The Laramie County Democratic Grassroots Coalition will meet on Thursday, Feb. 21, 6:30 p.m. in the Laramie County Public Library's Sage Room on the second floor. All interested county residents are invited to attend.
The gathering begins with a short business meeting, followed by a presentation on education issues and the No Child Left Behind legislation. Speakers will be Kathryn Valido, president of the Wyoming Education Association, and Ted Adams, superintendent of Laramie County School District No. 1.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Dems' caucus site switched to Civic Center
It's official. The March 8 Laramie County Democratic Party caucus/convention will be held at the Cheyenne Civic Center at 510 W. 20th St. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the caucus starts at 9.
The caucus site was changed over the weekend when it became apparent that the original location, the UW Family Pratice Center auditorium, was going to be too small for the record turnout expected this year. Over the weekend, Mike Bell of the Laramie County Democrats guesstimated that up to 1,000 people might show up on March 8. The reason? The tight race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Every single delegate is important this year.
To participate in the caucus, you must be a registered Democrat by this Friday, Feb. 22. Seventeen-year-olds who'll be 18 by the Nov. 4 general election can register and participate in the caucus.
FMI: Contact the Cheyenne office of the county and state Democrats by calling 307-634-9001.
The caucus site was changed over the weekend when it became apparent that the original location, the UW Family Pratice Center auditorium, was going to be too small for the record turnout expected this year. Over the weekend, Mike Bell of the Laramie County Democrats guesstimated that up to 1,000 people might show up on March 8. The reason? The tight race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Every single delegate is important this year.
To participate in the caucus, you must be a registered Democrat by this Friday, Feb. 22. Seventeen-year-olds who'll be 18 by the Nov. 4 general election can register and participate in the caucus.
FMI: Contact the Cheyenne office of the county and state Democrats by calling 307-634-9001.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Rock the vote -- and show up at the polls
Stephen Winn, deputy editorial page editor at the Kansas City Star, wrote a column today in praise of the youth vote. I read it in our local paper, the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, while sipping coffee and listening to the blasted north wind whistle through the eaves. Winn applauds the younger generation for turning out in large numbers for Barack Obama. And then he bemoans the fact that Baby Boomers (his generation and mine) "have kind of screwed things up." He then lists the many ways that we have failed: electing George W. Bush not once but twice (maybe only once); lack of reform of Social Security and Medicare; running up the national debt; etc.
While our children get saddled with more of the national debt ($30,000 per person) and a whopping college loan debt (if they can even qualify for assistance), the country's older and oldest Americans keep getting more benefits. Why is that? They vote, work at the polls, write their congressional reps, and join powerful lobbying orgs such as AARP. Some of them even blog. They're loud and they're proud. A huge pain in the ass.
So youngsters, take a page from your elders' handbook and get involved to the point of pain-in-the-ass status. It's already happening, and it's good to see. My 23-year-old son, Kevin, voted in his first presidential election in 2004. He recently voted in the Arizona primary. He's outspoken in his support for Barack Obama, although he's too busy to do much electioneering, at least for now. He's paying for his own school, attending classes full-time and working nights. His girlfriend does the same. They're having a heck of a time finding enough financial aid. But they persevere. They're young and they have big plans.
My daughter is still too young to vote but will be in 2012. That same year, I'll be old enough to get Social Security checks. But I won't as retirement will still be a few years away. Will we have S.S. and Medicare reform by 2012? That depends on whether we have a Democrat as president or a Republican. To ensure that, we have to get to the polls and vote.
Speaking of polls, why is it that I'm the only one there who doesn't remember World War II? Born in 1950, I'm usually the youngest poll worker in my precinct. When we set up our e-voting machines in 2006, many of the poll workers gathered around and stared at the machines much like the primates in "2001: A Space Odyssey" stared at The Sentinel in the film's opening scene. They had about as much knowledge of the technology. We had techs from Diebold available to come in and fix any problems, but we did have to show others how to use the things to cast their vote.
Volunteers at polling places are primarily retirees. Younger people are at school or work or taking care of kids. Would that change if we had elections on weekends instead of weekdays? What if everyone had a paid day off on election day? Why not change polling day and see what happens. Or maybe we should change the entire system. We have local control of polling places, just as we have local control for schools. County clerks are responsible for setting up the system and making sure it runs smoothly.
But we've seen the results, most notably in the 2000 presidential elections. But even the latest round of primaries have shown ballot problems and machine breakdowns. Polling place workers are giving out faulty information, possibly because they forgot to take their morning meds.
So just add the crazy voting system to the things that we Baby Boomers should have fixed but didn't.
I've seen the young people getting involved in this election cycle. Men and women in their 20s and 30s are powering the Obama campaign nationally and right here in Wyoming. I think they see this as their opportunity to take charge of a broken system and make it better. There will be heartbreak and compromise along the way. But it's best not to think about that now. Win first, worry later.
While our children get saddled with more of the national debt ($30,000 per person) and a whopping college loan debt (if they can even qualify for assistance), the country's older and oldest Americans keep getting more benefits. Why is that? They vote, work at the polls, write their congressional reps, and join powerful lobbying orgs such as AARP. Some of them even blog. They're loud and they're proud. A huge pain in the ass.
So youngsters, take a page from your elders' handbook and get involved to the point of pain-in-the-ass status. It's already happening, and it's good to see. My 23-year-old son, Kevin, voted in his first presidential election in 2004. He recently voted in the Arizona primary. He's outspoken in his support for Barack Obama, although he's too busy to do much electioneering, at least for now. He's paying for his own school, attending classes full-time and working nights. His girlfriend does the same. They're having a heck of a time finding enough financial aid. But they persevere. They're young and they have big plans.
My daughter is still too young to vote but will be in 2012. That same year, I'll be old enough to get Social Security checks. But I won't as retirement will still be a few years away. Will we have S.S. and Medicare reform by 2012? That depends on whether we have a Democrat as president or a Republican. To ensure that, we have to get to the polls and vote.
Speaking of polls, why is it that I'm the only one there who doesn't remember World War II? Born in 1950, I'm usually the youngest poll worker in my precinct. When we set up our e-voting machines in 2006, many of the poll workers gathered around and stared at the machines much like the primates in "2001: A Space Odyssey" stared at The Sentinel in the film's opening scene. They had about as much knowledge of the technology. We had techs from Diebold available to come in and fix any problems, but we did have to show others how to use the things to cast their vote.
Volunteers at polling places are primarily retirees. Younger people are at school or work or taking care of kids. Would that change if we had elections on weekends instead of weekdays? What if everyone had a paid day off on election day? Why not change polling day and see what happens. Or maybe we should change the entire system. We have local control of polling places, just as we have local control for schools. County clerks are responsible for setting up the system and making sure it runs smoothly.
But we've seen the results, most notably in the 2000 presidential elections. But even the latest round of primaries have shown ballot problems and machine breakdowns. Polling place workers are giving out faulty information, possibly because they forgot to take their morning meds.
So just add the crazy voting system to the things that we Baby Boomers should have fixed but didn't.
I've seen the young people getting involved in this election cycle. Men and women in their 20s and 30s are powering the Obama campaign nationally and right here in Wyoming. I think they see this as their opportunity to take charge of a broken system and make it better. There will be heartbreak and compromise along the way. But it's best not to think about that now. Win first, worry later.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Vets face a "daunting & growing" problem
The Billings Gazette reports that Montana Sen. Jon Tester will accompany the new secretary of Veterans Affairs to Billings and Helena on Feb. 20. Tester, a Democrat elected in 2006, invited James Peake to Montana late last year to see firsthand the issues affecting Montana veterans. As is the case everywhere, Montana vets are facing a long list of mental health problems after long deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Peake and Tester will hold a public town hall meeting for veterans at the Hilton Garden Inn in Billings at 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20. Peake also will tour the Billings VA Clinic. He and Tester will travel to Helena where they'll hold a round-table discussion at 2:30 p.m.
