Calling on Congressional Republicans to renounce their taxpayer-funded health coverage

Republicans in Congress (including Wyoming's lone U.S. Rep, Cynthia Lummis) have passed a bill to repeal the Affordable Health Care Act.

It will die in the U.S. Senate. But Repubs in both chambers will be bringing this up over and over and over again in an effort to unseat Pres. Obama in 2012. They are like pit bulls, those Republicans.  

Families USA, sponsor of the Health Action 2011 conference in D.C. Jan. 27-29, has developed a report entitled "H.R. 2: Guilty of a Double Standard." Here are the juicy parts:

...those who vote for repeal intend to keep these very health benefits and rights—which they enjoy courtesy of America’s taxpayers—for themselves:

Members of Congress enjoy government-subsidized health coverage for themselves and their family members. Congressional promoters of repeal would take away tax credits that will help make coverage affordable for hardworking American families.

Members of Congress are sheltered from the threat of discrimination due to pre-existing conditions. Congressional promoters of repeal would deprive ordinary Americans of this very same protection.

Members of Congress, when faced with an insurance claim that is denied, have a guaranteed right to appeal that denial. Congressional promoters of repeal would deny many Americans a similar right.

These are just three examples. There are more, and we’ve outlined them below.

What Congressional Promoters of Repeal Will Take Away from American Families—But Keep for Themselves:

1.   Affordable health coverage

2.   Guaranteed coverage, regardless of pre-existing conditions

3.   A right to appeal claims that are denied by insurers

4.   Protection against discriminatory premiums due to pre-existing conditions

5.   A complete package of health insurance benefits

6.   Guaranteed coverage that can’t be taken away

7.   A prescription drug benefit with no coverage gap

8.   Protection against catastrophic health care costs

9.   A choice of easy-to-compare health insurance plans

10.  Protection against unreasonable premium increases

11.  Fair and equal premiums for women

12.  Coverage for early retirees

13.  Access to free or low-cost preventive services

14.  Access to affordable care at clinics

Busy time on the Wyoming theatre scene

Our family heads out in a few hours to volunteer at the Cheyenne Little Theatre's production of "A Streetcar Named Desire." The show plays through next weekend. Director of this Tennessee Williams' drama is Brenda Lyttle with her husband, John Lyttle, serving as assistant director. They often acted together and also volunteer at the Old-fashioned Summer Melodrama. Brenda is one heck of a convincing torch singer while John's sheriff makes people quake in their boots.

Family values. And fun.

This is a busy time of year for the CLTP. "Streetcar" on stage and rehearsals going on for the "War of the Worlds" radio drama. Auditions coming up, too, for "The 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and "Noises Off," directed by Jim Rolf. There are several dozen community theatres in Wyoming but none is as old or as busy as the CLTP. I understand that Cheyenne has one of the oldest community theatres west of the Mississippi. I will have to do some research to see if that's accurate. I'd like to believe it's true.

Here's audition info for this week's auditions:

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"

Directed by Doreen Oakley

Auditions on Monday-Wednesday, Jan 24-26, 6:30 p.m., at the Mary Godfrey Playhouse

Performance Dates: Mar 18-27

Adults Only - Age 20-60

The directors will be looking for 5 men and 4 women between the ages of 20 and 60. Some roles require the actor to play multiple characters.

"Noises Off" auditions will be in February. CLTP also is hosting the 2011 Rocky Mountain Theatre Association Festival in February. FMI: http://www.rmta.net

FMI: 307-638-6543

Tea Party Slim limits vacations to red states

Tea Party Slim was packing his RV. I stopped to chat.

“I thought you’d be headed south before now,” I said.

Slim smiled. “There was a Wyoming election to win in November, and then with Christmas and all… Well, we got a late start.”

“Headed to Arizona again?”

Slim smiled. “Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and maybe a few of the southern states.”

“They’ve been having some troubles down in Arizona.”

“In Tucson,” Slim said, “but we never go to Tucson. Mesa and Phoenix, mostly. We have friends in Lake Havasu City.” Slim paused as he hauled bags into the RV. “We like the red parts of the red states.”

“Tucson too blue, I suppose,” I said. “But it was pretty red a few weeks ago.”

Slim looked at me. “Now don’t go blaming the actions of a lone nut on any of us.”

“Any of whom?”

“Conservatives. Republicans.”

“Tea Party members?”

“You liberals like to blame us, don’t you? Hate speech is what it is, hatred toward white Christian conservatives. I see it every day. But are we a protected minority? ” He looked thoughtful as he plucked boxes and bags from the sidewalk and hauled them into the RV.

“New Mexico is a blue state, at least it was in the 2008 election. Went for Obama.”

He stopped and stared. “They have a new Republican governor. And the majority of the Congressional delegation is Republican.”

“Look at your map, Slim. New Mexico is blue. How are you going to get from Arizona to Texas without going through New Mexico.”

Slim looked thoughtful.  “We’ll loop up through Colorado.”

“Colorado’s blue.”

Slim again looked thoughtful.  I hoped this wasn’t becoming a habit.

“You could always take a shortcut through Mexico.”

“And get my head cut off by drug gangs? No thanks. We’ll just take the long way around. We have plenty of time, and plenty of money for gas. We’ll burn lots and lots of carbon products.” He grinned. “Hundreds of gallons, maybe thousands. Greenhouse gases by the tons.”

He was trying to get my goat. But I wasn’t going to fall for it.

“Hope you’re not going to Florida.”

“Blue state?”

I nodded.

“Even with its new Tea Party governor who wants to get rid of all those free-loading state employees?”

“There are so many Democrats in the southern part of the state," I said. "Retired Yankees, and lots of swarthy immigrants from the Caribbean and South America.”

“There’s always Alabama.”

“Too humid. Even in the winter."

Slim disappeared into the RV. He came back with a map of the western U.S. He unfolded it against the side of the RV. We both stared at it.

"You have to go through Utah to get to Arizona," I said. "Utah's reliably red."

Slim nodded. "Good solid conservatives in Utah."

"But you see the problem about getting to Texas from Arizona." I pointed to the big blue block that's New Mexico. "Lots of Hispanics. They were there first."

"You're forgetting about the Native Americans?"

"Don't get all politically correct on me now, Slim."

"But they were there first. Not the Mexicans. Besides, we like the casinos."

"You'll have to skip all those New Mexico casinos, Slim. The winnings all go to Democrats."

Slim stared. "The hell you say."

"It's the truth. Most Indians -- Native Americans -- vote for Democrats."

"I'll just go to Vegas."

"Nevada went blue in 2008."

Slim folded his map. "Time to get moving," he said.

"Enjoy your trip," I said. "If you change your mind about Arizona, I hear northern Idaho is very nice this time of year. And red? It's almost as red as Wyoming."

