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Wyoming GOP shows it's at odds with leaders

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Tuesday, June 3, 2008 2:08 AM MDT

Star-Tribune Editorial Board

The platform approved at the Wyoming Republican Party convention shows the GOP is out of touch with its own state and national leaders on two key environmental issues.

Wyoming Republicans approved a plank that opposes classifying any stream in the state as a "wild and scenic river" -- a federal designation that can lead to additional protection.

This stance ignores the fact that the late Republican Sen. Craig Thomas championed a bill to declare 387 miles of the Snake River system as wild and scenic. The bill, introduced by Thomas' successor, Sen. John Barrasso, and supported by GOP Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming, is even named the Craig Thomas Snake Headwaters Legacy Act of 2008.

We realize the federal government isn't popular in Wyoming, but how can the state party advocate against the wishes of one of its icons? Thomas worked hard for this legislation, which would protect the water quality and the free-flowing nature of the Snake River, while allowing activities such as fishing, hunting, camping, boating, ATV use and livestock grazing. The bill has the support of the state's lucrative tourism industry, which could use the designation to help market the river.

Up until this point, the most vehement opponents of the bill have been from Idaho, including Sen. Larry Craig. A group of Idaho irrigators claims the bill would affect their water rights. In reality, the measure specifically states that it would not affect existing water rights in Wyoming and Idaho.

Rank-and-file Republicans in Wyoming need to ask themselves why their party has joined Idaho in its fight against legislation that would benefit so many interests in this state.

Another curious environmental position taken in the party's state platform is a plank that opposes any new laws or regulations related to the "hypothesis of man-made climate change."

The party's likely standard-bearer, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, has worked since 2003 with Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., to pass a bill requiring cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change.

Lest there be any mistake about his stance, here's a quote from an op-ed piece written by McCain and Lieberman for the Boston Globe last year: "There is now a broad consensus in this country, and indeed the world, that global warming is happening, that it is a serious problem, and that humans are causing it."

The senators added that a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change "put the final nail in denial's coffin about the problem of global warming." But apparently not in Wyoming, where conservative members of the party managed to pass a plank that says man-made climate change is only a theory.

It's not uncommon for some planks of a state party's platform to be at odds with national positions carved out by politicians. But McCain will be at the top of the ticket. If a more moderate position on global warming in tune with the candidate's beliefs could not be taken, why address the issue at all at the state level?

National political pundits have had a field day pondering whether Democrats can come together after such a divisive primary season. It appears that Republicans in Wyoming have their own unity issues to be concerned about.


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Comments to this story.

Global Warming Debunker wrote on Jun 3, 2008 5:43 AM:

" "There is now a broad consensus in this country, and indeed the world, that global warming is happening, that it is a serious problem, and that humans are causing it"

That's because there has been a significant failure in the media to do an objective job of informing the public of all sides of an issue without interjecting their own religious/political bias issues into the articles they write.

For example, how many times has the media referred to, or written about the Manhattan Declaration on Climate Change, detailing hundreds of geo/climate scientists coming forward in defiance of the GW cult threats of banishment or even threats of violence against them, signing a declaration that "global warming" eg. CO2/plant food is not a risk to the planet?

www.climatescienceinternational.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=1

Isn't it time the media cleaned up its act and stopped drinking the GW Cult's Flavor Aid, doing its job responsibly for a change?

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1545134/Scientists-threatened-for-%27climate-denial%27.html "

Dewd wrote on Jun 3, 2008 8:35 AM:

" I agree. The Wyoming GOP is paranoid schizophrenic. The first step is to recognize the problem and fess to it. Then the 12 Step Program to recover. Medical marijuana would help. Talk therapy would not , because Republicans are real bad about saying one thing ( ideology sermons) and doing another ( graft , corruption , frivolous social theater, reckless spending, tax cuts for wealthy , being handpuppets to Big Business , starting senseless endless wars ....it's a long list) . In Wyoming they have even their own circus, the Cheyenne Social Club du Soleil. They are a sorry lot these days , aren't they ? "

coyote wrote on Jun 3, 2008 9:14 AM:

" Now I know where the Wyoming chapter of the Flat Earth Society meets... just follow your neighborhood Republican precinct person ! "

BULL wrote on Jun 3, 2008 10:15 AM:

" The Wyoming GOP is full of crooks and greedy snobs who are full of nepotism. Just try running for office in this state ifyou are not a jackbooted Republikon. "

TR wrote on Jun 3, 2008 10:18 AM:

" Once again , Dewd has hit the nail on the head, squarely. Problem is , Republikan values are rooted deep into the pockets of Wyoming,s greedy elite , any change wont come easy. "

