Author | Lightnews

@sharongf.bsky.social

15K followers 18K following 970 posts

Be the change you want to see in the world. Passionate about public education and social justice.Teacher Mentor/Coach. 2009 UtahTeacher of the Year No DMs, please.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

sharongf.bsky.social @sharongf.bsky.social · Nov 11

Freedom of religion is a guaranteed right. Your faith is yours to practice, but the Constitution guarantees that same right to others, not just your God or your faith.

32 41 290

sharongf.bsky.social @sharongf.bsky.social · 5h

Of course, they did.

sharongf.bsky.social @sharongf.bsky.social · 5h

@spencercox.bsky.social

1 3

sharongf.bsky.social @sharongf.bsky.social · 5h

1 2

Reposted

Bryan Schott @schotthappens.com · 1d

What's the penalty for violating Utah's election ad disclosure laws?

Not much more than a gentle warning.

That's an open invitation for more of the same.

Utah Political Watch @utahpoliticalwatch.news · 1d

Utah requires certain disclosures on political ads.

House Speaker Mike Schultz and a PAC linked to Sen. Mike Lee skipped those disclosures on ads in a local school board race.

Penalty? Basically none.

Story at the link:

www.utahpoliticalwatch.news/utah-electio...

Utah's toothless election ad disclosure law

Utah election law requires disclosures on political ads, but enforcement is minimal. Liberty Champions PAC and House Speaker Mike Schultz skipped them in a local school board race.

www.utahpoliticalwatch.news

5 15

sharongf.bsky.social @sharongf.bsky.social · 3d

It fell apart on the first day.

Reposted

🕊️KatarinaKriz🕊️On the turning away~Pink Floyd @katarinakriz.bsky.social · 3d

5 52 120

Reposted

Christine Riter @criterdee.bsky.social · 3d

Called Lee, Curtis. LAM for Kennedy (all R-UT).

re: open enrollment.

Because they’re in Congress, they don’t have to “shop” plans in October because health care is a perk for them.

They can’t relate to losing coverage.

Per Rolling Stone article: Cadillac plans for them, scraps for us.
#utpol

2 4

Reposted

Leslie Liberty @hotskillet.bsky.social · 3d

Bless Mumbai House. Park City, SLC and Toole. Please let your neighbors know. Hard times are here. #UTpol

ABC4 Utah @abc4utah.bsky.social · 4d

A Utah restaurant chain is going above and beyond to help out those in need amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Mumbai House offering free food to help those impacted by government shutdown

A Utah restaurant chain is going above and beyond to help out those in need amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.

www.abc4.com

1 6 8

sharongf.bsky.social @sharongf.bsky.social · 3d

Helping Argentina rachers while US ranchers get nothing. So much winning.

Reposted

Christine Riter @criterdee.bsky.social · 4d

Article courtesy of the Salt Lake Tribune @sltrib.com

Not Auschwitz, but a potential taxpayer-funded ICE camp in UT, with which to hold detainees is no less repulsive.
#utpol

CNN: Immigration detention center to be built in Utah with expected capacity for 10K
edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dyn...

CNN: Immigration detention center to be built in Utah with expected capacity for 10K - The Salt Lake Tribune

edition.pagesuite.com

1 4 4

Reposted

Bryan Schott @schotthappens.com · 4d

"These videos have become a signature move from Schultz since he became Speaker. They look like personal social media content—they’re posted to his personal accounts first then amplified through official legislative channels—but taxpayers are footing the bill."

Utah Political Watch @utahpoliticalwatch.news · 4d

Your tax dollars at work?

Did Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz use taxpayer money to produce a social media video targeting the judge in the gerrymandering case?

www.utahpoliticalwatch.news/is-utahs-hou...

Utah House Speaker spends taxpayer money to attack judge

Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz uses taxpayer funds to produce video attacking judge who struck down the state's gerrymandered congressional map.

www.utahpoliticalwatch.news

9 13

sharongf.bsky.social @sharongf.bsky.social · 5d

The world sees Trump for who and what he is. MAGA and the GOP are living in another reality.