March against anti-equality measures Friday in Laramie

This comes from the Organizing for America-Wyoming Facebook page:

Tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 21) at 1 p.m. at University of Wyoming Union, Laramie

Join Organizing for America volunteers and engaged students in a social justice march to raise awareness of Wyoming House Bills 74 and 94. These bills are anti-immigration and anti-gay marriage legislation that would effect many Wyoming citizens. Your voice is needed to send a message to our local legislators that Wyoming citizens are ready to move forward. Feel free to come early and help engage individuals.

If you have any questions, please call Bryon Lee at (307) 752-5972.

Rolling back health care reform is "a bad deal for Wyoming's People"

Letter from Chuck Herz, chairman of the Wyoming Democratic Party:

Republicans in Washington and Cheyenne have made it their crusade to roll back the healthcare-coverage reform finally achieved last year after problems with our system became overwhelming for many of our people. We Democrats think that's a bad idea for the people of the U.S. and Wyoming.

Let's review what the problems have been:

1. Americans as a nation spend way more on health care than folks in other advanced countries, but we get significantly less in healthcare results as measured by hard facts like life expectancy and child mortality. Child mortality in the U.S., for example, is twice what it is in Western Europe.

2. Millions of Americans and tens of thousands of Wyomingites have no health coverage at all. Millions more have coverage with such high deductibles, co-pays, and exclusions that it pays very little of their actual medical expenses.

3. Many with inadequate coverage have been driven into bankruptcy by medical bills. This is unheard of in most other advanced countries.

4. Businesses have been finding it more and more prohibitively expensive to provide healthcare coverage to their employees, so fewer employees are getting adequate employer-sponsored coverage.

5. The cost of healthcare coverage has been rising much faster than people’s incomes and faster than government revenues.

The Affordable Care Act deals with all those problems. It also addresses weaknesses in healthcare coverage that have plagued Americans and Wyomingites. For example, it:

• Prohibits health insurers from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions.

• Prohibits insurers from cutting off coverage for someone who becomes sick or injured.

• Enables young people to stay on their parents' policies while they are going to school or getting started in life, up to age 26.

• Requires that insurers cover basic preventive care, such as well-baby visits and annual physicals, thus eliminating much bigger costs that are incurred when medical problems are unattended until they become a crisis.

Those who oppose healthcare reform, or think they do, need to be asked or ask themselves which of these reforms they oppose, and why. Those who say they too want to fix the problems with our system (but did not do so in the twenty of twenty-eight years before Obama when they were in control) owe it to us to say just how else they would fix those problems. In the case of our Republican friends, that has to be more than a pale imitation. It needs, for just one example, to be an alternative that gets coverage for more than a tenth of those currently without health insurance.

We know what the Republicans are against. We need to know what, if anything, they are for.

That so many have had no health coverage, or inadequate coverage, has meant that those people are playing Russian roulette with both their health and family finances. In addition, many who could afford health insurance, if they were willing to forego less essential expenses, have chosen to play Russian roulette in that way. They know hospitals and doctors must take care of them when they get sick or injured. Then the hospitals and doctors have to make up for resulting charity care and bad debts by charging the rest of us more.

Rolling back the reform thus far achieved would be a very bad deal for Wyoming's people and America's people. We Democrats don't claim that reform so far has fixed all the problems with our system and created no new ones. Significant fixes may soon prove necessary, and some may be needed sooner rather than later. We should all be looking to improve our healthcare system and the law further, with open minds and bipartisan cooperation.

What we should not do is go back to what was working so poorly for so many ordinary people. We should not run around like Chicken Little proclaiming that the sky is falling, that our liberty is in danger, that "death panels" will be doing in Granny, that the reform will drive the Federal deficit sky high (when in fact it will reduce the deficit, as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said multiple times), that America is becoming a socialist country, or other such silliness. None of those things have happened so far. There's no reasonable chance that they'll ever happen. Instead, we've taken the critical first steps to building a stronger, healthier nation.

Guest blogger: HB 74 is not legislation that reflects our history as The Equality State

Don't have too many guest blogs on these pages. But this is a great one from Emily Cram (pictured at right), a doctoral student at the University of Indiana in Bloomington. Way back when, Emily worked as an intern for me at the Wyoming Arts Council. A writer and champion forensics student at University of Wyoming, Emily has gone on to bigger things.

However, she is a daughter of Wyoming -- a native. As such, she is free to weigh in on anything she damn well wants to. So say I. Emily gives permission for anyone and everyone to borrow her fine words and send them to his/her legislator. She hopes for wide distribution.

Emily speaks:

Just recently, past and present Wyoming governors gathered to discuss how to govern Wyoming’s future, while taking care to be sure that governance was in the spirit of Wyoming’s political attitudes and culture. As I watched Governors Mead, Freudenthal, Geringer, and Sullivan, I was moved by the sense that Wyoming is a place where our disagreements never foreclose the way that we feel a deep sense of obligation towards each other in times of need. I believe Governor Geringer was the one who said: at one moment you may fight with another on the capital floor, but the next day that person just may be the one pulling you out of a snowdrift. 

The movement of HB 74, or the “Validity of Marriages” Bill out of the House Education Committee to the full consideration of the House and Senate is more than a snowdrift. It is a bill that cuts against the core values of Wyoming’s political culture: the belief that the government should not impinge on the ways in which a person desires to conduct their personal life and the families they wish to consensually create and ethically sustain. HB 74 invalidates the legal marriages of those who have committed no legal offense. Rather than commit to building and supporting Wyoming’s families, diverse in organization as they may be, HB 74 destroys the kinds of support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender couples ought to be able to access, just as any other human being who desires to faithfully participate in the institution of marriage. Acts that authorize only particular partnerships (i.e. the “males” and “females” that HB 74 validates), yet withhold the access to legal rights such as hospital visitation, fair housing, among others, marginalize people in Wyoming. 

HB 74 is not legislation that reflects our history as the Equality State. As the daughter of parents from Casper and Riverton, I am proud to have grown up in a place like Wyoming and still call it home. But HB 74 harms families and perpetuates the problematic belief that only certain kinds of families are valuable. I encourage the people of Wyoming to embrace our ability to disagree with each other yet always feel the need to pull others out of a snowdrift. Please support Wyoming’s families and vote against HB 74.

Sincerely,

Emily Dianne Cram

Cheyenne marks the 25th anniversary of King holiday

Today we celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Many speeches will be delivered, many of the man's quotes will be requoted. The holiday this year comes on the heels of the violence in Tucson. Violence, of course, is "as American as apple pie," said sixties Black Power activist H. Rap Brown. His original quote mentioned cherry pie. Apparently, that didn't seem American enough. But you get the picture. The U.S. has a history of violence that can't be denied, no matter how many whitewashed texts are written by ultra-conservative revisionists (Lynne Cheney, Glenn Beck, Texas, etc.).

But Americans haven't yet cornered the market on violence. Protesters in Tunisia were gunned down this week. Coalition soldiers continue to be blown up with IEDs planted by Afghanis angry that their relatives were blown up in a U.S. drone attack. Knifings and shootings and beatings and torture are a fact of life worldwide.

