News You Can Use: April 4, 2011

GOP anti-appropriators break up the spending party Cynthia Lummis, in her second term, is the league leader in bucking the committee leadership -- she voted against Rogers and Young 16 times during the HR 1 ...

Barrasso scrutinizes mineral exports John Barrasso, R-Wyo., dashed off a letter of his issues with uranium mining companies operating in Wyoming to the President of the United States, and may have uncovered a potential international incident. Uranium extraction in Wyoming continues to be ...

Obama's energy policy is doublespeak - .: United States Senator ... U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., made the following comments following a speech by President Obama today regarding his energy policy. ...

John Barrasso Among the Most Conservative

Aren't we lucky here in the state of Wyoming? Not only do we have two senators who are joined at the hip when voting, but now Thing 2 has the dubious honor of being rated one of the top 10 conservatives in the Senate. Isn't that special? I wonder if he gets a little golden oil well statue with that.

http://nationaljournal.com/magazine/most-conservative-members-of-congress-20110224

Cynthia Lummis is coming to town

Forwarded from our Chairperson's e-mail:

Hello Fellow Democrats,

The 14th of August Cynthia Lummis will be conducting a town hall meeting from 5-6PM at the (Platte County) library. I encourage everyone to attend and show support for our President, especially concerning health care. I will make a best effort to attend, but have some medical issues Im dealing with. This is a chance for your voice to be heard. Lets show Lummis that the Democrats of Platte County are involved to progress our country forward.

~ Charles McDonald

Swing State Project making some 2010 predictions

It's rarely ever too early to start looking at the next election cycle. The folks at swingstateproject.com have already opened the conversation of which gubernatorial races will be worth watching. Wyoming receives this mention:

Wyoming - Dave Freudenthal (OPEN) (D): Likely R
A very odd duck indeed. Freudenthal is, as the law stands now, term-limited. However, a very similar statute which applied to state legislators was overturned a while back for failing to comply with the state constitution. Most legal observers seem to believe that the gubernatorial term limits would also crumble before a challenge. If Freudenthal successfully fights the law and runs again, this seat is probably Safe D. If not, then it's Likely R, if not Safe R - a crazy seesaw indeed. (D)

And how could Gov. Dave challenge the law? SSP explains:

After Democratic Gov. Ed Herschler served three consecutive terms into the mid-1980s, the state legislature passed a bill limiting Wyoming's chief executives to two terms. Then, in 1992, voters passed a ballot initiative that brought term limits to the state legislature in the finest "If it's good for the goose, it's good for the gander" tradition.

Fast-forward 12 years to a lawsuit brought by two term-limited legislators -- a Democrat and a Republican -- challenging the constitutionality of such limits. The state Supreme Court unanimously agreed that the term limits could not be imposed by ballot initiative, ruling that an amendment to the state constitution would be required.

While that decision did not apply to Wyoming's five statewide offices -- including governor -- there is a strong sense that if Freudenthal challenged the constitutionality of his own term limits, it would be a slam-dunk victory for the incumbent.

It will be very interesting to watch how this will play out. I'd certainly like to see Governor Freudenthal stay and continue to bring his thoughtful leadership to our state.

Source: swingstateproject.com

Gary Trauner and the Preamble to the Constitution

Tomorrow is the big day. It is my sincerest belief that we need a U.S. House Representative that will represent everyone in Wyoming. As my final plug for Gary Trauner before the election, I offer this piece from Gary, regarding the Preamble to the Constitution.

Preamble to the Constitution

When I made the decision to run for Wyoming's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, I went back to the document that set the foundation for our new country, the Constitution of the United States of America.

The founders of this great country clearly believed in the role, and the ability, of the federal government in ensuring the success of the new democratic experiment they were embarking upon. They also clearly believed that the federal government should have specific responsibilities. In fact, the founders laid out their views directly in the very first words of the Constitution, the Preamble. It states: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

I'd like to provide you with my thoughts on how the specific ideas set forth in the Preamble apply to Americans as we enter the 21st century.