Too bad Peake can’t travel south to Wyoming while he’s in the neighborhood. Perhaps one of our esteemed senators, both Iraq War supporters and Republicans who presumably have close personal relationships with Bush appointees, can do some inviting of their own. Tester’s an opponent of the war, and a newbie to boot. Look what he’s been able to accomplish.
I’m not a veteran, but I do have some expertise on mental health issues both personally, in my own family, and as a governor-appointed member of the Wyoming Mental Health Planning Council. I’ve also been board chair of UPLIFT, the Wyoming affiliate of the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health.
Larry D. Barttelbort, executive director of the Wyoming Veterans Commission, sent out this press release about a program in the state aimed at addressing veterans’ mental health:
Veterans for America recently released a study of soldiers based at Fort Drum in Watertown, New York. You can read the full report at http://www.veteransforamerica.org/. Here are a few paragraphs from the introduction:
Too bad Peake can’t travel south to Wyoming while he’s in the neighborhood. Perhaps one of our esteemed senators, both Iraq War supporters and Republicans who presumably have close personal relationships with Bush appointees, can do some inviting of their own. Tester’s an opponent of the war, and a newbie to boot. Look what he’s been able to accomplish.
I’m not a veteran, but I do have some expertise on mental health issues both personally, in my own family, and as a governor-appointed member of the Wyoming Mental Health Planning Council. I’ve also been board chair of UPLIFT, the Wyoming affiliate of the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health.
Larry D. Barttelbort, executive director of the Wyoming Veterans Commission, sent out this press release about a program in the state aimed at addressing veterans’ mental health:
A joint venture pilot program between the Wyoming Military Department, Wyoming Veterans Commission, and the Wyoming Department of Health will ensure Wyoming Veterans are connected with state and federal resources. This pilot program is based on a recommendation from Wyoming's Veterans Mental Health Task Force. We have combined end-of-biennium funds to hire two contract Veteran's Advocates. They will link our Wyoming Veterans, their families, and their employers directly with state and federal resources. We will use Wyoming Military Department federal resources to assist with scheduling, data collection and reporting.
This program will help Veterans overcome the stigma of seeking help and help them connect with these wonderful resources. The advocates will meet with the Veteran, the family, and the employer to ensure the Veteran is using all the resources available to them.
Wyoming is also blessed with two of the finest VA Medical Centers in the U.S., at Sheridan and Cheyenne. The VA's Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) in Casper, Gillette, Green River, Newcastle, Powell, Riverton and Rock Springs provide outstanding care. The Vet Centers in Cheyenne and Casper provide confidential mental health counseling and also provide contract services in some outlying areas.If you are approached about a Wyoming Veteran experiencing problems with readjustment issues at home, with friends, or at work don't hesitate to call one of our advocates or the VA resources.
Veteran's Advocates:
Leon Chamberlain (307) 359-2430 (Northern Wyoming)
David Hall (307) 631-3736 (Southern Wyoming)
VA Health Information 1-877-222-8387FMI: Larry D. Barttelbort, 307-772-5016
Veterans for America recently released a study of soldiers based at Fort Drum in Watertown, New York. You can read the full report at http://www.veteransforamerica.org/. Here are a few paragraphs from the introduction:
A new, in-depth investigative report released by Veterans for America, documents the toll of repeated, lengthy, and unpredictable deployments on Soldiers stationed at Fort Drum, New York, raising powerful questions about the sustainability of U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Over the past decade, Fort Drum’s 10th Mountain Division has been one of the Army’s most heavily deployed divisions. Since September 11, 2001, Fort Drum’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT) is the most deployed brigade in the Army – with more than 40 months logged away from home in that time.
VFA’s new report highlights the lack of treatment available to combat soldiers and presents potential solutions to what the Pentagon acknowledges is a "daunting and growing" problem.
"Sooner or later, and likely sooner, we’re going to hit the wall and something will have to change," said Bobby Muller, VFA’s founder. "Simple morality and decency demand a change. We cannot continue taking such gross advantage of those who have offered themselves in service to our country."
On their latest Iraq tour, members of the 2nd BCT were more than five times more likely to have been killed than others who have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and more than four times as likely to have been wounded. In all, the 2nd BCT has been deployed four times. Pentagon studies have found that a soldier’s chance of developing mental health problems increases 60 percent upon each deployment.
"Soldiers at Fort Drum have been repeatedly exposed to high intensity combat. Mental health resources must match this level of sacrifice," said Jason W. Forrester, one of the report authors.
More on House's "clean-coal" bills
As I mentioned on Thursday, two "clean-coal" bills moved forward in the Wyoming House. Both concern carbon sequestration. Neither bill supports a linguistic alternative to "sequestration," so it's up to me to keep looking for one.
Here's a bit more info from the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle on those two carbon bills:
Here's a bit more info from the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle on those two carbon bills:
CHEYENNE (WTE) -- On second reading Thursday, the Wyoming House of Representatives passed two pieces of clean-coal legislation requested by the governor. House Bill 89 states that surface landowners control the underground pore spaces where carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas and byproduct of burning coal to make electricity, could be stored. House Bill 90 sets up a regulatory regime for the practice of carbon sequestration under the supervision of the Department of Environmental Quality with assistance from the state Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. The bills must pass one more reading in the House, pass the Senate and be signed by the governor to become law.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Obama office opening draws SRO crowd
I joined about 70 others this morning for the grand opening of the Barack Obama office at 415 W. 28th St. in Cheyenne. Surprised to see so many people there, and so many I'd never seen at local Democratic Party gatherings.
But that's what this campaign is about, drawing in those who haven't been involved before -- or not for a very long time. I ran into an old friend who said he hadn't been to such an exciting political gathering since Gary Hart ran for prez in the 1980s. In fact, he hadn't been involved in politics at all since then.
Gabe Cohen is the Obama campaign's Wyoming director. He'll be overseeing offices in Cheyenne, Laramie, Rock Springs, and Casper. To get started, he asked all of us to take out our cell phones and call 10 friends and tell them to get involved in the campaign. Gabe is young, in his 20s or 30s, as are all the Obama people I met. The crowd was a mix of ages, from 20-somethings to the retired. A lot younger demographic than we see at the average meeting of our county party.
Gabe said that "they" called the Obama campaign crazy for opening four offices in Wyoming, adding that he thought this was a natural thing to do "because we're going to get this kind of turnout everywhere." This was greeted with applause and huzzahs. He then quizzed us with this question: "Which state put JFK over the top in 1960?" Many of us shouted the answer: "Wyoming." The parallels have already been drawn between the Kennedy race for president and Obama's. The energy is there, especially with the young people.
This Cheyenne crowd was energized. Gabe introduced Matt Chandler, who's the campaign's communications director for Wyoming. We also met State Rep. Pete Jorgensen from Jackson, who's one of the Dems' five super-delegates. He said he was old enough to remember JFK, and that he'd worked overseas for a time during the 1960s and recalled "the good will we had around the world -- that's all gone now."
Pete named the other super-delegates: Cynthia Nunley, Nancy Drummond, John Millin (state party chair) and Gov. Dave Freudenthal. He also said that he'd just talked to his wife in Jackson who said that several kids from Rock Springs were coming to stay at their house to canvass Teton County for Obama.
Mike Bell, Laramie County Democrats state chair, spoke next. He said that the March 8 county convention will not be held at the UW Family Practice Center auditorium because there won't be enough room. He startled us by saying that as many as 1,000 people could attend the convention. "We need a bigger place," he said by way of understatement. Possibilities include the Civic Center and Storey Gym, but each of those have a $2,000 fee. Little America wants $6,000 for its new conference center. "We're Democrats. How we can we afford that?"
A hubbub erupted. One woman, who said she was a retired state employee on a fixed income, said she would write a $100 check so we could get the best place for our convention. Others said they would do the same thing. Sara Burlingame-Thomas lifted the cap from her three-month-old son's head and started passing it around. Within 10 minutes, we had $1,500 in cash and checks. Mike said he'd go down Monday and rent a bigger place. Huzzahs all around.