Martin Luther King, Jr., was a proponent of nonviolence. He died by the gun, but he didn't promote the gun. Just the opposite. Some black activists did take up guns, although their numbers were wildly exaggerated at the time. But not MLK.

Dr. King gave thousands of speeches that promoted peace and nonviolence. Her actively campaigned against the war against black people in the South. He also opposed the Vietnam War and the Cold War. As he said often, notably in "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community:"

Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

Chaos or community? Have to wonder if those are the only choices we have. We're not exactly at the chaos point, but closing in on it. Community was much in evidence in Tucson last week, as we all came together for a brief time to honor the dead.

Author and Rice University professor Douglas Brinkley makes a great point in AP story about Dr. King. If we don't create a nation that's serious about nonviolence, Dr. King's legacy may fade away. In 50 years, all that we may be left with is a day off to go buy more trinkets at Wal-Mart.

"The holiday brought the freedom struggle into the main narrative," Brinkley said. "The day is meant to be a moment of reflection against racism, poverty and war. It's not just an African-American holiday. The idea of that day is to try to understand the experience of people who had to overcome racism but in the end are part and parcel of the American quilt."

Two years ago this week, I walked in Tucson's King march. I walked with my son Kevin from the University of Arizona campus to a city park. Nice January Arizona day. The marchers were white and black and Hispanic and Asian, a representative mix of Tucson's population. Many, such as my son, were younger than King was when he was gunned down in 1968. They are aware of his struggle but might not know the full weight of his commitment to nonviolence.

Two years later, some of these same people will march again. They also were out last week at vigils and memorials and funerals for Arizona's dead. Yesterday, hundreds of Tucsonans staged a march from McCormick Park to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords office. Today, many will be volunteering during a "Day of Service" for the King holiday.

Returning from my 2009 trip to Tucson, I watched most of Pres. Obama's inauguration from the Phoenix airport. I thought to myself: "A new America begins today." I jumped the gun a bit was a bit premature with my forecast. Change has begun, but so has a violent reaction to it. We can make progress as long as we don't succumb to fear and hate. We'd do well to keep Dr. King's words of nonviolence in our minds and in our hearts.

Today's Cheyenne march for Dr. King begins at noon at the Depot Plaza downtown. It concludes at the Capitol Building. Following the event, Love & Charity Inc. will serve chicken noodle soup at Allen Chapel, 917 W. 21st. Weather forecast: This morning's weird torrential rains have given way to sunshine. Wind still blowing, but what else is new?

Federation survey: "Severe mental illness alone does not predict future violence"

The National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health released a release this week in response to the tragic shootings Oct. 8 in Tucson. The read it in its entirety, go here.

Here are the notable paragraphs:

The National Federation reminds us that most individuals who have mental health conditions – and that can be as many as one in five Americans at any given time – are no more likely to be violent than the rest of our population. A 2009 analysis of data from over 34,000 participants in the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions revealed that severe mental illness alone did not predict future violence.

We do know that in order for families and youth to be more positively engaged with mental health and other services, they need to know about them and how they can be useful. The National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health encourages people to join us in making a pledge to help parents connect with other parents whose children may have behavioral, substance use or mental health difficulties and to connect youth with other youth who have experienced mental health concerns. By giving parents and youth information about how to connect with other parents and youth, we provide natural productive support for all family members to increase their wellness and recovery management skills. To find those local family-run organizations, call the National Federation at 240-403-1901.

All of our communities have families struggling with mental health issues. One thing that parents can do is share their experiences and assist others. That was a huge topic at November's FFCMH conference in Atlanta.

As I recounted in a Nov. 13 post. Gary Blau outlined five areas in substance abuse and mental health that the feds at SAMHSA and federation members would like to be included in benefit packages, such as those that are part of Medicaid and Medicare.

1. Respite care, so parents can get a break and even go back to work.
2. Therapeutic mentoring to extend services
3. Behavioral health consultation services. Monitor children in daycare and preschool and get help for those who need it. Can reduce the number of kids kicked out of daycare for aggressive behavior.
4. Use technology to deliver services. “Our kids come out treatment and don’t go to AA meetings. They do communicate via social network sites.” This can be used for e-therapy and peer counseling.
5. Parent and caregiver support services. He said that this is the number one issue for SAMHSA. “We need a cadre of parent support providers, and we’re working on a certification process.”

Not to say that your neighbor's experience with a troubled child would prevent another tragic shooting. But support and information from those "who have been there" could make a difference. These type of support services will be coming our way, whether we're ready or not. Clinicians can't do it all. There are no child psychiatrists within the borders of our 93,000-square-mile state. There are many reasons for this. But instead of waiting for an influx of child psychiatrists craving wild winds and wide-open-spaces, why not claim the resources we already have and get to work?

Rev. Rodger McDaniel takes the long way home

I was pleased to see that today's lead story in our local paper was also on the web site. To read it all, go to: The long way home - Wyoming Tribune Eagle Online.

On the day that Rev. Rodger McDaniel retired from his state job, he grabbed his backpack and walked to the COMEA Shelter to spend a week as a homeless person.

For many years, Rev. McDaniel has been urging others "to get out of your comfort zone." He puts that into practice. He's been involved in the Cheyenne community for many decades. I first met him when we served together on the first Laramie County Habitat for Humanity board. He and his family spent a year in Nicaragua directing Habitat projects. He served in the state legislature. He brought new vitality to the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Division of the state Department of Health. He's established partnership with Wyoming social service non-profits, such as UPLIFT. In the interest of full disclosure, I'm on the UPLIFT board. I was on hand on a snowy November evening last year when UPLIFT awarded Rodger its public service award.

As I read about Rev. McDaniel this morning, I thought about David Brooks' column in Thursday's New York Times. We have lost our sense of modesty, he writes, the knowledge that we are limited in our skills and accomplishments and need others to fill in the gaps. The self-effacing are forgotten. The self-aggrandizing take center stage. The stage itself, it seems, has taken center stage.

In a famous passage, Reinhold Niebuhr put it best:

“Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore, we must be saved by hope. ... Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore, we are saved by love. No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our standpoint. Therefore, we must be saved by the final form of love, which is forgiveness.”

The Rev. McDaniel probably won't disagree with this quote. Embedded with it are the Three Virtues that I learned in Catholic school: faith, hope and love. Or rendered a different way: faith, hope and charity. Jesus is quoted about these virtues in 1 Corinthians 13, the passage that so many of us heard (or read) at our wedding masses. It wraps up with a line that's translated in various ways. Here's one version: "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three: but the greatest of these is love."

When I blog, I'm not always thinking of faith, hope and love. Usually I'm thinking very uncharitable thoughts. For example: "Tea Party members are a bunch of ignorant assholes." Not sure what Jesus or the Corinthians would have made of that. Not much love there, though.

Blogging is an attempt to communicate. But the most visible bloggers, it seems, are those who shout the loudest to rise above the din. I don't shout very loud. But that doesn't mean I am any less interested in my "brand." When I write, I am interested in the content but I also want people to read my work. I am shouting that the content on hummingbirdminds is pretty darn thoughtful and you ought to go read it.

