Week 2 Score Release: 3rd Party Ads

Dignity Index releases ratings for Fourth Congressional District debate, third-party ads

SALT LAKE CITY (October 14, 2020) – The Dignity Index released scores from the Fourth Congressional District Debate along with scores related to the debate from Fourth District Candidate Representative Burgess Owens, who declined participation in the debate. Ratings were also released on third party messages - those not paid for or issued directly from candidates and their campaigns.

The CD4 debate scores are found in the separate post. Burgess Owens declined to participate in the debate, and therefore these scores come from his videotaped statement regarding nonparticipation in the debate.

Dignity Index ratings preface

One of the most frequently asked questions about the Dignity Index is, “How can you hold people politically accountable without contempt?”  It’s a good question.  People tend to believe that challenging politicians or public figures requires contempt. But treating people with contempt usually backfires. It inflames them, makes them defiant, and can turn them into an enemy.  And when you speak of someone with contempt, you’re encouraging all your sympathetic listeners to have contempt for that person too, and encouraging all your non-sympathetic listeners to have contempt for you.

That’s why treating people with dignity is so important, especially in the delicate exercise of holding them accountable.

The first step is obvious:  don’t use labels, and don’t call people names. When you turn a person into a label, you’re saying that defines them, that this is all there is to this person, all you need to know about him.  You deny or dismiss all their positive qualities and intentions.  He is “nothing but a clown.”   “He’s nothing but a liar.”  And when you call someone a name or describe them with a negative label, you’re saying “I’m better than you,” and nothing is more divisive than that.

So, the first step is ‘no names or labels.’ The next step is to focus the challenge narrowly on decisions, actions and outcomes.  “These are the things you said.”  “These are the things you did.”  “This is the effect they had.”  “These are the people who got hurt.”  The more specific and concrete the language, the easier it is to deliver the message with dignity – and the easier it is for people to hear it and respond in a constructive way.

Then, make a proposal.  The best way to challenge someone and treat them with dignity is to make it about solving a problem, not winning an argument.

Holding people accountable and treating them with dignity takes effort because it requires homework.  It’s not possible to get by with vague attacks, saying “this policy is a disaster!”   “Those people never get anything right!”  Contempt fades when people are forced to speak in specifics – because it can change the focus from “this is who you are” to “to this what you do” to “this is what you did” to “this is what we can do together.”

Today’s passages display some inspiring examples of coming to know and support the interests of people on “the other side.”  There are also examples of name-calling, which is always a mark of contempt.

Most people underestimate the cost of contempt, and that cost can be huge.  Contempt can take away people’s ability to talk to each other, which can take away the ability to solve problems together, which can take away a democracy.  Luckily, what contempt takes away, dignity can restore.  That’s why treating each other with dignity is a patriotic act -- especially when people disagree.

Burgess Owens

Video release October 12, 2022

I will not in good conscience have anything to do with the racist Salt Lake Tribune and will therefore not participate in this debate. I expect bias from such a liberal outlet, but racism is where I draw the line. I will also not be bullied into participating in a forum of unabashed bigots.

SCORE: 3

Darlene, while we may disagree politically, I have nothing but respect for you. The constituents of District Four deserve not only to hear our voices, but also to have them discussed in our district. I've held numerous town hall meetings across our district and would love for you to join me and share political views in person and directly with the voters of our district.  We have allotted time on both October 22 and October 29 to make this happen. Our teams can work out the details, but I hope we could share a stage together over the closing weeks of this campaign.

SCORE: 6

THIRD PARTY ADS

Club For Growth

Crypto Freedom Pac Mailer

“Racist,” “Un-American,” “Bigot,” That’s what Evan McMullin said about you…your neighbors…your family. Evan McMullin is just another twitter-trolling hyper-partisan political bully trying to divide us.

SCORE: 3

Club for Growth “Parasites” 10/7/22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ3TwsmpwP8

Narrator, “Evan McMullin believes the Republican Party is rife with racism. That’s the problem he said simply, the problem with people in its ranks. When Democrats say the GOP is racist, McMullin claimed, they’re actually right. Raging against the party on Twitter, he said, racist parasites have sucked the patriotism from its body. And McMullin wrote, the Republican Party is un-American. Evan McMullin is unhinged and unfit to represent Utahns.”

