Guest Columnists
Points of view on Wyoming issues from Wyoming people.
Guest Column: Transfer, Sale Of Public Lands Is No Longer Just A Threat -- It’s A Reality
Rick Mickelsen writes, "The prospect of selling off hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands to the highest bidder has seemed like a hypothetical issue — until now."
CSD StaffMay 12, 2025
Guest Column: Don't Listen To The Loudest Voice And Mistake It For The Truth
Rep. Cody Wylie writes, "Rep. Darin McCann wrote a guest column criticizing legislators for not supporting a 2024 Freedom Caucus bill on parental rights. That version of the story is misleading at best — and a Freedom Caucus hack job in misinformation at worst."
CSD StaffMay 12, 2025
Guest Column: When Conservatives Organize, the Left Cries Foul
Wyoming Freedom Caucus chair Rachel Rodriguez-Williams writes, "When a group of conservative lawmakers stands up, says 'we’re organized,' and follows through with a consistent commitment to limited government, individual liberty, and fiscal responsibility — suddenly it’s a scandal."
CSD StaffMay 08, 2025
Guest Column: Economics In Action -- Understanding Government Inefficiency
Guest columnist Island Richards writes, "Government will never be 100 percent efficient. Those who insist otherwise don’t show profound observation, just shallow slogans. Perfect efficiency in government is impossible because government itself stands in the way."
CSD StaffMay 06, 2025
Guest Column: Judicial Selection Process Is Secretive, Controlled By Liberal Legal Insiders
State Rep. Joe Webb writes, "Wyoming’s judges should be picked in a way that is open, honest, and reflects the values of the people — not just the opinions of a small group of lawyers."
CSD StaffMay 05, 2025
Guest Column: Let Judges Do Their Jobs
Guest columnists Alaina Stedillie and Grant Lawson write: "Judges should be allowed to do their jobs, which is to apply the facts of each case to the governing law. This is the only way the system can work the way our Founders so wisely designed it."
CSD StaffMay 01, 2025
Guest Column: An Assessment Of The First 100 Days Of Trump’s Second Term
Guest columnist Ray Hunkins writes, "Trump’s most visible success has been in the field of illegal immigration belying the Biden Administration’s falsehood that he could do nothing to stem the flow of illegals without Congress passing legislation."
CSD StaffApril 29, 2025
Guest Column: Trump’s First 100 Days Are A Vast Improvement Over Biden
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman writes, "If you want proof that the Trump administration is a vast improvement over Joe Biden’s presidency, we need only look to our Southern Border [where] daily border encounters are down by 93 percent and migrant crossings are down a whopping 99.99 percent."
CSD StaffApril 28, 2025
Guest Column: Don't Hand Your County Clerk's Duties To Someone In Cheyenne
Columnist Gail Symons writes: "Believe the county clerk who lives in your town, not the politician in Cheyenne making headlines by spreading distrust and disinformation."
CSD StaffApril 27, 2025
Guest Column: President Trump’s Bold Postal Reforms Must Meet Wyoming’s Needs
Frontiers of Freedom President George Landrith writes, "The solution is not perpetual taxpayer-funded bailouts. Instead, the Postal Service should adopt a hybrid model that preserves its essential functions while allowing private industry to handle the rest."
CSD StaffApril 22, 2025
Guest Column: Entitlement and Nobility: Results Matter More than Roots.
Rep. Ken Pendergraft and Rep. Steve Johnson write, "The Wyoming Freedom Caucus doesn’t care how many generations you’ve been here — we care whether you’ll stand up for liberty, fiscal responsibility, and the Constitution."
CSD StaffApril 21, 2025
Guest Column: Stop And Be Curious About Those Older Folks
Gail Symons writes: "My dad and his siblings sat in our living room. In their early 80s, they made fun of each other and laughed about youthful escapades. That day, they were rambunctious. But I didn’t write anything down, and now it's too late."
CSD StaffApril 20, 2025
Guest Column: Social Security Customer Service Crisis Puts Spotlight on New Social Security Commissioner
AARP Wyoming State Director Sam Shumway writes, "SSA scrapped a service change last week that would have forced many Wyomingites to have to go in-person to a Social Security office for routine services that have been handled over the phone."
CSD StaffApril 17, 2025
Guest Column: Americans Elected Donald Trump - Not Liberal Judges
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis writes, "When Democrats fail at the ballot box, they turn to the courts to accomplish their goals. They used the Justice Department to go after President Trump during the last four years - and they are now using unelected federal judges to block what they can’t stop in the executive or legislative branch."
CSD StaffApril 17, 2025
Guest Column: Wyoming’s Mental Health Crisis Deserves an Honest Conversation
Former Speaker of the House Albert Sommers writes, "After the Wyoming Freedom Caucus’s actions over the last 3 years of voting against nearly every effort to support mental health solutions, I was dumbfounded to read Cassie Craven’s opinion piece, 'It's Time For Elementary School Counselors In Wyoming.'"
CSD StaffApril 14, 2025
Guest Column: Maybe The Freedom Caucus Should Read The Good Samaritan
Guest Columnist Gail Symons writes: “You can’t claim to ‘protect life’ while voting against suicide prevention. Or say you value families while blocking hospice funding. And you certainly can’t promote ‘truth’ while spreading falsehoods about your colleagues and state institutions.”
CSD StaffApril 13, 2025
Guest Column: Wyoming Deserves Common-Sense Election Integrity
Guest columnists Harriet Hageman and Chuck Gray write, “Passage of the SAVE Act in the Senate is critical to ensure that every state requires proof of United States citizenship to vote, thereby preserving the integrity and security of our elections. Common sense, and the people of Wyoming, demand no less.”
