But, speaking of Orin Hatch...

The senator from Utah got a big write-up today in the Salt Lake Tribune, having been chosen their Utahn of the Year.

[T]his year, as many times in the past, The Tribune has assigned the label to the Utahn who, over the past 12 months, has done the most. Has made the most news. Has had the biggest impact.

[...]

The selection of Sen. Orrin G. Hatch as the 2017 Utahn of the Year has little to do with the fact that, after 42 years, he is the longest-serving Republican senator in U.S. history, that he has been a senator from Utah longer than three-fifths of the state’s population has been alive.

It has everything to do with recognizing:

• Hatch’s part in the dramatic dismantling of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments.
• His role as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee in passing a major overhaul of the nation’s tax code.
• His utter lack of integrity that rises from his unquenchable thirst for power.

  Salt Lake Tribune

Well then.

To all appearances — appearances promoted by Hatch — this anti-environmental, anti-Native American and, yes, anti-business decommissioning of [Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante] national monuments was basically a political favor the White House did for Hatch. A favor done in return for Hatch’s support of the president generally and of his tax reform plan in particular.

[...]

The fact remains that tax reform has been talked about and talked about for decades and only now has anything been done. And Hatch, as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, has his fingerprints all over it.

But perhaps the most significant move of Hatch’s career is the one that should, if there is any justice, end it.

The last time the senator was up for re-election, in 2012, he promised that it would be his last campaign. That was enough for many likely successors, of both parties, to stand down, to let the elder statesman have his victory tour and to prepare to run for an open seat in 2018.

Clearly, it was a lie.

[...]

It would be good for Utah if Hatch, having finally caught the Great White Whale of tax reform, were to call it a career. If he doesn’t, the voters should end it for him.

"His utter lack of integrity that rises from his unquenchable thirst for power."

Could actually be a tribute to many a politician.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE:

Apparently, he didn't actually read it.  Now they can add one more item to the list.

Pretty lame attempt to make the SOB look like he's on top of things.  That would be the subtlest tongue-in-cheek tweet I ever saw.  And I'm not new to Twitter.  

UPDATE 1/2/18:

"It would be good for Utah if Hatch, having finally caught the Great White Whale of tax reform, were to call it a career."

And, there he goes.  He's looking forward to spending more time with his family.  How many times have we heard that one?  What's he trying to hide from?  Or is he just afraid he couldn't win again?