Mike had some tips for us. To participate in the caucus/convention, you must be a registered Democrat in Laramie County by Friday, Feb. 22. And don't count on being on the voter rolls if you didn't vote in the 2006 general election, as your name was probably purged at the county clerk's office. If in doubt, check with the county clerk.
Mike said that registration begins at 8 a.m. at the convention, but it may be helpful to be there by 7:30 if we're going to have such a big turnout. I may have to be there even earlier as I've agreed to be on the nominations committee. We'll kick things off with the presidential preference vote, and then move into delegate selection. "This could be a slugfest," said Mike, depending on how many people are there for each candidate. Following that, we'll discuss the party platform.
"The county caucus is very important," Mike added. "The presidential preference vote determines the delegate count." Up to 55 delegates will be chosen here for the state party convention set for Memorial Day weekend in Jackson.
To wrap things up, Obama organizer Pat Lane (another youngster) made a call for volunteers. "We've seen in the West that Barack Obama is well-liked," he said, noting that he's won primaries/caucuses in Colorado, Nebraska and Idaho. "But we didn't do that -- it was folks like you." He noted that the best way to volunteer was as a precinct captain. That person talks to registered Dems in each precinct and gets them out to the caucus. He also said that volunteers of all kinds are needed, whether for the phone bank or walking neighborhoods.
The meeting broke up and I got in line to sign up as a precinct captain. I could tell that people were excited. I took this as a very good sign that Wyoming, and possibly the U.S., will get the kind of change that we need after eight years of the Bush-Cheney regime.
To get more info about the March 8 caucus/convention, call the county and state party office in Cheyenne at 307-634-9001.
But that's what this campaign is about, drawing in those who haven't been involved before -- or not for a very long time. I ran into an old friend who said he hadn't been to such an exciting political gathering since Gary Hart ran for prez in the 1980s. In fact, he hadn't been involved in politics at all since then.
Gabe Cohen is the Obama campaign's Wyoming director. He'll be overseeing offices in Cheyenne, Laramie, Rock Springs, and Casper. To get started, he asked all of us to take out our cell phones and call 10 friends and tell them to get involved in the campaign. Gabe is young, in his 20s or 30s, as are all the Obama people I met. The crowd was a mix of ages, from 20-somethings to the retired. A lot younger demographic than we see at the average meeting of our county party.
Gabe said that "they" called the Obama campaign crazy for opening four offices in Wyoming, adding that he thought this was a natural thing to do "because we're going to get this kind of turnout everywhere." This was greeted with applause and huzzahs. He then quizzed us with this question: "Which state put JFK over the top in 1960?" Many of us shouted the answer: "Wyoming." The parallels have already been drawn between the Kennedy race for president and Obama's. The energy is there, especially with the young people.
This Cheyenne crowd was energized. Gabe introduced Matt Chandler, who's the campaign's communications director for Wyoming. We also met State Rep. Pete Jorgensen from Jackson, who's one of the Dems' five super-delegates. He said he was old enough to remember JFK, and that he'd worked overseas for a time during the 1960s and recalled "the good will we had around the world -- that's all gone now."
Pete named the other super-delegates: Cynthia Nunley, Nancy Drummond, John Millin (state party chair) and Gov. Dave Freudenthal. He also said that he'd just talked to his wife in Jackson who said that several kids from Rock Springs were coming to stay at their house to canvass Teton County for Obama.
Mike Bell, Laramie County Democrats state chair, spoke next. He said that the March 8 county convention will not be held at the UW Family Practice Center auditorium because there won't be enough room. He startled us by saying that as many as 1,000 people could attend the convention. "We need a bigger place," he said by way of understatement. Possibilities include the Civic Center and Storey Gym, but each of those have a $2,000 fee. Little America wants $6,000 for its new conference center. "We're Democrats. How we can we afford that?"
A hubbub erupted. One woman, who said she was a retired state employee on a fixed income, said she would write a $100 check so we could get the best place for our convention. Others said they would do the same thing. Sara Burlingame-Thomas lifted the cap from her three-month-old son's head and started passing it around. Within 10 minutes, we had $1,500 in cash and checks. Mike said he'd go down Monday and rent a bigger place. Huzzahs all around.
Mike had some tips for us. To participate in the caucus/convention, you must be a registered Democrat in Laramie County by Friday, Feb. 22. And don't count on being on the voter rolls if you didn't vote in the 2006 general election, as your name was probably purged at the county clerk's office. If in doubt, check with the county clerk.
Mike said that registration begins at 8 a.m. at the convention, but it may be helpful to be there by 7:30 if we're going to have such a big turnout. I may have to be there even earlier as I've agreed to be on the nominations committee. We'll kick things off with the presidential preference vote, and then move into delegate selection. "This could be a slugfest," said Mike, depending on how many people are there for each candidate. Following that, we'll discuss the party platform.
"The county caucus is very important," Mike added. "The presidential preference vote determines the delegate count." Up to 55 delegates will be chosen here for the state party convention set for Memorial Day weekend in Jackson.
To wrap things up, Obama organizer Pat Lane (another youngster) made a call for volunteers. "We've seen in the West that Barack Obama is well-liked," he said, noting that he's won primaries/caucuses in Colorado, Nebraska and Idaho. "But we didn't do that -- it was folks like you." He noted that the best way to volunteer was as a precinct captain. That person talks to registered Dems in each precinct and gets them out to the caucus. He also said that volunteers of all kinds are needed, whether for the phone bank or walking neighborhoods.
The meeting broke up and I got in line to sign up as a precinct captain. I could tell that people were excited. I took this as a very good sign that Wyoming, and possibly the U.S., will get the kind of change that we need after eight years of the Bush-Cheney regime.
To get more info about the March 8 caucus/convention, call the county and state party office in Cheyenne at 307-634-9001.
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Super-Delegate!
Grumblings and petitions and angry posts about Democratic Party super-delegates are popping up all over the blogosphere. Democrats who work in the trenches and show up at meetings and cast votes in primaries are concerned that these odd creatures, super-delegates, will swoop into the national convention in August and negate all our hard work.
We have four SD's in Wyoming (correction 2/17: there are five). Governor Dave Freudenthal is one; another is state party chair John Millin. The others are (corrected 2/17) Pete Jorgensen, Cynthia Nunley, and Nancy Drummond. They are being courted by both the Obama and Clinton camps. What they're supposed to do is wait until the convention, determine the will of the Wyoming delegation, and then support that by casting their votes accordingly. Will that happen? Who knows. Some media outlets, such as CNN, are throwing super-delegate counts into their delegate numbers for Clinton and Obama. A petition is circulating urging CNN to stop that.
Another petition is over at moveon.org. It's designed to become a paid ad in USA Today. Here's the wording of the petition:
I think all of the SD hubbub is another exciting aspect of an already stimulating election season. I am a bit paranoid that super-delegates could screw things up. Let's face it -- Dems are good at that, especially during presidential years. So be vigilant, fellow Democrats, and keep an eye on your own state's designated SD's. Chat with them, drop them notes, and tell them to butt out until August in Denver.
We have four SD's in Wyoming (correction 2/17: there are five). Governor Dave Freudenthal is one; another is state party chair John Millin. The others are (corrected 2/17) Pete Jorgensen, Cynthia Nunley, and Nancy Drummond. They are being courted by both the Obama and Clinton camps. What they're supposed to do is wait until the convention, determine the will of the Wyoming delegation, and then support that by casting their votes accordingly. Will that happen? Who knows. Some media outlets, such as CNN, are throwing super-delegate counts into their delegate numbers for Clinton and Obama. A petition is circulating urging CNN to stop that.
Another petition is over at moveon.org. It's designed to become a paid ad in USA Today. Here's the wording of the petition:
Hi, you've probably heard about the "superdelegates" who could end up deciding the Democratic nominee.The superdelegates are under lots of pressure right now to come out for one candidate or the other. We urgently need to encourage them to let the voters decide between Clinton and Obama—and then to support the will of the people. I signed a petition urging the superdelegates to respect the will of the voters. Can you join me at the link below?http://pol.moveon.org/superdelegates/?r_by=12150-1460962-nGQYmh&rc=comment_paste. Thanks!