CSD StaffApril 10, 2025
Guest Column: Drafters of Legal Letter Chose Political Advocacy Rather Than Non-Partisanship
Guest columnist Ray Hunkins writes, "After the banner headline, 'The Rule of Law Matter,' the letter disappoints. In tone and substance, it is a political screed that assigns blame, but not to all who are guilty of intemperate remarks. Progressives get a pass."
CSD StaffApril 07, 2025
Guest Column: You Bet I Signed That Letter In Defense Of The Judiciary
Guest Columnist Susan Stubson writes: "Are there bad judges? No question. But the way to get rid of them is not to inflame the electorate with evidence-free claims and make threats to judges’ personal safety. There are mechanisms already in place to weed out rogues from within."
CSD StaffApril 04, 2025
Guest Column: The US — And Wyoming — Can Easily Fall Behind China With AI
Cheyenne attorney and former state GOP chairman writes, “If China continues to innovate at the pace they’re currently moving, and we allow infrastructure challenges to hold us back, they will win the AI race.”
CSD StaffApril 02, 2025
Guest Column: Trump Is Right — It’s Time To Trust Parents And Local Communities
Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder writes, “I fully support President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the federal Department of Education. … This is not about eliminating education — it’s about improving it.”
CSD StaffMarch 25, 2025
Guest Column: Wyoming Needs To Fund Schools - But Also Remember Why They're There
Guest columnist Gail Symons writes: When World War II broke out, boys accelerated their high school graduations then left to join the fight. People made sacrifices to provide them an excellent education, though their lives often ended in very real sacrifices."
CSD StaffMarch 23, 2025
Guest Column: Gun Free Zones Do Not Work
Former US Attorney Kip Crofts writes, "Have you ever heard of a case where a person who woke up prepared to go to a school and use his gun to kill people, has been deterred upon getting there and seeing a sign that says, 'Gun Free Zone.' So he turns away and goes for a latte’ instead?"
CSD StaffMarch 23, 2025
Guest Column: Steel-Toed Boots And Freedom -- How Wyoming Workers Are Saving Themselves
Marcie Kindred, executive director of the Wyoming State AFL-CIO, writes, "A trona miner had approached me days earlier about holding a rally to protect mine safety regulations from federal funding cuts. 'Without MSHA, miners die,' he said plainly."
CSD StaffMarch 21, 2025
Guest Column: Al Simpson -- "Be Honest And Do What Is Right For The People We Represent”
Don Hardy, author of 'The Life of Senator Al Simpson,' writes, "I was 16 years old when a tall attorney looked at me and smiled. 'You don’t know it, Don, but I do: you are a salvageable human being.' That didn’t seem likely since I had just landed on a two-year district court probation."
CSD StaffMarch 20, 2025
Guest Column: Senator Al Simpson. A Wyoming Treasure.
Former Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead writes, "During this time of division it is a great loss to lose someone like Al who didn’t view people with opposing views as enemies or with hate. Al did not shun those with opposing views, but instead, he listened."
CSD StaffMarch 19, 2025
Guest Column: Wyoming Could Lead Nation With Election Integrity Reforms If Gordon Signs Bills
Secretary of State Chuck Gray writes, "Yesterday, at the White House, President Trump reiterated that proof of citizenship for registering to vote is one of the key election integrity priorities of his administration. Gov. Mark Gordon should listen to President Trump and sign HB156 into law."
CSD StaffMarch 17, 2025
Guest Column: Al Simpson And The Press
Mary Kay Hill, Al Simpson's longtime press secretary writes, "Al had a relationship with the press. It was complicated. He experienced the highest peaks of media praise and suffered the valleys of media condemnation. He expected authenticity and he despised a double standard."
CSD StaffMarch 16, 2025
Rob Wallace: Al Simpson -- A Wyoming Kid Who Conquered The World
Guest columnist Rob Wallace writes of a photo in Al Simpson's room: "In the front row looking directly at Al were presidents Trump, Bush, Obama, Carter, and Clinton all laughing uncontrollably at something he had just said. It was the perfect memory of a kid from Wyoming who conquered the world."
CSD StaffMarch 14, 2025
Guest Column: Wyoming Senate Delivered Historic, Conservative Wins
Wyoming Senate President Bo Biteman writes, "We have all heard of the 'five and dime' plan, but I stand with the people of Wyoming who say 'not another dime' when it comes to growing government."
CSD StaffMarch 03, 2025
Guest Column: The LGBT Folks Aren’t Trying To Force Their Lifestyle On Anyone
Guest columnist Tex McBride writes, "When you see the books they write in the library, or taking a cautious step into society, it isn’t because they're trying to recruit your child into the gay community. They're doing it in an effort to let your family member know they aren’t alone."
CSD StaffFebruary 26, 2025
Guest Column: SF 40 Addresses Unconstitutional Housing Mitigation Fees
Guest columnist Rebecca Bextel writes, "The Wyoming legislature needs to stop this practice now by passing SF40 before other counties are lured into financial jeopardy by following Teton County."
CSD StaffFebruary 26, 2025
Guest Column: We Have A Plan and We’re Sticking To It.
Rep. John Bear writes, "The Wyoming Freedom Caucus came to the 2025 session with a plan. We have executed that plan. Now we are waiting on our colleagues in the Senate to do the good work of the people and pass these common sense measures."
CSD StaffFebruary 23, 2025
Mandy Fabel: The Cost and Cure to Contempt
Columnist Mandy Fabel writes, "Are we even capable of open dialogue and relationships that span opinions beyond our own? I have seen the answer first-hand in my job of running Leadership Wyoming. And that answer is yes."
CSD StaffFebruary 23, 2025
Guest Column: Teton County’s Workforce Housing Regulations Are Unconstitutional
Guest columnist Austin Waisanen writes, "'Workforce housing' fees — a bad idea that drives up the cost of housing and unconstitutionally places the burden of other people’s housing on individual property owners — may soon run their course in Wyoming."
