Dear editor:

In the untamed expanse of Wyoming’s political badlands, there roosts a daring posse of valiant conservatives known as the Wyoming Freedom Caucus. These mavericks, as pesky as prairie dogs to some, serve as a relentless burr under the finely polished saddles of the pompous House Speaker Rep. Albert Sommers (R-Pinedale) and his lapdog, Rep. Barry Crago (R-Buffalo). Yet, amidst their public caterwauling, they’re as tight-lipped about the size of their vexing foe as a card player with a royal flush.

StateFreedomCaucus.org claims a motley crew of no more than a dozen legislators at the time of this writing. The website notes that some members prefer anonymity. Even if we were to count these unseen allies, equalling the number of those publicly declared, this renegade band would still be eight lawmakers short of a majority. Yet, this veil of secrecy offers a handy smokescreen from the retributive lash of Sommers and his pack. Those brave enough to publicly fly the caucus’s colors often find their committee assignments more sparse than tumbleweeds in December.

Despite their numbers, the fat-cat Sommers, Crago, and their spend-happy brethren quake in their costly boots. They feel the prairie winds shifting, carrying the robust aroma of fiscal conservatism, ready to topple their lofty tower of profligacy. Just look at Crago, who recently found himself as popular as a rattlesnake at a square dance for endorsing more spending amendments to the House budget than any House Democrat.

Crago, always the artful dodger, tries to shift the blame onto the Wyoming Freedom Caucus. Yet, he conveniently turns a blind eye to the significant number of property tax relief bills killed without a vote right under the eagle-eyed watch of Sommers and his posse. And he sidesteps the specter of Medicaid Expansion, a pot of gold desired by liberals despite being rejected repeatedly. Fortunately, the idea was stopped in its tracks like a spooked stallion by the Freedom Caucus. Even when the well-intentioned HJ2 came along, Sommers and his dismal band blocked the caucus from amending the resolution to cap property tax increases to fix the true problem faced by the hard-working citizens of Wyoming.

So, here we are, my fellow Wyomingites, duty-bound like cowpokes at a rodeo, to pull back the curtain and expose the deceit and manipulation of Sommers, Crago and their company. As the wise Mark Twain once said, “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” So, let’s stop playing the fool. Let’s stand with the Wyoming Freedom Caucus as they steer us toward a leaner, more efficient, and fiscally responsible government.

Doug Gerard

Gillette

(Written with the editing of ChatGPT, all data sourced from WyoLeg.gov, StateFreedomCaucus.org, and EvidenceBasedWyoming.com)