Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor:

In the sprawling wilderness of Wyoming’s political landscape, the Wyoming Freedom Caucus stands as a daring posse. This small band of audacious conservatives is a persistent burr under the polished saddles of grandstanding Speaker Albert Sommers and his henchman, Rep. Barry Crago.

As of my penning this, a dozen legislators claim allegiance to the Caucus on their website. Yet some prefer the cloak of anonymity, a shield against Sommer’s swift retribution.

There is speculation that public Caucus members have fewer committee assignments, particularly on influential committees. Even if we double the Caucus size, the Caucus would still be eight lawmakers short of a majority.

Despite their small size, the Caucus sends tremors down the spines of Sommers and his extravagant entourage. They feel the wind of fiscal conservatism blowing through Wyoming, threatening to topple their tower of profligacy.

For instance, Rep. Crago, who ran as a conservative but found himself chastised recently for endorsing more spending amendments to the House budget bill than any House Democrat. Suddenly, Crago was as welcome as a rattlesnake at a square dance.

The Caucus, on the other hand, is as persistent as a Wyoming wind. They scrutinize budget proposals with the intensity of a hawk, fighting against unwarranted tax hikes like a mother bear defending her cubs and advocating for a government as limited and enduring as the Rockies.

Crago, ever the artful dodger, tries to shift blame onto the Freedom Caucus. He conveniently forgets the countless property tax relief bills killed without a vote under the watchful eyes of Sommers and his cronies.

And the repeatedly rejected Medicaid Expansion pot of gold that is desired by liberals? Halted in its tracks like a spooked stallion by the unyielding Freedom Caucus.

And when the well-intentioned HJ2 ambled along, Sommers and his band blocked the Caucus’s effort to cap property tax increases, side-stepping the economic challenges faced by hard-working Wyomingites.

As Mark Twain wisely quipped, “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled.” Wyomingites, it’s high time we stop playing the fool. Let’s saddle up alongside the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, the audacious posse championing a leaner, more efficient and financially responsible government.

Doug Gerard

Gillette