5 15

Reposted

Christine Riter @criterdee.bsky.social · 7d

Courtesy of the Salt Lake Tribune @sltrib.com

Utah leg. - GOP super majority.
Governor’s mansion - republican
USC - justices nominated/confirmed by Gov/ #utleg

Utah voters - voiceless #utpol

Experts: Legislature’s congressional map a GOP-favoring outlier
edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dyn...

Experts: Legislature’s congressional map a GOP-favoring outlier - The Salt Lake Tribune

edition.pagesuite.com

1 2

Reposted

Janet Kinneberg @jkinneberg.bsky.social · 7d

Utah residents- Decline to Sign!

If you see petition gatherers about redistricting or Prop 4, say NO. #NoGerrymandering

Tell your friends and family: Don't sign any petitions about redistricting or congressional maps. Utah Legislators & GOP are trying to overturn the will of the people.

#UtPol

REDISTRICTING TIMELINE
2017
Signature Gathering
A bipartisan grassroots group formed to create an independent
redistricting commission.
Volunteers began collecting signatures statewide to put the
issue on the ballot.
VOTE
2018
You Voted
512,000+ Utahns passed
Proposition 4, creating an independent redistricting
commission and banning partisan gerrymandering. The promise: fair maps where voters pick politicians, not the other way around.
2020•
Politicians Repealed It Legislature passed SB 200, gutting
Prop 4 and turning the
independent commission into an
"advisory" body they could ignore.
They drew maps anyway, cracking
Salt Lake County four ways.
•2024
Supreme Court Said No
The Court ruled that when voters enact government reforms through a ballot initiative, those reforms are constitutionally protected. It sent the case back to the district court to determine whether the repeal of Proposition 4 meets that test.
August 25 2025
Third District Court's Ruling
Current congressional maps are void because they violate Prop 4. The Legislature must draw new maps by
November 10.
October 6 2025
Legislature Grudgingly
Complies
Under protest, they pass Map C the least competitive option for Democrats. The GOP had
endorsed it just two weeks earlier.
October 15
2025₽
The Petitions
The same GOP now wants to
REPEAL the map they just endorsed
AND repeal Prop 4 entirely, using two different petition tactics.
Now we await the court's decision to choose a map.

It's Nina from Vote Save America, I know it's been a while since you've heard from us.
I'm reaching out because Utah Republicans are trying to take away your voting power.
There's a lot of messy details, but here's the gist:
1. In 2018, voters passed Prop 4 to stop politicians from rigging maps. Great!
2. Then, the legislature completely overrode Prop 4. Not great!
3. After years of litigation, the courts sided in favor of Prop 4 and mandated that the Legislature draw new "fair" maps. Whew, ok.
Still following? There's more.
4. Last month, the Legislature proposed that new map. It still has your current four red congressional districts, but two of them are more competitive - a little more purple-y, if you will. We're still waiting to see if the judge approves the new maps.
5. Last week, the Utah Republican Party filed two petitions to overturn both Proposition 4 and the new congressional map that was just passed by the majority of Republican state legislators.
In short: good news, bad news, good news again, more good news, then very, very bad news.
Now, the GOP has until November 15 to collect:
• Nearly 70,500 signatures statewide for the petition that asks the Legislature to repeal Prop 4
• Nearly 150,000 signatures statewide for the referendum to ask voters to block the new map
The GOP needs YOUR signature to succeed. Without enough of your signatures, their power grab fails.
What you can DO:
• Decline to sign- If you see petition gatherers about redistricting or Prop 4, say NO.
• Tell your friends and family: Don't sign any petitions about redistricting or congressional maps. They're trying to overturn the will of the people.
If you're confused, that's....so fair. Here's a helpful graphic our friends at Elevate Utah made to explain

1 3 3

Reposted

CrazyUs @crazyus.com · 7d

The GOP CONTROLLED HOUSE, who controls the power of the purse, continues to push a false narrative that the DEMs are the reason people are losing SNAP! Nope, the GOP is cruelly using Americans as pawns so they can win! #GOPShutdown #utpol

PS: cool ballroom🤦‍♀️

www.npr.org/2025/10/24/n...

