Tune up your bullshit detectors!
Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to do some overdue bullshit detector maintenance. Clean the filters, charge the batteries and switch the setting to “high” because you’ll need it functioning to perfection this election season.
Opinion
Here’s why: This past budget session was a rough one for the redcoats of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus. Their dream to transform the Cowboy State from a pearl-snap paradise into a low-rent booger farm fell flat on its face, and they’re pissed.
Checkgate and the failure of their legislative agenda have left the sour face of the Freedom Caucus bloody from self-inflicted punches. They have painted themselves into a narrow corner in the right wing of their seedy outhouse, and soon they’ll start behaving like wounded beasts, flailing like a frightened skunk caught in a leg trap. The wheels of the Freedom Caucus train are already starting a death wobble.
Folks are waking up to the goofball rhetoric of these brittle right-wingers, calling them out and mocking them for wasting the public’s time on nonsense like chemtrails and UFOs. The FC will react like reactionaries always do — doubling down and going all-in on anger-mongering. Blaming everyone but themselves for their ineptitude. Viciously attacking in every direction.
This schoolyard behavior has landed them in court for defaming their legislative opponents with outright lies. Nothing says “drugstore cowboy” more than an inability to tell the truth.
It’s already starting, and will reach the zenith of desperation as the election gets closer. So tune up those bullshit detectors pronto!
The propaganda arm of the Freedom Caucus’ captive media, bloated by Checkgate cash, is stumbling all over itself to protect its friends who were exposed and embroiled in the scandal. It is lashing out at “mainstream media” (mistakenly using “mainstream” as a pejorative) and launching ad hominem attacks on journalists who reported on Checkgate, calling into question their objectivity. This desperate, bubble-chamber apologism will do nothing but further diminish its already minuscule share of the media market in Wyoming.
The turmoil in the Freedom Caucus media silo has fostered a snarling match between its two noisiest bobblehead dolls. If that soap opera isn’t enough, Checkgate money has prompted the flagship outlet to ambush conservative Republicans in the Big Empty to the point that they will jump overboard like rats leaving a sinking ship. This from the nincompoops who say they want to “save” the Big Empty.
See what I mean about the importance of being able to detect bullshit?
It won’t be long before we start seeing those garish Freedom Caucus mailers show up in our mailboxes. You know the ones I’m talking about: bright colors, lots of exclamation points,full of false quotes, cherry-picked statistics and hair-on-fire hyperbole attacking opponents as commies and worse. We all had a bellyful of them two years ago, and the Freedom Caucus is fixin’ to try to shove another dose down our throats.
This propaganda is foisted upon us by Freedom Caucus shot-callers from far outside our borders. Big money is behind them, and if Checkgate proved anything, it proved that the redcoats in the Freedom Caucus and its captive media dance when big money sings.
If you pay attention to these mailers and find yourself getting pissed off, that’s precisely what was intended. The purveyors of this propaganda want you to be pissed off. They’ll push your buttons and pull any lever they can to make you angry, because they know that an angry voter is not a smart voter.
Mailers like this, and the media smokescreens for Freedom Caucus campaigns, are directed to excite the emotional, limbic part of your brain and stimulate it toward anger. The political professionals behind this strategy know that anger overrides common sense, and they don’t want you to think critically about the Freedom Caucus. They want you pissed off. They win if they can keep you from using your bullshit detector.
Several highly qualified candidates have already announced to challenge the Freedom Caucus in the upcoming primary, and more will be forthcoming. Coupled with the Checkgate debacle and a disastrous performance during the session, the Freedom Caucus smells its own blood in the water. So it’s no wonder that the mere mention of 8/18/26 makes them blow snot bubbles of fear.
We can expect a kamikaze attack of bullshit from them as they struggle to hold on to power. We’ve seen it before.
This time, let’s all make sure that the Freedom Caucus can expect Wyoming voters to have switched on our high-performance bullshit detectors to meet the onslaught.
I thought this freedom Casus would finally take a fall. It is a silent force masked behind the legisative back drops of key Legislative members entrusted to use what it needs,to create chaos and disinformation to our Wyoming’s voting public. We’ve seen this since 2008, and Trump’s visions for Wyoming.
Just look has filed for the mid-terms seems the plays are far short on better Wyoming futures for the working class, Healthcare, making taxs real on all levels of income, protecting our State’s lands, wildlife the list goes, on.
With that I’ve said enough, see I hope in Political Games I know Well…
I lived in the deep south for over 20 years after growing up in Wyo. The vast majority of folks got along fine between the races. But there was always the fringe … on both sides. Both groups were truly racist. Saw the other side as simply sub-human. They lived to put down the others, even as neighbors. There was really no hope for them, lost souls completely.
After reading and participating in below-the-line comments on Wyofile, I have to say so many here remind me of that southern fringe. It’s sad to see when people become so consumed with hate. When they see their neighbors as only animals, unworthy of even a smile. Gotta say Rod, you’re one of the ring leaders. Anything for power. There’s only one view, your view, that should ever be considered. I’m really just so … disappointed … to see all this again. Folks are folks, as they say. See y’all.
There is a big difference in being a hate filled voter and a smart voter. I read this again and Rod never once mentioned hating the opposition. In fact he said not to get angry which along with fear are the major components of hate.He is encouraging us to be smart, well informed voters, knowing who we are asking to lead us. This is wise. This makes sense. Your “folks is folks” attitude is nonsense and very simplistic. When it comes to who is determining our futures “Folks is not folks”. Some are decidedly better and more qualified than others.
Then by God give us some FACTS!!!!! Enough of the ad hominem attacks. You people couldn’t debate your way out of a wet paper sack. I’m done with your nonsense and simple minded closed loop circles.
