So many topics and so many down days for so many. Here’s a review of the dire circumstances many notables are facing:

SEN. PRES. STUART ADAMS – The legislative leader once again put his foot in his mouth when he criticized Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell as a major reason a ban on Critical Race Theory wasn’t passed by his Utah colleagues.

There are two problems here. One, Donovan Mitchell is a local icon for many sports fans and is definitely more popular than the dour Adams. (There is not much of a market for Adams jerseys.) 

But the worst part is the senator’s admonition that rich white developers like himself have the duty to educate Mitchell on race. That’s like me telling my wife, “Honey, let me explain to you what it’s like to be a woman!”

PRES. JOE BIDEN – The hasty and messy pull-out of U.S. troops in Afghanistan will be a permanent stain on his foreign policy agenda and could well give Republicans a lift in next year’s congressional elections.

It’s ludicrous for Biden to say that the American exit from Afghanistan was a “success.”  He should have just explained the reason for his plan, then admitted that in hindsight he should have done it differently. He has also done a poor job of explaining how his proposed $3 trillion infrastructure bill will impact ordinary Americans. He comes across as confused and weak. He needs a better speech writer who knows how to connect with middle-class and working-class families. 

IRON COUNTY HISTORY TEACHER BRIAN TOWNSEND – Can anybody give me a reason why Townsend’s tweet was a good idea?  (“Republican congressmen would be killed” in the event of another pro-Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol.) It’s a good example of how being educated and being smart are two different things. 

UTAH REP. PAUL RAY – His claim that Intermountain Healthcare is playing loose with numbers on hospitalized COVID patients is a firm example of why nearly 700,000 Americans have unnecessarily died during the pandemic. Instead of belching conspiracy into a microphone, he should talk to doctors and nurses – but that would take too much effort and mental agility. In his youth, Rep. Ray was a circus entertainer; now he’s just the clown of the Utah House.

UTAH COACH KYLE WHITTINGHAM – Are demoralizing losses to BYU and San Diego State the result of his new look shaggy hair or his bypassing loyal quarterback Cam Rising for the new “shiny penny” from Texas, causing a rift among the players?  My best guess is his offensive linemen are believing their own pre-season press clippings and his defensive unit is confusing touch football with tackle football.

But all is not lost, Coach. Your PAC-12 opponents have also been circling the drain, so you can still win a PAC championship while boasting that you beat Weber State.

THE CALIFORNIA VOTING SYSTEM – It cost the state $276 million to fund its recent recall election in which the Governor won by basically the same margin as he did when he was elected earlier.  That’s $276 million which could have been spent on fixing highways, funding school lunch programs, hiring teachers, or even cutting taxes.