'Uncharted territory': Ongoing shutdown threatens food aid for 42 million people

SNAP, the country's largest anti-hunger program, dates back to the Great Depression and has never been disrupted this way. Most recipients are seniors, families with kids, and those with disabilities.

www.npr.org

2 3

Reposted

Christine Riter @criterdee.bsky.social · 7d

I’m not 100% sure, but I’d bet a million bucks your congress members don’t have to fu** around with the open enrollment period, as we peons do.

New illness? Cancer diagnosis? Reauthorization? Deductibles? Copays? Job change?

I doubt they care that this is what we face each plan year.
#utpol

2 5 5

sharongf.bsky.social @sharongf.bsky.social · 11d

And in another Federal case a judge ruled Trump had the right to send troops into Portland.

1 3

Reposted

Bryan Schott @schotthappens.com · 11d

Oh, shit!

James Comey just filed a motion to dismiss the government's case against him.

He claims that the U.S. attorney who brought the case was illegally appointed to her post, so the indictment is not legitimate.

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

9 32 190

sharongf.bsky.social @sharongf.bsky.social · 11d

Donald Trump is the joke.

Reposted

Bryan Schott @schotthappens.com · 16d

Quick civics lesson:

2018: Utah voters pass anti-gerrymandering law.
2020: GOP legislature: lol, no.
2024 and 2025: Courts: You can't do that.
2025: Utah GOP: Fine, we'll do it ourselves.

How the Utah GOP plans to kill Prop. 4.

Story at the link:

www.utahpoliticalwatch.news/the-utah-gop...

Utah GOP launches scheme to kill voter-approved redistricting reform

Get up to speed before you head out the door.

www.utahpoliticalwatch.news

1 22 46

Reposted

Ben Winslow @benwinslow.bsky.social · 16d

A coalition of groups that work to feed people in need in Utah are asking Gov. Cox to delay changes to SNAP that are being imposed by the Trump administration. Here's their letter to the governor... #utpol #Utah

Dear Governor Cox,
We, the undersigned organizations, are reaching out today to ask that you exercise your recent
leadership position as Chair at the Western Governors’ Association and request that the Western
Governors’ Association write a letter to request a delay of the implementation of the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provisions from HR 1.
HR1 made sweeping changes to SNAP, burdening states with costs while reducing their ability
to tailor the administration of the program to their states’ needs. The consequences of two
changes in particular seriously threaten state budgets:
● benefits cost share for states based on their SNAP Payment error rate. These abruptly
imposed costs will strain every state's budget. Even with the implementation date
pushed until 2027, the cost-share requirement states will face in the first year of
implementation is based on each state’s payment error rate in 2025 or 2026. This means
how much a state may be required to pay in the future is being determined right now.
States need more time to thoughtfully improve payment accuracy, plan for these
increased costs, and await guidance from USDA on what happens if states do not fully
fund their benefit portion of the program. The shift of program costs to states
jeopardizes what for decades has been our best response to hunger and food insecurity
— a meaningful program with stability and integrity. This puts millions of low-income
Americans at risk for greater food insecurity.
● increased state cost share for administrative costs from a 50/50 percent split to a
75/25 percent split, in cutting the federal match for administrative costs in half. This
change will be implemented on October 1, 2026, giving states little time to prepare and
making it even harder to address the underlying causes of payment errors. It is unclear
what the consequences will be for states that are unable to secure this additional
funding. To date, the USDA has remained silent on this issue.
Unexpect…