We the People of the United States, in Order to:
* Form a more perfect Union
o Encourage voting and participation in the political process for all citizens, not just those of a certain party or race
o Remove discrimination against any identifiable group through legislation and, if need be, court enforcement
o Encourage tolerance of diversity and acceptance of differing views and lifestyles
o Ensure that all citizens have the ability to believe and worship in their own way, without forcing anyone to believe or worship in any specific way
* Establish Justice
o Ensure that we are a country that is respectful of the rule of law by setting up a system of public justice through courts and judges
o Fight corruption through reasonable regulatory oversight of our citizens and business enterprises, utilizing appropriate enforcement tools when necessary
* Insure domestic Tranquility and provide for the common defence
o Maintain a well-equipped, well-trained military that is superior in all aspects to the rest of the world
o Work with other countries
o Ensure that the National Guard is well-equipped and well trained and used primarily for domestic purposes, such as natural disasters and keeping the peace
o Protect and make secure our homeland
o Only go to war when it is absolutely necessary and as a last resort
o Ensure that all people are treated equally, regardless of race, creed, religion or lifestyle preference
* Promote the general Welfare, and
o Make policy based not solely on the narrow focus of corporate interests, but for the broader well-being of the people and our families
o Provide basic, quality health care for all citizens, irregardless of employment, age or economic status
o Provide quality educational opportunity for all children
o Ensure a level playing field for competitive enterprises through reasonable regulatory oversight and compliance
* Secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity
o Ensure individual freedoms and freedom from government intrusion in our private lives
o Act in a fiscally responsible manner, properly funding government so as not to unduly burden our children and future generations
o Preserve our natural heritage and outdoor recreational opportunities for all Americans and future generations
o Pursue an energy policy that is sustainable for future generations, works for our national security and is balanced with preserving our natural heritage
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

I encourage you to join me in voting for Gary Trauner as our Wyoming choice for the U.S. House of Representatives.

On Election Eve, The Star-Tribune endorses Obama

In this morning's Casper paper, the editorial board of the Star-Tribune endorsed Barack Obama for President. Am I surprised? Somewhat. Am I encouraged by this? Yes. A few highlights:

What America needs most in these troubled times is a president who will move the country in a positive direction. The candidate who is most likely to chart a new course that will lead us to better days is Obama. Moreover, he is the best candidate for Wyoming.

Wyoming's energy-based economy is faring better than the nation's, but there's no guarantee that will last forever. Obama supports the development of clean-coal technology, which could assure a future for our vast coal resources. His focus on energy independence through a major investment in alternative energy research and development could lead to the creation of new industry and jobs in the state, and dovetails nicely with the work being done at the new School of Energy Resources at the University of Wyoming.

McCain's selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, however, shows extremely poor judgment. She has shown repeatedly that she is simply not ready to fill McCain's shoes.

With his emphasis on diplomacy along with a commitment to protecting America, Obama gives us our best hope of regaining the respect of other nations.

His campaign has been an honorable one that has focused on inclusiveness and hope. The three presidential debates showed Obama to be a calm, thoughtful leader with a unique vision of the future. The contrast with his opponent, who seemed angry and erratic, could not have been more stark or more telling.We endorse Barack Obama for president.

Wyoming as a whole will most assuredly give our three electoral college votes to John McCain, but I don't believe he will get to the magic number of 270. I know Barack Obama is the better choice to improve our lives. I am optimistic about tomorrow, as well as the future of this country.

Source:http://www.trib.com/articles/2008/11/03/editorial/editorial/8fb5b809854145d7872574f50026785c.txt

Lummis leading Trauner at end of October

Polls conducted from Oct 27-29 show Cynthia Lummis having a lead over Gary Trauner, 49 to 45, compared to a previous poll where Trauner led 44-43. It's still close, but it's not the best news for those hoping for Democratic representation in Congress.

