Letter writer SHOCKED that Trauner is supported by prog-bloggers

It seems that Daily Kos wields a lot of influence in Wyoming.

Martin Halverson from Etna, Wyoming, wrote a letter to the editor in this morning's Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. He is shocked SHOCKED to find that Daily Kos, an admitted prog-blog run by Liberals, supports Gary Trauner, the only Democrat running for Wyoming's lone U.S. House seat, a seat being vacated by the already vacant Barbara Cubin.

Here's a sample from the letter:

Mr. Trauner, according to the Daily Kos editors, is "a Daily Kos favorite;" the editors brag that "a majority of Mr. Trauner's funding came from us;" they further remark that "it's nice to know the DNCC sees what we see in Trauner."

Mr. Halverson (if that is his real name) from Etna (if that is its real name) is shocked SHOCKED that Democrats, even the online out-of-state variety, are supporting other Democrats. Apparently, Wyoming Republicans have never done this. All of the donations to Barbara Cubin's many campaigns have come from nickels and dimes collected by orphans in Etna.

Mr. Halverson has checked Gary Trauner's FEC filings and found "no fewer than 28 labor union donations to his campaign. Could it be that Wyoming is a Right to Work state and the hugely profitable union industry hopes to change that?"

I, for one, am glad to see that 28 labor unions still exist. The Republicans have done their best to destroy unions and to pass anti-union legislation. I happen to belong to one, the Wyoming Public Employees Union, and know that the WPEA has worked hard to boost wages and benefits of the thousands of state workers in Wyoming. Because Wyoming is a Right to Work state, you don't have to belong to a union to work in state government or in the oil fields or anywhere else. You don't have to belong to the union to benefit from their advocacy. In fact, you can even be a Republican, as are at least two-thirds of the registered voters in Wyoming. I happen to know many non-union Republicans in state government. They get the same pay and benefits I do. I pay dues, they don't. I work with the union to better our lot (for all of us) and they just glide along. Some of them even donate to Republicans whose deepest wish is to banish unions forever. Odd, isn't it?

Mr. Halverson signs off this way:

It amazes me that Daily Kos "favorite" Gary Trauner asks us, with a straight face, to believe that he can represent Wyoming in Congress with all that "liberal," "progressive," and union money under his belt. Fact is -- he can't.

If the man had done his homework, he'd find that Gary is raising money from Wyomingites at an unprecedented level. Why, just last month this Liberal blogger from Cheyenne donated some of his hard-earned union wages to Trauner's campaign. I was joined in this activity by 499 other Wyomingites during the second quarter of 2008. Some of them may be Republicans, Libertarians or Greens. We all realize that Wyoming -- and the country -- need new leadership with new ideas. Trauner can represent Wyoming. And will. With a straight face.