Young skolars for Rick Perry!

This goes back to a 2010 rally in Houston in which Ted Nugent and Sarah Palin were in town to support Rick Perry. Still, it's priceless.  Houston Press photo.

After drinking all that tea, GOP not so grand anymore

Wyoming GOP will be bringing some monstrous Tea Party bills to the 2012 Legislature.Stay tuned... 

Wyoming Country Party hates those darn federal and state gubments

The Wyoming Country Party has been floating around the state since spring. Its mission looks suspiciously like that of the Wyoming Republican Party, or maybe a hybrid of the WY GOP and the WY Libertarians.

Anyway, they want to get the darn state and federal gubments off of our backs. Same 'ol, same 'ol. Their logo is kind of clever (see above). Their message as old as the Know Nothings of the 1850s, the John Birch Society of the 1950s and the Tea Party of today.

Here's a taste:

The Wyoming Country Party is a new political party that will nominate, support and elect candidates to the Wyoming legislature who will reduce the size and scope of government. 

We embrace these fundamental principles that Judge Andrew Napolitano speaks of so eloquently:
  that government is best which governs least
  the people are entitled to a government that stays within the confines of the Constitution
  the Constitution was written to keep the government off the people's backs 

The Wyoming Country Party advocates reducing taxes on Wyoming citizens, reducing state government spending, and reducing Wyoming's dependence on the federal government. The party believes that the federal government has grown too large and powerful, and will work to elect Wyoming citizens to the Wyoming legislature who will reclaim, through legal and peaceful means, state responsibility for education, land management, wildlife management and other government functions that were reserved to the states or to the people by the 9th and 10th Amendments to the Constitution.

Billionaires for Wealthcare members welcome the Koch Brothers' Tea Party Express to Cheyenne

All of us local Billionaires for Wealthcare members are gathering in downtown Cheyenne Monday for cocktails and sign-waving. 

The Tea Party Express is rolling into town Monday, Aug. 29, funded by our fellow billionaires, the unfairly maligned Koch Brothers. If you want to act like a billionaire and believe that wealthcare is all we need in this country and the poor and middle classes have it too good because Social Security is a "disease" then come to our rally for billionaires. Dress like the opulent rich person that you are -- tiaras, tuxes, long gloves, formal wear, or whatever. 

We will gather at Capitol Avenue and Lincolnway (16th Street) at 5:30 p.m. Don't be late. That's so gauche.

For more information or to see examples go to www.billionairesforwealthcare.com.

FMI: 307-631-3410 or 631-9990. 

TELL YOUR BILLIONAIRE FRIENDS!

Tea Party Slim: "Keep the change"

An August Sunday morning. Tea Party Slim and I were dining on the veranda. We weren't so much "dining" as eating doughnuts and swilling coffee. And "veranda" would be a high-falutin' name for my utilitarian back porch.

The sun was out, sprinklers were on and we were at rest on the Sabbath. Slim's wife was at church. Mine was walking the basement treadmill.

I announced: "Which way, Cheyenne?"

Slim looked at me blankly. He held half of a gigantic apple fritter in his hand.

I pointed at the front of the Cheyenne paper. Big headline: "Which Way, Cheyenne?" Smaller subhead: "What do you want our city and county to look like 20 years down the road?"

Slim sat back in the chair. "I like it just the way it is."

"Keep the change, right? Just like your bumper sticker?"

Anti-Obama stickers remained affixed to the massive bumper of Slim's Hummer. I guessed that he was saving them for 2012.

He nodded. "Change is not good."

I finished off my chocolate doughnut and sipped some coffee. "Don't you enjoy electricity and indoor plumbing?"

He waved the fritter at me. "Don't be ridiculous. Our country's been the leader in those sorts of improvements."

"So you wouldn't be adverse to further civic improvements? Paved roads, traffic lights, schools, hospitals, long-range planning, better airports?"

"Paved roads are overrated," he harrumphed. "What kind of long-range planning are we talking about?

I picked up the paper and read aloud about the two long-range plans. The City of Cheyenne Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is commissioning a new five-year plan as the previous one expires. It will cost $278,000, 90.5 percent paid for by federal funds and the rest split between the city and county. Clarion Associates out of Fort Collins will conduct the study. Laramie County's five-year plan is five years out of date. It will only incur nominal expenses for printing and community events as it plays catch up to things such as the massive Swan Ranch development, the Niobrara Oil Play, increased industrial development along county stretches of I-25 and I-80, etc.