CSD StaffFebruary 20, 2025
Guest Column: Another Municipal View on Property Tax Relief
Star Valley Ranch Mayor Ruzena Rok writes, "In Lincoln County, locally assessed residential valuations have increased 122% over the past 5 years. For many families who want to stay and raise their children in Lincoln County they simply can no longer afford to do so."
CSD StaffFebruary 18, 2025
Guest Column: I'm Fighting For Moms And Ranchers. John Bear Says That Makes Me A "Lobbyist."
Rep. Karlee Provenza writes, "Last week in this publication, Rep. John Bear called me and some of his other non-Freedom Caucus colleagues in the Wyoming House 'lobbyist-legislators.'"
CSD StaffFebruary 15, 2025
Guest Column: A Perfect Storm on the Horizon
Upton Mayor Nick Trandahl writes, "The misconception that small Wyoming towns like Upton are sitting on any sort of fat whatsoever in our budgets is mind-blowing to me and, frankly, it's uninformed.
CSD StaffFebruary 13, 2025
Guest Column: A Testament to Wyoming’s Culture of Opportunity, Merit and Excellence
UW President Ed Seidel writes, "Since Josh Allen was crowned MVP last week, the university hasn’t been just celebrating. We also are reaffirming a powerful truth: Excellence is built where opportunity is given, merit is recognized and hard work is rewarded."
CSD StaffFebruary 11, 2025
Guest Column: Let's Repeal Gun Free Zones
State Sen. Cheri Steinmetz and John Lott, president of the Crime Prevention Research Center, write, "By identifying and targeting gun-free zones, attackers can ensure they will be the only armed people present."
CSD StaffFebruary 06, 2025
Guest Column: Lobbyists on the House Floor Are Wasting Your Money
Rep. John Bear writes, "There are some skilled lobbyists who have found their way to the House floor, and they even cast votes on bills. These lobbyist-legislator hybrids have made it clear who they represent, and it’s not the people – it’s the government."
CSD StaffFebruary 06, 2025
Guest Column: Bringing Law And Order To Digital Wild West -- Protecting Our Children Online
Rep. Martha Lawley writes, "I have long been concerned about the safety of our children online. I want to make sure Wyoming is doing all that it can to protect children from online pornography."
CSD StaffFebruary 01, 2025
Guest Column: The Freedom Caucus “Five And Dime” Plan Failed
Rep. Karlee Provenza writes, "For the Freedom Caucus to claim that it has somehow stopped 'woke' investments is dishonest. So is the claim that its Five and Dime plan was a success."
CSD StaffJanuary 31, 2025
Guest Columnist Ray Hunkins: The Whirling Dervish President
Guest columnist Ray Hunkins writes, "Donald Trump is off to the most incredible start of any president in my lifetime and unlike his first term, he knows what he is doing and how to do it."
CSD StaffJanuary 31, 2025
Guest Column: Protecting Private Property Rights -- A Core Wyoming Value
State Rep. Rob Geringer writes, "If a rancher, farmer, or homeowner decides that selling their land to the federal government is in their best interest, it is not the role of the state to stand in their way. That decision belongs to the property owner and the property owner alone."
CSD StaffJanuary 28, 2025
Guest Column: Saving Our Rangelands -- The Urgent Battle Against Invasive Grasses
"In his State of the State address, Gov. Gordon called cheatgrass 'as flammable as gasoline.' Last summer’s wildfires in Wyoming have proven how accurate that description is."
CSD StaffJanuary 28, 2025
Guest Column: A Wyoming Hunter's Call -- Uphold Our Heritage with the Clean Kill Bill
Guest columnist Josh Coursey writes, "The Clean Kill Bill respects the importance of predator management while drawing a hard line: If someone intentionally tortures and brutalizes an animal in Wyoming, they will face real consequences."
CSD StaffJanuary 24, 2025
Guest Column: American Coal Council Welcomes New Administration -- Renewed Commitment To Coal
Emily Arthun, CEO of the American Coal Council, writes, "As the nation moves forward under President Trump’s second term, the coal industry is poised for a resurgence."
CSD StaffJanuary 23, 2025
Guest Column: A Tale Of Two Funerals
Guest columnist Ray Hunkins writes, "So far this winter there have been two funerals of people who had an impact on my life, Jimmy Carter and Jack Finnerty. I attended their funerals, one in person and the other, virtually."
CSD StaffJanuary 23, 2025
Guest Column: Protecting Women’s Sports -- Pushing Back Against Males Competing with Our Girls
Harriett Hageman and Megan Degenfelder write, "When Ronald Reagan first proclaimed a National Women in Sports Day in 1987, he never imagined “feminists” would be advocating for males to play against women and girls in sports..."
CSD StaffJanuary 15, 2025
Guest Column: Our Greatest Challenge is Also Our Greatest Opportunity
Rob Creager, Executive Director of the Wyoming Energy Authority, writes: "From the world’s largest trona deposit and abundant coal, oil & gas reserves to the largest uranium deposit in the United States and significant rare earth elements critical to national security, Wyoming’s natural wealth is unparalleled."
CSD StaffJanuary 15, 2025
Guest Column: DEI -- Defunding Political Divisiveness and Discrimination
Sen. Cheri Steinmetz writes, "I am introducing legislation in 2025 to terminate and defund DEI programs, starting with the University of Wyoming and extending this effort to all public institutions across our state."
CSD StaffJanuary 13, 2025
Guest Column: Less Than 10% Of The State “Mandated” The Freedom Caucus
Rep. Karlee Provenza writes, "I keep hearing my colleagues who belong to the Wyoming Freedom Caucus say that they have a 'mandate' to make big changes to our state. That could not be further from the truth."