SCORE: 3

Club for Growth “Charlatan” 9/28/22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O42qbBUqaY

Actor 1: What Evan McMullin says, that doesn’t feel kind, he’s derogatory to a huge group of people.

Actor 2: To me Evan McMullin is a charlatan, he’s trying to play that middle and be independent.

Actor 3: He’s pro-Utah and pro-this and, you know, pro-this but then you see this other part and you’re like, ‘oh wait.’

Actor 2: And he’s like, you’re not smart enough to remember what I said, he’s just an opportunist.

SCORE: 3

Club for Growth “Small Business” 9/19/22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZO_4LJIpq4

Actor: I know what it would do to my business if I didn’t get paid. I think if people knew that Evan McMullin had stiffed people that tried to help him. $600,000, just think about what these people are going through and I don’t think he thinks about ‘em at all. He got what he needed and he’s moved on. It’s not right. What’s sad about it is that people in Utah are good people. I think Utah means a payday for Evan McMullin. That’s the trademark of a conman. Once you’ve been burned, it's hard to go back.

SCORE: 3

Club for Growth “Scam” 9/7/22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvzEItJKC3I

Narrator: After a foolish vanity campaign for president Evan McMullin’s under a mountain of debt. On the hook for 600 grand, owed to the workers and contractors he stiffed six years ago. So Evan McMullin moved here from DC, opened a bank account, and started shaking down hard-working Utahns for campaign donations. The desperate schemes of dead-beat politicians. Evan McMullin, so craven he’s not who he says.

SCORE: 4

Club for Growth: https://twitter.com/utjolley/status/1561716678647578626?s=46&t=diBijeYQqsqnkMZRbG7zMg

Narrator: What does Evan McMullin believe? It depends on who’s paying him. McMullin took half a million dollars in tax-payer funded salary working for Republicans in Washington. But the grass is greener on the left, so the next year, McMullin started a liberal non-profit that paid his own company 600 grand to push a left wing agenda. McMullin’s agenda is profit not principal, and certainly not Utah.

SCORE: 4

Put Utah First

Put Utah First Website https://pututahfirst.org/

DO SOMETHING

INACTION

Senator Orrin Hatch passed 192 bills into law in his career as a US Senator. Since he was elected 2011, Senator Mike Lee has passed …. 10.

3 of them re-named public buildings.

SCORE: 4

Put Utah First Website https://pututahfirst.org/

When leaders care more about playing politics in Washington, whether they are Republican or Democrat, than they care about representing Utahns, we suffer the consequences. We need leaders who will stop sucking up to party leaders, stop playing DC games, and docs on one simple thing: putting Utah first.

SCORE: 3

Put Utah First 8/11/22 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urz_aUJoaTM

Narrator: “Evan McMullin. The independent courage to put Utah first.

McMullin: “Unlike Mike Lee, I won’t be a puppet for Trump, or Biden, or either party.”

Narrator: “Evan McMullin, Senate. Put Utah First Pac is responsible for the content of this advertising.”

SCORE: 4

Put Utah First 8/11/22 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QxXKy0wkw0

Narrator: “Let's stop the Washington games.” Evan McMullin: “both parties cater to the extremes, and are corrupted by big money.” Narrator: “McMullin’s plan: unite America. Put our fiscal house in order. Tackle inflation now.”

SCORE: 4

Put Utah First 8/11/22  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_b_Xs_WYXg

Narrator: “Evan McMullin has always put everything on the line in order to protect America. A CIA officer fighting terrorists. Republican national security advisor. Strong Utah values. Evan McMullin, independent courage.”

SCORE: 5

Put Utah First 10/9/22 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B5kt32F8HQ

Narrator: “After twelve years in Washington, who’s side is Mike Lee on? When veterans exposed to toxic chemicals like agent orange needing funding for VA benefits, Mike Lee said no. When 9/11 first responders needed healthcare funding, Mike Lee was one of only two senators who said no. And Mike Lee was the only senator in America who said no to new legislation to fight opioids and fentanyl. Mike Lee. It's time to say no to him.”

SCORE: 4

About The Dignity Index project

Powered by UNITE, a national movement to encourage Americans to reject "us vs. them" thinking and stand together in common purpose, The Dignity Index was developed in partnership with behavioral scientists and other experts, and the demonstration project is being guided by researchers  at the University of Utah. Learn more at dignityindex.us.

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