Let’s not kid ourselves. Presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney, Barack Obama and Rudy Giuliani are not coming to Park City to win the hearts and minds of the people. They are coming to raise money for their high-stakes campaigns.
Like Romney, who has held several private functions in Park City over the last few months, Obama and Giuliani are not expected to stroll down Main Street shaking hands and kissing babies as former President Bill Clinton did while he was in office. They are here to offer some exclusive face time to a handful of potential big donors.
Our hope, though, is that while these influential leaders are in town this week they will not only enjoy the elegance of Park City’s most elite neighborhoods, but they will also see a community facing the same challenges as other culturally and economically diverse towns across the county.
Foremost among those challenges is reforming the nation’s immigration laws. Though Obama and Giuliani are not scheduled to formally meet with any of Utah’s Latino activists, we do hope the candidates notice the vital role that so many Mexicans and immigrants from other countries play in Park City’s service-oriented economy. Many of those immigrants have tried, unsuccessfully, to obtain legal work permits and driver licenses but have stumbled over inconsistent regulations and unrealistic quotas. Park City needs those workers, but current immigration laws force many business owners and immigrants to work outside the law.
Fixing the nation’s health-care system is also of critical importance. Though Park City appears to be prospering, the skyrocketing cost of health insurance has put a strain on every local employee and employer, and especially on small business owners. Health care is so out of whack that health insurance carriers are now dictating to patients what brands of medicine they can take and which doctors they can see. They are even telling doctors what procedures they will or will not pay for. That would be unacceptable even if it was affordable — which it is not.
Whoever wins the presidency will also deal, more than any preceding president, with issues pertaining to the West. With both coasts nearly populated to capacity, most of the county’s growth and potential is in the West. There will be epic questions about how to allocate natural resources, how to preserve the West’s national forests and parks and how to balance agricultural, energy and environmental interests. Park City and Summit County residents deal with many of those issues on a regular basis and have much to offer future policy makers.
As Parkites we should be proud to be a whistle stop on the presidential campaign trail. It means we have a valuable opportunity to help frame the national agenda. Make it count by paying attention to the candidates’ platforms, then plant a yard sign, paste on a bumper sticker, join a march or make a donation. But most of all, make sure those who want to represent you listen to the message, not just the money.