Geezer wrote on Jun 3, 2008 10:20 AM:

" It doesn't take a rocket scientist to be on that platform committee: If any Democrats are for it, we're against it! "

WYSkippy wrote on Jun 3, 2008 10:32 AM:

" It is incredible presumptuous and diseingenuous for the CST (Red Star) to say these two items cause unity issues in the party. Although the GOP disagrees with the River designation, they are 100% behind Sen Barrasso and Enzi and commend them for a job well done. There is no legislator, congressman or Senator who would agree with the party 100% of the time and likely not more than 70% on most issues. As for McCain, his announcements were clearly made to influence the voters in the middle. All a ploy to win votes. If the CST is looking for a real divisive issue in the GOP, this is not it and you are going to have to keep looking. "

GOP Member wrote on Jun 3, 2008 2:19 PM:

" How many of you sat on that platform committee and then through the convention to vote on the platform? Funny how the CST did not mention any of the reasons debated for (and against) opposing the "wild and senic river" designation. The main reason provided is that Wyoming, not the Federal Government, should control and have say over Wyoming's lands and rivers - who better to take care of Wyoming than Wyoming. Republicans know that if you give the Federal Gov an inch they will take acres. "

Man from Laramie wrote on Jun 3, 2008 7:20 PM:

" Here's what's going on: the Wyoming Republican party is firmly in the pocket of corporate interests -- in particular, the extraction industries. It's even more anti-environment than the national party or politicians such as Craig Thomas, and certainly much more than the citizens of the state. Our state needs to throw these bums out for good. We can start by electing some Democrats this fall, so we have an effective opposition party in our legislature. Right now, there are not enough Democrats to oppose big money from big corporations, all of them from places other than Wyoming. "

Get a Grip of reality wrote on Jun 3, 2008 8:42 PM:

" Republicans/Ranchers should have control over Wyoming's lands and Rivers? Better check your history book on that one. Did you know it is ILLEGAL FOR YOU TO CAMP OVERNIGHT on State land? The Republicans allowed Prime state land to be sold off under Governor Geringer. This is another example of the Elite Republicans that controll Wyoming. If you think Access to Public land is getting worse just vote for another Republican Governor and it will! "

Ron wrote on Jun 3, 2008 9:23 PM:

" "It's even more anti-environment than the national party or politicians such as Craig Thomas"

Uh, Dude, where have you been? Craig Thomas has been deceased for a full year now... Sheesh! "

Campbell wrote on Jun 3, 2008 11:08 PM:

" I have voted Republican for over thirty years, and I think this year's state GOP platform was pretty ignorant and unproductive. Childish defiance kind of stuff. The world is moving on in dealing with global warming. Whole indusrties and markets are being created for CO2 control and storage. Wyoming is actually leading the way on part of that. And the GOP platform has to go out of its way to say, "yeah but, yeah but we don't know if humans are the cause of the warming." WHO CARES? It still needs to be dealt with. Not even Bush denies that. Time to grow up and get to work. "

Marion wrote on Jun 4, 2008 5:46 AM:

" Giving the feds even more control than they grab is a mistake that can come back to bite us in the backside.
As for global warming, I hate to break it to the CST, but it is June, and the temps are supposed to be in the 50s today, NOT 70s or 80s. recent studies have shown that a mistake feeding information into compusters has been responsible for the supposed half a degree of warming, there has actually been none for the last 10 years.
Our real crisis is going to be a lack of our own energy production, controlled by America. "

BULL wrote on Jun 4, 2008 8:13 AM:

" I agree , Man from Laramie. trouble is the corrupt Wyoming political machine wont allow any change as long as there are a select bunch of dictatorial families running this state. We know who they are. They are the real bums. "

Realist wrote on Jun 4, 2008 9:55 AM:

" GOP member, your perception of the GOP as anti-federal is clearly dated. The GOP is selectively federal. As in, pushing for more federal power in Patriot Act, which allows for confiscation of guns owned by law-abiding citizens without a warrant or a trial. Selectively federal, as in rejecting all attempts to allow landowners any real say in surface matters related to development of the federal minerals beneath them. I was a GOP idealist once too. The older I get, the more realistic I have to be. Call them what you want, but anti-federal they are not. "

Steven wrote on Jun 4, 2008 10:12 AM:

" 31,000 scientists have now signed a petition rebuking human caused global warming.

THIRTY ONE THOUSAND SCIENTISTS.

Why won't Al Gore debate one of them?

Because it will cut-off his now huge income stream and destroy his legacy.