So what's going on here? My best guess is that people afraid of a "Democratic majority" are trending toward Lummis, to offset the fact that Barack Obama is likely going to be our next President of the United States. Yesterday I was speaking to one of our Democratic candidates running for office, and we agreed that in 2006 we may have seen a lot of "No More Cubin!" votes going to Gary. Perhaps it is a combination of the two. At any rate, this race is not over, and Gary Trauner is still the best choice for Wyoming to send to Congress. But we need every Democrat, Independent, and tired-of-partisan-politics Republicans to get to the voting booth. This is not a time to stand on the sidelines. Talk to your neighbors, friends and relatives. Ask them to do the same. At this point, with four days to go, it's a ground game. Game on!

Get out the vote Platte County

By the end of the day, it will be "times up" for donating money to your favorite candidate(s). Most of the political hopefuls and diehards will be hitting the streets this weekend, a last push to find those few extra people that haven't quite decided to whom they will cast their ballot. This is the pre-party to the Superbowl of politics, Election Day. And like a diehard sports fan, I feel the need to trumpet the virtues of my team. We have some great players, and I'd like to see some touchdowns on Tuesday. First, Barack Obama is looking good but he needs every vote he can muster. Statewide, our best chance to bring home gold is with Gary Trauner with a U.S. House Seat. Locally, I'm thinking Terry Jones has a decent shot at getting the win in State House District #3.

Enough sports analogies. My point is, if you have a candidate that you want to support, this is the time to do it. Call your candidates and ask what you can do. Get out the vote!

Republicans flood Platte County with newspaper ads

Wow! The local Republicans hit the Platte County Record Times hard this week. Multiple ads from most of the candidates, and a reminder from the Wyoming Republican Party to "Vote Republican". House District #3 candidate Frank Peasley has a half dozen ads himself. He is running against Terry Jones. This ad amused me, I've done some editing:


I have a working relationship with his son here in Wheatland, who I consider a good guy. I just think this scare tactic of picturing a solely Democratic representation is a bit much. By all estimates, Enzi and Barrasso are safe in their seats, so there's a pair for the "R" column. And besides, wasn't it not so long ago that besides Governor Freudenthal, the representation we had was strictly Republican? Until the Dems won the Congress in 2006, we were completely lopsided in the GOP's favor. Our current elected officials representing Platte County and Wyoming (Enzi, Barrasso, Cubin, Anderson, Teter, Meier and Alden) are ALL Republican. So I ask the rebuttal question to our local citizens, Don't you want at least one Democratic voice heard? I know I do.

Nick Carter and John Barrasso debate on PBS

On Tuesday, October 28, the debate between Nick Carter and John Barrasso took place on PBS. The whole debate, as well as the debates from the two previous nights, can be seen on the PBS website.

The discussion included climate change, diverse energy major investment in clean coal, wind energy, global warming, Pinedale and the environment regarding natural gas, public funding for campaigning and elections, the bailout, our policies of when we should go to war, government spending, Wyoming and our wolf policy. In the "question each other" portion, they discussed the inheritance tax, fair tax policies, an AARP questionnaire, showing up for debates, the decision of voting on bills with "pork", and amnesty to illegal aliens. Of course, we had closing statements.

I have to admit, I thought John Barrasso did the better job in this debate. I stated in a previous post that I am in agreement with Barrasso on his choice to vote no on the bailout. But I am still quite opposed to a good majority of Barrasso's stances, including his position on abortion, taxes, prayer in school, and gay rights. He let's his religious views get in the way of his job to represent ALL the people of Wyoming. Separation of church and state, Senator. It's written down for a reason.

Gary Trauner, a non-partisan choice for Wyoming

There is a good article appearing today in the Jackson Hole Star Tribune covering Gary Trauner on the campaign trail. Here's an excerpt:

Trauner said he connects with members of the GOP by helping them understand that he's fed up with partisan politics in Washington. He also acknowledges up front
that they may not agree on every issue."When they hear that I think the biggest
problem in Washington, D.C., is blind loyalty to party on both sides, that
loosens people up pretty fast," Trauner said.He also likes to tell people that
he's a "regular guy," not a career politician, and didn't even consider running
for Congress until a few years ago."I am just a regular guy with kids who got
fed up and decided to run for Congress," Trauner said to just about everybody he
met in Cheyenne.