I think all of the SD hubbub is another exciting aspect of an already stimulating election season. I am a bit paranoid that super-delegates could screw things up. Let's face it -- Dems are good at that, especially during presidential years. So be vigilant, fellow Democrats, and keep an eye on your own state's designated SD's. Chat with them, drop them notes, and tell them to butt out until August in Denver.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Clinton & Obama target WYO & MONT
On Montana's 4&20 Blackbirds, jhwygirl talks about the Obama-Clinton race, particularly how the battle is shaping up in her state of Montana and her former state of Wyoming. Here's an excerpt:
I hadn't heard about Hillary hiring Wyoming staff. But we do know that Barack Obama is opening offices in Cheyenne and Laramie (reported Tuesday). To back up the claim that the Democratic candidates are only interested in capturing delegates in the primaries, I heard through the grapevine that the Obama people have only leased their Cheyenne office for four months, which would take them through the Democratic state convention on Memorial Day weekend. Still, a short-term presence is at least some presence. It may encourage turnout at the county conventions, and raise Sen. Obama's profile in Wyoming. As for Ms. Clinton, her profile is pretty low among Wyomingites, even Dems. A few staffers roaming the state won't be enough to repair damage done a long time ago -- in the 1990s.
As LiTW reports today, Hillary is now hiring staff in Montana, Wyoming, and even Puerto Rico. [Matt] Singer says that he thinks that the staff is going to be up and running only for the primaries -- in other words, they’ll pull out or be redirected for the general. He’s probably right….and isn’t that ironic? Even though it has been shown that Dean’s 50-state strategy is really the way to go (flashback 2006), neither candidate will give it the respect it deserves -- until it’s in the rearview mirror. And even then -- only as much respect as they absolutely have to give it. (”Oops!”)
I hadn't heard about Hillary hiring Wyoming staff. But we do know that Barack Obama is opening offices in Cheyenne and Laramie (reported Tuesday). To back up the claim that the Democratic candidates are only interested in capturing delegates in the primaries, I heard through the grapevine that the Obama people have only leased their Cheyenne office for four months, which would take them through the Democratic state convention on Memorial Day weekend. Still, a short-term presence is at least some presence. It may encourage turnout at the county conventions, and raise Sen. Obama's profile in Wyoming. As for Ms. Clinton, her profile is pretty low among Wyomingites, even Dems. A few staffers roaming the state won't be enough to repair damage done a long time ago -- in the 1990s.
UW and GE sign deal on clean-coal project
The big coal-driven news yesterday was a deal between the University of Wyoming and General Electric Energy to develop an Advanced Coal Technology Center.
And in the Legislature, two bills about carbon sequestration passed first reading in the House.
The proposed GE Energy/UW project would, according to a UW press release, "consist of a small-scale gasification system that would allow UW and GE researchers to develop advanced coal gasification technology solutions for Powder River Basin (PRB) and other Wyoming coals."
There’s more:
Florida is known more for its orange groves than coal fields, so citrus gasification would be a suitable route for the Sunshine State. But Wyoming produces more than 400 million tons of coal annually which, according to UW, "fuels more than 30 percent of the national electrical power generation needs."
Before this project can proceed, the GE/UW alliance is asking the Legislature for a $20 million match to build the plant outside of Laramie. Gov. Freudenthal backs the project, so do some legislators. My guess is that the Legislature will approve the funds.
While I would prefer that we should focus on conservation and alternative energy sources such as wind and solar, it’s not realistic to think that could replace carbon fuels overnight. Besides, the State of Wyoming’s budget is powered by carbon too, those royalties collected when oil and gas and coal are pulled out of the ground.
Both Wyoming and Montana are looking at clean-coal technologies. While they may be interim steps on the way to energy independence, we can’t forget that we can’t put global warming on hold while we work this stuff out.
And in the Legislature, two bills about carbon sequestration passed first reading in the House.
The proposed GE Energy/UW project would, according to a UW press release, "consist of a small-scale gasification system that would allow UW and GE researchers to develop advanced coal gasification technology solutions for Powder River Basin (PRB) and other Wyoming coals."
There’s more:
GE’s cleaner-coal integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) and gasification technology... has been in use at the 230-megawatt TECO Polk I Station in Florida for more than 10 years. The company currently offers a 630-megawatt commercial-scale plant that produces 75 percent less Sox (oxides of sulfur), 33 percent less NOx (oxides of nitrogen), 40 percent less particulate matter, captures 90 percent more mercury and uses 30 percent less water than a pulverized coal plant. Duke Energy, AEP and other utilities in the eastern U.S. have committed to using GE's IGCC technology in proposed projects.
Florida is known more for its orange groves than coal fields, so citrus gasification would be a suitable route for the Sunshine State. But Wyoming produces more than 400 million tons of coal annually which, according to UW, "fuels more than 30 percent of the national electrical power generation needs."
Before this project can proceed, the GE/UW alliance is asking the Legislature for a $20 million match to build the plant outside of Laramie. Gov. Freudenthal backs the project, so do some legislators. My guess is that the Legislature will approve the funds.
While I would prefer that we should focus on conservation and alternative energy sources such as wind and solar, it’s not realistic to think that could replace carbon fuels overnight. Besides, the State of Wyoming’s budget is powered by carbon too, those royalties collected when oil and gas and coal are pulled out of the ground.
Both Wyoming and Montana are looking at clean-coal technologies. While they may be interim steps on the way to energy independence, we can’t forget that we can’t put global warming on hold while we work this stuff out.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Obama to open Cheyenne & Laramie offices
As the Democratic candidates hunt for every delegate, Wyoming enters the picture. According to Channel 5 tonight, Barack Obama is opening offices in Cheyenne and Laramie and sending a team to WYO to campaign during the three weeks remaining before the Democratic county conventions.
I watched Obama's speech tonight from Madison, Wisconsin. He had won the primaries/caucuses in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. More than 18,000 people packed the university arena and cheered the candidate. In the background, you could see white and black and brown and young and middle-aged and maybe a few oldsters thrown in for good measure. It wasn't necessarily a fiery speech. He did note the victories, and also spent a little time trashing "Bush/McCain" policies on Iraq, the economy, climate change to name a few. I liked how he said "Bush/McCain." It's about time we began linking the two because four years of McCain will be like a repeat of George W. Bush. Bush has endorsed McCain as a "true conservative," and McCain has backed Bush's bankrupt policies in Iraq. He predicts that the U.S. may need troops in Iraq for 100 years. Let's bring them home now.
I listened to as much of McCain's victory speech as I could stomach. He swept all three states for the Repubs. He spoke in front of a half-dozen rapidly aging white folks, including John Warner. I guess he was somewhere in Virginia. All I hear when McCain speaks is "more of the same." Blah, blah, blah. He's 72, Obama's 46. This is the largest age gap we've ever had between major party presidential candidates. That tells you a lot.
Meanwhile, here in Wyoming, we're getting cranked up for our March 8 county gatherings. In Laramie County, we'll select 55 delegates for the state Democratic Party convention set for Memorial Day weekend in Jackson. These county confabs are going to be jammed. See you there!
I watched Obama's speech tonight from Madison, Wisconsin. He had won the primaries/caucuses in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. More than 18,000 people packed the university arena and cheered the candidate. In the background, you could see white and black and brown and young and middle-aged and maybe a few oldsters thrown in for good measure. It wasn't necessarily a fiery speech. He did note the victories, and also spent a little time trashing "Bush/McCain" policies on Iraq, the economy, climate change to name a few. I liked how he said "Bush/McCain." It's about time we began linking the two because four years of McCain will be like a repeat of George W. Bush. Bush has endorsed McCain as a "true conservative," and McCain has backed Bush's bankrupt policies in Iraq. He predicts that the U.S. may need troops in Iraq for 100 years. Let's bring them home now.
