April 21st, 2020
Mental Health - There Is No Shame
For many, springtime ushers in new beginnings, new life, and renewed hope. Unfortunately, due to Coronavirus, much of Spring 2020 has been isolation, loss, and heartache. While science focuses on a “cure” for this deadly virus, we must grasp and deal with its tremendous personal and financial impact and begin the recovery process.
Businesses and restaurants have closed. Supply chains are broken. Dairymen forced to dump millions of gallons of milk; produce rotting in the fields, and the largest meatpacking plants are shutting their doors.
As Utahns and Americans, we find hope, we rise to the occasion, and we put on our best face. But as we smile through adversity and “put our shoulders to the wheel”, we need also to acknowledge our vulnerabilities and that we, too, have a breaking point. During these trying times, I encourage you, even adult men, to acknowledge and recognize your concerns and fears; fears that could lead some to despair. Instead of burying fear, we can reach out to each other and get help. Tragically for some, it can literally be a matter of life and death. The following is State of Utah data:
-There are 650 Suicides each year in Utah, 5th highest rate in the US.
-Men are over 3 times more likely than women to commit suicide
-Men, age 45 to 54 are in fact the age group with the highest rate of suicide besides seniors
-Rural areas have the highest suicide rates in Utah
To you, small business owners, or you that have recently been furloughed or laid off, or had your work hours drastically decreased, or to you dairy and livestock folk, I understand your fear and concern. As a small business owner, farmer, and rancher, my family and I struggle with you. Although livestock prices have collapsed, my family still have ewes to lamb and thousands of sheep to feed. We do not know what the future holds.
To you heads of household, who now find yourself struggling mentally and emotionally; to those who lay awake at night with the mortgage due the next day; To you who watch your children run and play, oblivious to all that is happening, yet inside you feel you have failed those that you love most; I get it. I understand. I have been there too. To you, I say it is not a sign of weakness to ask for help or talk to a friend. But a show of strength and maturity. At some point in our lives, we all need someone to lean on.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please encourage him or her to reach out and get help. I am including help hotlines below.
Please be safe, be aware, and remember, there is no shame in our struggles. No matter the challenges ahead, we want you with us.
Carson Jorgensen
Utah's 2nd Congressional District - Candidate
Suicide Prevention Resources
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.
Crisis Hotlines
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Statewide/Salt Lake County Crisis Line: 801-587-3000
• Utah County Crisis Line: 801-691-5433
• Wasatch Mental Health Crisis Line: 801-373-7393
• Trevor Project Hotline for LGBTQ teens: 1-866-488-7386
Online Resources
• NAMI Utah: namiut.org
• County Crisis Lines: https://www.namiut.org/families-caregivers/suicide-prevention
• Utah Chapter-American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: afsputah.com
• Suicide Prevention Lifeline: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Businesses and restaurants have closed. Supply chains are broken. Dairymen forced to dump millions of gallons of milk; produce rotting in the fields, and the largest meatpacking plants are shutting their doors.
As Utahns and Americans, we find hope, we rise to the occasion, and we put on our best face. But as we smile through adversity and “put our shoulders to the wheel”, we need also to acknowledge our vulnerabilities and that we, too, have a breaking point. During these trying times, I encourage you, even adult men, to acknowledge and recognize your concerns and fears; fears that could lead some to despair. Instead of burying fear, we can reach out to each other and get help. Tragically for some, it can literally be a matter of life and death. The following is State of Utah data:
-There are 650 Suicides each year in Utah, 5th highest rate in the US.
-Men are over 3 times more likely than women to commit suicide
-Men, age 45 to 54 are in fact the age group with the highest rate of suicide besides seniors
-Rural areas have the highest suicide rates in Utah
To you, small business owners, or you that have recently been furloughed or laid off, or had your work hours drastically decreased, or to you dairy and livestock folk, I understand your fear and concern. As a small business owner, farmer, and rancher, my family and I struggle with you. Although livestock prices have collapsed, my family still have ewes to lamb and thousands of sheep to feed. We do not know what the future holds.
To you heads of household, who now find yourself struggling mentally and emotionally; to those who lay awake at night with the mortgage due the next day; To you who watch your children run and play, oblivious to all that is happening, yet inside you feel you have failed those that you love most; I get it. I understand. I have been there too. To you, I say it is not a sign of weakness to ask for help or talk to a friend. But a show of strength and maturity. At some point in our lives, we all need someone to lean on.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please encourage him or her to reach out and get help. I am including help hotlines below.