Once again kind people, it is all about politics and control over your and my actions while the elitists on the left do as they please in secrecy. "

TenSleep wrote on Jun 4, 2008 11:24 AM:

" The current GOP leadership in the state seems intent on alienating as many normal people as possible. I consider myself a fairly committed Republican, and I can't figure why the party leadership wants this state to end up like Kansas. Backwards, boring, stripped. No public land to hunt on. If the Wyoming GOP starts buying into the same old evangelical nonsense as other state GOP's, I'm done with 'em. I'm getting too old for the "Genesis Science" movement and other spent ideas from the fringe. "

Wyoelkhunter wrote on Jun 4, 2008 11:54 AM:

" I am a registered Republican, but stories like this make me wonder why. I am conservative on most issues but I do not see the conflict between that and being a good steward of our environment and the natural resources contained within. This should be a uniquely non-partisan issue.

Much of the Republican Party, and particularly the party in Wyoming is no longer the party of Theodore Roosevelt. Where would we be now without his foresight and wisdom? Would we have the National Forests for hunting, camping, fishing and other outdoor recreation? This recreation is a weekend institution in Wyoming. Only those that could afford to pay high trespass fees would now be able to wander open lands and hunt elk and other game if not for the national lands. We probably would also not have the excellent National Parks like Yellowstone to enjoy with our families. Teddy understood the importance of setting aside the very best of America's outdoors and natural resources for future generations. This means the oil and gas, timber, minerals and water as well as the wildlife and other recreation resources. In that way the nation could decide what the best uses of these lands were for the good of the people, all the people. That includes those that hike, burn oil and gas, build houses, dig coal, shoot elk, ride ATV’s, or watch wildlife. It includes everyone of these groups and more.

Unfortunately Teddy never foresaw the epidemic of Stupid that has infected this country. He never anticipated the ignorance, the selfishness, the wastefulness, blind ideology, and total lack of concern for future generations. No wild and scenic rivers set aside, not now ,not ever. What wisdom, what foresight, what leadership. What BS! To write a plank like that which says don’t even consider protection of our best waterways without even taking the reasons why into account is just plain dumb. It shows a narrow minded, non-thinking approach to solving problems. Hell it shows that there is not any appreciation that a need or problem may in fact exist. These are the very people these rivers need to be protected from. Makes one wonder what their definition of "Multiple Use" actually is. Sounds like more of the look out for the moneyed special interests and the hell with everybody else.

The old rough rider would turn over in his grave if he knew. By the way, seems like the last senator to propose setting a wild and scenic river aside was a Republican. Anyone talk to Senator Barrasso or consider what Craig Thomas would have thought? "

Chevy wrote on Jun 4, 2008 3:53 PM:

" Steven, no one is listening to that nonsense anymore. We're past that. Don't you get it? Even BP and Exxon are developing CO2 sequestration and control industries around the world. GE is manufacturing scrubbers in Indiana at a billion dollars a pop. The debate about whether global warming is because of power plants or volcanic cow farts is over. It ended in about 1998 as follows: WHO CARES? There's too much CO2 in the atmosphere right now. There's big money to be made in fixing it. Grow up and move on. The rest of the world already has. "

Goshen wrote on Jun 4, 2008 4:10 PM:

" This GOP platform is a radical agenda, cooked up by extremist elements within the party. I consider myself to be a moderate Republican, and I was at the convention when this stuff got shoved through. I can tell you that if this is the type of ignorant agenda the GOP plans to cook up... they will lose the support of thousands in this state. Craig Thomas was no whacko. He knew that a Wild and Scenic designation for much of the Snake River would allow tourism and hunting to be buffered from permanent subdivision development there. The only people who would oppose something like that are extremists with an anti-enviro axe to grind.... and out-of-state developers. Either way, Craig was right. And these current party boss morons are dead wrong. "

GOPPOKE wrote on Jun 4, 2008 4:38 PM:

" The Casper Star Editorial board has got it all WRONG. It appears the State Legislators and the National Delegation are out of touch with the grassroots of the GOP! There lies the problem; those elected do not listen to the grassroots. And then the media supports the position that the elected should not listen to their constituents because their constituents are out of touch.

