The state Dem model: Be low-key and generally inoffensive?

I have been highly unimpressed with Rebecca Walsh's take in most of her articles about the Utah State Democrats. I don't want to cast aspersions on a single individual, but in general, it seems to be very easy to continue to write about the perception of our party attempting to win by presentng as conservative, and generally inoffensive.

I would like to suggest that if anyone wants to report on the future of the Utah State Democratic Party that they actually show up to a convention to hear the candidates. I certainly don't think Pete Ashdown is conservative, and have you checked out his "low key" Ashdown mobile?? I KNOW that Trish Beck, Steve Olsen, and Jim Winder are not "predictable".

Regarding our Salt Lake Mayor Peter Corroon's stance on the Salt Lake Real's pressure to get a soccer stadium built in the County, how low key is it to take a stance against the Salt Lake Real's pressure to build a soccer stadium in our county? That was certainly fiscally conservative perhaps. However, this is a welcome contrast to the 15 million dollar parking fiasco the Republican office holders voted for in the last legislative session.

Since when did "inoffensive"become a problem? Is it as pejorative as (shock) LIBERAL???

I'm not a representative of the State party, so just take my comments as those of a dedicated, inoffensive, liberal Demorat activist.

And no private e mails about that self labeled "inoffenisve" statement.

Here's my two personal bits.

One of the reasons that Rep. Jim Matheson polls so well, is that, while he is a Democrat, party theology is not his first priority. Representation of his constituents is his first priority and it shows in both his reelections and poll numbers. Look at Matheson’s stances on the federal budget, PFS, Divine Strake and protecting kids from porn. He’s anything but low key or predictable.

Mayor Corroon is another example of being impressive by doing his job the way he told voters he would. Open, honest and responsible government at its best: by a Democrat. The Mayor’s stand on MLS, for example, was, again, a gutsy move that protected the interests of the people of not only Salt Lake County, but the whole state. Again, not low key, inoffensive or predictable.

What do these two men have in common? They lead by example. They do a good job. They represent the people who voted for them (and those that didn’t) by hard work, determination and good government. I don’t recall reading that in Walsh’s article.

I believe that Walsh, and most of the others at the Tribune (and to a lesser degree, the Des News) are stuck in a moment that they can’t get out of. They’re either habitual Democrat bashers or not imaginative enough to wrap their heads around new energy, new ideas, and representational government.