CSD StaffJanuary 13, 2025
Guest Column: How The University Of Wyoming Is Building Trust
UW Dean of Business Scott Beaulier and Professor Matt Burgess write, "Concern about the left-activism focus passed concern about costs to become the number-one trust issue for U.S. higher education in the past year. The two of us have been working for years to combat universities’ partisan turn."
CSD StaffJanuary 10, 2025
Guest Column: Keeping Wyoming Strong: Adapting to Secure Coal’s Future
Wyoming Rep. J.T. Larson writes, "The fight to save coal isn’t just about energy—it’s about preserving Wyoming’s future. The real question isn’t whether coal can survive without change, but whether we are willing to evolve to ensure it does."
CSD StaffJanuary 09, 2025
Guest Column: The People Have Spoken And We Have A Mandate
Rep. Bill Allemand writes, "The Freedom Caucus had huge wins in the last election, The people have spoken and given a mandate to fix our property tax problems, stop woke polices in Wyoming that are constantly being pushed by the left, and stop waste, fraud, and abuse in state spending."
CSD StaffJanuary 07, 2025
Guest Column: Rethinking Carbon Dioxide – Wyoming’s Bold Move
State Sen. Cheri Steinmetz writes, "The bill 'Make Carbon Dioxide Great Again' is not about denying science, it is about applying science, thoroughly reevaluating the ‘climate change’ scientific assumptions and advocating for policies grounded in common sense."
CSD StaffJanuary 06, 2025
Mark Miller: The Dimensions Of Wyoming
Guest columnist Mark Miller writes, "Every reader of Cowboy State Daily who ponders our diverse natural environment can marvel at its accomplishments revealed in the stones, sediments, and water that make up our Equality State, almost 100,000 square miles of undulating terrain."
CSD StaffDecember 31, 2024
Guest Column: Pushing Back Against Resource Management Plans
Rep. Harriet Hageman writes, "I am seeking to block both the Buffalo and Rock Springs RMPs and have introduced stand-alone legislation and amendments to House appropriations bills that were successfully included in an appropriations package."
CSD StaffDecember 30, 2024
Mandy Fabel: Two Wyoming Kids Threw Their Rebellious Streak Into New Pool Business
Mandy Fabel writes: "It didn’t take long for Reed Merschat to be impressed by Colby Frontiero's boldness and indifference to authority figures. These qualities would serve both of them well as life’s story unfolded."
Mandy FabelDecember 25, 2024
Guest Column: China-Bustin’ Rare Earths In Wyoming -- Taking The Reins For America’s Future
Guest columnist Paul Hickey writes, "Today there is a new opportunity for our state to develop another natural resource, Rare Earth Elements. The Bear Lodge critical rare earth deposit in Crook County is a fully delineated world-class rare earth resource with some of the highest concentrations in the country."
CSD StaffDecember 05, 2024
Guest Column: Wyoming’s Legacy of Opportunity: Protecting Rights for Women and Girls
Rep. Martha Lawley writes, "I’m introducing two bills focused on safeguarding the rights of women and girls in Wyoming: one that protects the integrity of women’s sports and another that ensures privacy and safety in spaces where it matters most."
CSD StaffNovember 25, 2024
Letter To The Editor: Trump Won -- Now Let Him Govern
Dear editor: Republicans’ rush to judgment on President Trump’s cabinet nominees is astonishing, irresponsible and hypocritical, but typical of a party that can never rally behind its leadership and govern with collective focus and clear purpose.
CSD StaffNovember 16, 2024
Guest Column: Matt Gaetz Should Not Be Confirmed
Guest columnist Ray Hunkins writes, "The question is not whether Gaetz is guilty of any of the charges swirling around him. The question is whether the president and the American people deserve a better, untainted, qualified candidate for United States Attorney General."
CSD StaffNovember 15, 2024
Marta Mossburg: Let’s Hope Trump Scraps The Electronic Cattle Tag Rule
Marta Mossburg writes, “Knowing exactly how many cattle ranchers own means the ability to tax cows based on their greenhouse gas emissions as has been enacted in Denmark, to start in 2030. It could also mean forced slaughter, for example.”
CSD StaffNovember 14, 2024
Guest Column: Why Donald Trump Won And Why Kamala Harris Lost
Guest columnist Ray Hunkins writes: The Harris campaign was built on two platforms – dislike of Trump and abortion. Trump on the other hand, addressed the issues people cared about: the economy, inflation and the border.
CSD StaffNovember 11, 2024
Guest Column: How Much Federal Land Is Too Much?
Rep. Harriet Hageman writes, "Although there are certain individuals who seem hell-bent on selling this invaluable property (Kelly Parcel) to the National Park Service for $100 million dollars, it is obvious by every metric that its value is significantly higher. It is also apparent that the NPS itself believes this parcel is worth substantially more than $100 million."
CSD StaffNovember 06, 2024
Ray Hunkins: Why I’m Voting For Donald J. Trump
Guest columnist Ray Hunkins writes, "For the most part, we know what the Trump policies will be in a second term because we know what they were in his first term. I can’t think of any policy of the first Trump administration with which I disagreed."
CSD StaffOctober 31, 2024
Guest Column: Maybe The Kelly Walsh Band's Performance Was Just A Show
Guest columnist Susan Stubson writes, "Let’s lower the temperature here and consider for a moment that perhaps Kelly Walsh was not trying to communicate any message other than musical and visual excellence."
CSD StaffOctober 30, 2024
Letter To The Editor: Maybe It's Time To Retire Some Counties
Dear editor: Doug Gerard’s letter of reluctant agreement with Tom Lubnau’s editorial opinion on Weston County’s insistence on having a State Senator is both funny and interesting.