Perhaps I'm deluded. Blogger and Facebook and other social media sites may not be new and innovative ways to connect people. They may just be other ways to say me-me-me.

Beginning on Equality Day, Republicans get to work promoting inequality in health care

Received this message from the Wyoming Democratic Party. It's all about addressing the fraud that is the Republicans' effort to repeal health care reform. These efforts are taking place in the U.S. House of Representatives and in our own state legislature. They are spurred on by Tea Party and corporate influence in the 2010 elections. You can see the Tea Party influence by the prominent display of "freedom" in the legislation. You can see the corporate influence in the fact that Republicans are always in the hip pockets of health conglomerates. They fought the Democratic Party's health care reform all the way. They had no ideas of their own. They were the party of no from 2008 to 2010. They are also the party of yes, as in always saying yes to their corporate overlords.


Get in the groove in opposing this chicanery. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing begins tomorrow, on the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday. In Wyoming, it is officially known as Equality Day. There is some irony in this. Starting tomorrow, Wyoming Republicans will be promoting a return to inequality in health care.


Here are some ways to start your opposition (from Brianna Jones at the WyoDems):


Two so-called "Health Care Freedom Acts" (SJ 02 and SJ 03) propose amending the Wyoming Constitution with language that is generally aimed at opposing implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Wyoming.  You can read the language and find out if one of your representatives is sponsoring the legislation by following the links above.

We need to make clear to the sponsors of these proposals that we do not want to take Wyoming backward.  We need to move forward!  

Below we have included some basic points you might find useful when discussing this legislation.  We are asking you to write the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee (listed below) and to also write letters to the editor about your opposition.  Finally, if you can, come to the hearing on Monday to show your support for constructive solutions to our country's health care crisis rather than divisive political posturing.

Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing
Monday, January 17th at 8:00 A.M.
Herschler Building, Room B63 in the basement

Email the Senate Judiciary Committee:
Sen. Drew Perkins (R-Casper)
Sen. Floyd Esquibel (D-Cheyenne)
Sen. Bruce Burns (R-Sheridan)
Sen. Leland Christensen (R-Jackson)
Sen. Larry Hicks (R-Baggs)


Talking Points:

• Tell your personal story.  Has a member of your family lost coverage or been denied care?  Is your child now able to get on your insurance?  Can you now get prescriptions because the Medicare Part D donut hole is closed?  Do you own a small business and can now get tax credits to provide your employees with insurance? Are you pregnant and can receive care for a healthy pregnancy?...and many more scenarios.
• So called "health care freedom" is not free.  A system needs to be in place where everyone can count on receiving the care they need and no one receives care at the expense of others.  
• Instead of playing political games with our constitution we should be trying to learn what parts of health reform can help Wyoming citizens.
• No one should have to worry about losing a loved one or losing their home because they cannot get insurance and cannot afford care.

Wyoming's UPLIFT displays the better side of human nature

It was a week marked by savagery and bravery.

A disturbed young man shoots 18 people in front of a Tucson grocery store. Six of them die, the rest wounded, one -- Rep. Giffords -- critically.

Amidst the slaughter, people rushed to save the wounded and subdue the attacker. You're heard the stories, if not from Cable news than from Pres. Obama's eloquent speech at Wednesday's memorial.

What causes some people to run away from chaos and others to run toward it? I've been asking myself that question all week. Daniel Hernandez ran toward the gunfire and tended to his boss's wounds. He didn't leave her side until the ambulance got her to the hospital. When he spoke Wednesday, we saw a self-confident and self-effacing 20-year-old college student. He's devoted himself to a life of public service. We saw that commitment to both the "public" and "service" parts of the equation this week.

When challenged, we will sacrifice our own lives to help our fellow humans. This is the good side of our nature, the empathetic and charitable side. Researchers announced recently that there is a part of us -- the "altruism gene" -- that promotes charitable instincts. We also know that there are parts of us that respond to the venal and violent.

In the end, which wins out? Physiology is only part of it. Family upbringing makes a difference, as do other role models. Intelligence and education do to too, although we know that many sins have been committed by "the best and brightest." Religion can play a part. Again, many slaughters have been committed by the righteous.

I was thinking of this yesterday during the quarterly board meeting of UPLIFT in Cheyenne. We are a volunteer board of 14 members. We just welcomed a new one, LaWahna Stickney, from Thayne. We now are a truly statewide board, with members from Cheyenne, Laramie, Casper and Thayne. Most of us became involved in children's mental health and behavioral issues because our own children were struggling. Teachers complained that our kids were unruly and defiant. Other parents complained when our children got aggressive on the playground. We were at wit's end at home because we could not understand why our little darlings were such monsters. Weren't we kind and generous and educated human beings?

We were stymied when we attempted to find help in the community. We were either told outright -- or it was implied -- that we were bad parents with bad kids. We knew that wasn't true. By the time our son, Kevin, was five, we'd seen practically every specialist along Colorado's Front Range. We finally found a psychiatrist in Fort Collins, Dr. James Kagan, who diagnosed Kevin with ADHD and helped put us on the right road. That involved medication in the form of Ritalin. Therapy, too. But we still had this weird sense that we were all alone in this, that it was our struggle to bear and understand.

Finding UPLIFT when we moved to Cheyenne gave us some handy tools, especially when it came to dealing with schools. We also found similar struggles among its staff and board. We discovered helpful ways to deal with schools. It was cathartic to share our stories and hear those of others.

Here's UPLIFT's mission statement:

Encouraging success and stability for children and youth with or at risk of emotional, behavioral, learning, developmental, or physical disorders at home, school, and in the community.

UPLIFT just marked its 20th anniversary of service to Wyoming. At yesterday's board meeting, we heard details of our recent financial setbacks. UPLIFT is an organization that gets 97 percent of its funding from governmental (mostly federal) sources. Sometimes you get turned down for grants, and sometimes funding streams dry up. Strings are attached to most government funding. So, while your organization has a significant budget, you may not have enough money to pay for the basics, such as salaries, electricity and a office space. It's a truism in the world of non-profits -- keeping the lights on is the biggest challenge.

UPLIFT had to cut the administration budget. That includes salaries and benefits, including health insurance. Two employees left because that health insurance was crucial to them -- many employees have kids with special needs. One employee moved out of state. The ones that remained not only stayed and worked with their clients around this very rural state, but they even stopped claiming travel reimbursements. Some employees even made cash contributions. That's something, isn't it? Salaries and benefits get cut, yet you still find the means to put some cash in the kitty.

They know that this is a short-term problem. They also know that the cuts bring pain to their boss, Peggy Nikkel. They are certain of the good work they do and don't want it to stop or interrupted. Most of their time is spent working with families. They accompany parents to school meetings, helping them make sense of the requirements with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Individualized Education Programs. At these meetings, the principal and school psychologist and half the teachers are arrayed against you. We have had several of UPLIFT's family support specialists (Judy Bredthauer, for one) at these meetings and it made a huge difference. They are cool and calm and knowledgeable. They can get tough when presented with intransigence. But the main thing is that schools now know that UPLIFT can be trusted. Oftentimes, they welcome the participation of UPLIFT staffers.