Please be safe, be aware, and remember, there is no shame in our struggles. No matter the challenges ahead, we want you with us.
Carson Jorgensen
Utah's 2nd Congressional District - Candidate
Suicide Prevention Resources
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.
Crisis Hotlines
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Statewide/Salt Lake County Crisis Line: 801-587-3000
• Utah County Crisis Line: 801-691-5433
• Wasatch Mental Health Crisis Line: 801-373-7393
• Trevor Project Hotline for LGBTQ teens: 1-866-488-7386
Online Resources
• NAMI Utah: namiut.org
• County Crisis Lines: https://www.namiut.org/families-caregivers/suicide-prevention
• Utah Chapter-American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: afsputah.com
• Suicide Prevention Lifeline: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
April 17th, 2020
Are our elected officials Saying One Thing, But Doing Another?
Just last week, in a Letter to the Editor in the Deseret News, we were reminded once again of the negative long-term consequences of Mountain Accord which calls for MORE Federal protection, MORE Wilderness, and LESS local control of our public lands in Utah. And, to add insult to injury, these draconian efforts have been and continue to be paid for by us, the taxpayer. Yes, you read it right: you and I pay for it.
In last weeks Deseret News, Ralph Becker (former Salt Lake City Mayor, far-left liberal Democrat, and extreme environmentalist) praised himself and others for Mountain Accord (Deseret News 4.10.2020). I will list for you below the components and facts surrounding Mountain Accord.
What we know of Mountain Accord:
1. More Federal control. Mountain Accord calls for a new Federal Designation (National Conservation and Recreation Area) of 80,000 acres and an additional nearly 10,000 acres of Wilderness Designation in the Wasatch Canyons. Mountain Accord drew the ire of true public lands defender Rep. Mike Noel R-Kanab. According to the Deseret News, “Rep. Mike Noel blasted the now-defunct Mountain Accord,” because it “sought to tie up public lands with a federal land designation” and ignored local concerns.
2. Transportation solutions. According to then, Rep. Mike Noel R-Kanab, “the group (Mountain Accord) was supposed to be about finding transportation solutions to the Wasatch canyons traffic troubles”. Instead of finding solutions to urgent transportation problems, Mountain Accord focused on creating a Federal Designation called the "Central Wasatch National Conservation and Recreation Area" (CWNCRA). As worded, Mountain Accord's proposed legislation creating the CWNCRA could very well have been the death knell to sustainable transportation solutions in the Wasatch Canyons. According to Ted Wilson (another former Salt Lake City Mayor), such Federal Designation can terminate wise transportation solutions. (City Weekly)
3. Millions of taxpayer dollars spent while breaking the law. The State Legislature entrusted Mountain Accord partners with millions of dollars of your hard-earned money to craft critical transportation solutions. Unfortunately, far-left partners spent millions of public money while breaking the law, conducting the public's business behind closed doors, and in clear violation of the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act (OPMA). Their illegal action resulted in a lawsuit where they boldly argued Mountain Accord was NOT subject to the OPMA and they SHOULD be allowed to operate in secret.
Third District Court Judge Laura Scott ruled against them.
https://www.deseret.com/2017/10/17/20635221/attorney-files-to-expand-lawsuit-against-mountain-accord-to-all-counties-cities-involved
https://www.deseret.com/2017/7/11/20615554/judge-mountain-accord-subject-to-open-meetings-law
4. Rep. Mike Noel sponsored legislation to prevent future actions such as Mountain Accord. The Deseret News stated, That Wasatch Wilderness bill (Mountain Accord), which proposed 80,000 acres for additional federal protection, prompted him (Noel) to run HB136, which passed out of a Senate legislative committee 3-2 on Monday. “Those federal land designations, be it the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument or the recent Wasatch Wilderness bill, greatly impact the revenue and resources of this state," which Noel said lawmakers are tasked with safeguarding. Deseret News 2/26/2018
So, who opposed Rep. Mike Noel’s efforts to prevent more Federal designations such as Mountain Accord? Environmental extremists Save Our Canyons, Sierra Club, Utah Dine Bikeyah, and other supporters of Mountain Accord.
No elected official in Utah deserves your vote when he or she:
1. Calls for additional Federal control of existing federal lands in Utah,
2. Promotes more Federal Wilderness Designation,
3. Spends millions of dollars of your money promoting something you don't support,
4. Violates the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act,
5. Huddles with environmental extremists,
6. By-passes our State Legislature in pursuit of more Federal control
In last weeks Deseret News, Ralph Becker (former Salt Lake City Mayor, far-left liberal Democrat, and extreme environmentalist) praised himself and others for Mountain Accord (Deseret News 4.10.2020). I will list for you below the components and facts surrounding Mountain Accord.