Slim's responses was predictable. "The first is a waste of time and money. The second is a waste of time."

"But the Feds are picking up most of the tab for the first one"

He sat up. "See, there you go again. That's our tax money you're talking about. Why should it go to some nonsense like long-range planning when developers and and businesses and oil companies should be left alone to grow our economy." Slim paused. He looked thoughtful for a micro-second. "In fact, I'm going to write Rep. Cynthia Lummis and tell her to eliminate whatever federal agency is providing money for that stupid study." He jammed the rest of the fritter into his mouth, washed it down with some java.

"Wow, Slim, I didn't know you felt so strongly about boring planning issues."

He chuckled. "You like to push my buttons, don't you?

"I truly do. Hey Slim, did you know that U.S. Secretary of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently announced a $400,000 grant to our county. It's for rebuilding the interchange at I-25 and College Drive. The goal is to 'reduce crashes.' Good idea, don't you think?"

"I hate that interchange. Some nitwit from Colorado ran into the Hummer there last winter."

"So it's O.K. to spend federal money on that project?"

"Let those gigantic truck stops pay the costs. There's three of them out there. Plus a bunch of fast-food joints."

"Soak the corporations, eh Slim?" I smiled. "Socialist!"

He laughed. "They benefit the most from he interchange. Let them pay to rebuild it."

I paused. "You may have a revolutionary idea there there, Slim. Have developers actually pay up-front for the roads, sewers, water lines, electric services and everything else that will benefit them. The developers will love that idea."

For the first time that morning, Slim began to look uncomfortable. "People should pay for the services they use. That's all I'm saying. Don't overextend yourself. That goes for people and that goes for our country. That's how we got into this mess. Now everyone wants to get bailed out."

"I don't."

"You're one of the few Liberals who can say that."

"My wife can say that. My kids can say that."

"You know what I mean," he snapped. "Not all Liberals want a bailout. A lot of them do. And so do some Republicans. They should be ashamed of themselves."

I felt a need to sum up the conversation so I could go inside for another doughnut. "So no change?"

"No change."

"Another fritter?"

I fetched more fried dough and brewed dark roast. For a few moments, we sat quietly in the warm morning.

"I probably won't be around in 20 years," Slim said.

"Not if you keep eating those fritters."

He contemplated his lumpy slab of fried dough. "You may be right."

"Your kids and grandkids will be here, though. Mine too."

"I guess they'll have to figure it out," Slim said. "Just like we did."

"Or not."

"Or not," he concluded.

Congressional Republicans just want to watch the world burn

From Meg Lanker . I know that Sen. Dr. Barrasso is in here somewhere with all these OWGs from the GOP.

Outing ALEC legislators in Wyoming and elsewhere

From Daily Kos

Bloggers at Netroots Nation 11 had many discussions about our crazed state legislatures. We know that many of the wildest and most anti-human bills come from ALEC -- the Koch Brothers-funded American Legislative Exchange Council.

We can go down the list of similar bills promoted in our states, especially those in the Rocky Mountain West. Anti-Obamacare. Check. Anti-immigrant. Check. Anti-labor. Check. Anti-public education. Check. Anti-women. Check. Anti-choice. Check. Anti-reason. Check, check and double-check.

ALEC lobbyists write the bills and pass them on to state legislators during sessions at its annual convention. This year, that convention will be in New Orleans in August (great choice, ALEC planners -- Jackson Hole would have been a much better choice for a dog days gathering -- and you could party at Dick Cheney's mountain redoubt). Anti-ALEC and Koch Brothers demonstrations are planned. And a concerted effort is in the works to out those legislators who are lackeys of the Far Right Rich. These state legislators say that they only have the wishes of their district's voters at heart. At the same time, they travel on the Koch Brothers dime to a national convention where shady Right Wing Bagmen slip them briefcases filled with boilerplate bills.

Sounds weird, doesn't it? A scene from a Robert Stone conspiracy flick? We wish....

Much more will be coming out on this topic during the next few months. Stay tuned to your local progressive blogger.