If you watched the debate from Monday, you'll have noticed that Gary is on point regarding his non-partisan approach. He tackled Cynthia Lummis' question to him about voting for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House by saying, and I'm paraphrasing here, if there was a better choice presented to him, he'd surely choose him or her. Gary Trauner is the candidate who is going to speak his mind. Cynthia Lummis keeps repeating that she is for "Wyoming Values", which I feel she thinks is equivocal to "Republican Values". They are not one in the same, I assure you. We have had years of voting along party lines. It's time to put in a Wyoming Congressman that thinks for himself. Gary Trauner is that candidate.

Full article: http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/articles/2008/10/28/news/wyoming/e932de5d36bb3051872574f100061be0.txt

Wyoming Candidates on the Issues

Still can't decide who to vote for in the next week? One great resource that may help you make a decision is ontheissues.org. They compile voting records and public statements from elected officials and current candidates to give you an easy to read, concise view of their stances on a range of issues. From Wyoming, you can read the positions of most of our current candidates, including Chris Rothfuss, Mike Enzi, John Barrasso, and Nick Carter. Unfortunately, neither Gary Trauner or Cynthia Lummis are represented. On the national level, the Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates stances are available.

Also, take the 20 question quiz and see where your ideological profile lies.

Trauner, Lummis and Herbert Debate on PBS

The Trauner, Lummis and Herbert debate, held Monday October 27th, is available on Wyoming PBS. You may click here to watch. Topics of discussion in part one included the economy, healthcare, social security, care for our veterans, climate change and energy. This was a question and answer portion. Part two had the candidates sitting down and asking each other questions. Topics included negative campaigning, Nancy Pelosi and political party allegiances, the current unpopular congress, and pro-life/pro-choice issues. They all finished off with closing arguments.

The video is 27 minutes long and well worth viewing.

Watch this Gary Trauner and Dave Freudenthal Ad

With seven days to go, the Trauner for Congress campaign has put up this video on youtube.com. Please watch and if you can, donate a few bucks so this commercial can make the television airwaves this week. Let's help elect Gary Trauner to represent the people of Wyoming! And don't forget to vote!

Cynthia Lummis donates her pocket change

Cynthia Lummis gave her campaign $100,000 of her own money on Saturday to pay the campaign's bills, including television ad production, press expenses and phone banks.

Ummm, I don't know about y'all, but I certainly don't have a bank account with that kind of money laying around. Must be rough. I'm sure if she were elected she'd be the voice of the common man, looking out for the middle class, right? I don't think so.

Source: http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9246283&nav=menu554_2_2

Early voting in Platte County

My wife and I headed down to the Platte County Clerk's office this morning and voted early. It was real simple, and only took about 10 minutes. We were both wearing Obama campaign buttons, and a gentlemen also at the counter commented that he liked them. A fellow blue voter! I replied that I was happy that he liked them. There was another young female at the booth voting early too...which was good to see. Not that we should have a real problem with extensively long lines here in Platte County, but why not go and vote now? There was literally no waiting. If there is a problem with your registration, you'll have time to fix it, and you'll be assured your vote is included. I encourage every eligible citizen to take the time to vote, especially my fellow Platte County Democrats! This election, we have the opportunity to make a difference. Every vote counts.

Chris Rothfuss debates Mike Enzi on PBS

If you weren't able to watch the debate between Chris Rothfuss and Mike Enzi on Sunday night, Wyoming PBS has it up on their website. The sound is a bit lousy, but it's worth a look. Tonight Gary Trauner, Cynthia Lummis and David Herbert debate, followed tomorrow by Nick Carter and John Barrasso. Dr. Rothfuss is a very intelligent man, it's a shame he is up against the dominance of Republican voters in Wyoming. It would be false hope to think Rothfuss will pull this off this election year, Enzi has a healthy +25 lead. The money and support just isn't there this time around. However, Enzi toyed with the idea of retiring, but ultimately ran for his third term. Keep that in mind Chris, and get your six-year game plan ready. And don't forget about the other Senate seat that will be in play in 2012. In the meantime, we'll keep fighting for you, and it will be interesting to see how this plays out next Tuesday.

