With the legislative session soon upon us, I thought I would provide a translation of the terms used by the Wyoming Freedom Caucus in their attempt to create an “Us vs Them” strategy.
Some of the terms used by the caucus have deceptive meanings, so let’s talk about who the terms really reference. Take it for what it is worth. ;)
Elitist – The Communist Party, in 1917 Russia, used a similar term to rile up the working folks to overthrow the government. Their plan was to create class warfare between the people in power, and the people not in power. The term they used was Bourgeoisie, which means elitist in French.
The term has been used by other activist groups to marginalize their opponents. In the 1960’s, those people opposing civil rights framed civil rights activists as “elitists” in order to try and marginalize the civil rights movement. Those protesters who attacked the World Trade Organization in Seattle, argued that the World Trade Organization was group of “elitists”.
Typically, the use of the term is designed to separate a class of people from “ordinary people” and to curry favor for those using the term against the victims of the term. Use of the term is a tried and true political tactic, used by a political interest group, to create a fake enemy scenario. Use of this term by the Wyoming Freedom Caucus is a calculated attempt, by a group desiring political power, to demean its perceived enemies.
In other words, the use of the term “elitist”, is a proven political power ploy, used by revolutionaries the world over, to foment hatred and disgust with political enemies. While ironic the Wyoming Freedom Caucus would adopt the tactics of the communists and anarchists, the tactic has been used with some success by those power mongers seeking control over the rest of the world. Since the Freedom Caucus craves power, use of the tactic is understandable.
The term “elitist” as used by the Caucus means anyone who read a newspaper and has a differing point of view than the groupthink of the Freedom Caucus.
Establishment Republicans – The use of this term as a pejorative is interesting. Wyoming is not the way it is by accident.
Generations of care, hard work, leadership and planning have created this marvelous state.
The low tax environment, low regulation environment, good schools, good highways, savings that pay a large portion of general fund expenditures, good healthcare and amazing wildlife Wyoming enjoys was created through careful planning and forethought.
And who did most of this planning? By and large, they were the Establishment Republicans.
Long before these Drugstore Conservatives showed up and started calling people names, Establishment Republicans were watching the budget, promoting morality and doing a very good job managing the state.
We had our in-state bickering, which we’ve always had, but we always worked with respect toward a common goal.
It’s a shame these Drugstore Conservatives can’t give credit to the people who created the political environment so attractive to them. But, in their lust for power over the rest of us, even the people who guided this great state to what it is are victims to the caucus coveting control.
The term Establishment Republicans means the folks who’ve worked for generations to make Wyoming a great state – folks like Al Simpson, Diemer True, Eli Bebout, Cliff Hansen or John Schiffer or folks who follow in their footsteps.
RINO – Perhaps my favorite Republican pejorative is RINO. The term means anyone who opposes Freedom Caucus groupthink.
If someone has an independent thought or idea, instead of debating the merits of the thought or idea, one is simply labeled a RINO.
If so labeled, the ideas of the RINO are not worthy of consideration, and should be ignored without the uncomfortable debates about whether the idea is a good one or not.
Only caucus dogma, designed by unseen political types behind the scenes gets advanced. If an idea is really threatening, then the nuclear name calling term can be utilized – a DID.
DID means Democrat in Disguise. For those particularly threatening ideas, calling some a spying Democrat justifies totally ignoring the arguments by the person labeled. Instead of debate and free exchange of ideas, the caucus enforces its mandated groupthink, so it members can march forward as a unified mindless set of political minions.
UNIPARTY – This nonsensical term of disparagement simply means the combination of the Establishment Republicans and Elitists.
The term is supposed to disparage and discount so the political operative can avoid the trouble of debating the merits of the issues
Uniparty is the term that used by the Freedom Caucus to describe everyone who does not subscribe to their caucus’s dogma – in other words -- anyone who does not belong to the Wyoming Freedom Caucus.
As the name calling ramps up during this legislative session, hopefully this guide as to what the political types are really talking about is a helpful tool. Just wait until election season, when the name-calling mailers really pepper our mailboxes.
Tom Lubnau served in the Wyoming Legislature from 2005 - 2015 and is a former Speaker of the House.