What we know of Mountain Accord:
1. More Federal control. Mountain Accord calls for a new Federal Designation (National Conservation and Recreation Area) of 80,000 acres and an additional nearly 10,000 acres of Wilderness Designation in the Wasatch Canyons. Mountain Accord drew the ire of true public lands defender Rep. Mike Noel R-Kanab. According to the Deseret News, “Rep. Mike Noel blasted the now-defunct Mountain Accord,” because it “sought to tie up public lands with a federal land designation” and ignored local concerns.
2. Transportation solutions. According to then, Rep. Mike Noel R-Kanab, “the group (Mountain Accord) was supposed to be about finding transportation solutions to the Wasatch canyons traffic troubles”. Instead of finding solutions to urgent transportation problems, Mountain Accord focused on creating a Federal Designation called the "Central Wasatch National Conservation and Recreation Area" (CWNCRA). As worded, Mountain Accord's proposed legislation creating the CWNCRA could very well have been the death knell to sustainable transportation solutions in the Wasatch Canyons. According to Ted Wilson (another former Salt Lake City Mayor), such Federal Designation can terminate wise transportation solutions. (City Weekly)
3. Millions of taxpayer dollars spent while breaking the law. The State Legislature entrusted Mountain Accord partners with millions of dollars of your hard-earned money to craft critical transportation solutions. Unfortunately, far-left partners spent millions of public money while breaking the law, conducting the public's business behind closed doors, and in clear violation of the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act (OPMA). Their illegal action resulted in a lawsuit where they boldly argued Mountain Accord was NOT subject to the OPMA and they SHOULD be allowed to operate in secret.
Third District Court Judge Laura Scott ruled against them.
https://www.deseret.com/2017/10/17/20635221/attorney-files-to-expand-lawsuit-against-mountain-accord-to-all-counties-cities-involved
https://www.deseret.com/2017/7/11/20615554/judge-mountain-accord-subject-to-open-meetings-law
4. Rep. Mike Noel sponsored legislation to prevent future actions such as Mountain Accord. The Deseret News stated, That Wasatch Wilderness bill (Mountain Accord), which proposed 80,000 acres for additional federal protection, prompted him (Noel) to run HB136, which passed out of a Senate legislative committee 3-2 on Monday. “Those federal land designations, be it the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument or the recent Wasatch Wilderness bill, greatly impact the revenue and resources of this state," which Noel said lawmakers are tasked with safeguarding. Deseret News 2/26/2018
So, who opposed Rep. Mike Noel’s efforts to prevent more Federal designations such as Mountain Accord? Environmental extremists Save Our Canyons, Sierra Club, Utah Dine Bikeyah, and other supporters of Mountain Accord.
No elected official in Utah deserves your vote when he or she:
1. Calls for additional Federal control of existing federal lands in Utah,
2. Promotes more Federal Wilderness Designation,
3. Spends millions of dollars of your money promoting something you don't support,
4. Violates the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act,
5. Huddles with environmental extremists,
6. By-passes our State Legislature in pursuit of more Federal control
April 8, 2020
A Message To Beaver County
To the Delegates of Beaver County I say thank you for the invite, thank you for the warm reception, and thank you for your great contribution to the State of Utah. As you know, Beaver County leads all counties in Utah in the total market value of agricultural products and livestock revenues. That is impressive. However, it is puzzling to me how, despite Beaver County leading the way, it seems like you are left out of critical planning and decisions from the feds and state that affect your great county and Utah's agriculture industry. That is just wrong.
Beaver must have a prominent seat at the planning and policy table.
I am reminded of a great quote that is relevant here, “The best ranchers are the ones who smell like livestock.”
As a rancher myself, I want you to know that I had to hurry in from the pens, pull off my cowboy boots, and get cleaned up to appear before you this evening.
They have given us very limited time tonight, so I will focus quickly on a couple of items.
Public Lands:
- Nearly 80% of the land in Beaver County is owned or managed by the federal government.
- Beaver County's economy and way of life are dependent on the access and use of public land.
- All public land-use decisions have a substantial impact on the citizens of Beaver County.
- The Federal and state agencies that manage public lands largely ignore Beaver County in the development of land use plans and decisions.