Sources: See Bob Sloan's post today on Daily Kos about ALEC and a model of a petition that can be sent to your state legislators. Go to http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/06/20/986970/-Exposing-ALECupdate-3-+-Petition-for-your-State-Lawmakers?via=search

It's official -- Tea Party now in charge of the G.O.P.

We knew all along  that the Tea Party was steering the G.O.P. during this so-called "budget showdown." Anti-abortion zealots and climate change deniers are shutting down our government. It's as if my crazy neighbor, Tea Party Slim, was in charge of telling us all where to work and how to dress and who to vote for and which church we must attend (or else).

Go to http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/07/tea-party-roadblock-polls_n_846122.html

Right-Wing Group from Utah Spearheading Effort to Recall Wisconsin Dems

Why oh why is a batshit crazy group of Utah right-wingers spending time and money in Wisconsin?

Because they are batshit crazy Utah right-wingers and they've run out of targets in Utah and its satellite states of Wyoming and Idaho and Arizona and are now spreading venom to Wisconsin.

The conservative American Recall Coalition, a group from Salt Lake City, Utah, is leading the charge to reel in eight Democratic Senators in Wisconsin who are among 14 lawmakers who left the state in protest of Governor Scott Walker's budget repair bill, according to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB).

The out-of-state group last week filed with the GAB website to recall the Senators, but initial filings did not have anyone from the local senatorial district as part of the recall requests.

"They didn't have any local people involved, so we contacted them and said they need to have one local person in each district," said GAB spokesman Reid Magney. "They withdrew those initial filings and made new ones and we are waiting for the signed paperwork."

Wisconsin senators targeted in the campaign are Lena Taylor, Spencer Coggs, Jim Holperin, Mark Miller, Robert Wirch, Julie Lassa, Fred Risser and Dave Hansen.

According to a Reuters report, the American Recall Coalition is also campaigning to recall Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik of Arizona, who drew conservative fire last month after linking the Tucson shootings that killed 6 and seriously hurt 13 people, including U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, to "political vitriol, prejudice and bigotry."

Read the rest at Workers' Uprising: Right-Wing Group from Utah Spearheading Effort to Recall Wisconsin Dems| AlterNet

Wyoming Tribune-Eagle columnist: Public sector employees are "leftist ideological forces of evil"

Former government employee (U.S. Marine Corps) Bradley Harrington calls government employees "looters" and "leftist ideological forces of evil" in this morning's Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. Unfortunately, you can't read it online as the WTE has a minimalist web site (nothing on it) so you have to go buy a paper. You can borrow mine. I'll bring it to today's rally at the Capitol.

BTW: Here's the column's header: "Public unions' bite could rot Wyo., too"

BTW: Wyoming is a so-called Right to Work State and its public employees union cannot be (and isn't) a closed shop. FMI: Wyoming Public Employees Association. I've been a member about 15 years. Here is its mission statement (the emphasis is provided by me):

It is the mission of the Wyoming Public Employees Association to serve as an advocacy group for state employees and Laramie County School District #1 by classified staff working toward introduction and passage of legislation positively affecting compensation, benefits, and working conditions of all employees. WPEA will work toward electing legislators and Laramie County School District #1 who might better support these goals. WPEA will support the rights and fair treatment of all public employees.

Seems to be a plague of "narrow-minded rubes" in the West's state legislatures

As I read Bob Wire's column in today's New West blog, I kept wondering if he'd been hanging out at the Wyoming State Capitol and not the one in Helena, Mont. Seems as if The Gem State The Treasure State is having its own troubles with right-wing knuckleheads.

“You’d better get your head wired to your ass or you’ll be standing tall before the Man.” That line, barked by a field general to Private Joker in the film Full Metal Jacket, needs to be whispered into the ear of every Republican Representative currently darkening the halls of the State Capitol in Helena. For we, the voters of Montana, are the Man. And if you narrow-minded rubes don’t acquire a measure of humanity and start doing what’s right by the people of this state, not by the special interests and GOP bosses and Tea Party hypocrites who hold your leashes, you will be out on your arrogant, clueless asses in twenty months.

Read Bob Wire's scorching "House GOP: Out There Where the Buses Don’t Run" in the New West Blog

Right-Wingers Using Public Employees as 21st-Century Welfare Queens

From Alternet on those damn gubment employees welfare queens: Right-Wingers Using Public Employees as 21st-Century Welfare Queens