It’s lights out for Hatch
Reading Time: 2 minutesHatch is a “fighter” for his own interests
We weren’t even a week into 2018 when it was announced that Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, the longest running senator in U.S. history, announced he would not be seeking re-election in 2018.
In a video statement posted Jan. 2, Hatch recounted President Trump calling him a fighter. “I’ve always been a fighter,” Hatch said in the video. “I was an amateur boxer in my youth, and I brought that fighting spirit with me to Washington. But every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves. And for me, that time is soon approaching.”
Throughout the years, Hatch has proved he is indeed a fighter, but not for the people he serves as much as he should.
Last year, he was a fought against indigenous communities, reducing two national monuments, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase–Escalante, that had been sought by indigenous communities for generations. He fought against our environment when he put the needs of oil, coal and gas companies before those of the community in his efforts to significantly shrink Utah’s national monuments.
He fought for the pharmaceutical industry when large drug companies contributed to our nation’s opioid epidemic. According to a study conducted by the Utah Department of Health “Violence & Injury Prevention Program”, “opioids have been responsible for more drug deaths in Utah than all other drug categories.”
He fought against women when he endorsed Trump after his comments about sexually assaulting women. After more than 30 years as a senator, he was a fighter for his own interests when he broke his promise of not seeking re-election during his 2012 campaign.
However, there were a few times that Hatch was a fighter for the people. Last year, he backed a bill that provided “‘Dreamers” a path to citizenship with the SUCCEED Act, short for the Solution for Undocumented Children through Careers, Employment, Education and Defending Our Nation. But those instances are far and few between. Hatch is a prime example of why term limits matter, and why Utahns need to show up at the polls to vote for politicians that represent their values.
Kimberly Bojórquez is a Los Angeles native currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with an emphasis in journalism, and a minor in Latin American Studies. From 2017-18 she served as the editor-in-chief of the UVU Review and worked at ABC4’s morning show “Good Things Utah”, Salt Lake City Weekly and the Daily Herald.
She has written stories that relate to national issues, local crime and social justice. In her spare time, she loves to take photos, hike Utah’s national parks and attend live rock concerts.