CSD StaffOctober 24, 2024
Guest Column: Clarity On Cheyenne Schools
As Chairman of the Select Committee for School Facilities, it is my responsibility to provide a factual perspective on the recent comments circulating on social media regarding the Legislative branch's involvement in the contentious issue concerning Cheyenne’s Most Cost Effective Remedy study.
CSD StaffOctober 09, 2024
Guest Column: Exposing the Hypocrisy of ‘Environmental Justice’
Sen. Cynthia Lummis writes, "One of the more extreme, left-wing ideas you may have heard of is “environmental justice.” Contrary to its name, this buzzword is yet another effort by the Biden-Harris administration to block traditional energy and infrastructure projects."
CSD StaffOctober 09, 2024
Guest Column: Wyoming vs. the Fed -- Why Custodia Bank’s Fight Matters for All Americans
State Rep. Daniel Singh writes, "Custodia’s fight is about more than one bank; it’s a fight for fairness and autonomy. This issue gives lawmakers a chance to unite, cross partisan lines, and defend Wyoming’s interests in an increasingly centralized financial world."
CSD StaffOctober 08, 2024
Ray Hunkins: Thank You For A Civil And Informative Debate
Guest columnist Ray Hunkins writes, "It is possible to disagree, even disagree vehemently, and in the process be respectful and courteous. J.D. Vance and Tim Walz proved that at the vice presidential debate."
CSD StaffOctober 03, 2024
Guest Column: Wyoming’s Jackpot: Unlocking Our Resources With Permitting Reform
Rep. Jared Olsen writes, "By a stroke of luck, within the borders of Wyoming lie vast resources our nation needs – coal, oil, natural gas, lithium, uranium, helium, bentonite, trona, rare earth minerals, strong winds, a piercing sun and more."
CSD StaffOctober 02, 2024
John Stossel: There Is No Bee Crisis
About 20 years ago, some honeybees died from “colony collapse disorder.” The media went into a buzz. But beekeepers rebuilt lost colonies and the disorder soon diminished. Now, there are 31% MORE bees in America. Since the media won’t report on that, I will:
CSD StaffSeptember 24, 2024
Guest Column: Wyoming Needs Protections To Ensure Only U.S. Citizens Can Vote
Secretary of State Chuck Gray writes, "We must call Gov. Gordon’s veto for what it is. Gordon’s veto is enabling Biden, Harris and the most radical leftists in America who are trying to help illegal immigrants vote in our elections."
CSD StaffSeptember 13, 2024
Guest Column: Another Federal Agency’s Overreach Requires Our Attention
Wyoming Business Alliance President Renny McKay writes, "One of the federal agencies that I’ve been watching lately that could really harm our state is a surprising one – the U.S. International Trade Commission."
CSD StaffSeptember 12, 2024
Guest Column: Proof Of Residency To Vote In Wyoming Is Only Common Sense
Rep. Tomi Strock writes, "Unfortunately, Gov. Gordon vetoed the proposed proof of residency rule [last session]. When the Legislature returns [next year], expect to see bills requiring that voters prove their residency and citizenship when registering to vote."
CSD StaffSeptember 12, 2024
Guest Column: Why Wyoming Is Losing Healthcare Workers
Rep. Jeanette Ward writes, "Today my daughter decided to leave the nursing program and instead study Health Science, in the hopes that the WY legislature will do its job and protect medical freedom in the next two years, after which time she can pursue a nursing degree at a 4-year college."
CSD StaffSeptember 06, 2024
Guest Column: A Loaf of Bread And A Dream
Guest columnist Cassie Craven writes, "The primary elections showed that Wyomites value big ideas more than big experience. Several newcomers, and unknowns, shook up races and evicted long-time establishment in the Wyoming Legislature."
CSD StaffAugust 23, 2024
Guest Column: Speaking Anything Less Than The Truth Is Dehumanizing
Former state Rep. Scott Clem writes, "Surrendering your voice to buy the favor of your peers, like Democrats and Republicans often do in Congress, not only is a display of weakness, it's a betrayal to the people you supposedly represent."
CSD StaffAugust 08, 2024
Guest Column: Governor Gordon Gets It Wrong Again
Sen. Cheri Steinmetz writes, "Is anyone else getting tired of Mark Gordon trying to tell us what to do? He appears to be on his latest power trip since he is declaring what the “facts” are and who we should vote for in 2024."
CSD StaffAugust 05, 2024
Guest Column: Supreme Court’s ‘Chevron’ Ruling Won’t Stop Government Overreach
Guest columnist Marta Mossburg writes, "Paul Larkin, a legal scholar at the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., said he thinks members of Congress will continue to write vague laws because they have every incentive to do so."
CSD StaffAugust 02, 2024
Guest Column: America Must Get Facts On Trump Assassination Attempt So It Can't Happen Again
Rep. Harriet Hageman writes, "The American people deserve to know what went so wrong that a deranged shooter was able to fire on President Trump, whether the shooter was acting alone, and what is being done to ensure the safety and security of our political leaders."
CSD StaffAugust 02, 2024
Guest Column: Out-of-State Dark Money and Misconstrued Attacks -- Setting the Record Straight
Rep. Tom Walters writes, "I feel compelled to address recent attacks on my stance regarding women's sports. These attacks, fueled by out-of-state dark money, have grossly misconstrued my position on an issue of profound importance."
CSD StaffJuly 30, 2024
Guest Column: Politicians Should Put More Trust in the People of Wyoming
Wyoming State Sen. Brian Boner writes, "The drama of the ongoing conflict between the Freedom and Wyoming Caucuses fills headlines and, while certainly entertaining, continues to do damage to the Wyoming Legislature."
CSD StaffJuly 25, 2024
Guest Column: Strengthening National Security, Growing Wyoming’s Economy
Guest columnist Travis Deti writes, "Wyoming has the energy resources America and the world need. The Wyoming uranium industry has weathered some very difficult years. But thanks to the work of our Wyoming leadership in Washington, the tide is beginning to turn."