As I've recounted often on these pages, Wyoming is a huge, rural state with many challenges when it comes to children's mental health.

UPLIFT, an affiliate of the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, fills a huge gap. Its staffers don't provide clinical services, but they are the great connectors between families and those services. They can translate government regulations. For cash-strapped families, they find funding. They make sense of the great big world of mental health.

They are on a mission. Maybe, as were the Blues Brothers, they are on a mission from God. Whatever their motivations, they come from the better side of human nature.

By the way, if you want to stimulate your own better natures, you can donate to UPLIFT by going here.

Looking for help, call toll free 888-875-4383.

Merwin poem fitting close to Arizona memorial

University of Arizona President Robert Shelton at Wednesday’s memorial for the Tucson shooting victims:

SHELTON: I know conclude the program tonight by reading a poem that was written by W.S. Merwin who is the current poet laureate of the United States of America. Mister Merwin has a long history with the Poetry Center here at the University of Arizona.

To the New Year

With what stillness at last
you appear in the valley
your first sunlight reaching down
to touch the tips of a few
high leaves that do not stir
as though they had not noticed
and did not know you at all
then the voice of a dove calls
from far away in itself
to the hush of the morning

so this is the sound of you
here and now whether or not
anyone hears it this is
where we have come with our age
our knowledge such as it is
and our hopes such as they are
invisible before us
untouched and still possible

W.S. Merwin
from Present Company, Copper Canyon Press

Thanks to Joshua Robbins for posting the poem at http://againstoblivion.blogspot.com

Rep. Throne: Good speech, Gov. Mead, but what's your beef against health care reform?

Wyoming State Rep. Mary Throne wrote the Democratic Party response to Gov. Matt Mead's "State of the State" speech delivered today at the Capitol. Rep. Throne is one of the few Democrats still in the Legislature after the Nov. 2008 Election Wipeout. I walked a few neighborhoods for her back in 2006:

Cheyenne, WY – Senate Minority Floor Leader John Hastert and House Minority Whip Mary Throne released the following statement in response to Gov. Matt Mead’s first State of the State address:

“In Gov. Mead’s first State of the State address he outlined a number of critical priorities to the citizens of Wyoming.  He rightfully noted our vast resources from open spaces to mineral wealth to our citizens. 

Gov. Mead highlighted the need to support state and local governments, build our infrastructure, and strengthen our connectivity. We look forward to the specifics of Gov. Mead’s proposal to invest our dollars in Wyoming’s Main Street rather than Wall Street.  He spoke of streamlining state government and supporting state employees.  He indicated his support for Wyoming workers when he called for legislation that will grant Wyoming contractors preference.  These are all proposals we support.

It is essential that we continue discussing Wyoming education.  We must ensure that our children and their success is central. If policy proposals will not improve what goes on daily in the classroom they should not be made.  Our students deserve an excellent education and our teachers deserve the tools necessary to provide one.

We continue to oppose the unnecessary decision Gov. Mead made to join a lawsuit against the federal government for health care reform and oppose creating a litigation fund of $2 million of taxpayer funds.  This money would be better spent on providing care than paying lawyers.  The health care system fails our citizens every day and continues to worsen.  We must continue to look towards innovative solutions in Wyoming much like the 'Healthy Frontiers' program, while we take those pieces of federal legislation that will work for Wyoming.

We join the Governor in calling on the 61st Legislature to pay attention to those things that matter most and to have the courage and faith to make wise decisions.”

10 Ways to Get Your Winter Locavore Fix

I like the list of craft brewers. Go to 10 Ways to Get Your Winter Locavore Fix | Kate Whittle | Food & Agriculture | NewWest.Net

Searching for Arizona's soul

While watching crusty and opinionated Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik on TV over the weekend, I thought, "I'm glad this man is watching over my boy."

My boy is Kevin. He's no longer a boy but a man. A resident of Tucson, and a student at Pima Community College. Kevin probably doesn't give it much thought but it's good to have a sensible and sensitive human as the county's chief law enforcement officer.

I've spoken to Kevin several times since Saturday's shootings. Yes, everyone in Tucson is talking about it -- and we're all upset. No, he's never seen the shooter around campus. But there are five PCC campuses and thousands of students. I haven't had a chance to talk to him since this evening's memorial service at the University of Arizona Arena. Attendance was 26,000. I wanted to be there.

Tucson is a fine city. My most recent trip to Arizona was in January 2009. Call me a genius but January in Tucson is much more temperate than July in Tucson. My wife Chris and daughter Annie and I drove to Arizona in July of 2007. Long Fourth of July weekend and we had a week off. The evening of July 3, we stopped in Bernalillo north of Albuquerque and watched fireworks with a bunch of teenagers sitting on the hoods of their cars. The next night, we ventured out of the AC to watch the holiday fireworks from Tucson's A Mountain.

A few days later Kevin and I ventured out in the midday sun to visit the University of Arizona Poetry Center. U of A has since built a new poetry center, which was mentioned by University President Robert Shelton in tonight's closing remarks. He read a poem by W.S. Merwin, who lives in Hawaii but has spent a lot of time at the center, according to Shelton. Interesting how poetry and music are needed in times of woe.

Since Saturday, I've spent many hours online reading commentary about the Tucson shootings. I tended to gravitate to those pieces that talked about Arizona's culture.

One of the best is by Aurelie Sheehan. She's the director of the U of A creative writing program. She's a friend and a one-time Wyomingite. She wrote this:

Saturday night we had signed on to go to a benefit concert for a small organization that develops music programs for at-risk children in the Southwest. It was organized by a talented 12-year-old boy who took guitar lessons alongside our daughter, and we had been looking forward to it. Now no one really wanted to go — we were all too beaten down by the day. But we went anyway, to support the young guitarist and the nonprofit group.

We sat down in the school auditorium, restless, a little ill at ease, scattered in our thoughts. About 200 people were there. The lights went down and, after a weirdly protracted pause, Brad Richter, the nonprofit’s co-founder, took the stage. 

We talked quietly about what had happened that morning. He had played guitar at Gabrielle Giffords’s wedding, in 2007. And that evening he played an original composition for us, something she had requested he play then: “Elation,” the song was called. The feeling of community in the room was palpable, and if elation was beyond our reach, we were at least consoled.

Aurelie is such a great writer. I've also worked with Brad and know his soulful music. Again, here are the arts helping us to make sense of tragedy.