they understand not only the importance of maintaining a program with integrity, but also a
program that accurately serves its recipients. USDA must be open to investing in systems that
increase accuracy without increasing the complexity of the program for applicants. But that
takes time and support from USDA.
The lack of clear guidance from the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) within the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making it difficult for states to implement these changes
with integrity and effectiveness. Released memos lack specific guidance, linked here:
Overall Implementation:
SNAP Provisions of the OBBB Information Memorandum
Specific Provisions
Section 10101 – Re-evaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan
SNAP FY 2026 Cost-of-Living-Adjustments (COLA) Memo
Section 10102 – SNAP Work Requirements
ABAWD Exceptions Implementation Memorandum
ABAWD ABAWD Waivers Implementation Memorandum
Sections 10103 and 10104 – SNAP Eligibility
Instructions for FY 2026 Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) Values
Treatment of Energy Assistance Payments
Section 10105 – SNAP Matching Funds Requirements (No memo has been issued)
Section 10106 – SNAP Administrative Cost Sharing (No memo has been issued)
Section 10107: Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program
SNAP-Ed Question and Answer Memo
Section 10108: Alien SNAP Eligibility (No memo has been issued)
Not only does the policy as it stands present a tremendous burden to the state as a whole, but it
also disproportionately hurts those who will struggle to find new bearings: families already
caring for children or senior relatives, disabled people, and those immigrants and refugees to
whom Utah has proudly offered itself as a home.
We would like to schedule a meeting with you or a senior staff member to discuss this further.
Warm Regards,
Glenn Bailey Crossroads Urban Center
Dominique Bryd Comunidades Unidas
Ginette Bott Utah Food Bank
Tom Hogan Community Action Services and Food Bank
Gina Cornia Utahns Agai…

4 10

Reposted

Fake Governor Cox @fakegovernorcox.bsky.social · 16d

Hey friends, just a quick note to remind you that not all Republicans are racist just because most racists are Republican. #utpol

Politico @politico.com · 17d

EXCLUSIVE: Thousands of leaked messages show leaders of Young Republican groups joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape in a private Telegram chat.

Inside rising GOP leaders’ racist chats — obtained by POLITICO and spanning more than 7 months👇

‘I love Hitler’: Leaked messages expose Young Republicans’ racist chat

Thousands of private messages reveal young GOP leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape.

www.politico.com

1 8

sharongf.bsky.social @sharongf.bsky.social · 18d

When you understand that Republicans voted for and defend a felon, a serial sexual assaulter, and a pedophile, you know they have no moral authority to speak on virtually anything. It's indefensible.

sharongf.bsky.social @sharongf.bsky.social · 19d

I have reached the end of my tolerance for willful ignorance. Equity in education means providing the services and instruction each individual student needs for success. If you are opposed to this, what are you for?

Christine Riter @criterdee.bsky.social · 19d

Article courtesy of the Salt Lake Tribune @sltrib.com

Don’t say equity? Even though Ms. Garciaz was asked about equity?

🤦🏽‍♀️ #utpol

Counting how many times she said ‘equity,’ state lawmakers vote against recommending U. trustee
edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dyn...

Counting how many times she said ‘equity,’ state lawmakers vote against recommending U. trustee - The Salt Lake Tribune

edition.pagesuite.com

2 11

Reposted

Christine Riter @criterdee.bsky.social · 24d

Screenshot of the editorial page in today’s Salt LakeTribune @sltrib.com

I hope all this chaos (occurring and upcoming) has been worth it, America.

It’s only ten months in. We have three more years of this. Good lord.

#utpol

Screenshot of today’s editorial page, courtesy of the Salt Lake Tribune.

It features a political cartoon on top. A single editorial in the middle. And the “Public Forum” of two opinions on the bottom.

Commentary is on the erosion liberty (cartoon), the coming explosion of health insurance costs and ramifications (single opinion piece), and the embarrassment that was trump/Hegseth’s address to the military brass last week (remaining two opinions).

1 6 14