Wyoming Democratic Party needs your help Platte County Dems

I received this e-mail this afternoon from the Wyoming Democratic Party Treasurer Chuck Herz:

Ten days to go! And much at stake.

The congressional race in Wyoming is neck-and-neck. Gary Trauner leads Cynthia Lummis by a mere one percent in the latest polls and even the Republican National Congressional Committee admits that the race a tossup. We have a strong chance to elect the first Wyoming Democrat to either house of Congress in over thirty years.

We also have a strong chance to increase Democratic representation in both houses of the Wyoming Legislature, quite possibly enough to boost our representation on committees and secure any veto by Gov. Freudenthal. The Presidential and US Senate races currently look tougher, but we’ve an off-chance to pull a big surprise and should at minimum be able to narrow margins so that potential candidates, funding sources, the national party, and Wyoming Democrats will see Wyoming as much more competitive in the future.

Everything now depends on turnout. So we’re setting out to mount the strongest get-out-the-vote effort Wyoming has probably ever seen. An army of you are involved already, and thanks for that. But we need every Democrat in Wyoming to pitch in as much as they possibly can. So if you’re not already signed up as a volunteer to help whenever and wherever you can on the last weekend (November 1 and 2) and especially on Election Day itself (November 4), please, please do so now. If you’re already signed up, please consider signing up for another shift.Here are the contacts in each county with their contact information:

Here are the shifts for which we need volunteers:
Saturday, Nov. 1 Doors: 10am-1pm, 2pm-5pm
Saturday, Nov. 1 Phones: 10am-12pm, 12pm-2pm, 2pm-4pm, 4pm-6pm
Sunday, Nov. 2 Doors: 12pm-3pm, 3pm-6pm
Sunday, Nov. 2 Phones: 12pm-2pm, 2pm-4pm, 4pm-6pm, 6pm-8pm
ELECTION DAY, Nov. 4 Doors: 10am-12:30pm, 1:30pm-4pm, 5pm-7pm
ELECTION DAY, Nov. 4 Phones: 10am-12pm, 12pm-2pm, 2pm-4pm, 4pm-7pm

NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD DEMOCRATS TO COME TO THE AID OF THE PARTY, AND OF OUR EXCELLENT CANDIDATES AT ALL LEVELS! Good hunting.

If you can lend a hand, the contacts for Platte County are Katie Lass, 307-680-6128, katie@wyomingdemocrats.com, or Dana Walton, 307-258-1825, dana@wyomingdemocrats.com.

Final Wyoming Candidates debates on PBS

Here is a great chance to see the candidates debate head to head before making our choices in the voting booth on November 4th. Wyoming PBS is hosting a set of three debates, one for each open seat. The dates are October 26-28, and the lineup is as follows:

U.S. Senate Debate #1 airs Sunday, October 26 at 7:00 PM - Dr. Chris Rothfuss [D] debates incumbant Senator Mike Enzi [R], who is seeking reelection to his third term in the U.S. Senate.

U.S. House Debate airs Monday, October 27 at 7:00 PM - Gary Trauner squares off against Republican nominee Cynthia Lummis for Wyoming’s sole seat in the U.S. House.

U.S. Senate Debate #2 airs Tuesday, October 28 at 7:00 PM - Nick Carter [D] takes on Sen. John Barrasso [R], who was appointed in 2007 to the U.S. Senate.

Right now you have the opportunity to send questions for the candidates.

Over the years, moderator Geoff O'Gara has found some of the best questions for
these debates come from our viewers. So we invite you, our readers and viewers, to send your questions directly to him at gogara@cwc.edu. Questions may be directed to specific candidates, specific races, or to candidates in all three debates.

I'm sending off a couple... I encourage you to do the same, and tune in to watch! It will also be on Wyoming Public Radio if you aren't going to be near a television.