I listened to as much of McCain's victory speech as I could stomach. He swept all three states for the Repubs. He spoke in front of a half-dozen rapidly aging white folks, including John Warner. I guess he was somewhere in Virginia. All I hear when McCain speaks is "more of the same." Blah, blah, blah. He's 72, Obama's 46. This is the largest age gap we've ever had between major party presidential candidates. That tells you a lot.
Meanwhile, here in Wyoming, we're getting cranked up for our March 8 county gatherings. In Laramie County, we'll select 55 delegates for the state Democratic Party convention set for Memorial Day weekend in Jackson. These county confabs are going to be jammed. See you there!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Capturing carbon a big topic this year
So many bills, so little time.
There is much to keep track of during a 20-day legislative session. Day two hasn't even started and a whole list of things have already happened.
To narrow the scope of my reports, I'll concentrate on one subject and attempt to understand it by the end of the session. Carbon sequestration is intriguing, not only because of the terminology. If I understand it correctly, its aim is to capture the carbon dioxide emitted by coal-burning plants and store it underground until we can figure out what to do with it. So a better term would be Carbon Dioxide Sequestration or, for short, CO2 Storage. We'll work on the wording as the Legislature decides what to do with the bills on the subject it has approved thus far.
Yesterday, the Wyoming House okayed introduction of a bill that would give the state Department of Environmental Quality authority over "carbon injection and sequestration." Another approved bill would give surface owners rights to "any subsurface space that could be used for carbon injection."
As the carbon-based life forms in the Legislature debate the topic, I'll capture more news at this site. Sequestration will be kept to a minimum.
There is much to keep track of during a 20-day legislative session. Day two hasn't even started and a whole list of things have already happened.
To narrow the scope of my reports, I'll concentrate on one subject and attempt to understand it by the end of the session. Carbon sequestration is intriguing, not only because of the terminology. If I understand it correctly, its aim is to capture the carbon dioxide emitted by coal-burning plants and store it underground until we can figure out what to do with it. So a better term would be Carbon Dioxide Sequestration or, for short, CO2 Storage. We'll work on the wording as the Legislature decides what to do with the bills on the subject it has approved thus far.
Yesterday, the Wyoming House okayed introduction of a bill that would give the state Department of Environmental Quality authority over "carbon injection and sequestration." Another approved bill would give surface owners rights to "any subsurface space that could be used for carbon injection."
As the carbon-based life forms in the Legislature debate the topic, I'll capture more news at this site. Sequestration will be kept to a minimum.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Keep tabs on Legislature via these sites
As noted earlier, the 2008 version of the Wyoming State Legislature convened today. Gov. Dave Freudenthal opened the session with his "State of the State" speech. In his blog on the Casper Star-Tribune's legislative web site, Capitol Bureau Chief Jared Miller noted that the speech was interrupted twice by applause -- at the beginning and at the end. It wasn't one of the Gov's best efforts, as he had to be dragged out of his sick bed to deliver it.
Even the most diehard political junkie should find all he/she/it needs at the Trib site and the state site. And Dems can get plenty to read via Bill Luckett's blog on the Wyoming Democratic Party web site. Get some local info on legislators, central committee meetings, and the March 8 county convention by clicking on Laramie County Democrats.
Now all we need is a webcam in each chamber. That may be a tad too much reality TV.
Even the most diehard political junkie should find all he/she/it needs at the Trib site and the state site. And Dems can get plenty to read via Bill Luckett's blog on the Wyoming Democratic Party web site. Get some local info on legislators, central committee meetings, and the March 8 county convention by clicking on Laramie County Democrats.
Now all we need is a webcam in each chamber. That may be a tad too much reality TV.
Wyoming Legislature opens 20-day session
The Wyoming State Legislature opens its 20-day budget session this morning. The governor's budget and an array of bills await their attention during this even-year "short session." Short session, maybe, but long days and nights for legislators.
The Governor presents his state of the state address this morning. You can watch in person at the State Capitol if you get there early. Most of us listen on the radio. While there are rumblings afoot that Wyoming's economy is slowing, Gov. Freuenthal plans to accentuate the positive, according to an AP story in this morning's local paper.
As we know from the national scene, these rumblings and rumors of doom-and-gloom can have major consequences. And it's a stark difference from the past four years, when we've entered the legislative session buoyed by visions of huge surpluses.
We have some major concerns about energy. New coal-fired plants are being scrubbed because of concerns about global warming. Actually, those fears have more to do with corporate paranoia about how a Democratic president might confront the real issue of global warming. Energy companies don't want to build huge coal-fired plants in Wyoming to take advantage of our low-sulphur coal, and then have to retrofit it in a couple years to comply with stricter regulations.
Naturally, carbon sequestering is going to be a big issue this session. Wind power, too, and how to regulate all the huge windmills going up across Wyoming to bring power to Colorado and California. Does Wyoming want to become one big windmill farm for the West? States such as California regulate windmills to deal with NIMBY complaints. Well, Wyoming doesn't want to continue being a cheap-energy plantation -- we've done enough of that already.
To the Legislature's credit, they've provided funds for the Energy Institute at the University of Wyoming. It's turned out to be a great forum for discussing all aspects of energy development, including global warming. Many of us thought it was going to be another good-ol' boys club for the oil, gas and coal industries.
One has to wonder about how much time the Legislature will devote to bills that cater to the Republican Party's pet topics: abortion, illegal immigration, school prayer, etc. There is one Republican bill that makes it a felony to assist illegal immigrants. Not sure what that means. If I give a quarter to an illegal immigrant, am I a felon? I'll have to look at the bill's wording before I ridicule it further.
Get more information about specific bills at http://legisweb.state.wy.us/. And call or e-mail your senator or rep about your concerns. In Wyoming, the best way to do that is when the Legislature is not in session and your legislators are close to home. That's most of the year. But feel free to contact them in the next 20 working days. You'll be glad you did.
The Governor presents his state of the state address this morning. You can watch in person at the State Capitol if you get there early. Most of us listen on the radio. While there are rumblings afoot that Wyoming's economy is slowing, Gov. Freuenthal plans to accentuate the positive, according to an AP story in this morning's local paper.
As we know from the national scene, these rumblings and rumors of doom-and-gloom can have major consequences. And it's a stark difference from the past four years, when we've entered the legislative session buoyed by visions of huge surpluses.
We have some major concerns about energy. New coal-fired plants are being scrubbed because of concerns about global warming. Actually, those fears have more to do with corporate paranoia about how a Democratic president might confront the real issue of global warming. Energy companies don't want to build huge coal-fired plants in Wyoming to take advantage of our low-sulphur coal, and then have to retrofit it in a couple years to comply with stricter regulations.
Naturally, carbon sequestering is going to be a big issue this session. Wind power, too, and how to regulate all the huge windmills going up across Wyoming to bring power to Colorado and California. Does Wyoming want to become one big windmill farm for the West? States such as California regulate windmills to deal with NIMBY complaints. Well, Wyoming doesn't want to continue being a cheap-energy plantation -- we've done enough of that already.
To the Legislature's credit, they've provided funds for the Energy Institute at the University of Wyoming. It's turned out to be a great forum for discussing all aspects of energy development, including global warming. Many of us thought it was going to be another good-ol' boys club for the oil, gas and coal industries.
One has to wonder about how much time the Legislature will devote to bills that cater to the Republican Party's pet topics: abortion, illegal immigration, school prayer, etc. There is one Republican bill that makes it a felony to assist illegal immigrants. Not sure what that means. If I give a quarter to an illegal immigrant, am I a felon? I'll have to look at the bill's wording before I ridicule it further.
Get more information about specific bills at http://legisweb.state.wy.us/. And call or e-mail your senator or rep about your concerns. In Wyoming, the best way to do that is when the Legislature is not in session and your legislators are close to home. That's most of the year. But feel free to contact them in the next 20 working days. You'll be glad you did.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Democrats shine light on Legislature; Republicans operate in the dark
From the Casper Star-Tribune:
Democratic legislators are inviting members of the public to attend their pre-session caucus Sunday at the Hitching Post Inn in Cheyenne.
