Thoughts from a Utahn on strengthening the economy, building community, and promoting civil society.

RECENT INSIGHTS

beauty is in the eye of the beholder: the trump and obama economies are surprisingly similar

By Natalie Gochnour | 02/09/2020

Originally published in the Deseret News. After the Iowa caucus mishap, a friend of mine tweeted: “The Iowa caucuses were a perfect symbolic start to a Presidential campaign where Democrats will pretend that results don’t matter and @realDonaldTrump will focus over and over on his results.” I thought it was a clever tweet for two reasons. First,…

citizen referendums are not the best way to do tax reform

By Natalie Gochnour | 01/16/2020

Originally published in the Deseret News. I love to shop at Harmons grocery stores. Like so many others, I enjoy the salad bar, homemade soups and salsas, extraordinary cheese selection, high quality meats and fresh produce. They are very good at what they do, and I love that they are locally owned. Because I count…

tsunami trends to keep an eye on in 2020

By Natalie Gochnour | 01/03/2020

Originally published in the Deseret News. When a pebble falls into a shallow pool it creates a series of ever-widening circles cascading toward the edge. What was once smooth, still and stable changes to be undulating and unstable. Change the pebble to a boulder and a tsunami occurs. The new year will bring plenty of…

Christmas reminder: Success in life depends on human kindness

By Natalie Gochnour | 12/22/2019

Originally published in the Deseret News. I will be a recipient of a beautiful painting this Christmas painted by Utah artist Kathy Peterson. The painting, titled “Goats and Sheep,” depicts five goats and six sheep in a green pasture. Like all works of art, the painting leaves room for extensive interpretation. It’s precisely the interpretation…

Utah’s fertility rate falls below replacement level

By Natalie Gochnour | 12/05/2019

Originally published in the Deseret News. Last week the National Center for Health Statistics released final birth data for 2018. The verdict is in. Utah’s total fertility rate dropped for the eleventh consecutive year and, for the first time, dropped below the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman. Utah’s fertility rate now stands at…

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Singing my mother to heaven