Leave it to our Utah County legislative delegation to ignore the big problems in our state while they sponsor and lobby for their message bills. You would think that with all the focus on Utah-made guns, signs about guns on private property, abortion, and attempts to take away the federal government's land in the state, Utah's economy and educational system were doing just fine. You would think that the economic quality of life for Utahns and their access to educational opportunities -- both elementary and secondary as well as higher -- were both in good shape and legislators didn't have to worry about these things and can pay attention to smaller issues.

When you look at what our legislators like Stephen Sandstrom, Margaret Dayton, Brad Daw, and Chris Herrod attempt to push through the legislature and support with their votes, you have to wonder what planet they live on.

While the state passes through the most serious economic recession in a quarter of a century -- a recession that is affecting the vast majority of citizens, our legislators are interested in picking fights with the federal government and satisfying the extremist Republican delegates. While our public and higher education systems suffer the most serious setbacks they've ever faced -- layoffs and massive budget cuts -- our legislators just favor more cuts. Utah Valley University already is at the bottom in terms of per pupil spending. You would think their focus would be on helping UVU get out of that hole. If you did, you would be wrong.

Our Utah County legislators should be finding ways to create jobs in Utah. They should be looking for solutions that mitigate the pain that Utahns are going through when they or family members are laid off and lose their health insurance and even their homes. They should be aware of the pain they are causing when they bunch more and more students in a classroom and deny access to higher education to increasing numbers of college-bound young people in the state.  

But, no. I guess that would be too much to ask.  

It is past time to end the career of these incumbents who fiddle with resolutions and message bills while the state suffers. We can do better, and we will.