Dear editor:

The recent opinion article “2023 an important year for state conservatives” by state legislator Rachel Rodriguez-Williams (R-Cody) is yet another reminder that local politicians are more fixated on posturing who is more “conservative,” pushing social agendas and accruing power in Cheyenne. Her words are a symptom of a pernicious malady which has infected Cowboy State politics, and that is an unwillingness of the supermajority Republican Legislature to confront and tackle the tough issues which affect all Wyomingites.

Four times in her column she refers to the Wyoming Freedom Caucus (WFC), a faction of far-right Republican legislators of which she is a member. This group is currently in a power struggle with the Wyoming Caucus, another group of Republican legislators.

Much has been written the last few years about this internecine fight for power in the Wyoming GOP, but the political gamesmanship between these two groups has only created animus among the legislators. Sadly, this self-induced squabble doesn’t promote civil dialogue and actually resembles a circular firing squad.

Rep. Rodriguez-Williams’ membership in the group is her decision. However, I find it interesting in her column she referred to participating in over 15 WFC town hall events all around the state last year, but chose to highlight social lightning rod issues like diversity, equity and inclusion in Laramie and book banning in Casper. Are these really the most pressing problems that are impacting the state of Wyoming?

In his thought-provoking book, “The Paradox of Plenty: The Allure and Risk of a Mineral Economy,” former Gov. David Freudenthal highlights Wyoming’s boom-bust relationship with the mineral industry and the state's tax policy history. He ends his book with this passage, “Rethinking Wyoming’s future means those of us enjoying today’s low tax/high service reality will need to carry more of our own weight. Only time will tell if the conscience of the present will lead us to pay the price to support the future.”

The state is at an inflection point and our legislators need to be up for the challenge. Trite mantras about “limited government” and “lower taxes” won’t cut it, especially when citizens have shown no willingness to give up services that impact them.

It’s time for legislators to stop pandering to the lowest common denominator and start looking at all options, starting with a real effort to address the structural economic and tax problems facing the state. It means crafting and implementing legislation which will address real world concerns, like property taxes and how to develop alternatives to our extraction-driven state economy.

At the end of her piece, Ms. Rodriguez-Williams writes, “I hope that we can fight for the conservative values that made Wyoming the very best state in the nation and America’s last hope.”

Her statement sets up a false narrative that conservative politicians are the only people who can implement change in our state. Over the course of Wyoming’s storied history, there have been numerous state political leaders, both Republican and Democrat, who have put Wyoming first and not party allegiance.

It’s time for Ms. Rodriguez-Williams, and her cohorts, to stop labeling people and start being vessels for change which will make Wyoming stronger. Only by bold, thoughtful actions will future generations of Wyomingites be able to thrive and make a better life for themselves and their families.

Todd Johnson

Powell