The above negative comments talk about the elite, what about the attitude of the CST. Fact is, a lot of average guy republicans did not support Thomas's legacy bill. Tying things up in perpetuity is not the answer, and frankly arrogant! "

Ransom wrote on Jun 4, 2008 4:57 PM:

" It may be time to resurrect the Bull Moose party. My wife and I are also conservatives. We are also an outdoors people. We both do not see the wise use of resources as being in direct opposition with conservation and our stewardship of the land. We've got to get past the self centered greed, high pitched rhetoric and immovable ideologies and apply commonsense. If not the wild swings left and right punctuated by long periods of gridlock will seal our collective fate. "

Ted wrote on Jun 4, 2008 11:39 PM:

" The CST gets it wrong way to often. Last I checked the party leaders are supposed to reflect the will of the party not the other way around. When it comes to new and more restrictive designations on federal lands you run two risks. First, you lose the resources that are isolated by the designation. Secondly, because you are excluded from active management in these special areas you began to lose other resources ie... timber, grazing and recreation resources. Go to the Medecine Bow and look at that forest in terms of resource loss. Go camping at Brush Creek Campground. Oh yeah, you can't it was closed because of a massive pine beetle infestation. Those beetles had a firm foothold in wilderness areas and spread out. Restricted access areas are contributing way to much disease and devastation throughout Wyoming. Yellowstone buffalo are corralled in order to prevent them from taking brucelloses to the surrounding cattle ranches. Noxious weeds that gain ground in restricted ares can cross out of the areas into adjacent ares. Forest fires in Yellowstone proved difficult to contain within park lands. It is dangerous to create ristricted access areas, especially to the ecological systems of the west. The standing dead pine from this recent pine beetle epidemic is contributing green house gases into the atmosphere. These decaying trees are emitting carbon dioxide into the air thereby contributing to global warming. It was prudent for the Republican Party to take this stand in it's platform. Thanks "

profit wrote on Jun 5, 2008 8:04 AM:

" I laughed out loud when I read the platform. It's out of touch and rooted in ignorance. Maybe ignorance is bliss for Republicans. "

georgewashakie wrote on Jun 5, 2008 9:13 AM:

" Steven, and evidently the Republican State Convention, are enthralled by the approximately 3% of the scientific community who have signed on to the Petition Project since the present administration reacted to the global warming movement. The series of five petitions now contains the names of Perry S. Mason, Michael J. Fox, and Robert C. Byrd, as well as numerous duplications, all of which lack verification. For those who require a few facts to support an opinion, Wikipedia has an extended commentary. "

GOPPOKE wrote on Jun 5, 2008 9:28 AM:

" PROFIT: You call all republicans ignorant ignorant, yet I doubt you have read the platform. I do not see it on the WY GOP website. I doubt you were a delegate, so you must have a freind that gave you an edited version of the proposed platform or you read one plank in the CST and thought that was the platform. Now I'm laughing out loud at you! "

Trevor wrote on Jun 5, 2008 10:15 AM:

" This platform could have been written in the woods of Alabama, to banjo music at a kissing-cousin barn party. We're in the middle of a war and a recession, and these geniusess are worried about 'The hypothesis of man-made cliamte change?' Way to dodge the real issues. What cave did these people crawl out of? "

Bunchgrass wrote on Jun 5, 2008 11:46 AM:

" I've been approached about putting wind power turbines on my place in Albany County. It would be a surface lease arrangement. Check every month. I can still graze it. Still own the land. So as far as I'm concerned, I don't really care if global warming is human-caused or not. There are some big companies looking for alternatives right now, and the gears are rolling. And it can't hurt us. I've been a Republican all my life, and I've never seen the party leadership more out of touch than they are right now. Hell with 'em. "

Tom wrote on Jun 5, 2008 1:16 PM:

" My family is all Republican and so are our friends.

To all of us that means we believe in the power of the individual American citizen and not the power of the government.

As a Republican I believe that we the citizens allow the government to exist for the collective good only as required (a necessary evil, to be kept small watched closely and never trusted) and not the other way around.

Somewhere we became nailed to the cross as a party on inflexible planks created by career politicians, that at times supported the individual citizen and at times did not, and may have or many not have reflected out values and ideals.

It time to turn this around or create a new party. Bringing back Teddy's Bull Moose party sounds "bully" to me! "

Carol M wrote on Jun 5, 2008 3:32 PM:

" GOPPOKE, I know here in Goshen County, several of us got an e-mail copy of the final platform from Jeff Jones, who chaired the Platform Committee. So there are copies floating around. I know, because I have one. As a party platform, it is a public document. That is kind of the point. Please don't be so nasty in your public messages. It is unproductive and beneath us. "

GOPPOKE wrote on Jun 5, 2008 3:37 PM:

" Tom:
Creating a new party will not reflect the ideas of coservatives. YOU must get involved in the process.

The platform is not created by the career politicians. It is created and debated by elected delegates, of which 80% to 90% do not hold any elected office, some may be precinct committee men and women, but most delgates hold no elective office at all.