A harsher critique of Arizona appeared on Media Matters. It's by Will Bunch and is entitled "Arizona is where the American dream goes to die." Here's an excerpt:

The real factors behind this Arizona Nightmare -- venal banks, too much borrowing, too much outsourcing of jobs that, unlike home construction, would have been permanent and stable -- were too abstract, especially for the toxic soup of talk radio. It is tragic how a state that once prided itself on Barry Goldwater-style can-do self-reliant libertarianism devolved into blaming The Other the minute that things went south here. Virulent anti-immigrant nativism -- occasionally sprinkled with things like neo-Nazism -- grew into the desert, as did fear of Muslims, to the point where an architecturally unusual new Christian church in Phoenix had to declare in a giant banner that it was not Islamic. Political heroes were now those like Arpaio who didn't just pursue reactionary policies but actually heaped humiliation and degradation on The Other, in sweltering outdoor prison camps. Ditto with members of Congress suddenly out of step with the new zeitgeist -- moderate Democrats like Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords were not just to be disagreed with but to be physically threatened with vandalism or worse. Meanwhile, guns became a statewide obsession, as lawmakers competed to see just how lax an environment they could create, where it was legal to bring concealed firearms just about anywhere. This was the world that surrounded and buffeted a disturbed young man in Tucson named Jared Lee Loughner.

I've seen that part of Arizona. I've seen it in Wyoming, too. The anger of people who are well-to-do but who feel a strange resentment towards The Other. Those people who are wildly indignant about nearly everything because, well, because...

O.K., calm down, self. No name calling tonight.

Will Bunch does that pretty well. Although he wraps up with this hopeful note:

...maybe Arizona can dust itself off, gaze into the splendor of its big sky and see what an outsider sees, and remember what it was that brought them all to this scenic corner of America in the first place.

The promise of paradise.

Timothy Egan wrote "Tombstone Politics" for the New York Times op-ed pages. He wrote that great book on the Dust Bowl. To read his column, go here: 

Tombstone, the town, is in Giffords’s southern Arizona district, an Old West burg where shootouts are staged, bodies fall into the street, and then everybody applauds and laughs it off. Tombstone politics is the place we’ve been living in for some time now, and our guns are loaded.

We're living in a mythic cowboy West and our guns are really loaded, unlike those on "Tombstone Territory" and "Wyatt Earp" or "Gunsmoke." All Hollywood versions of Wild West shoot-em-up towns. But a fake Tombstone is one thing. A very real Tucson where deranged people fire guns at politicans?  We can't afford that.


For full text of Pres. Obama's speech, and other coverage of today's Tucson events, go here. 

Ignite Cheyenne 2 brings passionate ideas and fun to downtown on Feb. 8

I missed the first session of Ignite Cheyenne. And this second one is on my wife's birthday. But I recommend that you support local visionaries Anna Nowak, Jeff Fruhwirth and and Juliette Rule. These people are trying to bring some excitement to downtown.

Here's the info:

If you had five minutes to say something to the people of Cheyenne, what would you say?

Well think it over, because we are giving you a chance to say it.  Ignite Cheyenne 2 is a place where people from Cheyenne and southeastern Wyoming can come to share ideas, hobbies, socialize and have a great time. Ignite Cheyenne is about showcasing your ideas nd your passion. Both of those things can make Cheyenne an even better place!  We want to hear you talk at Ignite Cheyenne.

We are back with another awesome event in downtown Cheyenne.  All of you who came the first time, we’d love to see you again, and all of you who couldn't make it, we hope to see you this time!

If you run a business and would like to put up information or would like a flyer to email to your friends, you can get our PDF Flyer Here.

Location: Historic Plains Hotel

1600 Central Avenue

Cheyenne, Wyoming

Map can be found here.

Date: February 8, 2011

Schedule:

6 pm Doors open - Come for mingling and drinks

7 pm First group of talks

7:30 – 8 pm Intermission

8 – 8:30 pm  Second group of talks

9 pm Go home enlightened

Tickets: You can get them here. Tickets are free, but you must register to attend.

Agenda: Presenters have not been picked.  If you’re interested in presenting, head over here to read some guidelines on the talks, then contact us at ignitecheyenne [at] gmail [dot] com

Event Curators:

Anna Nowak

Jeff Fruhwirth

Juliette Rule

2011 Wyoming Legislature up in arms about nearly everything

At least three bills targeting the U.S. Affordable Health Care Act are on the Wyoming Legislature's docket. The Legislature gets down to business Tuesday in Cheyenne. No word yet on whether members plan to mimic their colleagues inside the Beltway by spending the first day reading the U.S. Constitution (edited Republican version) or the Wyoming Constitution. This won't be necessary if the Legislature adopts a proposal by Sen. Kit Jennings of Casper (kit@kitsenate.com) that would require all holders of civil offices to take a three-hour course on the Wyoming and U.S. Constitutions. While refresher courses on high school civics might be an eye-opener for Democrats and Republicans alike, not to mention the Tea Party faithful, this bill seems like a gigantic waste of time.

Speaking of gigantic time-wasters, here are the three bills (so far) that attempt to undo national health care reform (via Joan Barron and Jeremy Pelzer at the Casper Star-Tribune):

House Bill 39: Health care litigation fund

Sponsor: Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee.

Summary: Creates a $2 million account for the state of Wyoming to sue the federal government over the federal health care reform law passed last year.

Background: On Monday, Wyoming will join 20 other states in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of parts of the federal health care law expanding Medicaid and requiring that most Americans purchase health insurance.

Debate: Supporters say the health care law violates Wyomingites' constitutional rights and that the costs of a lawsuit will be cheaper than what the law would force the state to pay in health care funding. Opponents say the health care law needs to be given a chance to work and that the state has more important things to spend its money on than joining an existing lawsuit.

SJ 002: Health Care Freedom

Sponsor: Sen. Leslie Nutting, R-Cheyenne (lnutting@wyoming.com).

This bill would place on the general election ballot an amendment to the Wyoming Constitution to specify no federal or state law shall compel participation in any health care system by any person, employer or health care provider.

Summary: This bill is directed at the federal Affordable Health Care Act.

SJ 0003: Health Care Freedom-2

Sponsor: Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper (charlesscott@wyoming.com).

This bill would place on the general election ballot an amendment to the Wyoming Constitution to recognize individual rights to make health care decisions and to prohibit specified state actions limiting decisions. It also authorizes the attorney general to participate in litigation to protect the right to make health care decisions.

Summary: This bill authorizes the attorney general to sue the federal government and have the Affordable Health Care Act declared unconstitutional.

As a counterpoint to this nonsense, I offer up evidence of the benefits (thus far) that have accrued to Wyomingites through the Affordable Health Care Act. This comes from a new year's message on Jan. 2 from Chuck Herz, state chair of the Wyoming Democratic Party:

Obama’s signature accomplishment was the health care reform that had long eluded us. It was clouded by controversy and disinformation about what the reform does. But the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

When fully operational in 2014 "Obamacare" will ensure that millions (thousands of Wyomingites) who’ve had no insurance or insurance that covers too little no longer need play Russian roulette with family health and finances. It will secure us from having to pay for those who choose to play Russian roulette, forcing others to pick up the tab when they can’t pay. Those with "pre-existing conditions" will get coverage. Preventive care will reduce risk of serious illness and costlier care. Your insurer can no longer cut you off just when you need expensive care on grounds of some technical error. Trials of promising ways to limit costs will begin. And according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, all this will reduce, not add to, the federal deficit.