- Any inclusion of Beaver County is minimal and typically comes after plans and decisions are largely complete.
This practice of excluding Beaver County is unacceptable and dangerous. For example, Limitations on logging and grazing practices over the past several decades have resulted in more dense and less diverse wildlands and the accumulation of large amounts of woody debris and increased fuel load. These conditions increase the severity of wildfires and threaten the wellbeing of the land, citizens, and property.
We have seen the horror and devastation of out of control wildfires. We know the frequency and intensity of these wildfires can be greatly reduced through wise forest management, but wise management will not occur unless we have a prominent seat at the table.
As your elected representative, I will ensure Beaver County’s access into these lands, and your seat at the table at both the state and federal level.
RS2477 Roads:
Transportation and access routes to and across federal lands, including all rights-of-way vested under RS2477, are vital to the economy and to the quality of life in Beaver County. We must ensure the movement of people, goods, and services across public lands for our economy, tourism, agricultural uses, and our way of life.
Outdoor recreation is part of the lifeblood of Beaver County as people come from all over the state and country to ride ATV trails. Unfortunately, access to public land continues to dwindle as more roads are closed by federal agencies and special interest groups continue to apply more pressure to place wilderness designations on existing lands.
I am a rancher, one of you. I know that best land management, forest management, and access and trails management come from the locals, at the local level. I will fight Washington and special interest groups in their overreach for more wilderness, more federal designation, and any efforts to terminate our RS2477 rights.
Thank you
Beaver must have a prominent seat at the planning and policy table.
I am reminded of a great quote that is relevant here, “The best ranchers are the ones who smell like livestock.”
As a rancher myself, I want you to know that I had to hurry in from the pens, pull off my cowboy boots, and get cleaned up to appear before you this evening.
They have given us very limited time tonight, so I will focus quickly on a couple of items.
Public Lands:
- Nearly 80% of the land in Beaver County is owned or managed by the federal government.
- Beaver County's economy and way of life are dependent on the access and use of public land.
- All public land-use decisions have a substantial impact on the citizens of Beaver County.
- The Federal and state agencies that manage public lands largely ignore Beaver County in the development of land use plans and decisions.
- Any inclusion of Beaver County is minimal and typically comes after plans and decisions are largely complete.
This practice of excluding Beaver County is unacceptable and dangerous. For example, Limitations on logging and grazing practices over the past several decades have resulted in more dense and less diverse wildlands and the accumulation of large amounts of woody debris and increased fuel load. These conditions increase the severity of wildfires and threaten the wellbeing of the land, citizens, and property.
We have seen the horror and devastation of out of control wildfires. We know the frequency and intensity of these wildfires can be greatly reduced through wise forest management, but wise management will not occur unless we have a prominent seat at the table.
As your elected representative, I will ensure Beaver County’s access into these lands, and your seat at the table at both the state and federal level.
RS2477 Roads:
Transportation and access routes to and across federal lands, including all rights-of-way vested under RS2477, are vital to the economy and to the quality of life in Beaver County. We must ensure the movement of people, goods, and services across public lands for our economy, tourism, agricultural uses, and our way of life.
Outdoor recreation is part of the lifeblood of Beaver County as people come from all over the state and country to ride ATV trails. Unfortunately, access to public land continues to dwindle as more roads are closed by federal agencies and special interest groups continue to apply more pressure to place wilderness designations on existing lands.
I am a rancher, one of you. I know that best land management, forest management, and access and trails management come from the locals, at the local level. I will fight Washington and special interest groups in their overreach for more wilderness, more federal designation, and any efforts to terminate our RS2477 rights.
Thank you
April 5, 2020
Obeying The 11th Commandment
The Republican 11th Commandment, as characterized by Ronald Reagan, clearly states, “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.”
As a Republican candidate for Utah’s 2nd Congressional District, looking to unseat an incumbent Republican, I often rehearse the 11th Commandment and ponder its meaning.
I have always had tremendous respect for President Reagan’s intelligence, integrity, and leadership. Although President Reagan is no longer with us, I hope he would approve of my interpretation and extension of his 11th Commandment.
I embrace the concept and principle of not speaking ill of another Republican, especially in regard to personal attacks. I believe that a unified party is a strong party and as a strong party we share a more cohesive message, we inspire our base, we expand our influence, we attract more voters and win more races.
But, I also believe we have a moral obligation to respectfully engage in policy debates and question our elected officials in a manner consistent with the 11th Commandment. I believe that questioning ideas and holding Representatives accountable leads to better policy and honest leaders.
