Some weeks ago, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced that he would veto a bill making its way through the legislature that would bar males from competing against females in womens’ sports. This bill isn’t controversial, even if it is in Republican or independent circles. Utah is also one of the most red states in America.
Cox is your consummate establishmentarian politician, though, so it was no surprise when he responded (per Fox News) by claiming it was the “right” thing to make sure girls could get dominated by boys in sports. This is not the man who called for bipartisanship in the 2020 election. He also opposed a bill to allow school choice because he wants to see more taxpayer money go into public schools.
In the following: statementRegarding H.B. 11, titled Student Eligibility in Interscholastic Activities, Cox said that while “politically, it would be much easier and better for me to simply sign the bill,” he vetoed it because he “tried to do what I feel is the right thing regardless of the consequences.”
Here’s the thing about this kind of mindless virtue signaling. Doing what’s right requires actually being right. It doesn’t earn you any brownie points if you stand in the way of someone trying to accomplish something objectively, which is why protecting girls is objectively justice. Cox might rather be a preening for The Washington Post than stand up to an issue that could bring some heat.
Then there’s stuff like this, which makes me want to ram my head into a wall.
Fiscal conservatism is not something I can vote on. It would be a waste of tax money to pay for losing litigations or cost the state economic opportunities. While it serves as hate speech, it will only serve to send hate messages while the bill is in front of me. Yes. @SpencerJCox. Utah can do better!
— Mike Winder (@mike_winder) March 25, 2022
I guess Mike Winder believes that if he throws in a buzz phrase like “fiscal conservative,” Republicans will just nod along? I can’t think of anything more cowardly in the political realm than for an elected official to say they aren’t going to protect girls because the state might lose a lawsuit or not get to host a college swim meet. Unfortunately, the GOP is still riddled with many spineless wonders like Winder, hiding on the state level, hoping you won’t notice them and that they never have to support something CNN wouldn’t approve of.
Thankfully, most of the rest of Utah’s legislature was actually willing to stand up and be counted. By wide margins, they voted to repeal the Senate and House vetoes.
Thursday’s vote by the Utah Legislature overruled Republican Governor. Spencer Cox’s veto of a measure that would prevent transgender girls from participating in female sports in schools across the state.
In a 56-18 vote with a supermajority needed, the Republican-controlled House first voted to override Cox’s veto. Soon after that, by a vote 21-8, the Senate gave its final approval for Cox’s veto to be overridden.
I know Utah has a knack for elected squishes to high office (see: Mitt Romney), but the Republican voters there, however meek they may prefer to be, should probably ask themselves what’s sustainable. It isn’t sustainable to elect officials that will continue to give up the culture wars of this age and age. If they’re allowed, the left will take over everything. Just think about this.
About Post Author