The caucus begins at 1 p.m. At 2 p.m. people who attend will be invited to briefly address the legislators, caucus chairmen Rep. Ross Diercks and Sen. Mike Massie said in a release.
The Republican legislative caucus traditionally has been closed to the public. This year apparently will be no different. But Sen. Kit Jennings, R-Casper, chairman of the Senate Republican conference, said he will put the question on the agenda for discussion Sunday and see if the Republican legislators want to open the caucus next year.
Rep. Tom Lubnau, R-Gillette, chairman of the House Republican caucus, said he was polling House Republicans on the issue but said the caucus probably will remain closed.
Gov. Dave Freudenthal will talk to the Republican caucus at 1:45 p.m. Sunday, followed by a 2:15 p.m. address to the Democrats.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Romney withdraws, blames Democrats
Mitt Romney withdrew from the Republican race for president today. He took a good hard look at the delegate numbers and decided they didn't add up to victory.
He blamed Democrats (Repubs blame us for everything) for his early withdrawal, blasting Democratic Party candidates Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama as being weaklings on national security. Here are his exact words, according to the New York Times:
So, if Romney stayed in the race, his campaign would aid "the surrender to terror?" His campaign would somehow strengthen the Democrats? Those tofu-eating surrender monkeys would then turn over the keys of American to the terrists, as Pres. Bush so eloquently labels everyone in the Islamic world.
Sounds illogical to me, but Mitt was speaking to the ultra-cons at the Conservative National Action Conference, who later booed the presumptive Republican nominee, war hero John McCain. This group is made up of the 32 percent of Americans who still approve of Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, the sinking economy, and pretty near everything else. Consider the audience....
He blamed Democrats (Repubs blame us for everything) for his early withdrawal, blasting Democratic Party candidates Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama as being weaklings on national security. Here are his exact words, according to the New York Times:
“They would retreat, declare defeat, and the consequences of that would be devastating.” Staying in the race, he said, “would make it easier for Senator Clinton or Obama to win.” Mr. Romney, who spent tens of millions of dollars of his fortune on the race, added, “Frankly, in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding the surrender to terror.”
So, if Romney stayed in the race, his campaign would aid "the surrender to terror?" His campaign would somehow strengthen the Democrats? Those tofu-eating surrender monkeys would then turn over the keys of American to the terrists, as Pres. Bush so eloquently labels everyone in the Islamic world.
Sounds illogical to me, but Mitt was speaking to the ultra-cons at the Conservative National Action Conference, who later booed the presumptive Republican nominee, war hero John McCain. This group is made up of the 32 percent of Americans who still approve of Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, the sinking economy, and pretty near everything else. Consider the audience....
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Snowpack up, but water fights continue
A quick look at this morning's paper reveals that water (surprise!) remains the number one issue in the Rocky Mountain West.
The Cheyenne-Laramie County Regional Planning Commission yesterday voted down a subdivision of 146 ranchettes west of town due to lack of water. That's a surprise, since concerns about water availability hasn't seemed to slow the steady march of ranchettes across the county. Perhaps this signals a change in attitude, although we can be sure that Wild West Development Corp. of Scottsdale, Ariz., will not go away without a fight.
The state's snowpack is up. It's about 95 percent of average statewide compared to 75 percent of historical average this time last year. Good news for summer water supplies. Some places have more snow than others. There's 380 inches of snow at the top of Jackson Hole Ski Resort. Lots of snow all over the western part of the state. The North Platte drainage in the middle of the state is not as healthy, with snowpack about 90 percent of average.
Meanwhile, Montana and Wyoming continue their wrangling over the drought, mainly water supplies flowing from the Bighorn River. Montana is also concerned about coal-bed methane drilling along the border. Lots of water is pumped out of the ground in the drilling process.
A new report from the Wyoming State Geological Survey might alleviate some of Montana's water concerns. The report said that more than 130 billion gallons of water could be saved through an energy moratarium in two drainages: Clear Creek and Crazy Woman Creek. Water flows out of the Bighorn Mountains through those creeks into the Powder River Basin. The moratorium wouldn't have much of an affect on energy supplies but would have a big impact on water availability. The Powder River Basin Resource Council has been pushing for this. We'll see what happens.
Meanwhile, we can all hope that Wyoming and Montana can kiss and make up.
The Cheyenne-Laramie County Regional Planning Commission yesterday voted down a subdivision of 146 ranchettes west of town due to lack of water. That's a surprise, since concerns about water availability hasn't seemed to slow the steady march of ranchettes across the county. Perhaps this signals a change in attitude, although we can be sure that Wild West Development Corp. of Scottsdale, Ariz., will not go away without a fight.
The state's snowpack is up. It's about 95 percent of average statewide compared to 75 percent of historical average this time last year. Good news for summer water supplies. Some places have more snow than others. There's 380 inches of snow at the top of Jackson Hole Ski Resort. Lots of snow all over the western part of the state. The North Platte drainage in the middle of the state is not as healthy, with snowpack about 90 percent of average.
Meanwhile, Montana and Wyoming continue their wrangling over the drought, mainly water supplies flowing from the Bighorn River. Montana is also concerned about coal-bed methane drilling along the border. Lots of water is pumped out of the ground in the drilling process.
A new report from the Wyoming State Geological Survey might alleviate some of Montana's water concerns. The report said that more than 130 billion gallons of water could be saved through an energy moratarium in two drainages: Clear Creek and Crazy Woman Creek. Water flows out of the Bighorn Mountains through those creeks into the Powder River Basin. The moratorium wouldn't have much of an affect on energy supplies but would have a big impact on water availability. The Powder River Basin Resource Council has been pushing for this. We'll see what happens.
Meanwhile, we can all hope that Wyoming and Montana can kiss and make up.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
March 8 Dem caucus could carry clout
It could be standing room only at the March 8 caucus for the Laramie County Democrats.
With less than 100 delegates separating Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama after "Super Tuesday," each delegate will count as we churn forward to the Dems' national convention in Denver in August. So Wyoming Democrats will have a say, our voices amplified by the tightest presidential race in recent memory.
Even Kos at Big Kahuna Prog Blog Daily Kos sees Wyoming playing a role (although he shouldn't call our state "tiny" until he actually drives through it):
The county convention convenes on Saturday, March 8, at the University of Wyoming Family Practice Center, 821 E. 18th St., Cheyenne. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and activities commence in the auditorium at 9.
And remember: be kind to the volunteers. I'll be there early, working on the nominations committee.
With less than 100 delegates separating Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama after "Super Tuesday," each delegate will count as we churn forward to the Dems' national convention in Denver in August. So Wyoming Democrats will have a say, our voices amplified by the tightest presidential race in recent memory.
Even Kos at Big Kahuna Prog Blog Daily Kos sees Wyoming playing a role (although he shouldn't call our state "tiny" until he actually drives through it):
Hillary's task is to defeat Obama decisively on Tuesday. If she can't manage that, then her plan B is to survive February to fight in March. On Tuesday the 4th, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont go to the polls. Vermont appears the most competitive right now, though that will change with a couple of weeks to campaign in these states. Winning Ohio, in particular will be important for propaganda purposes.... Tiny Wyoming will go on Saturday March 8, with its 18 delegates perhaps actually mattering. Mississippi, with its 40 delegates, should be Obama territory on the 11th. Then...So what does that mean for March 8? Big doins in Cheyenne. A record turnout at the caucus. Drama in the air. If you're a registered Democrat in Laramie County as of Feb. 22, you can come out and have your voice heard. Delegates will be selected to the state convention set for Memorial Day weekend in Jackson.
The county convention convenes on Saturday, March 8, at the University of Wyoming Family Practice Center, 821 E. 18th St., Cheyenne. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and activities commence in the auditorium at 9.