I have some policy disagreements with Congressman Stewart. Over the next couple of weeks, I will include you in my questions and concerns as I direct them to him. The questions I raise are linked to issues important to the residents and voters of Utah’s 2nd Congressional District. They are key issues relevant to rural and urban alike. They are matters that are at the heart of Republican and Utah values, and they are at the root of why I chose to enter this race.
As a Republican candidate for Utah’s 2nd Congressional District, looking to unseat an incumbent Republican, I often rehearse the 11th Commandment and ponder its meaning.
I have always had tremendous respect for President Reagan’s intelligence, integrity, and leadership. Although President Reagan is no longer with us, I hope he would approve of my interpretation and extension of his 11th Commandment.
I embrace the concept and principle of not speaking ill of another Republican, especially in regard to personal attacks. I believe that a unified party is a strong party and as a strong party we share a more cohesive message, we inspire our base, we expand our influence, we attract more voters and win more races.
But, I also believe we have a moral obligation to respectfully engage in policy debates and question our elected officials in a manner consistent with the 11th Commandment. I believe that questioning ideas and holding Representatives accountable leads to better policy and honest leaders.
I have some policy disagreements with Congressman Stewart. Over the next couple of weeks, I will include you in my questions and concerns as I direct them to him. The questions I raise are linked to issues important to the residents and voters of Utah’s 2nd Congressional District. They are key issues relevant to rural and urban alike. They are matters that are at the heart of Republican and Utah values, and they are at the root of why I chose to enter this race.
April 1, 2020
Is Utah At The Pelosi Trough?
Many Republicans have excoriated Nancy Pelosi and her far-left cohorts in their attempt to hijack the Coronavirus bill with unrelated pork. Republicans were right to do that. Emergency money for issues unrelated to Coronavirus should not be in the bill.
Unfortunately, Utah is now caught up in the suspicion and accusations of the very thing many have accused Pelosi of doing. Accusations are flying that Utah is at the trough, gaming the system, profiting off an unprecedented public crisis. The suspicion and accusations against Utah are highlighted in the Wall Street Journal, on national talk radio shows, and more. The specific language from the Coronavirus bill states:
Provided, That $500,000 of the funds provided under this heading in this Act shall be transferred to the “Central Utah Project Completion Account” to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus
Although questions abound, we have yet to hear from our elected official(s) as to who made the request for the money and why.
The explanation might be simple, well-intended, and above board. The emergency funding might be necessary to assist the Central Utah Project in its efforts to protect its water operations against the Coronavirus. If so, perhaps that makes sense, but we, the taxpayers have not been offered an explanation. Instead, this money is being singled out across the Nation as possible Republican Pork; creating a cloud of suspicion over Utah.
To make matters worse, the CDC has stated, “The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking water. Conventional water treatment methods that use filtration and disinfection, such as those in most municipal drinking water systems, should remove or inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.”
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/water.html If that is so, then why is a Utah water system singled out for an Anti-Coronavirus earmark?
American taxpayers need a clear and concise answer from our Utah officials as to why hundreds of thousands of dollars of emergency Coronavirus monies are directed to the Central Utah Project.
We are listening!
Unfortunately, Utah is now caught up in the suspicion and accusations of the very thing many have accused Pelosi of doing. Accusations are flying that Utah is at the trough, gaming the system, profiting off an unprecedented public crisis. The suspicion and accusations against Utah are highlighted in the Wall Street Journal, on national talk radio shows, and more. The specific language from the Coronavirus bill states:
Provided, That $500,000 of the funds provided under this heading in this Act shall be transferred to the “Central Utah Project Completion Account” to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus
Although questions abound, we have yet to hear from our elected official(s) as to who made the request for the money and why.
The explanation might be simple, well-intended, and above board. The emergency funding might be necessary to assist the Central Utah Project in its efforts to protect its water operations against the Coronavirus. If so, perhaps that makes sense, but we, the taxpayers have not been offered an explanation. Instead, this money is being singled out across the Nation as possible Republican Pork; creating a cloud of suspicion over Utah.
To make matters worse, the CDC has stated, “The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking water. Conventional water treatment methods that use filtration and disinfection, such as those in most municipal drinking water systems, should remove or inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.”
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/water.html If that is so, then why is a Utah water system singled out for an Anti-Coronavirus earmark?
American taxpayers need a clear and concise answer from our Utah officials as to why hundreds of thousands of dollars of emergency Coronavirus monies are directed to the Central Utah Project.
We are listening!