Those who attack "Obamacare" owe an adequate alternative solution to all these problems and a national health care system that has cost us far more of our GDP, and delivered poorer health results (life expectancy, child mortality, etc.), than the systems of other nations.

Here are stats for you from the Obama for Wyoming site: 9,112 Wyomingites with pre-existing conditions will no longer be denied coverage by greedy insurance corporations; 72,000 uninsured Wyomingites will now be insured; and tax credits can be claimed by 44,600 individuals, 400 families and 10,900 businesses.

That ain't hay, now is it?

Repubs know that the longer thoughtful people in Wyoming and elsewhere have to contemplate the benefits of "Obamacare," the less likely they will want to have those benefits taken away. Especially when those benefits are threatened by men and women enjoying universal health care coverage provided by U.S. taxpayers. House Republicans were scheduled to begin debate on repeal of the Affordable Health Care Act this Wednesday in D.C. That has been put on hold due to the tragic events yesterday in Tucson, when one of their own House members was gunned down at a town meeting.

The Wyoming Repubs may get to the topic before their D.C.-based brethren and sistren.

To what end? Most of the newbies in the Wyoming State Legislature owe their elections to Tea Party activists and other voters who were Simply Wildly Indignant about Nearly Everything, real or imagined (mostly imagined). So legislators are carrying out the will -- real or imagined -- of the voters.

Still awaiting word on legislation to investigate Pres. Obama's American heritage ("He ain't no citizen -- I have proof he was born in Kenya!") and his religion ("He's a Muslim -- the Internet said so"). Other zaniness is sure to follow.

Tamale and sauerkraut day at farmers' market

The Cheyenne Winter Farmers Market is the place for mushrooms and beans and sauerkraut and pasta and bread and ...

...just about everything edible. Including some tasty radishes from Meadow Maid in Yoder. Sara B offered me a bite and I accepted. She knows her edibles.

I discovered some local tamales today, and that's what we're having for dinner. From Esmeralda's Tamale House on 18th St. downtown. Also Pappardelle's Pasta from Pasta Pazza. Sweet potato Orzo. I've never had this type of Orzo and I am looking forward to it.

Why is any of this important? Eating locally is crucial. I'm not a purist by any means. But I think it's important to support local businesses, whether they be purveyors of food or art. They are my neighbors. Some are my friends. Others I don't know from Adam or Eve but I like what they do.

I was buying some gigantic Bavarian pretzels and a loaf of rye bread from Frank's Famous Kitchen when another customer asked for sauerkraut. "Sauerkraut?" my brain asked. Frank gave me a taste. I bought a pint container for three bucks. When I got home, I put the kraut on brats and watched football. Good stuff. The food, not the football. I switched over and watched an old John Wayne movie.

Eat local, folks.

Washington reacts to Giffords shooting

As always, Joan McCarter at Daily Kos provides perspective to today's news -- this one the shooting of Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson.

Go to Washington reacts to Giffords shooting

Welcome to the Equality State (and don't forget to read the fine print)

Credit goes to Meg Lanker of Laramie for this newly-revised banner for the non-equality state heretofore known as the Equality State. Don't forget to read the fine print! And don't forget to read the text of House Bill No. HB0074: Validity of Marriages. You can post a comment or a note at Meg's Facebook page. Go to http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=482738442965&id=686730787. You can also make comments here. Better yet, write your Rep or Sen and tell them there are better ways to spend their time and the taxpayers' money. Find contact info at the Legisweb site.

"Three Cups of Tea" author Greg Mortenson to speak in Cheyenne March 29

From a post on Facebook (cross-posted from wyomingarts blog):

Two-time Nobel Prize nominee Greg Mortenson will share insightful commentary and stunning photography to educate and promote awareness of the importance of primary education, literacy and cross-cultural understanding about the remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. 

He will speak at the Taco John’s Events Center in Cheyenne on Tuesday, March 29, 7-10 p.m. Limited amount of tickets go on sale on Friday, Jan. 7. Tickets: $5 Students (K-College)/$15 General Public. Contact the Taco Johns Events Center at (307) 433-0025 or on-line at www.cheyennecity.org

Greg Mortenson promotes peace through education. He is the co-founder of nonprofit Central Asia Institute www.ikat.org, founder of Pennies For Peace www.penniesforpeace.org, and co-author of New York Times bestseller "Three Cups of Tea" which has sold over 4 million copies, been published in 47 countries, and a New York Times bestseller since its 2007 release, and Time Magazine Asia Book of The Year.Mortenson’s new book, "Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books Not Bombs, In Afghanistan and Pakistan," was released by Viking on December 1, 2009.

As of 2010, Mortenson has established over 145 schools in rural and often volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, which provide education to over 64,000 children, including 52,000 girls, where few education opportunities existed before.

Laramie County Partners are bringing Greg Mortenson to Cheyenne for a series of activities, including talking to school children and a public event in the evening on March 29. The partners include: Laramie County Community College Foundation, Laramie County Community College, Cheyenne Rotary, Laramie County Library, Laramie County Library Foundation and Laramie County School District No. 1.

http://www.facebook.com/LaramieCountyPartnersPresentGregMortenson

Democrats host Nellie Tayloe Ross banquet Feb. 26

http://www.wyomingdemocrats.com

With a tip of the Nellie hat to Andy Warhol...

Tea Party Slim's budget worries

My old pal, Tea Party Slim, told me that he had a great time at this week’s inaugural festivities in Cheyenne.

“Now that Republicans rule the roost, the days of government throwing money at problems are a thing of the past.”

“What’s the government throwing money at?” I asked this in all sincerity.

“Education, for one. We throw more and more money at the public education system and still get the same results. Why not cut funding and see if that helps.”

“Why not just eliminate public school spending?” I said. “Home-school all the kids. Put those overpaid socialistic unionized teachers out of work.”

Slim smiled. “Sen. Hank Coe has those socialistic unionized teachers in his sights. He’s proposing a bill to end teacher tenure.”

“That’s one way to save money. Get rid of all those highly-paid experienced teachers and replace them with low-paid inexperienced teachers. Better yet, just close all those expensive schools and do that book-learnin’ at home. If it was good enough for pioneers, it’s good enough for us.”

Slim chuckled. “If this wasn’t such a great all-Republican week, I might take offense at that.”

“What other ways will the Legislature save money?”

“Glad you asked. End Obamacare. It’s expensive and unconstitutional. Gov. Mead says that we can do health care better in Wyoming because we have true grit.”

“Didn’t a legislator propose a bill that would earmark $2 million for that lawsuit against healthcare reform?”

“It’s not an earmark. And you know as well as I do, Mike, that lawyers cost money.”

“But it’s the Wyoming Attorney General’s office that’s doing the suing. Aren’t those AG attorneys state employees getting paid at the high end of the scale?”

“Sure, but you have expenses.”

“Lots and lots of trips to D.C. Phone calls. Photocopies.”

“Research, too. Lots and lots of research.”

