Dear editor:
I was disappointed by a recent column suggesting Wyoming might need a “new Republican Party.”
They take issue with the Freedom Caucus, MAGA conservatives, and our shared commitment to the principles that made this country great and will make it great again.
The columnist’s portrayal of the Freedom Caucus as “hard Christian right,” (as if this supposed to be pejorative) unconcerned with the welfare of Wyomingites, is not only foundationally misleading, but it also reveals a deep misunderstanding of both our founding values and the purpose of a limited government.
Freedom of religion is protected, as it should be. But I am growing tired of the notion that our government is divorced from religion altogether.
The United States was founded on Judeo-Christian moral frameworks inspiring the Declaration of Independence, our Constitution, and the concept of inalienable God-given rights.
John Adams makes it clear, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
The role of religion, particularly Christianity, in shaping our system of governance is indisputable. The Founders recognized that virtue, charity, and personal responsibility – not big government - form the backbone of a truly free society.
The Freedom Caucus follows in this tradition.
As Thomas Jefferson said, “I would rather be exposed to the inconveniencies attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it.”
The Freedom Caucus’ advocacy for small government and fiscal restraint is not heartless – it’s based in principle. History has shown that bloated bureaucracies do not serve the people; they serve themselves and enslave people through dependency.
The columnist longs for a bygone era of so-called “moderate” Republicans. But what the columnist forgets is that moderation for the sake of appeasement or “compromise” is precisely how we have drifted from constitutional values.
The Freedom Caucus, MAGA conservatives, and grassroots Republicans are not radicals - we seek restoration. We seek to revive the American ethos of self-reliance, liberty, and fidelity to our Constitution.
Any suggestion that the Freedom Caucus is indifferent to the needs of the people disregards basic truths.
Thomas Jefferson observed, “A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government.”
Churches, local communities, and voluntary associations are far more effective, compassionate, and efficient in caring for those in need than bureaucrats in Cheyenne or Washington.
The spirit of the Freedom Caucus reflects a deep desire to reclaim government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
The results in Wyoming speak for themselves: property tax relief, Second Amendment protections, and the defense of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
We don’t need another party. We need more courageous leaders who remember who we are: a people guided by timeless principles and unafraid to stand for them.
Sincerely,
Norberto Orellana, Gillette