Problem is, we Americans have become complacent. We would rather complain then do something about it. Your ideals and values will not be reflected by staying home or writing comment to a blog. You must physically participate to create change. "

GOPPOKE wrote on Jun 5, 2008 3:48 PM:

" Carol M-
I appologize for laughing out loud at PROFIT for calling all republicans ignorant. You apparently understand where he is coming from becasue you have a copy. I erroneously thought his comment was derived from the above article. "

TrueConserv wrote on Jun 5, 2008 10:31 PM:

" As to the issue of Wild and Scenic, all you need to know about it is look to groups who support those designations-----Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, Earth First, National Wildlife Federation, League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resources Defense Council, Wyoming Wildlife Federation, Western Organization of Resource Councils, Earth Liberation Front-----need we say more?!?!?! Craig Thomas was wonderful for Wyoming, but even CT could be wrong---and he was sure wrong on this one!! Barrasso's trying to provide for the CT "legacy", but even a well intentioned notion thats based upon a wrong headed notion is a wrong headed notion too-----

Global Warming?? Climate cycles have occurred on this planet for millions of years, ice ages have come and gone, man didn't have anything to do with those, man doesn't have anything to do with whatever were going through now------all the global warming fanatics are trying to do with this is take the U.S, down to a third world country because in their minds, everything that is wrong in the world is caused by the U.S. and our lifestyle, our economy, our freedoms and our success (although they wont pack their bags and move out----all they want to do is talk the talk, but they wont walk the walk----). $4-$5 a gallon gas is gonna bring this "global warming" crap to a screeching halt----the majority of the people in this country are fed up, and when they figure out that implementing the wants and desires of the "AlGoreacons" is gonna bring $7-$8/gallon gas, and the jig is up---- "

Inky wrote on Jun 6, 2008 8:47 AM:

" For a brilliant analysis of politics in the past 40 years, read:
www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-s-mcelvaine/americas-40-years-war-at_b_105030.html "

Buy Now wrote on Jun 6, 2008 9:43 AM:

" TrueConserv, it's all supply and demand. People with money move into those canyons or near them (liberals as well as conservatives, trust me). They want to prevent new people from building there after that. They push for the wild and scenic designation. Those environmental groups you listed are just a means to an end. Money talks. Got to get used to that now, or you'll drive yourself crazy worrying about it. The Snake River Canyon WILL be designated. Wind River Canyon WILL be designated. Tensleep Canyon and Shell Canyon WILL be designated. Maybe not tomorrow or the next day, but it will happen. Who cares? Think ahead. Get some property there now, build before the designation comes. If you build early, like a smart person, your property will triple in value when the moratorium comes. That's just a smart investment. "

Chris wrote on Jun 6, 2008 9:48 AM:

" TrueConserv et al.,
Your ignorance of the facts surrounding climate change make every other argument put forth laughable. What evidence would you need to see to agree there is human induced climate change? The current evidence is quite persuasive, from an objective point of view much more so than that evidence used to push us into the war we are in now.
We will never be able to directly prove a link between your tailpipe and warming of the atmosphere, but careful and deliberate experimentation can accept the hypothesis with a relatively large amount of certainty.
Policy is not always targeted at perfectly certain phenomena. Often the purpose of regulation is to mitigate risk. In this case, the potential damage associated with an increase in the earth's temperature is large enough so that even a small probability is enough to justify extreme measures. Conservative estimates put the risk of the earth's temperature rising 5*C at about 26% by the year 2050 if things are unchanged in terms of emissions (that does not include feedback effects associated with the release of methane from the permafrost, increased deforestation, and acidification of the ocean resulting in a lower ability of algae to act as a carbon sink). If that happens, we can expect virtually all of the ice from the northern arctic circle to the tops of the Himalayas to melt, increasing sea levels by approximately 10m. I implore everyone to take a look at a new article in the American Economic Review by Nicholas Stern "The Economics of Climate Change." June, 2008 for a thorough review assuming rather conservative parameter estimates. "

Duran wrote on Jun 6, 2008 10:52 AM:

" Chris, Great stats...they truly support your agenda. You did a fine job of selecting the propaganda packed for general consumption.

How did Mt. Pinatubo, Mt. St. Helens and myriad other such events add to green house gases?

I do not think that anyone would argue in sincerity that reducing pollution in all forms and the consumption of irreplaceable resources wouldn't be a positive thing and that it shouldn't be a national and international priority. Yes, we must clean up our act and start now.

However, making this into a cult and running through the streets with your hair on fire espousing epithets against industry and individual consumers is not the way to go about making a cultural shift of paradigm.

Humans abhor change and we abhor the unknown. We are creatures of habit as that provides Padlovian comfort. Learn to work with human nature, not against it.

This is the central problem with the democrat party, and liberals of all stripes. You are not thinkers. Your are feelers. Feelings are all well and fine when Old Yeller dies. Feelings do not solve issues or create solutions. Learn that lesson well and one day you too will mature and grow up to be a Republican.