CSD StaffJuly 21, 2024
Guest Column: Freedom Is Not Free
State Sen. Cheri Steinmetz writes, "I grew up hearing stories about my Great Uncles John, Harold and Ed who fought against Hitler and the Nazis in World War II to defend us from the scourge of communism."
CSD StaffJuly 03, 2024
William Perry Pendley: Ansel Adams, Wyoming, and Ronald Reagan
William Perry Pendley writes, "President Reagan and Wyoming's own James Watt set a record, yet unbroken, for issuing federal oil and gas leases. By 2019, their efforts yielded American energy independence." Photographer Ansel Adams was not a fan.
William Perry PendleyJuly 03, 2024
Guest Column: I've Seen A Key Part Of Wyoming's All-Of-The-Above Energy Strategy
State Rep. J.T. Larson writes, "Wyoming has the key ingredients to grow durable energy businesses that will pay family-sustaining wages for decades. Our state has invested in carbon capture and sequestration from the beginning."
CSD StaffJune 27, 2024
Guest Column: Innovation and Integrity -- The Future of Our City's Governance
Vic Miller writes, "Our campaign is not a "stunt" or a "circus," but a serious, forward-thinking approach to civic leadership. Vic Miller is the legal candidate for mayor, fully compliant with Wyoming law."
CSD StaffJune 23, 2024
Guest Column: When Dealing With Feds, Wyoming Should Recall The Serenity Prayer
Guest columnist Samuel Western writes, "Maybe Wyoming should start listening to markets rather than tilting at windmills. Let’s stop throwing money at studies and policies that prop up struggling industries."
CSD StaffJune 16, 2024
Guest Column: Why I Support Parental Rights In Education
Guest columnist Rep. Jeanette Ward writes, "Building trust and a partnership between parents and schools is a good thing, and it requires protecting the rights of parents to direct the upbringing of their kids."
CSD StaffJune 14, 2024
Guest Column: Deemphasizing DEI At UW Was the Right Decision
Guest columnist Ray Hunkins writes, "The decision to eliminate the Office of DEI at the University of Wyoming is welcome news to many university supporters, myself included. The considerable money spent on DEI and its bureaucracy can now be spent on academic programs, UW’s core mission."
CSD StaffJune 11, 2024
Guest Column: Compare My Record To My Opponent's
Rep. Tomi Strock writes, "This race has been described as a 'rematch' of the 2022 race in which I defeated former Rep. Clausen. For the sake of the voters, I’m grateful for this rematch, as my record, like my opponent’s, is available for close inspection."
CSD StaffJune 10, 2024
Guest Column: Thank You, School Board, For Working With Parents
Guest columnist Nathan Winters writes, "Recently, an op-ed by Joan Barron claimed that there is broad disagreement with a proposed new book policy for school libraries in LCSD#1. Nothing could be further from the truth."
CSD StaffJune 07, 2024
Guest Column: Why The Trump Verdict Is Bogus
Rep. Jeanette Ward writes, "After President Trump was convicted on 34 bogus felony counts last week, elitists in the press and in academia seemed confused by the reaction of us ordinary people to this miscarriage of justice."
CSD StaffJune 05, 2024
Guest Column: Cutting Red Tape to Grow Wyoming’s Trona Industry
Rep. Jon Conrad writes, "The potential of trona mining and development to create jobs and strengthen Wyoming’s economy, however, is being squandered as projects continue to get stuck in the regulatory quagmire that is our nation’s federal permitting process."
CSD StaffJune 03, 2024
Daily Smile: Friday, May 31, 2024
Ain't got no time for the slow feed dog bowl....
CSD StaffMay 31, 2024
Guest Column: Another Rocky Mountain Rate Hike – Here We Go Again!
Rep. Harriet Hageman writes, "Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Rocky Mountain Power wants to raise your electric bill by double digit … yet again. This is not the first rate increase that RMP has proposed, and it will not be the last."
CSD StaffMay 27, 2024
Saturday Morning Dance Party: Earth, Wind & Fire -- Let's Groove
Earth, Wind & Fire -- Let's Groove
CSD StaffMay 25, 2024
Guest Column: Wolf Issue Will Be Addressed In Legislature With Wyoming Values In Mind
Rep. John Winter writes, "I have received barrage of hateful and nasty phone calls and emails from all across this country. As a result, I thought I should try to clarify a few things and put this issue into perspective."
CSD StaffMay 20, 2024
Guest Column: What And How Matters Not The Who
Guest columnist Doug Gerard writes, "Tom Lubnau's recent screed against anonymity in politics is at odds with American history, and his focus on anonymous legislator-rating websites is misplaced."
CSD StaffMay 14, 2024
Guest Column: Defending Wyoming’s Access to our Public Lands
U.S. Sen. John Barrasso and Rep. Harriet Hageman write, "The BLM’s Rock Springs Resource Management Plan is essentially a land lockdown, turning thousands of acres of federal land in Wyoming from multiple-use into non-use."
CSD StaffMay 13, 2024
Your Wyoming Sunrise: Monday, May 6, 2024
Today's Wyoming sunrise was captured by Adam Ashmore in Hartville, Wyoming.
CSD StaffMay 06, 2024
Harriet Hageman: I'm Endorsing Sen. John Barrasso For Re-Election And Here's Why
In a guest column for Cowboy State Daily, U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman writes, “I am happy to join President Trump in endorsing my friend and working partner in Congress, U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, for re-election in November."
CSD StaffMay 05, 2024
Guest Opinion: These Are The Dumbest Campus Protests Of All Time
Radio host Clay Travis says, "If Hamas actually had a state, most of the people protesting in support of them would have no human rights there. This may be the dumbest American campus protest of all time."
