The Freedom Caucus-led Wyoming House has become callous and vengeful this budget session.
It seems no one is free from their ire, except perhaps, their billionaire backers from the land of the rich.
Here are some examples, out of many, that show how far the House has strayed from statesmanship.
First, the Freedom Caucus Chair proposes retaliation against the courts.
After the Wyoming Supreme Court struck down abortion legislation that the Freedom Caucus had been warned repeatedly was unconstitutional, the Freedom Caucus leader doubled down.
Rather than craft a narrow constitutional amendment to prohibit abortion for the voters to decide, Rep Rachel Rodriguez Williams, Freedom Caucus Chair and R-Cody, proposed eliminating funding for courthouse security.
She argued, “A just society protects the most vulnerable first. If the state government exists to protect life, as stated in this letter from the Wyoming judicial branch to the Wyoming legislative branch, then that principle must apply consistently, not selectively.”
In other words, the representative was apparently arguing a life for a life. If the Court system would not protect unborn children, the judges should be eliminated, too.
One hopes Rep. Rodriguez Williams was not encouraging someone to burst into a courthouse and attack judges with whom she disagrees.
Words have consequences, and these irresponsible words, even if uttered accidentally, encouraging violence, have no place in a responsible government. The Freedom Caucus chair owes an apology to the 340 public servants who work in the judicial branch.
Second, the Freedom Caucus voted not to feed hungry children.
The federal SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) program provides a $120 debit card to school-age kids to buy food during the summer. The program is half federally funded.
Ironically, and you cannot make this stuff up, in the middle of the debate on the SUN Bucks program, the House took a break to eat dinner.
After being fully fed, the Freedom Caucus in the House refused to allow the program feed children in Wyoming.
Rep. Ken Pendergraff, R-Sheridan, argued feeding children in the summer teaches hungry kids “socialism.”
Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, asked, “At the end of the day, are we really wanting to hand kids a card and tell them anything you need, the government is there for?”
No, Rep. Haroldson, we want to hand 32,000 eligible kids a sandwich.
Rachel Rodriguez Williams, Freedom Caucus Chair and R-Cody, said, “Let’s reject the expansion of welfare dependency.”
Of course, EMT’s were called to the House when a member passed out from not eating his Wheaties.
Let them eat cake.
Third, the Freedom Caucus attempted to punish the University of Wyoming for not respecting their “authoritah” to quote Eric Cartman.
The Freedom Caucus threatened to cut $40 million so the University would pay attention to the them. The cuts would cost roughly 160 jobs.
A budget amendment compromise was reached to lower the cut to $20 million or about 80 jobs tied to demands about what and how the University may teach.
Real people lose livelihoods so someone will pay attention to the Freedom Caucus.
Get them a babysitter.
As a parent of an active-duty soldier, I cringed when Rep. John Bear, Chairman Emeritus of the Freedom Caucus and R-Gillette, said, “We could have a war, and the price of oil might take off. That could save us.”
What he apparently meant was the Wyoming budget would be benefitted by higher mineral royalties because we sent our kids into battle.
Who would say something like that?
Being an elected representative carries great power. With great power comes great responsibility. I can only pray these folks develop some degree of introspection and discernment, because if they do not, a lot of people are going to be hurt so they can create campaign rhetoric.
Wyoming does not deserve cruelty in its government.
We deserve respectful considerate leadership.
We are seeing that coming out of the Senate. Not so much the Freedom Caucus.
Wyoming citizens deserve a lot better.
Someone better hand out bushel load of checks on the floor, soon.
Tom Lubnau served in the Wyoming Legislature from 2004 to 2015 and is a former Speaker of the House. He can be reached at: YourInputAppreciated@gmail.com