Now to the issue at hand, some fractures in the Republican party...which is no new news. In a any collective human endeavor all parties will not harbor the same identical thoughts or values on any given subject. We work to find common ground and come to consensus. This is the purpose of banding together to work on goals and resolve issues. Holding differences and discussing them with passion is health, natural and normal, as long as it is done civility with mutual respect and open exchange of ideas. This is where again Republicans have always been distantly separated from democrats. Conservatives take the long and measured view, whereas liberals jump at the first piece of information that seems reasonable enough to them at the time. Conservatives use objective, customary cultural values to measure topics, liberals subjectively make decisions based on which way the wind blows at the time not taking cause and effect or the unintended consequences of a move into consideration. Wrote short, conservatives are objective thinkers and liberals are subjective feelers that believe hope is a method. "

Atlas Shrugged wrote on Jun 6, 2008 11:24 AM:

" Duran, for being objective and measured, you sure did not cite many examples or incorporate much data into your above bag of wind. Sounds like this all may just be a gut "feeling" of yours. Sorry bro. You failed your own objectivist test. Right off the bat. "

Clara wrote on Jun 6, 2008 12:31 PM:

" Dewd, You are confused. Republicans are seldom drug users (they are on the side of law and order unlike most democrats) so no need for your liberal social programs like 12 step ones. "

Mullery wrote on Jun 6, 2008 12:39 PM:

" Duran is right, scare tactics may get attention initially, but then when people have the time to catch their collective breath and do some thinking, the scare wears off and people see it for what it is and turn on the ignor button.

I also agree that dems are not logical and are in fact emotional decision makers and that is a very poor way to conduct any serious business. It is fine if you are an artist but not an accountant, surgeon or general. Sadly it is the emotional folks that yell the loudest and longest always beleiving in thier ignorant hearts that they are right and that drives todays politics via the 24/7 media cycle. Sad that it has come to this sorry state of affairs in America. "

Ricardo wrote on Jun 6, 2008 2:13 PM:

" What leaders? The Republican Party leadership went south when the Neo-Cons hijacked the Bush administration. We will be in dire need of real leadership to fight the Global Warming Hoax that is brainwashing civilization. In the meantime, what are we planning for the impending Ice Age? Well, mankind can do nothing for nor against climate cycles. We might as well be in the unenlightened age because that is the way we are behaving on this earth. Real scientists are being pushed in the closet by these hoaxsters. We might as well be using witchcraft to determine our future. We are truly living in the AGE OF REGRESSION, very much like the Inquistion.

This retarted mentality that is currently afflicting politicians is the same for all the political parties! "

Denise wrote on Jun 6, 2008 2:42 PM:

" Via the histroric record of the two parties and the issues that each has adopted and supported over time it is very easy to see that Duran's observations are right on the money. "

The Writing on the Wall wrote on Jun 6, 2008 3:53 PM:

" Conservative idealism is starting to to lose its momentum in this country. Bush went a little overboard, and made a lot of normal people mad with his ingorance and divisiveness. In his 8 years, did he appoint a democrat to anything? That damage will take a long time to fix. Even McCain has said he regrets many of Bush's policies and will seek to overturn them, such as waterboarding, denial of human-caused global warming, and Bush's close friendly relationship with the corrupt dictators of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. That's what McCain is disgusted with. And he's the conservative candidate. This neo-con movement is toast. "

Sanders wrote on Jun 6, 2008 4:55 PM:

" I believe that groups like Code Pink, the pro-baby death movement, NOW, the ELF and the DNC stand is strong evidence of what liberal thinking and the democrat party are all about. Childish nonesense and emotive notions that have little footing in reality. "

The Debate is Over wrote on Jun 6, 2008 5:26 PM:

" Instead of idly debating the precise extent of global warming or the precise timeline of global warming, we need to deal with the central facts of rising temperatures, rising waters and all the endless troubles that global warming will bring. My words? No. John McCain, May 13, 2008. "

flounder wrote on Jun 6, 2008 6:24 PM:

" Marion, still doesn't know the difference between climate and weather even though it has been explained to him probably twenty times at this point. He is setting some record for ignorance. "

TrueConserv wrote on Jun 6, 2008 9:27 PM:

" Atlas Shrugged and Chris:

Other than one article popular press (not peer reviewed, science based, objective) article, you provide no concrete and irrefutable documentation for your rants either-----again, easy to talk the talk, much harder to walk the walk. Let me ask, have you given up your gas guzzlers and shut off your electricity from coal fired power plants off?? IF NOT, LOOK UP THE DEFINITION OF HYPOCRITE!!! "

Atlas Shrugged wrote on Jun 6, 2008 9:41 PM:

" TrueConserv, I happen to be conservative myself. I also happen to think that Duran sounds like an eighth grade idiot. Don't join him. "

All Things in Moderation wrote on Jun 6, 2008 10:01 PM:

" Sanders: Pro baby death movement? What was that about childish nonsense and emotive notions? When you say things like that, you're as bad as a liberal whining about civilian deaths in Vietnam and Iraq. You have to stay calm or no one will listen to you. No one wants to be the guy drinking coffee with a clinic bomber. Mellow out. Go fishing or something. "

Buford wrote on Jun 7, 2008 6:14 AM:

" All this economic news (Dow and dollar down, unemployment and gas/oil up) makes me feel like rewarding the Republicans. They're doing such a good job (for fat cats), let's all blindly vote GOP once again! "

Wyoelkhunter wrote on Jun 7, 2008 6:40 AM:

" Get a grip is right. Look on BLM maps of northeast WY and see how much public access is available to the large tracts of public land, both state and federal. Not much. Key tracts were sold off to make these public lands the exclusive property of adjacent ranchers. The difference in support for public access in WY and MT is striking. Our legislature does not look out for every citizen. "

georgewashakie wrote on Jun 7, 2008 9:19 AM:

" Somewhere in the discussion, it would be appropriate to recognize that Wyoming's
Senators are also U.S. Senators, that there is a supremacy clause in the U.S. Constitution that recognizes a federal system--with all its benefits and problems-- that public lands belong to all Americans, not just the citizens of the states in which they may be located, that political parties are creatures of both local and national tradition. "

Chris wrote on Jun 7, 2008 9:33 AM:

" Trueconserve,
Check your facts. American Economic Review is a peer reviewed journal, in the top three in the world for economics. They accept approximately 8 percent of articles submitted, and I would like you to take a look at some of the work to see if it is up to par for you. Their vetting procedure is as strict as you will find anywhere. If you are looking for more peer reviewed work of a more physical science type (The article I quote is a synthesis of other published work), please just browse through the journals Nature and Science for the past 10 years and you will find numerous PEER REVIEWED work supporting the facts listed above.
I ride my bike to work every day, but that has nothing to do with my view on climate change, it is purely because I would rather spend my money on something else and stay in shape. "

TrueConserv wrote on Jun 7, 2008 10:20 AM:

" atlas---

thanks for that terrifically insighful, intelligent and meaningful last post-----it added greatly----as to your being "conservative", theres probably as much chance of that as there is that I'm going to vote for Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. "

Porter wrote on Jun 7, 2008 10:22 PM:

" Sounds like TrueConserv is having a bad day. Knd of like how the conservative movement is having a bad century. Just a reminder. When the economists predicted five years ago that a war costing us 200 billion dollars each year, at a time when the dollar is losing power internationally.... would cause a recessoin in the United States.... they were right. Imagine, that TrueConserv. Government deficits causing a recession. Tell us what is good about this plan again? Iraq gets new schools and highways for free. Oh goodie. I always hoped I could pay for schools and highways in Iraq. Top of my freakin' list. "

profit wrote on Jun 8, 2008 7:37 AM:

" Clara, drug use does not occur along party lines. Don't forget that our current president set the standard for abuse of cocaine and alcohol and unclean living. Illegal drug use occurs in the closet. You don't know who is using drugs because you don't see it and no one is going to tell you about their illegal activities. "

Ice Core Chromatograph wrote on Jun 9, 2008 9:59 AM:

" TrueConserve, global warming does not boil down to "one peer-reviewed article" from the popular press. Have you even bothered to do any reading on this? The Natioanl Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as well as the the National Center for Atmospheric Research confirmed as early as 1995 that global warming is underway, and that humans are contributing. Because these are American research institutions (in partnership with the Defense Department), they are arguably the best in the world. These are both institutions that John McCain himself cites in his speeches on human-caused global warming. Threre are decades of research and peer-reviewed papers on the subject of human contributions to global warming. When you make stuff up, you lose credibility. "

Down the Tubes wrote on Jun 9, 2008 1:25 PM:

" Profit, true enough. As I recall, both Rush Limbaugh and John McCain's current wife suffered from a certain "weakness" themselves when it came to drug addiction. Rush paid for his illegal drugs. Ms. McCain ended up having to steal some from the non-profit clinic she was chairing at the time. Both ended up with probation and court-ordered re-hab. Who ever the genius was above, who said that conservatives do not use drugs.... must not know their conservatives too well. It's pretty much a bi-partisan type problem. So much for the original hypothesis. "

GOPPOKE wrote on Jun 9, 2008 2:00 PM:

" PROFIT: Saying George W. Bush set the standard for "abuse of cocaine and alcohol and unclean living" is showing your true ignorance again! You really do make me laugh out loud! And Carol M called me nasty. Unlelievable! "

Simple Economics wrote on Jun 9, 2008 3:54 PM:

" Porter is right. This recession has been in the works for a while now. The free market will continue to reduce the U.S. dollar's buying power around the world. Fact is, we buy more from China than we send out. That's been going on for quite a few years. We are running a growing deficit to China. International investors want oil and Euro cash, instead of our cash. The world's richest person, Warren Buffet, says this is not temporary. U.S. foreign policy and economic policy have alienated our allies and driven iinternational investors elsewhere. Even Haliburton knows better thant to stay in Houston. As of 2007, they have officially moved their headquarters to Dubai, in the Middle East. Ford and GM have laid off 160,000 workers in the U.S. since 2002. They cite sluggish sales due to inflated gas prices. In 2007, for the first year in history. Toyota became the largest automobile manufacturer in the world. What was good about the Bush years again? "

Marbleton wrote on Jun 9, 2008 4:00 PM:

" GOPPOKE, Bush's abuse of cocaine and alcohol is not disputed. He said in 2000 that he had gone down that road as a younger man, but had then "sought purification through God, and received it." I wonder if God also scored him the cocaine in the first place. Maybe you don't know Bush as well as you claim. He's a regular Messianic Miracle Man. "

Barracuda wrote on Jun 9, 2008 5:48 PM:

" I don't thing GOPPOKE reads the news. Bush's struggle with cocaine in the 1970's and 1980's has been openly discussed since his first candidacy in 2000. Bush even has a name for his past cocaine period. He now calls it his "dark days." Cute. Regular people go to prison. Billionaires have 'dark days.' Sounds like a feminine health product. "

GOPPOKE wrote on Jun 10, 2008 10:09 AM:

" Barracuda: Struggle is one thing. I do not deny Bush’s past indiscretions with drugs and alcohol. To say that "our current president "set the standard for abuse of cocaine and alcohol and unclean living" is ludicrous. "

Barracuda wrote on Jun 10, 2008 10:35 AM:

" GOPPOKE, why is it ludicrous? "

Offshore Betting wrote on Jun 10, 2008 3:16 PM:

" Simple Economics, Haliburton did not move its headquarters to Dubai, because they feared there would be economic collapse in the U.S.. It's no secret that they moved to Dubai so that they could continue business operations in Iran, and not be in violation of U.S. sanctions. Haliburton is one of Ahmedinijad's largest outside business partners. The pro-Israel lobby and the current congressional climate are a bit unfriendly about awarding large contracts to U.S. companies still operating in Iran, etc. Making the company a Dubai company (instead of a U.S, company) gets them around that. How does Haliburton still get those multi-billion dollar U.S. contracts in Iraq, if they are a foreign company you ask? Real mystery there. Maybe they know someone on the inside. "

GOPPOKE wrote on Jun 11, 2008 8:41 AM:

" Barracuda: The "standards" for drug and alcohol abuse have long been set. I know many people who have not been sent to prison for drug or alcohol abuse. Many now go to drug court and other counseling programs. Prison is usually the last recourse. "

Goshen wrote on Jun 11, 2008 9:22 AM:

" Offshore, those types of maneuvers are why this country is fed up with Bush and Cheney. Saying one thing, doing another. Kind of like how Cheney's original estimate on the timeline for the Iraq war was "weeks, not months." Regarding that, one of two things is true: He either made one of the biggest military miscalculations in history, or he just lied. Either way, I think we've all had enough of them. "

Turn for the Verse wrote on Jun 11, 2008 10:32 AM:

" There once was a man named McSame.

His policies were old and lame.

Got his ideas from Bush,

Which is the wrong crap to push,

Now he's out of the game. "

Drug War Vet wrote on Jun 11, 2008 2:51 PM:

" GOPPOKE, are you familiar with the mandatory minimum sentences for crack cocaine? Has its own special set of laws (passed under Reagan and Bush Senior). There are thousands of people taking up room in prisons right now for first-time posession of crack. For other drugs (cocaine, meth, marijuana, ecstasy), I would agree. There is drug court. Try finding drug court cases for crack users though. Some argue that the reason is because crack is such a dangerously addictive drug, and that it needs more stringent laws than the others. Who ever says that must not know anyone on meth. Tweaked out and stealing is tweaked out and stealing. I don't really see the difference. Now, I don't really buy into all the theories about class warfare and keeping the ghetto down, etc.. but there is something weird going on with crack laws. They either need to bust all hard drug users the same way they do with crack, or they need to change the crack laws. I could go either way with it, but right now it's a little bit stacked. "

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