And remember: be kind to the volunteers. I'll be there early, working on the nominations committee.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Democrats gather March 1 for Ross banquet
The Wyoming Democratic Party has announced details for the Nellie Tayloe Ross Dinner and Awards Banquet in Cheyenne. The theme for this year's event is, "A Celebration of Women in Government and Politics." It's scheduled for Saturday, March 1, at the Historic Plains Hotel in downtown Cheyenne, 1600 Central Ave. Among the featured guests will be Wyo. Gov. Dave Freudenthal and First Lady Nancy Freudenthal, and the keynote speaker this year is U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, the South Dakota Democrat who is the youngest woman serving in Congress.
To reserve your tickets for the events, call 1-800-729-3367 or register online at http://www.wyomingdemocrats.com/.
The WDP has reserved a block of rooms at the Plains for $70 a night ($80 for a parlor room). For further information or to reserve a room, contact the hotel at 307-638-3311.
Gov. Freudenthal, Mrs. Freudenthal, and Rep. Herseth Sandlin will attend a private reception prior to the dinner. Tickets for this exclusive event, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Plains Hotel, are $100 a person.
The dinner itself will begin at 7 p.m., and tickets are $75 per person, or you and your group may choose one of the options offered for a table of eight.
FMI: Bill Luckett, WDP communications director, 307-631-7638.
To reserve your tickets for the events, call 1-800-729-3367 or register online at http://www.wyomingdemocrats.com/.
The WDP has reserved a block of rooms at the Plains for $70 a night ($80 for a parlor room). For further information or to reserve a room, contact the hotel at 307-638-3311.
Gov. Freudenthal, Mrs. Freudenthal, and Rep. Herseth Sandlin will attend a private reception prior to the dinner. Tickets for this exclusive event, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Plains Hotel, are $100 a person.
The dinner itself will begin at 7 p.m., and tickets are $75 per person, or you and your group may choose one of the options offered for a table of eight.
FMI: Bill Luckett, WDP communications director, 307-631-7638.
Monday, February 04, 2008
In search of common-sense health plans
Nothing focuses a parent's attention like a kid in distress.
Our teen daughter was in the hospital recently. She's be all right, but I'm still fuming about my dealings with my insurance company. I've had the same health insurance for more than 16 years. The State of Wyoming and I have paid thousands and thousands of premiums over the years. So why is it when we really need it that the insurance company's first response seems to be: How can we get out of paying this? They don't actually say this, but it becomes obvious when you spend hour after hour talking to disembodied voices in Boise and Denver and Phoenix about covering the medical needs of a teen girl.
The system is archaic and stupid. The presidential condidates on both sides have health insurance plans. Not sure about Ron Paul with his libertarian roots. But all the rest do. It's Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama I'm concerned with. I'm going to actually read their health care proposals. Up until now, I've been content to let others describe them to me. But this is a huge issue, one that will become an even bigger monster as time passes and we Baby Boomers start falling apart. Read the candidates' health care plans? What a concept. For contrast, I'm going to check out the plans of Republican candidates. I may even compare and contrast the plans on these pages, provided my brain doesn't explode during the search for common-sense health care solutions.
Wish me luck.
Our teen daughter was in the hospital recently. She's be all right, but I'm still fuming about my dealings with my insurance company. I've had the same health insurance for more than 16 years. The State of Wyoming and I have paid thousands and thousands of premiums over the years. So why is it when we really need it that the insurance company's first response seems to be: How can we get out of paying this? They don't actually say this, but it becomes obvious when you spend hour after hour talking to disembodied voices in Boise and Denver and Phoenix about covering the medical needs of a teen girl.
The system is archaic and stupid. The presidential condidates on both sides have health insurance plans. Not sure about Ron Paul with his libertarian roots. But all the rest do. It's Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama I'm concerned with. I'm going to actually read their health care proposals. Up until now, I've been content to let others describe them to me. But this is a huge issue, one that will become an even bigger monster as time passes and we Baby Boomers start falling apart. Read the candidates' health care plans? What a concept. For contrast, I'm going to check out the plans of Republican candidates. I may even compare and contrast the plans on these pages, provided my brain doesn't explode during the search for common-sense health care solutions.
Wish me luck.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Democrats hold "Super Tuesday" grand opening for new Cheyenne office
Happy Ground Hog Day!
Laramie County Democratic Party Chairman Mike Bell emerged from his super-secret bunker this morning, saw his shadow, and announced that the sun will shine on the Democrats during 2008.
That means it's time for The Party to party.
The LarCoDems invites the public to attend the grand opening of its new office at 117 W. 17th St. in Cheyenne on "Super Tuesday," Feb. 5, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Democrats and others (Independents, for example -- even Republicans) from around the county are welcome to tour the headquarters, watch caucus and primary returns from across the nation, and enjoy snacks, beverages, and discussions about the future of our state and our country.
"This is the biggest presidential primary election day our country has ever seen," said Bell. "Democrats across the nation are energized by our candidates, which we can see in the record turnout out in the voting so far in the early primary states. We are looking forward to an exciting evening, and we are eager to show off our new office to anyone who wants to come by."
The Wyoming Democratic Party recently established the satellite office in downtown Cheyenne, and state party Executive Director Brandon Owens moved to Cheyenne to head up the new office. The official state party headquarters remains in Casper.
The downtown Cheyenne office also serves as the new headquarters for the Laramie County Democratic Party, which is sharing the space with the state party.
Contact: Chairman Mike Bell or Communications Director Nicole Novotny, LarCoDems HQ, 307-634-9001.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Do your duty and spend, spend, spend
The more I hear about the economic stimulus package promoted by Pres. Bush and the U.S. House, the less I like it. The money will have to be borrowed (again), which puts the U.S. deeper into a financial hole caused by the G.O.P.'s misguided policies of the past seven years. Endless wars cause endless expenditures. Corporate pals of Bush & Cheney get rich while the middle class ekes out an existence (if we're lucky) and gets foreclosed on if not.
My family would benefit from the rebate checks as proposed by the House bill. We are a working couple with a kid under-18 still at home, and still claimed as a dependent on our taxes. If I read the bill right, we'd get the largest check. After sending some of the money to Democratic candidates in Wyoming and nationally, we'd spend the rest of the money wildly on paying bills. No spending spree at Wal-Mart for us. Would this stimulate the economy? Would it bring us back from the precipice of recession? Not likely.
Our lone U.S. House rep, Barbara Cubin, voted against the economic stimulus package. I read her rationale on her web site. At first blush, I was impressed with Cubin's position. I rarely am. But on further investigation, found that her misgivings about the bill adhere pretty closely to the Republican Party line. Here's part of her 1/29/08 statement:
Who could these people be? No doubt a coded reference to illegal immigrants. It couldn't be the wealthy who've received deep tax cuts under Bush and who hire sharp lawyers to make sure they get what's coming to them (everything!). Republicans are usually not shy when it comes to demonizing illegal immigrants. Immigration is one of the top three issues among G.O.P. voters, which it barely registers among Dems.
But Rep. Cubin does make some good points about bailing out the housing industry.
There's plenty of blame to go around in the sub-prime mortgage mess. Both borrowers are lenders have contributed to the problem. Rep. Cubin doesn't want the U.S. government ensnared in the mess, which is commendable. But how can we address our economic problems without paying attention to easy credit and the housing industry? For decades, we've been telling each other that owning a home is a right not a privilege. Home ownership stokes the economy. Are we now telling a broad swath of Americans that they can give up on their dreams? Many have already, as their jobs have been shipped overseas by corporate overlords. Job goes, money goes, house goes, especially if you have an adjustible rate mortgage and/or you've borrowed heavily against the equity (if you have any) in your house.