“Still, $2 million is a lot of money for a lawsuit that doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of succeeding.”

“Says you. “ He chuckled again. “You’re not going to ruin this week for me. I’m feeling good and I plan on feeling this way right through the next presidential election.”

“When Sarah Palin gets elected?”

“She supports the Tea Party. She’s from Alaska – and an N.R.A. member. She’d be a great president.”

I could have fallen off my chair laughing. But I let it go. “What other cost-cutting measures are in the works?

“I have two words for you: illegal immigration.”

I waited patiently for more. When nothing was forthcoming, I had to ask how stopping illegal immigration into Wyoming would save the state money.

“Illegals are taking our jobs. Those jobs should go to Americans. We have unemployed people in this state.”

“We have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S. Jobs go begging at fast-food joints and motels and farms. Illegals do the jobs that we don’t want to do.”

“We educate their kids too – and teach them English. That’s expensive. And don’t forget law enforcement. You’ve seen what those Mexican gangs are doing in Arizona. Cutting off people’s heads! You don’t want that here, do you?”

“Gov. Brewer invented the story about headless corpses littering the Arizona desert.”

Slim removed his hat and placed it over his heart. “Gov. Brewer is our hero. Don’t say anything bad about that great lady. She’s saving her state by kicking out illegals and stopping unnecessary heart transplants.”

“Not to mention head transplants.” I laughed this time.

“You Liberals think you’re all so smart. But you’re a dying breed in this state.”

“Don’ I know it. What are you going to do when all the Liberals are gone and this is the only one-party state in the U.S.A.?”

“Have a party,” said Slim with a grin. “And put up a big fence.”

“Won’t that be expensive?”

Slim looked thoughtful for a minute. “Unemployed teachers can build it. We’ll pay them Wyoming’s minimum wage, which is the lowest in the country.”

It was my turn to be thoughtful. “That would save the state money.”

“And we’d all sleep better at night knowing that we live in the safest and most secure place on earth.”

Winter Farmers' Market this Saturday at Depot

The next winter farmers' market will be held on Saturday, Jan. 8, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., inside the Historic Depot in downtown Cheyenne.

I was at the December market buying Christmas presents and assorted foodstuffs. Now that we're in January, it's time to look for seeds for the spring and, as always, assorted foodstuffs. Too early for most veggies. But there are breads and jams and meats and original art and handmade crafts.

Here's an overview:

Our vendors sell items that are produced in Wyoming or northern Colorado, but within 150 miles of Cheyenne. All items are produced by the vendors behind the tables, no food brokers are allowed. This is a fun indoor market with great energy and super vendors. Look for: PerrBear Chocolates, Bavarian pretzels, Black Forest Ham, beef, bison, lamb, chicken, duck and chicken eggs, take out Bar-B-Que, artisan breads, cookies, cakes, and much more.

Not to to mention the schmoozing. Top-notch schmoozing at the winter farmer's' market.


FMI: Kim Porter, Farmers Market & Education Program Manager, Wyoming Business Council, 307.777.6319.


The Business Council is testing an online farmers' market for southeast Wyoming. Here's more info:

Triple Crown Commodities is an online farmers market focused on south-eastern Wyoming.  This commodities cooperative offers a large variety of products ranging from free-range eggs to value-added products such as honey and pies.  We also have a wide variety of naturally and organically raised pork and beef.Triple Crown Commodities allows you to buy local and buy fresh.  Fresh local products offer peace of mind as well as healthy, nutritious choices.  All products are raised locally so you know where your food came from, how it was handled, and who produced it.  The online farmers’ market also allows for easy shopping — right from your computer, with the convenience of local distribution points.

Design your new year around art & food

http://artdesignanddine.blogspot.com

Ogallala Commons' Southern Plains Conference poses the question: "What Makes Communities Healthy?

Map of the Ogallala Commons. I live in the northwest corner of the commons, where the High Plains meet the Laramie Range foothills.

I think of myself as a city boy. The title's not entirely accurate. I was born in a city (Denver) but lived in a few small towns in my youth. I was a suburban dweller, too. I'm a product of populations centers and not of the Great Wide Open. That colors my approach to many issues.

Cities have long been portrayed as evil. How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm after they've seen Paree? That was true about World War I, when many farm boys returned from the war and settled in cities. It was really true during and after World War II. Those farm boys that trained in Denver and San Diego and Tucson liked what they saw and gravitated to cities rather than returning to Lusk or Goodland or Gallup. Rural areas, especially those in the Rocky Mountain West, have been depopulating ever since.

Most Westerners live in cities. Not sure what the 2010 U.S. Census shows, but 2007 figures show that 82 percent of the people in the eight Rocky Mountain states live in cities and towns. This may shock those who envision a West with small picturesque villages nestled against a mountain range. Yes, there are those places. Think of Ranchester or Centennial or Afton or Wilson. Idyllic Wyoming towns surrounded by farms and ranches. Residents are salt of the earth folks, descendants of pioneers.

In reality, the more picturesque the town, the more likely it is that it's populated by too many rich people with second or third homes. Often those people don't care about the happenings in their adopted town as long as they are left alone by the hoi polloi. Gated communities help ensure that tranquility.

On the opposite end of that spectrum, the Ogallala Commons organization strives for community in a mostly-rural area in the Great Plains. From its web site:

The Ogallala Commons is a nonprofit community development network, offering leadership and education to reinvigorate the commonwealth that forms the basis of all communities, both human and natural.

Ogallala Commons country is centered over the vast High Plain-Ogallala Aquifer, covering about 174,000 square miles across parts of eight Great Plains states. The backbone of Ogallala Commons country extends along the long north-south axis of U.S. Highway 385 and the 102nd Meridian... but our commons region also stretches west to the Rocky Mountain foothills and eastward to the river-braided prairies of the Midwest.

"River-braided prairies of the Midwest." I like that. I also like the themes for their annual Southern Plains Conferences. The 2010 version was an exploration of the 75th anniversary of The Dust Bowl. It included presentations by writers such as Dan O'Brien and Stephen Forsberg, performance of an operetta and the  "Sabor del Llano Estacado reception featuring locally-grown and produced heavy hors d’oeuvres, beer, and wine." There were even talks about global warming. Global warming did not have quotes around it.

The next conference will be held in Texas in February. Here are the details:

22nd Annual Southern Plains Conference: “What Makes Communities Healthy?"

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Home Mercantile Building & Community Hall, Nazareth, TX.

When it comes to health care, Americans find a lot to argue about these days. But something is missing in these heated debates. Shouldn’t we begin by talking about what we mean by health? Essayist and poet Wendell Berry writes that “community is the smallest measure of health, and that to speak of the health of an isolated individual is a contradiction in terms.” 

Starting from this premise, presentations at our Southern Plains Conference will explore community health as a participatory work, and an unbreakable circle of interdependent dimensions: environmental, economic, social, physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. Join with us as we re-member these dimensions and reacquaint ourselves with the tools necessary to develop an inclusive practice of community health that fits our time.