Divisiveness in politics is a real problem. In Wyoming in recent years, a breakdown in civil discourse has been seen often between the more conservative and more moderate wings of the Republican Party. 

There have been vile curse words and threats of violence, neither of which should be tolerated. 

However, one should always be careful the cure isn’t worse than the disease. 

Recently, Senator-elect Dan Laursen was snubbed by Senate leadership for previous comments he made disparaging said leadership. So Laursen, who served four terms in the House on a variety of committees, won’t be able to use any of that experience in a committee in the upcoming session. No, newly elected Senate President Ogden Driskill has ripped the ball from the new Powell senator’s hands, declared him fit for no more than the sidelines as much of the nitty gritty committee work is done before, during and after the session. 

Does Driskill have a right to be upset at Laursen? Of course, but having people disagree with you and criticize you is par for the course in politics. 

Laursen is, of course, still set to be the senator for most Powell residents come January, and he’ll be able to vote on all bills once they come to the floor.  But not all bills come to the floor. Many are defeated in close committee votes. 

Laursen was obviously not the pick of a fair number of Park County and Big Horn County voters who chose either incumbent R.J. Kost or former senator Ray Peterson, but he was the top pick. And in January he’ll represent all voters in his district, voters whose senator won’t be able to stand up and pass a bill out of committee that may be beneficial for area residents, or kill a bill that may be detrimental. Last session, a short budget session, 26 bills didn’t make it out of committee. It’s a good bet there will be more such bills this year, but at this point none that Laursen could have any impact in either passing or killing. 

Driskill explained his reasoning as a sort of shot across the bow of Laursen and his sometimes in-your-face, confrontational brand of politics. But it’s also a snub of the voters who elected him and the roughly 20,000 constituents who he answers to. 

Isn’t using your power to weaken the opposition by means of an action many can’t even remember ever happening before just as bad, just as divisive, as what you are trying to cure the chamber of?