CSD StaffMay 02, 2024
Guest Column: The Campus Protests Are A Cluster**** And I Couldn't Be Happier
Guest columnist Tom Bentley writes, "These campus protests are a cluster**** decades in the making, and I couldn’t be happier. They're just the appetizer though. The main course will come at the Democrat convention. Load up on popcorn, that’s gonna be fun."
CSD StaffMay 02, 2024
Guest Column: The Good Ship Wyoming Deserves Better Captains
Guest columnist Rep. Ben Hornok writes, "Any spending strategy for Wyoming should not be based on how big a tantrum 'capable Republican' politicians can throw in the checkout lane of the supermarket when they are trying to get what they want."
CSD StaffApril 30, 2024
Jonathan Lange: IVF, Abortion And The Will Of The People
Columnist Jonathan Lange writes, "President Trump’s long-anticipated statement on abortion was released earlier this month. After a brief spin cycle, it has largely fallen from the headlines. Nevertheless, we should not let the month end without some comment."
CSD StaffApril 26, 2024
Guest Column: Innocent Beings Should Never Be Tortured Or Killed -- Period
Rep. Jeanette Ward writes, "The abortion clinic in Casper brags that it performs surgical abortions up to 23 weeks gestation. At 15 weeks, unborn babies can feel pain. At 22 weeks, they can recognize the voice of their mother. An abortion committed at 23 weeks involves dismembering the baby..."
CSD StaffApril 11, 2024
Chuck Gray: Only Wyomingites Should Be Voting In Wyoming Elections
In a guest column, Secretary of State Chuck Gray writes, "We must protect ourselves from the insecurity of the invasion affecting all 50 states. I urge the governor to adopt these rules and help secure Wyoming’s elections."
CSD StaffApril 11, 2024
Guest Column: Balancing Development and Conservation: Worth the Hard Work
Guest columnist Steff Kessler writes, "We can take pride and guidance in looking at how Wyoming has addressed these challenges in the past. But we also need to recognize when some things aren’t working and it’s time to come up with new ways of doing things."
CSD StaffApril 09, 2024
Guest Column: Abortion Is A Public Health Crisis - And The Chief Executive Enables It
Guest columnist Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams writes, House Bill 148 (Regulation of Surgical Abortions) passed both chambers overwhelmingly. The veto by the chief executive of Wyoming raises concerns about the need for Wyoming to return to our three branch system of government."
Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-WilliamsApril 09, 2024
Guest Column: Defending The Reputation Of Your Opponent Elevates Your Own
Guest columnist Jonathan Lange writes, "Whether politicians are calling their constituents deplorables and knuckleheads, or constituents are defaming the reputations of elected officials, both should be ashamed of themselves."
CSD StaffApril 06, 2024
Guest Column: Somebody Has To Say It
Guest columnist Ray Peterson writes, "When I see a Facebook post from current legislators, calling out the traitors or turn coats that voted against the special session, my skin begins to crawl."
Ray PetersonApril 06, 2024
Guest Column: Fact vs. Fiction -- 2024 Budget Session
Guest columnist Rep. Tomi Strock writes, "I am writing this in order to filter the facts from the fiction spouted by liberal lawmakers and repeated by their allies in the press – one of the most frequently parroted fiction out there has to do with committee bills being killed."
CSD StaffApril 05, 2024
Guest Column: Wheatland Has The Funding to Address Failing Water Tank
In a guest column, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon writes, "Despite claims to the contrary, my line item veto of [the Wheatland water tower project] in the 2024 budget was not punitive, but rather a reflection of the adequate support the State has already provided..."
CSD StaffApril 04, 2024
Letter To The Editor: We All Benefit from Wyoming’s Diversified Energy Portfolio
Dear editor, "Our future depends on remaining competitive and keeping Wyoming open for business by not picking winners and losers regarding industries. All industries and innovation bring value to Wyoming, its communities and families."
CSD StaffApril 02, 2024
Letter To The Editor: Analyzing The So-Called 'Shoshoni Speed Trap'
Dear editor, "Instead of being known for milkshakes and malts, Shoshoni is now famous, or maybe infamous, for our 'speed trap.'"
CSD StaffApril 02, 2024
Guest Column: What a "Nay" Vote on the Special Session Means
Guest columnists Reps. Haroldson, Rodriguez-Williams and Knapp write, "A vote against the special session is a vote AGAINST property tax relief, AGAINST the Second Amendment, AGAINST protecting pre-born babies, FOR Biden’s 30x30 land grab, and FOR an all-powerful governor who operates in the absence of checks and balances."
CSD StaffApril 01, 2024
Letter To The Editor: Sheridan County Land Exchange Is A Bad Idea
Dear editor, "The Wyoming State Treasurer’s Office now has $28.5 billion in investments. So why are we trying to sell/trade the Columbus Peak parcel of state land?"
CSD StaffApril 01, 2024
Guest Column: Why We Voted Against The Special Session
In a guest column, leadership of the Wyoming House wrote, "We were open to a special session solely focused on revising SF 54. However, the obstructionists in the freedom caucus would not agree to that, calling for a minimum of 4-6 different bills, including the budget bill."
CSD StaffApril 01, 2024
Guest Column: We Need The Beef Checkoff For The Future
Mark Eisele writes, "Opponents of the Beef Checkoff have allied themselves with radical animal rights activists to push for the deceptively named OFF Act. I know some people don’t like the Checkoff, but being on the same side as known animal rights groups is making a deal with the devil."
CSD StaffMarch 31, 2024
Letter To The Editor: Gordon Is A True Cowboy
Dear editor: "Currently there is one real cowboy in the governor’s office doing his job. Like him or not, Gov. Gordon is looking out for Wyoming."