More tax cuts for corporations? If we align our top corporate tax rate with that in the EU, won't it be easier to ship American jobs overseas? I'll have to take a closer look at the Economic Growth Act of 2008 before I can speak about its details. But if the past teaches us anything, it's that the Republicans are good at tagging their proposals with ironic titles. Who can forget the "Clean Skies Initiative" which allowed more air pollution and the "Healthy Forests" plan which called for cutting down more forests? If the Repubs were still in charge of Congress, I'd say that the Economic Stimulus Plan would really be the "Sink the U.S. Economy" plan. But Congressional Democrats couldn't be that cynical, could they?
My family would benefit from the rebate checks as proposed by the House bill. We are a working couple with a kid under-18 still at home, and still claimed as a dependent on our taxes. If I read the bill right, we'd get the largest check. After sending some of the money to Democratic candidates in Wyoming and nationally, we'd spend the rest of the money wildly on paying bills. No spending spree at Wal-Mart for us. Would this stimulate the economy? Would it bring us back from the precipice of recession? Not likely.
Our lone U.S. House rep, Barbara Cubin, voted against the economic stimulus package. I read her rationale on her web site. At first blush, I was impressed with Cubin's position. I rarely am. But on further investigation, found that her misgivings about the bill adhere pretty closely to the Republican Party line. Here's part of her 1/29/08 statement:
The Economic Stimulus Package will allow individuals who do not pay income taxes to receive a $300 check from the government. This provision will allow money earned by hard-working taxpayers to be handed out freely to individuals who pay no income tax.
Who could these people be? No doubt a coded reference to illegal immigrants. It couldn't be the wealthy who've received deep tax cuts under Bush and who hire sharp lawyers to make sure they get what's coming to them (everything!). Republicans are usually not shy when it comes to demonizing illegal immigrants. Immigration is one of the top three issues among G.O.P. voters, which it barely registers among Dems.
But Rep. Cubin does make some good points about bailing out the housing industry.
The package will greatly expand the federal government’s role in the housing market by increasing the amount of money government backed housing agencies can lend to people trying to buy a home. This provision will make it easier for certain individuals to purchase houses they might not actually be able to afford. Experts say a major cause of our nation’s current economic woes is the high number of people defaulting on housing loans. The Congresswoman has remained consistent that she does not believe taxpayer dollars should ever be used to bail out subprime mortgage lenders, who enable individuals to buy homes they may not be able to afford.
There's plenty of blame to go around in the sub-prime mortgage mess. Both borrowers are lenders have contributed to the problem. Rep. Cubin doesn't want the U.S. government ensnared in the mess, which is commendable. But how can we address our economic problems without paying attention to easy credit and the housing industry? For decades, we've been telling each other that owning a home is a right not a privilege. Home ownership stokes the economy. Are we now telling a broad swath of Americans that they can give up on their dreams? Many have already, as their jobs have been shipped overseas by corporate overlords. Job goes, money goes, house goes, especially if you have an adjustible rate mortgage and/or you've borrowed heavily against the equity (if you have any) in your house.
Cubin is committed to getting our housing market back on track, but says the key to doing this is putting more money back into the hands of the American people to ease the financial burden of homeownership. Cubin continues to be an outspoken advocate for permanent tax relief and has joined colleagues in the House of Representatives introducing the Economic Growth Act of 2008 to produce longer-term economic growth. The bill would allow businesses to deduct the full cost on their tax returns of any assets they purchase for their business; simplify and lower the capital gains tax for corporations to be able to invest more money back into the economy; and cut the top corporate tax rate from 35% to 25%, aligning our tax rate with the average rate in the European Union and making American companies more competitive internationally.
More tax cuts for corporations? If we align our top corporate tax rate with that in the EU, won't it be easier to ship American jobs overseas? I'll have to take a closer look at the Economic Growth Act of 2008 before I can speak about its details. But if the past teaches us anything, it's that the Republicans are good at tagging their proposals with ironic titles. Who can forget the "Clean Skies Initiative" which allowed more air pollution and the "Healthy Forests" plan which called for cutting down more forests? If the Repubs were still in charge of Congress, I'd say that the Economic Stimulus Plan would really be the "Sink the U.S. Economy" plan. But Congressional Democrats couldn't be that cynical, could they?
Is this any way to elect a president?
Why is it that, with Super Tuesday still six days away, we now only have two candidates in the Democratic Party race for the presidency? We're lost the best with just a few percent of all registered Democrats voting in a handful of primaries and caucuses. Dennis Kucinich is gone, and so is John Edwards. Principled candidates with great messages, but who didn't get voters in a few states whipped up into a frenzy. They stood up for the middle class and stood against the Iraq War. They didn't have the money or the media coverage to go the distance. That's the problem, isn't it? Money -- the lack thereof. That, and the ridiculous primary system that needs a major overhaul. But who will do the overhauling? Not the next president who, because he/she is the prez, will not want to rock the boat. Not the members of the next Congress, who will be busy beating each other with cudgels -- and carving out earmarks in the latest appropriations bills.
Sour grapes? Sure, but seems to me there are better ways for the world's lone superpower to practice democracy.
Sour grapes? Sure, but seems to me there are better ways for the world's lone superpower to practice democracy.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Local Democrats kick it into high gear
It's great to see new faces at each monthly meeting of the Laramie County Democrats in Cheyenne. The 2008 election season is kicking into high gear -- that accounts for some of the interest. And Laramie County is lucky to have two very active organizations in the LarCoDems (sometimes ominously called "the central committee") and the Grassroots Coalition. Lots of activities on the schedule for the months leading up to the Democratic Party national convention in Denver in August.
The LarCoDems will hold a Caucus/Primary Watching Party on Tuesday, Feb. 5 ("Super Tuesday') at the new county HQ at 117 W. 17th St. downtown. It will start at 6:30 p.m. and last until the cows come home, or until the last state reports its results. For more info, call the HQ at 307-634-9001.
Next meeting of the LarCoDems is Feb. 26 at the Plains Hotel downtown. That Friday, Feb. 29, is the annual legislative reception, followed the next evening (March 1) with the annual Nellie Tayloe Ross banquet (more details in future posts).
The county convention convenes on Saturday, March 8, at the University of Wyoming Family Practice Center, 821 E. 18th St., Cheyenne. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and activities commence in the auditorium at 9. Delegates to the state convention will be selected and the LarCoDems will conduct a presidential preference poll. To vote or to be considered as a delegate, you must be a registered Democrat in the county as of Feb. 22.
LarCoDems meet again on April 29.
The Wyoming Democratic Party state convention will be held May 23-25 in Jackson, which is Memorial Day weekend. Bring your snow gear, as it seems to be a Teton County tradition to feature snow along with its Memorial Day celebration. Two years ago, I sold books outside at the vendor fair as sheets of "sunshine snow" blew in from the West. Be prepared!
The Grassroots Coalition also plans a full slate of activities in 2008. More details in future posts.
The LarCoDems will hold a Caucus/Primary Watching Party on Tuesday, Feb. 5 ("Super Tuesday') at the new county HQ at 117 W. 17th St. downtown. It will start at 6:30 p.m. and last until the cows come home, or until the last state reports its results. For more info, call the HQ at 307-634-9001.
Next meeting of the LarCoDems is Feb. 26 at the Plains Hotel downtown. That Friday, Feb. 29, is the annual legislative reception, followed the next evening (March 1) with the annual Nellie Tayloe Ross banquet (more details in future posts).
The county convention convenes on Saturday, March 8, at the University of Wyoming Family Practice Center, 821 E. 18th St., Cheyenne. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and activities commence in the auditorium at 9. Delegates to the state convention will be selected and the LarCoDems will conduct a presidential preference poll. To vote or to be considered as a delegate, you must be a registered Democrat in the county as of Feb. 22.
LarCoDems meet again on April 29.
The Wyoming Democratic Party state convention will be held May 23-25 in Jackson, which is Memorial Day weekend. Bring your snow gear, as it seems to be a Teton County tradition to feature snow along with its Memorial Day celebration. Two years ago, I sold books outside at the vendor fair as sheets of "sunshine snow" blew in from the West. Be prepared!
The Grassroots Coalition also plans a full slate of activities in 2008. More details in future posts.
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