http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy Wyoming Democratic Party Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:03:55 CDT en-us http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1215316 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1215316 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:53:03 CDT Casper Star-Tribune U.S. House candidates talk reform in Cheyenne "Under a big tent in front of the stately stone Union Pacific train depot, the candidates for Wyoming's U.S. House seat took part in a forum Friday as the crowd feasted on barbecued ribs…. " Judge will choose new SWC commissioner "And the winner for the open Sweetwater County Commission seat is .... none of the above…." Canadian oil company lays off workers "A Canadian-based oil company that specializes in... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1214893 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1214893 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:10:53 CDT Casper Star-Tribune Uranium and wind industries short of workers "The growing uranium and wind industries in Wyoming both face constraints with finding workers, panelists at an energy economics summit said Thursday…." BLM releases final oil shale plan "Federal officials are releasing a final plan for opening nearly 2 million acres of public land in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado to commercial oil shale development…." Report: State loses millions due to tobacco use "Tobacco use... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1214888 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1214888 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:09:05 CDT Casper Star-Tribune LTE: Global ambitions replace diplomacy by TOM BISHOP, Atlantic City Anti-Lummis "Now that Cynthia Lummis has been properly chastised for her could-have-been-expected blunder, perhaps we could get both Lummis and her opponent, Gary Trauner, to engage in meaningful comments. How about answering some relevant questions? Do Lummis and Trauner support the George W. Bush doctrine of global democratization? Bush doctrine: " we have begun a world democratic revolution... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1214077 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1214077 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:47:00 CDT Do you know where your candidates are and what help and support they need in these final weeks? Click here to check out their websites and get in touch! MEET SUPPORT WYOMING STATE LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1214076 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1214076 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:43:44 CDT Wyoming Business Report ***Congressional candidates to appear at Cheyenne forum PLEASE ATTEND THIS EVENT TO SUPPORT TRAUNER! He'll appreciate friendly faces in the crowd!"The three candidates running for Wyoming's lone congressional seat will appear in Cheyenne on Sept. 5 in the fourth of a series of congressional forums sponsored by Chambers of Commerce across the state. W. David Herbert (L-WY), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Gary Trauner (D-WY) have all indicated that they will... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213897 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213897 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:32:58 CDT Casper Star-Tribune ***FORUM: American energy for the American people by Gary Trauner "There has been a lot of posturing recently about the best way to secure America's energy future and, by extension, the strength of America's economy and leadership position in the world. Since the day I started running for Wyoming's lone seat in the U.S. House, I have been saying that the search for sustainable energy independence is the issue of our time. It affects our national security, our... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213867 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213867 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:13:59 CDT Holy Torrential Trauner!!! Check out the press for the last TWO days… *** Trauner Releases Statement on Energy MUST READ--Proposal has three key elements: Short-term, long-term and immediate action. (Office of Trauner Campaign) -- Since the day I started running for Wyoming's lone seat in the US House, I have been saying that the search for sustainable energy independence is the issue of our time. It affects our national security, our economy, our environment and the legacy we leave... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213866 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213866 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:09:49 CDT CSPAN will be covering the Convention LIVE from "Gavel to Gavel" C-SPAN offers gavel to gavel coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives. C-SPAN also offers a variety of public affairs programming including congressional hearings, press briefings from the White House, State Department and Pentagon, campaign and election coverage, and international programming. Roll Call Udall Urges Democrats to Stick to Center With the Democratic National Convention having kicked off in earnest... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213865 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213865 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:07:18 CDT Gary Trauner, candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, will hold a press conference tomorrow to unveil and discuss his energy proposal and you are invited! It is an innovative new policy proposal….and you can be the first to hear the details. American Energy for the American People Tuesday, August 26th 9:30 AM at the Ghost Town gas station at 6680 W. Yellowstone Highway in Casper and 3:00 PM at the Trauner HQ at 211 W. 18th Street in Cheyenne For further information... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213864 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213864 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:04:04 CDT ***Just in case you missed it, you can read Obama's Prepared Text Sheridan Press ***Fulfilling Democratic duties: Sheridan resident a superdelegate at convention "Sheridan resident and Wyoming Democratic Party Vice Chair Nancy Drummond leaves today for Denver to fulfill her duties as a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention, which starts Monday…Drummond's husband, Bruce, is Sheridan County committeeman for the Democratic Party and will accompany her to the... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213863 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213863 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:59:29 CDT Politico Lummis wins GOP primary in Wyoming "…Lummis heads into the general election against Democratic businessman Gary Trauner as the favorite to succeed retiring Rep. Barbara Cubin (R-Wyo.). But Democrats believe they have an outside chance at winning in this heavily Republican state, though without the controversial Cubin on the ballot, it will be a tough challenge." The Hill State treasurer wins GOP nod in Wyoming "…Lummis defeated rancher and businessman Mark Gordon... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213862 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1213862 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:52:00 CDT Monday, August 25: One Nation Click here to read the text of speeches delivered on Monday Tuesday, August 26: Renewing America's Promise Click here to read the text of speeches delivered on Tuesday Wednesday, August 27: Securing America's Future Click here to read the text of speeches delivered on Wednesday Thursday, August 28: Change You Can Believe InClick here to read the text of speeches delivered on Thursday lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1212911 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1212911 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:15:12 CDT Where to begin in summarizing Tuesday's Democratic National Convention experience for your Wyoming delegation? How about at the very end, with Sen. Hillary Clinton's amazing speech to top off the night? Sen. Clinton is a fabulous orator on a normal day, but I've never seen her in this rare of form. She laid it on the line, in no uncertain terms: If you supported Clinton's candidacy and what it stood for - be that its historical ramifications or its policy significance - if you care about the... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1212739 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1212739 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:07:40 CDT Actually, I'm writing this at the beginning of Day Two. As a special bonus part of the whirlwind of activity known as the Democratic National Convention, your tireless executive director has the dubious honor of being the designated Credentials Collection Agent for the Wyoming Democratic Party. This means I have to be in our hotel lobby between 4:45 a.m. and 5:15 a.m. every day to meet the nice folks from the DNC who deliver the credentials for our state delegation for that day. To their... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1211279 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1211279 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:16:57 CDT For Compete State and Federal Primary Election Results: http://soswy.state.wy.us/Elections/ElectionResults.aspx Casper Star-Tribune Lummis wins GOP primary "Former State Treasurer Cynthia Lummis won Tuesday's Republican primary for Wyoming's lone seat in the U.S. House. Unofficial results show Lummis defeating Johnson County businessman and rancher Mark Gordon 46 to 38 percent, with 99 percent of precincts reporting…A recent ad by the Gordon campaign depicted Lummis as a little... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1209981 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1209981 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:29:45 CDT Casper Star-Tribune EDITORIAL: Primary voter turnout: Wyo can do better "…Two years ago, the lack of contested Democratic races was singled out as the main reason for the lack of voter interest in the primary. The same complaint could be registered this year. Gary Trauner is unopposed for the party's U.S. House nomination, and the two Democratic contests to oppose Republican U.S. Sens. Mike Enzi and John Barrasso haven't generated much excitement. Some Wyoming Democrats may be... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1209980 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1209980 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:28:05 CDT Casper Star-Tribune Wyoming briefs "Plans for ethanol plant stall…." Farmers feel impact of increasing costs POWELL (AP) -- Wyoming farmers are receiving higher prices for their products this year, but it also cost them more to produce them. Governor to ask for backup howitzer for Sylvan Pass "Gov. Dave Freudenthal said he will ask the Legislature for money to buy a backup howitzer to use for avalanche control on Sylvan Pass." Candidates differ on government involvement... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1209979 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1209979 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:22:52 CDT Casper Star-Tribune EDITORIAL: Dems should choose Rothfuss University of Wyoming instructor Chris Rothfuss may be a political newcomer, but he's our clear choice to win his first election.His opponent is Torrington house and sign painter Al Hamburg, a perennial candidate whose presence on the ballot is difficult to take seriously, even though his main issue, what he calls "the stupid, wasteful war in Iraq," is a vital one. But Rothfuss also wants to safely withdraw our... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1209977 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1209977 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:09:24 CDT USA Today Military donations favor Obama"U.S. soldiers have donated more presidential campaign money to Democrat Barack Obama than to Republican John McCain, a reversal of previous campaigns in which military donations tended to favor GOP White House hopefuls, a nonpartisan group reported Thursday. Troops serving abroad have given nearly six times as much money to Obama's presidential campaign as they have to McCain's, the Center for Responsive Politics said. The results also are... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1208226 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1208226 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:20:40 CDT Casper Star-Tribune Wyo drivers drive less, highway tax revenue holds steady "Many Wyoming drivers are heading in the same direction as those elsewhere in the nation by not going anywhere…." BLM sets grouse protection zone "The greater sage grouse will receive special protection from oil and gas development on about a million acres in the Powder River Basin under an interim management plan announced Wednesday by the Bureau of Land Management…." Injecting new life into... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1208225 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1208225 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:19:22 CDT Casper Star-Tribune Candidates focus on alternative energy "Alternative sources of energy and conservation efforts will play a large role in reducing fuel prices and fixing the current energy crisis, two Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate said in separate interviews. One of candidate Nick Carter's major campaign issues is creating a comprehensive energy plan that would set a goal of becoming independent from the Middle East for energy in 15 to 20 years….Goodenough's solutions... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1208224 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1208224 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:16:04 CDT Obama supporters to get VP announcement via textBe the first to know! Sign up to receive an e-mail or a text message the moment he announces his decision. You can text VP to 62262 to receive a text message on your mobile phone. Or go to the link above and sign up to receive an e-mail alert. Casper Star-Tribune EDITORIAL: House hopefuls: Focus on vision for Wyoming by the Star-Tribune Editorial Board "Wyoming's Republican U.S. House primary is in danger of deteriorating into a... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1207428 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1207428 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:33:07 CDT Casper Star-Tribune Sweetwater commissioner diesSweetwater County Commissioner Joe Oldfield died Thursday after a sudden illness. County spokesman Garry McLean said Oldfield died at 2:30 p.m. McLean said at this time they did not know the cause of death other than noting the sudden illness. Oldfield served as a commissioner for five years and seven months. The county commission has three members. Columnist A popular job -- in most counties One of the three Democratic candidates... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1207427 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1207427 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:30:05 CDT ***ACTION ALERT*** It is August Break, so US Senators Enzi and Barrasso will be all over the news. Our candidates need to be all over the streets knocking doors to combat the excessive press. I would urge you to volunteer to walk with your candidates every day. Never let them knock doors alone. Cultivate and assign volunteers to go with our candidates EVERY day. Consistent support, moral and otherwise, on the campaign trail will equal victory in November! For August 8,... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1207426 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1207426 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:28:06 CDT We begin this day with very sad news about the untimely death of our dear friend Joe Oldfield, Sweetwater County Commissioner. As you know, Joe had a zest for life following the "work hard, play hard" adage. He was an avid skier, an educator who served with distinction and his passion public service improved the lives of everyone he touched. He prepared young people to meet the world's challenges, he made certain that the aged live comfortable and secure lives, and he addressed all the... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1207421 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1207421 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:25:52 CDT WyoFile.com 'Purple' States Get VIP Seats At DNC 30,000 seats at Obama's acceptance speech at the DNC are for Coloradans, and 30,000 are open to other critical battleground state residents. E-mail: commcredentials@demconvention.com or call: (720) 362-2500 to apply for tickets. Casper Star-Tribune Newcomer challenges incumbent on property taxes "Political newcomer Al Snell is challenging longtime state senator John Schiffer in the Republican primary for District 22 on... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1207420 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1207420 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:21:34 CDT I am still trying to identify people to sign Letters-to-the-Editor as we enter the general election. Two people have responded thus far, but we need many more from every county to step forward. Can I count on your help to volunteer or identify volunteers? The news is filled with coverage on Monday's Primary Debate, Wyoming schools' poor showing on the No Child Left Behind test, conservation, health and energy issues. As you read these articles and go through your day think... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1197686 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1197686 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:19:43 CDT To apply for tickets: Call: (720) 362-2500 or E-mail: commcredentials@demconvention.com and write WYOMING in Subject line. Leave the following information: Name Telephone number (including area code) E-mail address State where you reside How you plan to get to Denver If and where you plan to stay during the Convention http://www.demconvention.com/invesco lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1197416 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1197416 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:55:55 CDT Casper Star-Tribune Feds set wind farm public meetings The Bureau of Land Management's Rawlins field office has scheduled four public meetings as part of its analysis of the proposed Chokecherry and Sierra Madre wind energy project in Carbon County. Group agrees on combo enrollment process A group of Natrona County teachers, principals and administrative staff members will recommend a combination of centralized and decentralized enrollment processes for the district. City may... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1197335 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1197335 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:30:05 CDT Letters to the Editor supporting Republican candidates have been surfacing all across the state. We need to be prepared to support our candidates in the news and other creative ways as well once the Democratic Primaries are complete. ACTION ITEM: I am looking for volunteers, so please get in touch if you are ready and willing to author a LTE in the very near future! Don't forget to watch the Debates TONIGHT! Wyoming Public Television, Wyoming Public Radio and the Wyoming... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1197169 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1197169 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 17:09:06 CDT Letters to the Editor supporting Republican candidates have been surfacing all across the state. We need to be prepared to support our candidates in the news and other creative ways as well once the Democratic Primaries are complete. ACTION ITEM: I am looking for volunteers, so please get in touch if you are ready and willing to author a LTE in the very near future! Don't forget to watch the Primary Debates MONDAY, August 4th at 7 pm Wyoming Public Television, Wyoming... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1196999 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1196999 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:19:59 CDT Casper Star-Tribune Editorial: Divert mineral revenue to help fund highways A legislative proposal to create a new funding source for multi-lane highway construction in Wyoming should win approval. The Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Interim Committee has decided to sponsor a bill that would earmark a portion of severance tax revenue to widen and expand some of Wyoming's busiest highways. Letter to the Editor: Campaign efforts bespeak leadership "I've read a... lauri@wyomingdemocrats.com (Lauri Elbing) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1196811 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1196811 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:55:40 CDT Casper Star-Tribune Billionaires bank on Wyo wind Wyoming's future role in wind energy became a lot less speculative this week with the announcement that The Anschutz Corp. plans to take over the TransWest Express Transmission Project. Pro Lummis LTE: Candidate shows fiscal responsibility Pro Obama (response to McCain supporter spin) LTE: Campaign hardens stubborn viewpoints Wyoming Public Radio Enzi And Barrasso Will Keep Stevens Donations WASHINGTON D-C... http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1196569 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1196569 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:49:13 CDT If there is anything interesting, controversial or relevant happening that the media is not reporting on, please drop me a note ASAP. Thank you! For July 30, 2008 Casper Star-Tribune Electrical utility seeks rate hike CHEYENNE -- The state's largest electrical utility is asking for permission to boost its rates by about 7 percent, an increase company officials say is needed to cover the cost of Wyoming's growing demand for power. Council chooses new members A former... http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1196242 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1196242 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:06:05 CDT For Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Casper Star-Tribune Two Dems vie to challenge GOP incumbent LARAMIE -- Two candidates who are longtime residents of rural Albany County, and who have been unsuccessful in previous runs for public office, are vying in the Aug. 19 primary election for the Democratic nomination to represent south Laramie and south and west Albany County in the state House. Council considers candidates to fill seats A radio announcer, Presbyterian pastor and a... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1153972 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1153972 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:50:58 CDT Back in the saddle again! And big news while I was gone: Chris Rothfuss, who has a doctorate in chemical engineering, announced his intention to run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Mike Enzi: UW instructor launches Senate campaign against Enzi NOTE: Chris is an "instructor," but not a "professor," at UW. This distinction probably doesn't mean much to most of us, but it's important to those in the academic world. This will all be moot in eight months, when the appropriate term... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1150725 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1150725 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:28:32 CDT Spring calls, and I listen. As such, I'm taking a road trip over the next five days with my lovely wife to see where the birds go for the winter and to see where the defending National League champion Colorado Rockies go for spring training. Sadly, this means that there will be no more news roundups until next Monday. In the meantime, here's what's cookin' for today. Starting with John "100 years war" McCain, whose um, "interesting" election strategy is to continue down the Bush... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1150542 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1150542 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:01:07 CDT The Gillette News-Record leads off the news roundup today with this excellent piece on a wounded Marine's struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder as he tries to return to a "normal" life in Gillette: Slipping through the cracks The Casper Star-Tribune is examining our state's workers' compensation system in a series of stories this week. Here are a few: Do injured workers get enough? What's a leg worth? ‘They turn their backs on us' (a worker's story) Nowhere to turn... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1150541 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1150541 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:00:28 CDT Not too terribly much in the news today. Maybe all the papers are saving their really good stuff for the weekend. Or maybe it's been a slow news week, after all the excitement of LAST week. The U.S. Senate has passed an amendment that would encourage - but NOT require - Congress to preserve states' share of oil and gas royalties: Senate passes amendment to ENCOURAGE preserving Wyo's share of royalties Gov. Dave Freudenthal said construction could start as soon as this summer on a... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1150540 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1150540 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:59:43 CDT After his first tour of duty in Iraq in 2003, local soldier David Julian joined other veterans and servicemen in dedicating a new Fallen Comrade monument in downtown Evanston. Sadly, now his name will be added to the memorial statue: Evanston soldier dies in Iraq The Jackson hole News Guide has this piece on Republican U.S. House hopeful Mark Gordon's first campaign stop in Jackson Hole on Sunday and Monday: Gordon stops in valley to campaign for House The Laramie Boomerang... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1146404 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1146404 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:35:18 CDT As exciting as our county caucuses were last Saturday, unfortunately some people did not get to participate because they were either not registered as Democrats by the Feb. 22 deadline or they arrived at their caucus sites late. We did our best to inform people of these rules, and our friends in the media did an honorable job of helping spread the word. The Casper Star-Tribune chimes in: Voters have a duty to understand rules The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1146403 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1146403 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:32:23 CDT Frankly, it takes a great state like Wyoming to command the attention of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. The Comedy Central news parody program offers this report on our caucuses and an accompanying analysis piece by Samantha Bee, complete with cute Cowboy State graphics and other jokes. Warning: Enjoying these videos will require a healthy sense of self-depreciating humor at times, but it's still a lot of fun: Wyoming 2008 Wyoming analysis Now on to the real news, like this... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1145108 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1145108 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:09:40 CDT The moment we've all been waiting for! And Wyoming Democrats turned out IN FORCE. We had more than 8,700 people participate in our county caucuses on Saturday, for a record 15 percent turnout of registered Democrats. By comparison, in the last presidential race four years ago, 675 people voted across the state for a turnout of just over 1 percent. Oh, and Sen. Obama won the day. Here's the Associated Press story that appeared in most of the nation's papers: Obama defeats Clinton in... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1145106 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1145106 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:07:58 CDT Too much fantastic news today not to spread the word. Hope you don't mind if I stick only to the campaign trail, but really, that's the theme of the day. First off, of course, is that our party's two magnificent candidates for president spent Friday traveling across the state, talking to Wyoming Democrats and asking for their support in today's votes: Obama, Clinton rustle up support in Wyoming (CNN) Clinton seeks Equality State backing for first woman president (Casper Star-Tribune)... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1144873 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1144873 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 09:16:58 CDT Yes, folks, the whole world really is watching. I know this, because today, I fielded calls from Japan's largest daily newspaper, a French national news service, and a gentleman who identifies himself as a "Spanish correspondent," whose native language was certainly not English. Every 24-hour news channel, all major television and radio networks, and several of the nation's most respected newspapers have all been in touch in the past couple of days, along with, of course, the wonderful... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1144151 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1144151 Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:24:10 CST Seriously, I never imagined when I took this job that we would see the day when the two front-runners for the Democratic presidential nomination would hold events in Wyoming on the eve of our county caucuses. Not to mention the fact that one of them will almost certainly be president a year from now. And as an added bonus, the greatest president of the 21st Century (so far) would be touring the state to join in the fun. Breaking today from the Casper Star-Tribune: Hillary Clinton to visit... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1144150 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1144150 Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:22:19 CST Clearly, today is an important day in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, with primaries in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont. CNN.com has this piece: Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont hold contests Tuesday Casper Star-Tribune State Editor Chad Baldwin reports that what happens today in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont could determine how much national attention our county caucuses/conventions on Saturday will command, according to observers: Wyo Dems... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1142231 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1142231 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:54:07 CST Let me be the first to tell you - since none of Wyoming's print media seemed too keen on reporting - that Saturday night's Nellie Tayloe Ross banquet will go down as one of the most successful Wyoming Democratic Party functions in recent history, if not longer, by several measures. Attendance at the dinner topped 200 people. My good friend Jason Marsden (director of Wyoming Conservation Voters) told me he has been going to the state party's dinners since he was a teenager, and... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1141608 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1141608 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:07:00 CST Happy Leap Day! Since this is, after all, a bonus day (there's only supposed to be 365 days in a year, right?), I'll start off with a fairly important story I missed yesterday, because the Casper Star-Tribune placed it on its "city" page. ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL Democrat Keith Goodenough, a Casper City Council member and former state legislator, is seeking his party's nomination to run against Republican U.S. Sen. John Barrasso in the November general election: Goodenough bids... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1141367 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1141367 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:22:43 CST First up today: Another WyoFile.com article on voter registration shows that we're up more than 2,000 voters since Jan. 10. Viva Wyoming's Democratic county caucuses and conventions! Dems, Libs gain voters; GOP drops FROM THE LEGISLATURE … Subdivisions bill survives first House vote (Casper Star-Tribune) Panel backs gun confiscation bill (Casper Star-Tribune) Slimmed-down library endowment bill advances (Casper Star-Tribune) Panel backs stiffer DUI penalties (Casper... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1141366 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1141366 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:21:35 CST FROM THE LEGISLATURE … State senators working on CO2 storage bill (Wyoming Public Radio) Supporters expect heavier opposition to business fraud bill (Casper Star-Tribune) The bill comes up Thursday before the House Corporations Committee. Bill targets gang activity (Casper Star-Tribune) Juvenile justice bill heads to Wyoming House (Wyoming Public Radio) Dogfighting bill clears Senate panel (Casper Star-Tribune) Legislative briefs (Casper Star-Tribune) Issues include... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1141365 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1141365 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:20:40 CST ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL … WyoFile.com has this look at the Clinton campaign's announcement earlier today that it will have grand openings Wednesday at campaign offices in Wyoming's two largest cities: Clinton to open Cheyenne, Casper campaign offices FROM THE LEGISLATURE … Just the mention of new regulations on private property can cause a stir in the Wyoming Legislature: Land reg bill advances A health care reform bill moving through the Legislature was created... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1140734 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1140734 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:11:07 CST ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL Leading off today is this Associated Press report on the Clinton campaign's arrival in Wyoming: Clinton to open two campaign offices in Wyoming (Corrected link!) Wyoming Public Radio, meanwhile, reports on Obama staffers' caucus training in Laramie: Obama campaign explains caucus process to young Dems Beyond that, and because I just can't tear myself away from my journalistic roots, I am pleased to offer my own report on some encouraging voter... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1140446 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1140446 Sat, 23 Feb 2008 01:08:45 CST ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL What a wild, wild, wild, wild week! This morning, I strolled down to the Laramie County Clerk's Office with Brodie Farquhar, managing editor of WyoFile.com, who is researching a story on new voter registrations. Just because (*wink*). Laramie County Clerk Debbye Lathrop counted all of the new Democratic Party registrations FROM THIS MORNING ALONE, and we were approaching 80, and that's just in under three hours. The numbers are astonishing really. About 400 in Albany... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1139876 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1139876 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:39:54 CST ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: The Casper Star-Tribune has this front-page story package on our county caucuses/conventions: ‘Once in a lifetime:' Wyo Dems could make a difference Some superdelegates wait to commit The Wyoming Tribune-Eagle also has a piece on our March 8 statewide spectacular: Hordes of Democrats expected at caucus The Buffalo Bulletin - yes folks, the Buffalo Bulletin is online now! - has a piece on an upcoming event for a presidential campaign and some... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1138953 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1138953 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:31:56 CST I'm terribly sorry about getting this out so late today, but every day keeps getting busier than the last as we approach our county caucuses. And really, it's another feather in my hat every time some random guy calls me up and asks me what he needs to do to change his registration from Republican to Democrat, because he registered as a Republican last year to vote against Barbara Cubin in the primary, but now he wants to vote in the March 8 caucus (true story). If someone had told me when I... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1137880 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1137880 Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:57:49 CST FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: This piece reminds everyone that "robocalls" are prohibited in Wyoming, and it looks at their recent history while mentioning that the Obama campaign also announced some legislative endorsements yesterday: State gets Obama calls complaint This Jackson Hole News Guide reports on a local phenomenon that is actually taking place in many counties across Wyoming - Democratic county parties are securing larger sites for the March 8 county caucuses/conventions,... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1137739 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1137739 Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:53:32 CST The Los Angeles Times leads us off today with a story on superdelegates that features, among others, the Wyoming Democratic Party chairman. The item sent in by alert reader John from Cheyenne: Who are these Democratic superdelegates? The state party has been able to piggy-back on some of the coverage of the presidential race to broadcast our very important Feb. 22 deadline for people to register as Democrats to participate in the March 8 county caucuses. Here is a piece from the... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1135579 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1135579 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:07:58 CST FIRST UP, PRESIDENTIAL SELECTION: The Jackson Hole News Guide examines the role of the Wyoming Democratic Party's national committeeman, who will be a superdelegate to our national convention and thus could single-handedly determine the fate of the free world (and I'm only mostly kidding about that): Rep. Jorgensen part of super group And tip-of-the-hat to Park County Chair Margaret Whited, who forwarded me this recent story from the Powell Tribune on our March 8 caucuses: ... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1135556 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1135556 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:14:10 CST I'd like to kick off today's news roundup with a look at a couple new online media offerings. The first one is called WyoFile, which can be found at www.wyofile.com. A self-described "non-profit, public service journalism enterprise, focused on politics and public policy issues in Wyoming, for Wyoming citizens and news media," WyoFile employs a handful of insightful columnists and offers some different viewpoints than we usually find in the traditional media. For today, I'll just refer you to... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1134980 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1134980 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:21:35 CST Two Wyoming newspapers fully cover the Legislature: the Casper Star-Tribune and the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. Unfortunately, the Tribune-Eagle posts three stories a day on its Website, and they're not always fit for this politics-and-policy news roundup. And worse, today the Casper Star-Tribune's legislative Website has only one new story posted this morning, and the defeat of the proposed community college tax: House rejects tax increases I talked to the Star-Tribune's editor this... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1134555 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1134555 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:56:54 CST Good luck finding the Casper Star-Tribune's legislative Website. I had to use the link I sent you yesterday (also highlighted in the previous sentence), because the legislative page is not otherwise displayed or advertised on the paper's main news pages. Still, the news roundup today will begin with a healthy dose of legislative coverage from the Casper paper and elsewhere; other politics and policy news will follow. First up, a story on bill introductions (the main item of business... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1134187 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1134187 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:02:41 CST Welcome to Day One of the 2008 Wyoming Legislature! Either late today or early tomorrow, I hope to post a blog entry on the state party Website with a more in-depth look at the Legislature. I'll let you know when that's up. For now, first up is this Associated Press article on Gov. Freudenthal's State of the State Address to legislators this morning: Freudenthal emphasizes strength of state's position The Casper Star-Tribune has created a Web page devoted to legislative coverage. For... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1133323 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1133323 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:16:50 CST First up, for those of you who haven't seen it, here is a press release I sent out this morning on our county caucuses: Democrats release info on March 8 county caucuses Here's a look at the usefulness Wyoming's Republicans got out of their caucus, in which no one voted for McCain, their apparent eventual nominee, and the people they did vote for - Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson and Duncan Hunter - are all now out of the race: Wyo GOP's favorite, Romney, bows out By the way, the... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1132995 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1132995 Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:31:42 CST Props to Democrats in Sheridan, Albany, Laramie and Teton counties for holding public events on Super Tuesday, and to anyone else who watched the returns that night with fellow Democrats. The Sheridan Press did a nice front-page write-up of the event in my hometown, sent in by alert county party Secretary Liz Howell, which I will use to lead off the news roundup: Sheridan County Dems hold Super Tuesday event These kinds of events help us stay energized. Front-page write-ups in the... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1132679 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1132679 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:15:13 CST How about those elections yesterday! Most observers believe that neither Clinton nor Obama gained an upper hand. If this race stays close, or gets even closer over the rest of the month as one analyst says it will, the Wyoming Democratic caucuses on March 8 could attract more national attention than we could have realistically imagined just a couple months ago. Stay tuned. Now on to other news. A federal plan to keep a bigger share of federal mineral royalties is designed to recoup costs... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1131204 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1131204 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:23:46 CST Honestly, I'm giddy today to see what happens with all the primaries nationwide. I'll start today with the following excellent analysis piece for those of you who (like me) really enjoy tracking the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. I can justify this by noting that there is a reference to our state, which, while technically "tiny," more importantly, may "actually matter" in this exciting election year: Is Obama's mo' enough? Wouldn't it be ironic if Wyoming Democrats... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1131203 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1131203 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:22:19 CST Campbell County Democratic State Committeeman Nick Carter, a Gillette attorney, talks to the Casper Star-Tribune about his exploration of running a U.S. Senate campaign for the seat now held by John Barrasso. Meanwhile, former Wyoming House Speaker Randall Luthi ducks out of the U.S. House race: Democrat ponders Senate race Gary Trauner has more than $350,000 on hand to run for Wyoming's open U.S. House seat, while most of the Republicans in the race have just begun to ramp up their... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1130108 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1130108 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:25:24 CST We're leading off with a national political story today, but only because it mentions Wyoming in the very best sentence of the article, which I'll repeat here in case you're too busy to read the whole thing: "As if it could get any worse (for the Republican Party), a recent poll showed Democrat Gary Trauner, a second-time candidate, leading a Republican who had been elected to statewide office by one point in normally ruby-red Wyoming." More here: House Republicans face late exodus ... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1130103 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1130103 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:51:19 CST The Hill newspaper in Washington, D.C., reports that Sen. Mike Enzi's low fundraising numbers and the Senate GOP leadership's repeated snubs of his bid for a coveted seat on the powerful Finance Committee have fueled speculation that the senator may leave Congress, although some Republicans say he is raising just enough money to run a race: Enzi keeps GOP guessing about November Another day, another Republican running for U.S. House. This one's name is Mark Gordon: Buffalo rancher... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1129489 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1129489 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:11:27 CST Our "representative" in the U.S. House made a rare appearance at work yesterday to cast a vote, this one against the bipartisan plan to rescue the nation's economy. Why? Because it helps poor people too much. Gosh, we're lucky to have her for the whole rest of the year. (It's the third story in this string of briefs): Cubin votes against stimulus package Here's a look at the legislative proposal to make it a felony to harbor or transport illegal immigrants, with reports from a couple... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1129488 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1129488 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:10:13 CST Gov. Freudenthal leads us off today with his op/ed piece on property tax relief for seniors. He takes issue with the Joint Revenue Committee's refusal to consider helping out elderly people whose property taxes have in some cases doubled this decade, while the panel also refused to subject helium to the same taxes as other minerals. "The net effect of those two decisions: Exxon avoids an estimated $3 million a year in taxes, and folks over 65 receive no meaningful property tax relief as a... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1129324 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1129324 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:11:34 CST The weekend's big news, of course, was a new Casper Star-Tribune poll which says that, in a head-to-head matchup, Gary Trauner would get 41 percent of the vote, while GOP front-runner Cynthia Lummis gets 40 percent. This is big news, because there has been a false perception out there that a generic Republican would fare better against Trauner than the unpopular Barbara Cubin did. Now we know that Trauner does better against the current Republican front-runner! Or at least statistically tied.... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1128636 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1128636 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:36:46 CST Don't miss Sunday's Casper Star-Tribune. That's all I'll say. As for today's news … Our senior U.S. senator gets passed over for a coveted finance committee seat by a guy who has NO CHANCE of winning reelection. As his spokesman put it, "Sen. Enzi is angry": Enzi doesn't get finance seat More on the new proposed federal wolf management rule: Feds loosen wolf rules Groups object to wolf rule Who says they never get anything done in Washington? After 136 years, it looks... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1128514 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1128514 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:54:17 CST Breaking this morning from the Associated Press, details about the new proposed federal wolf management rule: States offered more latitude to kill wolves The Green River Star tells us how Rock Springs and Green River work to cope with massive growth: Cities deal with growing pains The Jackson paper reports that the real estate business is thriving in Teton County: Real estate tops $1.5 billion Converse County is moving from a three-member county commission to a... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1128513 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1128513 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:53:27 CST Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day (or "Equality Day" in Wyoming), and here's an AP piece on the annual march in Cheyenne: ‘A dream deferred' Gov. Dave Freudenthal has recommended to the JAC that Wyoming spend the first round of money it stands to receive from the federal Abandoned Mine Lands program on research into clean coal technology and to build a road to a planned coal plant in Carbon County: Gov presents AML proposal In case there was still anyone out there who... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1127401 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1127401 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:28:05 CST Just a heads up - I will be on vacation tomorrow through Monday, so I don't anticipate writing any news reports during that time. I put in a requisition for an assistant about two-and-a-half years ago (the day I started this job), so I'm hopeful that any minute now, we can ramp this up to a full-time, round-the-clock service. Meanwhile … Unexpected news from the Associated Press: Rep. Barbara Cubin has returned to work after just about only four months off. In that time, she has taken in... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1127253 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1127253 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:04:55 CST Wyoming's average daily spot price of $7.13 per thousand cubic feet at the Cheyenne Hub on Monday was just $1 behind the Henry Hub in Louisiana, which the industry uses as a market barometer. A dramatic comparison could be made by listing low points of the daily spot price of below $1 per thousand cubic feet for Wyoming gas -- even as low as 10 cents -- recorded on some days in 2007, which represented a deficit of $5 and more behind the national average at the time: Natural gas prices... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1127147 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1127147 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 11:36:37 CST Twenty stories from today and the weekend! Although at least half are from the Casper paper. Beginning with … Gov. Freudenthal hosted the "Building the Wyoming We Want conference, but he wants the participants to take the lead in planning for the state's future: Governor seeks bottom-up growth debate Wyoming Public radio has these two reports on the conference: Zoning gets attention at governor's conference on growth State geologist warns of greater energy demand And... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1126930 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1126930 Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:20:41 CST Nearly 500 decision-makers, stakeholders and other interested people gathered in Casper yesterday for Gov. Freudenthal's "Building the Wyoming We Want" conference, intended to examine the challenges and opportunities Wyoming faces in this current era of relatively fast growth. The conference concluded this morning at Casper College. The Casper Star-Tribune offered these reports: Wyoming charts growth Development conference addresses resource issues The Wyoming Tribune-Eagle has... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1126718 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1126718 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:18:33 CST Lotsa news today! To begin, Gov. Freudenthal wants to generate ideas to answer this question: "How do we continue to enjoy a thriving economy and still keep in mind the kind of Wyoming we want our children and grandchildren to enjoy?" To suggest some answers, the governor's office is sponsoring the "Building the Wyoming We Want" conference today and Friday at Casper College's Gertrude Krampert Theatre. Topics will include roads, subdivisions, development patterns, open spaces and wildlife,... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1126257 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1126257 Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:53:55 CST First up is this exciting news from Rep. George Bagby, D-Rawlins, who reports that James Elliott Jr., a Democrat from Saratoga, has been selected as the newest Carbon County commissioner. Congratulations to Commissioner Elliott, and thanks to Rep. Bagby! Next, we have this piece from the Jackson Hole News Guide, which demonstrated to all the people of Teton County just how out of touch their local Republican leaders are (I've included the entire piece below, because it's just two... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1126091 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1126091 Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:19:41 CST Honestly, I don't know all the ins and outs of the GOP caucuses, but some people are clearly displeased with the way it went down: Some question Romney ‘victory' Power to the people - that is, only in situations that can be described as "The people vs. {defendant's name here}": Bill: Give prosecutors more power The Wyoming Water Development Commission plans to take public comments Wednesday in Casper on possible sites for a dam on the Upper Green River: Upper Green Dam... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1126090 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1126090 Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:18:37 CST The state GOP's presidential caucuses took place on Saturday, and the main issue seems to be whether the Republicans' controversial decision to break their own national party's rules and sacrifice half their delegates to their national convention was worth it. By and large, most media outlets answered that question with a resounding "no." The Casper Star-Tribune notes that our state got virtually no national attention for its early caucus, and no candidates bothered to come here and woo the... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1125594 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1125594 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:57:23 CST Something is wrong with the Casper Star-Tribune's Website today, and I can't link to the THREE stories they have on Wyoming politics, INCLUDING a nice story on the impressive Wyoming Democratic Party organization and our upcoming house parties. So I scanned the story on the Democrats. Check it out: Democrats plan house parties, organize brilliantly The Laramie Daily Boomerang reports that state-shared revenue, loss of revenue from the food tax exemption and a potential seventh-cent... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1125369 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1125369 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:28:44 CST Sorry so late today! It's been nuts. Phone ringin' off the hook, and a surprising amount of good news today. A presidential candidate here (OK, it was his ballot access person), a newspaper reporter there, a new inspiring candidate from way up there, etc. Anyway, let's start off the news roundup with the newest declared U.S. House candidate, the lady famous for telling other Republican Party insiders that Gov. Freudenthal is no gentleman: Lummis makes it official The Wyoming... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1125103 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1125103 Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:55:24 CST Happy New Year! This year, the Casper Star-Tribune greeted us with a couple stories on the upcoming U.S. Senate elections. This story notes that no one from either party has yet thrown a hat into the ring to challenge John Barrasso or Mike Enzi: Where are the races? This companion piece examines the history of Wyomingites who have been appointed to the U.S. Senate, as Barrasso was last June: Only one Senate appointee won election The Laramie Boomerang reports on an upcoming... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1125062 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1125062 Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:32:11 CST First up is this important story from the Casper Star-Tribune, which reports that the new Democratic Congress has been quite productive. The Democratic-controlled 110th Congress was more active than its predecessor looking at the amount of time in session, committee meetings, oversight of the executive branch, votes and measures passed. "In terms of new laws enacted, it compares favorably with the 104th Republican Congress which took office following the 1994 elections," said congressional... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124639 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124639 Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:46:47 CST Top story today (or tonight, as the case may be) comes from the Riverton Ranger, whose interview with Fremont County Chair Linda Barton provided the meat for this story (and might I add that Linda did a wonderful job with the interview!): State Democrats prepare for 2008 presidential caucuses The Casper Star-Tribune has a follow-up story on Wyoming's 2007 population boom (we grew by 2 percent, or about 10,000 people): Will Wyo keep growing? Meanwhile, CNN.com looks at the... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124499 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124499 Thu, 27 Dec 2007 12:42:17 CST Let's hear it for the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, for Cheyenne's daily paper is featuring an Associated Press story on the presidential race today. The Iowa caucuses take place Jan. 3, and less than five weeks after that is Super Duper Tuesday, Feb. 5, when more than half the delegates will be selected: It's getting confusing The ninth-largest state in the country (in area) was the ninth-fastest-growing state in the country in 2007 (this info came from my hardcopy of the Casper paper,... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124495 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124495 Thu, 27 Dec 2007 11:57:38 CST Today we'll begin with Gary Trauner's campaign for U.S. House, and two notable blog entries on the topic. I want to call your attention to this first one, because the blog, hummingbirdminds, is written by Wyoming's own Michael Shay, an activist from Laramie County. Here's his take on the latest Trauner news: Act blue! Contribute to Trauner! I told you a few days back that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recently named Wyoming's U.S. House race as one of the most... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124209 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124209 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 11:49:22 CST Not much at all today. To start, the Sierra Club and the Powder River Basin Resource Council want a court review of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality's handling of an air quality permit for the proposed Two Elk coal-fired power plant in southern Campbell County. The groups have asked a district court judge to review of an administrative decision by the Environmental Quality Council, which governs the DEQ. They claim the agency reversed its own determination that the air quality... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124121 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124121 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:27:26 CST Some good stuff today! Roll Call, the newspaper that covers Congress, reports that Gary Trauner's race for Wyoming's U.S. House seat is on the short list for those across the country that Democrats plan to win in November: DCCC targets 40 GOP seats Gov. Freudenthal just released this opinion piece on the upcoming "Building the Wyoming We Want" conference, scheduled for Jan. 10 and 11 at Casper College: Building the Wyoming we want The Cody Enterprise has more evidence that the... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124070 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124070 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 18:39:37 CST Not too much today. First up is a new story today in the Casper Star-Tribune on Chairman Millin's recent letter to the Denver Post: Dem leader ruffles feathers Sens. Enzi and Barrasso sound off on the energy bill: Senators don't like energy bill Mattoon, Ill., has been picked as the location for the FutureGen power plant that will burn coal without emitting greenhouse gases. This is the site Wyoming favored after a site in our own state was knocked off the list: Wyo's... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124069 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1124069 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 18:38:41 CST Casper-area lawmakers sound off on the possibility of a statewide smoking ban: Split opinion on statewide move As the Casper Star-Tribune points out, if state spending has increased too sharply for some people's tastes, they have only the Republican Party - which has controlled the Legislature for decades - to thank: Hey big spenders, stay away from Legislature Wyoming Public Radio reports that Rep. Colin Simpson, R-Cody, wants the state to have a database of everyone's... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1123899 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1123899 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:13:49 CST Here you can see that the Wyoming Republican Party's strategy to break its national party's rules and hold an early primary has reaped rewards - stacks of glossy messages from Ron Paul: GOP activists get more attention The Gillette News-Record has this report on Campbell County Republican caucuses, held Saturday: County GOP readies ideas for change Has anyone else noticed that the Casper Star-Tribune waited until Barbara Cubin announced her retirement before the paper dared to... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1123801 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1123801 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 10:37:24 CST A letter from Chairman Millin has generated a story in today's Denver Post which will hit the Wyoming media today. The story can be found here (please give it a look): Wyo Dem chief: Clinton would hurt party And a slightly different version, with excerpts of an interview with John, can be found here: Wyoming Democratic Party chairman says Clinton effect in the West "a dirty little secret" Please note that the opinions expressed by Chairman Millin in the Denver Post article... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1123630 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1123630 Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:53:05 CST Here is a look at some of the major Wyoming politics and government news from the state's media and other sources today: First up, Gov. Freudenthal announces that he will be joining us for the Democratic National Convention in Denver next August, according to the Associated Press. We at the state party remain very excited that the convention will be in Denver, and we're delighted that the governor will be there: Gov relents on Dem convention This next one is a delight: apparently,... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1113268 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1113268 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:04:10 CDT As promised, I have several links at the bottom of this post to different stories on Gary Trauner's entry into the 2008 U.S. House race. Suffice it to say people are excited. But first, here's an encouraging story on Gary's fundraising report for third quarter 2007, which gives him a nearly 20-to-1 cash-on-hand advantage over the incumbent ($165,411 for Gary, compared to Cubin's $8,651, according to the FEC). Here are some links to stories across Wyoming and the nation on Gary's announcement... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1112021 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1112021 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 17:22:04 CDT It's official: Gary Trauner is the first Democrat to announce his candidacy for U.S. House. Here's a same-day story on his announcement - an announcement, by the way, which has attracted nationwide attention. Among the national media that have contacted state party headquarters today are Congressional Quarterly (here's the story) and Roll Call. Meanwhile, at Gary and Sue Berchenbriter's house in Casper today, all the major Casper-area news outlets were on hand, and several others from across... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1111945 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1111945 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 11:47:58 CDT Today, Gary Trauner plans to make an exciting announcement about the 2008 elections. Stay tuned for an update this afternoon after Gary tells us his plans for the coming year. I have a feeling that this time, things are going to work out like we hope. luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1103958 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1103958 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 12:17:15 CDT Two must-read pieces this week in the Casper Star-Tribune almost perfectly capture the essence of why we need to get rid of Barbara Cubin. The first piece, an editorial called "Cubin should help override Bush veto," reveals a picture of a representative who votes with the extremist fringe of her party, while the good people of Wyoming suffer. The SCHIP program would provide health insurance for more low-income children across the state. When faced with a choice of what is best for Wyoming,... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1096845 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1096845 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:14:08 CDT For pretty much this entire decade, state leaders have enjoyed revenues that significantly surpassed expectations. But Gov. Freudenthal says that won't be the case this year. Quoth the governor: "I don't believe that anyone should be expecting the kind of revenue in excess of projections, or what people call a surplus, this year," he said. "It's going to be a good, solid budget. But the kind of revenues over projections that we've become accustomed to, it's not going to be there." The story... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1049447 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1049447 Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:13:13 CDT I traveled up to Sheridan last weekend to join area Democrats to celebrate the 150th of former Wyoming Gov. and U.S. Sen. John Kendrick. Despite the rain and wind, about 50 Democrats from Sheridan County and neighboring counties made it to the event, which is no small feat for a mid-August event during a non-election year. The dynamic duo of state party Chairman John Millin and freshman Rep. Lori Millin made the trip up from Cheyenne and inspired the crowd with their insights into... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1046329 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1046329 Wed, 01 Aug 2007 18:02:35 CDT I just got the word that Laramie County Democratic Party Chairman Mike Bell and his wife Amy are the proud parents of a newborn baby boy! Details forthcoming, but meanwhile, congratulations to Mike and Amy on the birth of their son. *UPDATE* Wyoming welcomes Jonathan Thayer Bell, who entered the world on Aug. 1 weighing in at 8-plus pounds and measuring 21 inches. Quipped the new father: "We're building the Democratic Party one baby at a time!" luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1046328 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1046328 Wed, 01 Aug 2007 18:00:27 CDT I'm a bit late with this post, but in case you missed it, I put together this op/ed column for the Casper Star-Tribune on Saturday, July 21, in response to the paper's disturbingly misinformed editorial that had run Wednesday, July 18. The column I wrote represents the valuable input of a few party officials and staffers, and considering that it was half written by committee, I think it provides an excellent counter-point to the fish-wrap journalism from earlier in the week. It is a snapshot... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1043873 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1043873 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:03:07 CDT Our chairman's and executive director's efforts to reach into every corner of the state have garnered notice in the state's largest newspaper. Click here for the Casper Star-Tribune's profile on the Wyoming Democratic Party, where we're at and where we're headed. The story by Jared Miller takes a look at Chairman John Millin's 23-county plan, describes some of the party's fund-raising successes, and explores the possibility of a Democratic majority in Wyoming down the road. That story, which... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1042541 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1042541 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:17:32 CDT Congratulations to Mary Hales, Wyoming's newest state representative! The Natrona County Commission has appointed Mary to fill the vacancy in state House District 36 left by the resignation last month of Liz Gentile of Evansville. Mary has served the Wyoming Democratic Party as state party secretary for a number of years, and she is a long-time local real estate agent. Now, the people of Evansville and parts of east Casper will be able to enjoy the benefits of Mary's service as we in the... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1042435 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1042435 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 10:49:19 CDT The Natrona County commissioners plan to meet today at 1 p.m. to interview the three finalists to fill the House District 36 vacancy left by the recent resignation of Liz Gentile of Evansville. The meeting, which will be in room 115 in the Natrona County Courthouse, will be open to the public. By the end of the day, we should know who are new representative is going to be (or, at the very least, we should know WHEN we will know). We'll keep you up-to-date as information becomes available. luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1041503 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1041503 Tue, 03 Jul 2007 10:57:18 CDT Monday night, the Democratic precinct committee men and women selected Gretchen Wheeler, Penny Miller and Mary Hales as our three finalists to fill the state House District 36 vacancy left by the recent resignation of Rep. Liz Gentile of Evansville. Now, those three names have been submitted to the Natrona County Commission, and the commissioners have five days to appoint one of them to fill the legislative seat. Apparently, they're planning to meet at 1 p.m. Monday, July 9, for the purpose... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1040959 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1040959 Fri, 29 Jun 2007 12:19:08 CDT We are pleased to announce that our party has seven quality candidates who have applied to fill the House District 36 vacancy left by the resignation of Rep. Liz Gentile of Evansville. Thursday night, the candidates introduced themselves at the Natrona County Democrats' meeting and answered a few questions, and all seven pledged to seek election in 2008 if appointed. Our candidates are: Bill Sisco, a Casper businessman Dan Coey, a bricklayer and conservation activist Gretchen Wheeler, a... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1040316 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1040316 Mon, 25 Jun 2007 17:45:26 CDT The Wyoming Democratic Party is seeking applicants to replace state Rep. Liz Gentile of Evansville in the Legislature. Gentile resigned to pursue carer opportunities. The party is accepting expressions of interest through 5 p.m. Thursday from people interested in filling out the remaining year-and-a-half in Gentile's term, representing House District 36, which includes Evansville and parts of East Casper. Interestingly, as Republican John Barrasso resigned his state Senate seat for his new... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1040313 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1040313 Mon, 25 Jun 2007 17:40:33 CDT Gov. Freudenthal on Friday chose state Sen. John Barrasso of Casper to represent Wyoming in the U.S. Senate, to fill the vacancy left by Craig Thomas' death earlier this month. Monday, Barrasso was sworn in to his new job. State law required Freudenthal to choose one of the three names submitted by the Republican Party, as that was the party to which Thomas belonged. This story looks at Barrasso's background and possible committee assignments. luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1038432 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1038432 Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:45:24 CDT Although the procedure to replace the late Craig Thomas in the U.S. Senate is restricted almost entirely to the other party, there is understandably considerable interest across the political spectrum in who that person will be, so I thought I'd note it here in our blog. There are 31 applicants for the position, a field that will be whittled down to three when the Republican state central committee meets at the Ramkota Inn in Casper at 8 a.m. Tuesday, June 19. That meeting will be open to the... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1038423 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1038423 Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:23:39 CDT Reflections on a couple of road trips: First, the Converse County Democrats held a fundraiser on June 2, in conjunction with Jackalope Days in Douglas. The fundraising idea was a chilling (literally) concept affectionately called Dunk-A-Democrat. Among the dunkees were recent (and hopefully future) U.S. House candidate Gary Trauner, state Rep. Lori Millin, local activists Sissy Goodwin and Jay Wright, and yours truly. While I was hoping for a 90-degree day, the temperature barely cracked 70,... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1038418 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1038418 Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:08:32 CDT Just a quick announcement about some new faces at party central. The state party Executive Committee has hired a new executive director and new field director, both of whom started working for the state party on June 1. Executive Director Brandon Owens brings extensive experience in rural politics to the position, having served as the campaign coordinator for the Alabama Democratic Party during the 2006 election cycle. He has over 10 years working for Democratic candidates and causes in the... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1030348 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1030348 Thu, 10 May 2007 18:03:29 CDT National political analysts are keeping Wyoming's lone U.S. House seat on their radar. Congressional Quarterly just published this story predicting a possible rematch between 2006 Democratic nominee Gary Trauner and incumbent Republican Barbara Cubin. The story generated some excitement in the form of this post on the popular political blog DailyKos, which took note of some of Gary's recent public activities. Such activities include these regular contributions to the New West Network, which... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1018333 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1018333 Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:56:50 CDT A White House PowerPoint presentation from January lists Barbara Cubin as one of the 20 most vulnerable Republican incumbents in Congress. When Karl Rove says that the Wyoming Republican is in trouble, you know that Cubin has to be getting worried. This week, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has been holding a series of hearings to investigate allegations of misconduct at the the Government Services Agency. The scandal involves GSA chief Lurita Doan and... kyle@wyomingdemocrats.com (Kyle DeBeer) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1017500 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1017500 Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:22:26 CDT As you probably already know, county parties across the state meet during the month of March in odd-numbered years to elect their officers who will serve for the next two years. These get-togethers also give me an opportunity to drive around Wyoming meeting activists and finding ways for the state party to help build and strengthen our party's local presence. I thought that I would take a few minutes to tell you about some of the people that I've met and the exciting things... kyle@wyomingdemocrats.com (Kyle DeBeer) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1015608 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1015608 Mon, 19 Mar 2007 16:13:52 CDT Here is a look at some of the major pieces of legislation lawmakers passed this year: Sales tax on groceries (House Bill 93) - Legislators built on last year's success, when they took this tax off the books for the first time ever. Last year's action only lifted the tax for two years, and this year, they voted to make it permanent. This is real tax relief for all the people of our state, and it helps our poorest citizens the most. However, legislators did not provide reimbursements for... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1010240 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1010240 Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:32:22 CST The quality child care legislation, House Bills 95 and 96, are heading to Gov. Freudenthal's desk after the House on Tuesday concurred with Senate amendments to the legislation. The bills cleared third reading in the Senate on Monday. This story describes some of the details of the legislation. The main thing is that our state government is finally going to take some concrete steps to address one of the most pressing needs facing thousands of Wyoming families, the affordability and... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1009829 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1009829 Mon, 26 Feb 2007 12:55:48 CST As we head into the Legislature's final week, those pesky wolves have once again taken center stage. This story takes a look at House Bill 213, which is scheduled for its initial debate and vote on the floor of the Senate today. The bill has already cleared the House and the Senate Travel, Rec, Wildlife Committee. Meanwhile, the quality child care bills, House Bills 95 and 96, are up for third reading in the Senate today. On Friday, both chambers OK'd the compromise version of the budget... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1009146 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1009146 Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:59:03 CST Moments ago, the Senate passed House Bill 93, the bill to permanently eliminate the sales tax on food, on third and final reading. However, after passing an amendment Thursday to reimburse cities, towns and counties for their lost sales tax revenue, senators on Friday deleted the amendment. Many want to spend the next year coming up with the "right" formula to properly reimburse local governments. Some, obviously a minority, wanted to get at least something in the law this year to assure... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1008656 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1008656 Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:03:03 CST Many of the high-profile pieces of legislation are still working their way through the legislative process at the Legislature heads into its last week of the 2007 general session. Here is a look at some of those bills and where they stand now (Note: every bill still alive at this point in the session has cleared third reading in one legislative chambers and is currently moving through the second chamber): House Bills 95 and 96, quality child care: The meat of the legislation, HB 95, is up... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1008180 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1008180 Tue, 20 Feb 2007 11:36:40 CST The Legislature has returned after a three-day President's Day weekend for the final two weeks of the 2007 general session. Among the hot topics this week will be wolves and same-sex marriages, according to this Casper Star-Tribune story. For more on the wolf issue, click here. Also this week, the House speaker and Senate president will each appoint five members of the joint conference committee on the supplemental budget bill. They will try to reach a compromise between the two versions of... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1007319 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1007319 Fri, 16 Feb 2007 12:14:56 CST President Bush's budget would severely and negatively impact the quality of life of rural Wyoming residents, according to a new report issued by the Democratic Policy Committee. Since 2001, the committee has issued reports on the failure of the president's policy to address the issues important to rural Americans. The report confirms that the president's cuts in funding for law enforcement, health care, education, and economic development will have a harmful impact on working families,... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1007011 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1007011 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 11:06:01 CST The budget bill has made it through second reading in both chambers this week, with third reading tentatively scheduled for tomorrow (Friday). Read here for news on some of this week's budget action. There's some good news in there for highway funding and the Wildlife Trust Fund. As a reminder, all of this week's budget amendments will set the stage for the work of the budget conference committee, which will reconcile differences in the versions of the bill that pass the House and Senate. ... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1006197 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1006197 Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:39:55 CST The Rocky Mountain Democrats at the University of Wyoming have been actively engaging the campus community and building an energetic organization. Earlier this month, three members of the group were in Washington, DC for the College Democrats/Young Democrats Leadership Summit. While they were there, incoming UW College Dems President Samy Tolsted and Vice President Martha Tate went to a rally for Sen. Barack Obama at George Mason University. You can read more about the rally... kyle@wyomingdemocrats.com (Kyle DeBeer) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1006085 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1006085 Mon, 12 Feb 2007 14:36:27 CST You wouldn't know it, but our legislature technically meets once every two years to craft the state's biennial budget. This is not one of those years. Yet, for most of the past decade, state government has enjoyed substantial surplus revenues, and figuring out what to do with those revenues has become pretty much an annual, rather than biannual, tradition. The budget "mirror bill" - so-called because identical bills will be introduced on the House and Senate floors - hits the chambers today... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1004755 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1004755 Wed, 07 Feb 2007 12:42:33 CST First, a correction from yesterday's blog. Lawmakers are scheduled to begin their work on the supplemental budget bill next week, not this week. I was misinformed. This is a good exemple of the constant state of flux that governs the legislative session. What ever the plan may have been five days ago is not necessarily the plan today, and things may be entirely different again tomorrow. But as of right now, the tentative plan is for the budget bill to hit the House and Senate floors on... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1003433 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1003433 Tue, 06 Feb 2007 10:23:52 CST The major legislative news this week will be the supplemental budget bill. Last year, lawmakers crafted the state's budget for fiscal years 2007 and 2008. This year, they will work on a supplement to that spending measure. Some of the main topics of discussion will be money for infrastructure, especially state highways, and funding for local governments. Meanwhile, a few bill updates are in order. The quality child care bill, House Bill 95, made it through the House on third reading Friday,... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1002045 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1002045 Thu, 01 Feb 2007 16:27:25 CST House Bill 95, the quality child care bill, cleared a significant hurdle Wednesday afternoon when the bill made it through its first vote before the full House. Unless the bill's progress gets delayed for some unusual reason, we should know by the end of the week whether the bill will clear all three readings in the House and move over to the Senate. The bill has been tweaked somewhat since it was first introduced, mainly to satisfy some legislators who are concerned that the quality child... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1001385 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1001385 Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:47:23 CST Slithering their way through the legislative process this week are two bills we can all do without. House Bill 144, misleadingly labeled "women's right to know," would require Wyoming doctors who perform abortions to tell their patients about alternatives and inform them of potential risks and side effects before performing the procedure. I don't know very many people who think politicians should make it their business to decide what kinds of conversations they are going to have with their... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1001007 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1001007 Mon, 29 Jan 2007 17:00:38 CST The federal government, in its infinite wisdom, has concluded that wolf populations are rebounding successfully enough that the feds announced they would remove wolves from the endangered species list in the Great Lakes region (Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin) in about a month and possibly take the same action for the wolves in the Rocky Mountain region (Wyoming, Montana and Idaho) in about a year. Story here. Gov. Freudenthal welcomed the news, although he pointed out that the real issue... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1000401 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/1000401 Fri, 26 Jan 2007 11:13:37 CST House Bill 93, the bill to make the sales tax exemption on food permanent, cleared third reading in the House on Thursday and now heads for the Senate. For most Democrats, they had to hold their noses a little bit when they voted for the bill, because while everyone favors removing the sales tax on food for good, most of them want to include a provision to reimburse local governments for the lost sales tax revenue. Right now, the bill does not have any way to provide this "backfill" to... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/999557 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/999557 Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:52:58 CST Today, updates on two major bills. First, House Bill 93, the bill to make the sales tax exemption on food permanent, sailed through the House in Committee of the Whole on Tuesday. There were no amendments offered, and observers report that the discussion on the bill was very short. Second reading is currently scheduled for Wednesday, and if all goes well, it should be up for third and final reading in the House on Thursday, and if it passes, it will head over to the Senate. A more... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/999278 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/999278 Mon, 22 Jan 2007 17:31:18 CST So, the food sales tax exemption bill will head to the House floor again, this time without any mechanism for reimbursing local governments for the sales tax revenues they will lose. Last year, when the Legislature first passed the exemption, but only for two years, they allocated $46.6 million for state payments to local governments to keep them "whole." It seems like lawmakers could just keep the system they have in place now for reimbursing local governments, if nothing else. Plus, no... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/997890 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/997890 Wed, 17 Jan 2007 15:43:58 CST The House Revenue Committee made such a complicated mess out of the food sales tax exemption bill that the full House on Tuesday voted to send the bill back to committee for more work. House members' frustrated reactions to the measure, House Bill 93, prompted House Revenue Committee Chairman Rodney "Pete" Anderson, to apologize for bringing it to the floor is the shape it was in. He said the committee will probably rework on the bill on Friday. More here. It is extraordinarily rare for a... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/997442 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/997442 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:21:05 CST It looks like the state House is going to take on the food sales tax exemption this week. House Speaker Roy Cohee, R-Casper, said he expects House Bill 93 to come up on the House floor either today or Tuesday. That bill is sponsored by Rep. Rodney "Pete" Anderson, R-Pine Bluffs, who last year was one of the staunchest opponents of exempting food from the sales tax. Anderson's bill would make the food sales tax exemption permanent. Under current law, the exemption will expire on June 30, 2008.... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/996712 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/996712 Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:43:07 CST Just a quick note on Wednesday's State of the State address: Republican legislative leaders conspicuously did NOT hold a "Republican response" press conference after Gov. Freudenthal's speech. That was a fairly visible example of events that are contributing to a general feeling of bipartisanship in Cheyenne as the 59th Wyoming Legislature goes to work. Several reporters noted that this is the first time since Freudenthal has been governor that the Republicans have not offered a coordinated... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/995011 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/995011 Wed, 10 Jan 2007 18:51:01 CST In his State of the State address today, Gov. Freudenthal urged legislators to invest in Wyoming's future as they pore over the dozens and dozens of issues they will face over the next eight weeks. Among the several initiatives the governor specifically identified, he asked lawmakers to make the food sales tax exemption permanent, to make sure "fair market value" is a key component of any eminent domain bill they pass, to ban all open containers of alcohol in cars on state highways, to... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/975851 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/975851 Thu, 09 Nov 2006 14:50:16 CST At a press conference Thursday afternoon, Gary Trauner announced that he will let Wyoming's election certification process run its course before he concedes the election or claims victory. Gary said provisional ballots are still being counted in some counties, though he's not sure exactly which ones. As of Wednesday, Gary trailed Barbara Cubin by 970 votes out of more than 190,000 cast statewide in the U.S. House race, or one-half of one percent. If the provisional ballot count or any other... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/975736 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/975736 Thu, 09 Nov 2006 04:29:31 CST By all accounts, this was a good election for Democrats. Our party has taken control of both houses of Congress; Gov Dave Freudenthal won re-election by one of the largest margins in the nation; and we won a net total of three seats in the Wyoming House of Representatives. It remains to be seen what will happen with the U.S. House race in Wyoming. But we have cause for celebration, and we must keep in mind that at the end of the day, it's not what's best for any particular party. It's what's... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/974999 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/974999 Tue, 07 Nov 2006 11:53:37 CST Vote today! Bring three people with you. Then call everyone you know and make sure they have voted. Keep alert for anything fishy at the polls or on your phone - and let us know if something seems amiss (800-SAY-DEMS). Today is the day when we can take control of our future and enact the kinds of changes we need in Wyoming (in the case of our congressional representation) or keep our state on the right track (by re-electing Gov. Dave Freudenthal and sending more Democrats to Cheyenne for him... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/974098 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/974098 Sun, 05 Nov 2006 12:34:57 CST The state's largest paper has endorsed both Gov. Dave Freudenthal AND future U.S. Congressman Gary Trauner on its editorial page today. If you recall, the Casper Star-Tribune inexplicably endorsed Cubin in 2004, so their endorsement of Trauner is especially good news. Troubling note: I'm in Wamsutter today, and one of the convenience stores reported that they didn't get their Casper Star-Tribune deliveries today. I was unable to contact anyone at the paper to find out how extensive this... luckett@wyomingdemocrats.com (Bill Luckett) http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/973481 http://www.orchidforchange.com/wy/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/973481 Fri, 03 Nov 2006 11:22:15 CST As we head into the last weekend before Election Day, national political observers keep finding good news for Gary Trauner. First, the nation's premier politics Web