CSD StaffMarch 30, 2024
Guest Column: Three Reasons Wyoming Citizens Should Demand A Special Session
State Sen. Cheri Steinmetz writes, "The governor ran as a Republican but governs and vetoes like a Democrat. Actions speak louder than words. Mark Gordon offers a stunning example of this prevalent hypocrisy."
CSD StaffMarch 29, 2024
Megan Degenfelder: University of Wyoming Must Respond to Concerns Over DEI
Guest columnist Megan Degenfelder writes, "Our universities should not presume the righteousness of only one side, promote a sense of guilt and division among students, neglect important context in order to obscure the whole story, or legitimize fringe ideas."
CSD StaffMarch 28, 2024
Letter To The Editor: Gratitude And Reflection On Our Legislative Journey For Behavioral Health
Dear editor, "We owe a debt of gratitude to Governor Mark Gordon, whose unwavering vision for a Wyoming where behavioral health services are prioritized and strengthened has been a source of hope for us all."
CSD StaffMarch 28, 2024
Letter To The Editor: 'Fairness In Farming Act' Is Target Of Flat Out Lies
Dear editor: There are exciting initiatives in the works to stop the decline of beef cattle numbers and cattle ranching operations as well as independent cattle feeding and beef processing businesses.
CSD StaffMarch 27, 2024
Guest Column: Why We Think A Special Legislative Session Is A Bad Idea
Senate President Ogden Driskill and House Speaker Albert Sommers write, "Without special rules governing the special session, it’s likely to be a Pandora’s Box scenario devolving into a mini-session akin to what we witnessed in the 2021 special session, where 41 bills were filed, and only one passed."
CSD StaffMarch 27, 2024
Guest Column: Why We Will Not Call A Special Session
Senate President Ogden Driskill and House Speaker Albert Sommers write, "A special session would require 8 - 10 days and cost approximately $35,000 a day. Should we spend $350,000 of taxpayer money because we couldn’t get our job done within the calendar that we had agreed upon?"
CSD StaffMarch 25, 2024
Guest Column: Governor Gordon Unconstitutionally Plays Politics with People’s Lives
Guest columnist Rep. Jeremy Haroldson writes, "The governor issued a line-item veto to remove funding for an aging water tower in my home of Wheatland - a water tower that is in such poor shape, it could breach at any moment, destroying ten or more city blocks in its wake."
CSD StaffMarch 25, 2024
Guest Column: Choosing Substance Over Flash In Local Elections
Laramie County Commissioner Gunnar Malm writes, "As we approach election season, it's essential for voters and residents to take a step back from the noise of partisan rhetoric and carefully consider the qualifications of those running to serve ALL residents."
CSD StaffMarch 21, 2024
Guest Column: Wyoming Education Association Falsely Attacking My Voting Record
Rep. Jeanette Ward writes, "When it is suggested to children that boys can become girls, that mental anguish can be solved by degrading and mutilating their bodies, that America is an evil empire, and that the world is sure to end because of your mom’s SUV, mental health problems are sure to proliferate."
CSD StaffMarch 20, 2024
Guest Column: “Education Savings Accounts” Invite The Government Into The Church
Guest columnist Rep. Jerry Obermueller writes, "Education savings accounts are not a “wall of separation” as proponents suggest, rather the mechanism to transfer money from the public treasury to the collection plate, the largest church fundraiser ever in Wyoming."
CSD StaffMarch 19, 2024
Guest Column: State Sees 32% Increase in Government; Leaves Taxpayers Behind
Members of the Freedom Caucus write, "The Uniparty and their allies in the media don’t want you to know how much was just spent in Cheyenne– and how much of it was discretionary spending."
CSD StaffMarch 18, 2024
Guest Column: Chloe Reminded Us It’s About Children, Not Gender Change
Guest columnist Jonathan Lange writes, "Chloe Cole did not come to Wyoming as an 'anti-transgender' anything. She came to prevent the child-abuse that forever changed her life from happening to Wyoming kids."
CSD StaffMarch 17, 2024
Guest Column: Winter Fishing In Wyoming
Guest columnist Abby Roich writes, "Few alarms are likely going off at 5 am on a Saturday but mine is buzzing. I’m thankful for an automatic brewer as it’s already filling the air with the aroma of coffee. 'I get to go fishing today,' I think to myself..."
CSD StaffMarch 15, 2024
Guest Column: Budget Session Ends
State Sen. Cheri Steinmetz writes, "The committee restored roughly $340 million to the governor’s energy slush fund, gave back the gender studies program and the requirement of a standard budget at the University of Wyoming, approved $2.5 million for an air show at the Casper airport and approved a third raise for state employees."
CSD StaffMarch 11, 2024
Guest Column: Legislature Passes Conservative Budget, Largest Property Tax Reform In History
Senate President Ogden Driskill and House Speaker Albert Sommers write, "Despite political differences and policy disagreements, the Legislature passed a conservative, balanced budget that addresses our state’s needs and invests in the future."
CSD StaffMarch 11, 2024
Mandy Fabel: Adjusting to Chaos
Guest columnist Mandy Fabel writes, "One of my favorite self-reflection and coaching tools is a personality inventory called the Hogan Assessment. It includes a scale called Adjustment that measures how well you operate in times of uncertainty, complexity, and pressure."
Mandy FabelMarch 09, 2024
Guest Column: Wyoming Freedom Caucus Supports Senate Budget
Members of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus write, "We are strongly opposed to the Uniparty's position in the House of growing government by 30% over the next two years– after all, will your income grow that much over the next two years?"
CSD StaffMarch 05, 2024
Guest Column: Extreme Partisanship Is Hurting Wyoming Businesses
Rep. Trey Sherwood writes, “Many of my colleagues at the Capitol — and particularly in the radical Freedom Caucus — are actively trying to defund state agencies and programs that I have seen firsthand help Wyoming businesses flourish.”
CSD StaffMarch 04, 2024