Tell us more about how the 2020 election was stolen.
There’s no debating with people who live in fantasy land.
Reacting to your post is rather childish but I don’t have a lot to do tonight so I’ll play along.
I believe Rod’s argument was that we all should be informed voters. I think most people no matter their political persuasion would agree that would be very good. I think the fact here is implied.
Your argument somehow turned into a personal attack on Rod saying he only wanted his way and had a lust for power. How this had anything to do with being an informed voter I don’t know. You then said folks are folks. I guess implying that who we vote for doesn’t really matter and being informed is of no consequence.
My argument then was it really does matter who we vote for. That there is actually a wide range of ability in candidates and folks are not just folks anymore. We can vote for ignorant goobers, fanatical ideologies, good honest people and real egg heads and any number of types in between. It is actually very important who we choose to represent us. I believe this fact too is implied. I don’t think I need to cite a scientific study to prove the veracity of this statement.
Your final argument was “you people can’t argue your way out of a wet paper bag and I’m through with you.” I don’t believe that would win you many points on a debate stage.
Dave Gustafson
For all it’s worth, I appreciated your first paragraph Pete.
A lot of the folks that comment on here obviously aren’t as comfortable as you are regarding the direction this country has taken under this administration.
These immigration roundups have gotten out of control and Americans, not the rapist, drug dealers, and murderers that has become a right wing talking point, are being caught up in the dangerous recklessness. The swamp, that was promised by this president, to be drained has only gotten larger and more putrid and filled with people who are willing to sell their souls for power. Then you’ve got the war that was promised not to happen happening while nobody is sure why.
People have just as much right to call it out as you have to defend it Pete. I’ll agree with Dave when he says that he didn’t find anything hateful in Rod’s piece. He just says it like he sees it. But I sincerely liked your first paragraph.
Don’t forget to scrutinize yourself and your MAGA goofball ideas. Your type is the reason that there’s hard feelings from NORMAL people.
It’s good to be reminded of the care and of maintenance of my bullsh#t detector. Mine has been overwhelmed by the orange stain regime in DC…while the aspirational Wyoming ‘freedumb caucus’ works a side gig. Thanks to Rod for helping me maintain my maintenance schedule.
First tip is if their lips are moving. It’s sad that so many Wyoming folks say they are against negative campaign and false campaign materials and then turn around and repeatedly vote for the people who do it. The lynchpin of the Code of the West is honesty. If you don’t call out those who lie on your behalf, you’re lying. If you vote for people who allow the false flyers without calling them out, you are part of the problem. Guess we’ll see between now and 18 August who the real cowhands are and who is just a drug store cowboy. Walk the walk.
Mr. Rasner defines this article. All money and cannot read the room. The lies are gobsmacking even by maga standards because most are so old and so disproved. These FC folks have no plan for what happens after they vanquish all their enemies. They can’t exist without an enemy so they’ll have to keep inventing new ones until eventually they will prey on each other. I hope Wyoming has tired of management by bullying before they ruin everything.
When Freedom Caucus Laura Pearson was asked in a public meeting why she mailed slanderous, disreputable campaign materials to all the Sublette County p.o. boxes, she said, “I don’t know anything about it.” She was probably telling the truth. That FC garbage was likely written by some Wash DC PR firm which thinks all Wyoming people ride a heifer to town to pick up mail and say “Howdy!” But guess what Laura, Mike S. and you other FC devotees? If your NAME is on it, then you’re responsible – personally and campaign wise. If you don’t have the intellect to grasp your liability, you don’t have the brain power to be an elected official either. I’m voting AGAINST whoever mails the most outrageous, uncivil garbage that their East Coast Freedom Caucus Masters devise and distribute.
Preaching to the choir here, but thank you nonetheless. With the Epstein class buying up much of traditional media, I’ve taken to checking out international sources on line. France 24, DW world, BBC and others. What I find disturbing is what is often not covered in domestic news. The BS detector is always on regardless of the source.
Rod— those shot callers live within our borders. Our emigree billionaires pay those redcoats thousands in “speaking fees,” “consulting contracts,” and phantom cattle purchases to keep the FC in line.
They have no need of public schools, UW, public highways (as long as they can get to the airport), hospitals, rec centers, etc. They just want low property taxes. And they convince our residents to accommodate them.
Right on, Rod!
Detector is tuned and ready! I also plan to write “return to sender” on all the propaganda postcards that crowd my mailbox.
Agreed.
Not only is the FC is getting some VERY poor advice on how to conduct business in the Legislature, it seems very clear to me that they’re getting poor advice on how to conduct *themselves*, if they’re getting any advice on that at all.
Ha! Yep, the NofreeDumb Cocci have worked themselves all the way down in the basement of a double decker outhouse! The time to finish this clownage off will be 8/18/2026
Useful! Updated my BS81826 meter high tech hardwired with battery backup yesterday. Fine tuned, digitally calibrated, elevation and aroma specifications per manufacturer standards.
Rod, well stated! If only All Americans would see beyond the propaganda, the talking points of these folks…we need clear heads and common sense more than ever now!
Amen Paula
August 18 is coming faster than we can imagine. Please do your homework and be involved to make informed decisions. Rod has hit the nail on the head.
Casper folks, Jeanette Ward is back on the warpath, seeking to get back in with the FC monkeys. Don’t let it happen. Let’s make sure there’s lots of FC blood in the water.
” Let’s make sure there’s lots of FC blood in the water.” after dehumanizing the enemy (monkeys).
Rhetoric leaning towards veiled threats of political violence.
I thought we were supposed to be better than this?
Oh jeepers.