.9

44.7

56.0

55.7

-44.7

25.8