Wyoming needs forward-thinking leadership. We are at a major inflection point in our state’s history, and we need to make big decisions about what our state will look like in the future and how we will get there. Unfortunately, most of the recent political decision-making in this state has lacked the long-range thinking that we need.
Opinion
Wyoming needs to refocus. We are facing problems that we have yet to acknowledge or address, even though they are becoming more and more apparent. Above all else, Wyoming needs leaders who can articulate a vision for the future. Without a cohesive vision, our politics are likely to remain the same — reactionary and shortsighted. With a strong vision, however, leaders can position our state to meet and overcome the challenges that we know we will face.
My vision for the future of our state is based on three interrelated ideas: economy, community and opportunity. Our economic challenges should be clear to everyone. We are a state that has built an economy largely dependent on natural resource extraction, especially coal. This economy has served us well and brought a lot of benefits and prosperity to our state. However, economies change, and we are in the midst of a decline in demand for our primary economic driver. Accordingly, we need to build new business sectors that are not dependent on our existing economic system.
This is easy to say, but much harder to do. Resource extraction does not naturally lead to the development of many other business sectors. As a result, we must approach economic growth intentionally and aggressively pursue opportunities, especially in communities that will be impacted by a decline in coal production. Skilled manufacturing seems to be a natural pivot point for coal communities, and we should be proactive about pitching Wyoming as a location for those types of businesses. We have already created a business-friendly tax structure, now we should ensure that our regulatory process is similarly situated. We should undertake a systematic review of our state regulatory process to identify barriers to development and bottlenecks in the process that can slow or stop economic development. Perhaps most importantly, we must be willing to invest in ourselves and have the patience to see those investments through. After all, why would a business invest in our state if we are unwilling to do the same?
As we take these steps, it is important for us to keep in mind the reason that we want these new and diverse business opportunities. It is not merely because we want growth, although that is true. Rather, it is because we want to build and maintain the communities that are the real building blocks of Wyoming. We want thriving communities because we want to raise our families and live our lives in this place that we have all chosen as our home. We want to be able to live good, free, prosperous lives, and we have chosen to come or stay here because we believe this is a place where we can do that.
If Wyoming’s communities — and by extension, Wyoming itself — are going to survive, we need to build places that can support and attract families throughout all the seasons of life. This means supporting high quality education, access to health care, and the amenities and luxuries that we have come to expect in the modern world. That is not to say that we should try to be something we are not. Wyoming is a special place, and those of us who choose to live here usually recognize that we are choosing a place that requires some sacrifice. However, we cannot expect our communities to survive if we cannot provide basic services.
The other necessary element for our communities and our state to survive is opportunity. Wyoming is second only to Alaska when it comes to the number of our young people who leave the state. While it is natural for some to come and some to go, too many of our next generation have left because they do not see a viable future in Wyoming. We cannot allow this to continue. We must build a state with the jobs, communities and future that entices our next generation to build their lives here. For Wyoming to thrive, we need all parts of a healthy society, and we have been lacking when it comes to providing the opportunities for our young people to build the lives they want to live in Wyoming.
None of these ideas work without the other. We need to improve our economy to build communities and opportunities for our next generation. We need our next generation to build strong communities and economies. Without strong communities, new economies and opportunities will wither on the vine. My vision for Wyoming’s future requires us to take meaningful action on them all. Wyoming’s future can still be bright, but we must all recognize that it will not happen accidentally. We must take the steps to pursue a common vision.
In order for WY to succeed economically, things must be made here, not just dug up or drilled for and then used up. WY should be jumping with both feet into nuclear power of any design, from mining (which is in-situ now, not heavy earth-moving anymore) to fabrication to construction to storage and recycling of lightly-used fuel. WY has the land, the resources, the tradespeople, the rail lines and power lines to make this happen. JFK’s concern about losing the Appalachian (coal) state votes is one of the reasons nuclear power was back-burnered in 1963. WY needs to get out of the mindset that coal will always be an economic driver. TX and NM don’t want to step up. There are people in WY decrying nuclear power because “Bill Gates” or mining concerns based on 1960-80’s methods or “what about the waste”. WY’s focus on coal is similar to people bemoaning the loss of the Pony Express because of passenger rail, or the loss of passenger rail because of air travel and interstates.
“Wyoming is second only to Alaska when it comes to the number of our young people who leave the state.”
I have taken the time to ask members of the last two generations and my peers (HS class of 1980 – 2014 roughly) why they have left the state. WY has great road infrastructure, solid schools, world class outdoor recreation opportunities, low taxes, fiber optics in many small towns – should be an easy sell to new generations. Why are we seeing the exact opposite effects?
The answer: the alt-right and freedom caucus need to take a long look in the mirror and understand they are the reason young people leave. The hate, intolerance, habitual lying, stone walling, polluting, rejection of science, and genuflecting to a grifting draft dodger are the reasons our bright and talented next generation pack up and find a life elsewhere.
We have a one-party state rushing towards fascism. What competent young person wants that for themselves or their family?
Uppity WY snobs can make all the condescending comments they want about how bad things are in Chicago or NYC or San Francisco or Atlanta or DC. The rents are sky high, violence is out of control and the woke mob will strangle you… yet our kids still make a bee line for them. Ask yourself why they do that. When you don’t get an answer, ask them.
Imagine
If we had a liberal legislature? What would they do? Spend all the reserves, NO. Inflate the budget, NO. Overspend the budget, NO. Pass a bunch of liberal bills…well, maybe. They would be for the good of the citizens of Wyoming. They know that money spent now will return more money later. It is the REAL trickle-down effect. The infrastructure projects prove that.
Medicaid expansion would be passed. (It worked in Montana.) Hospitals stayed open, and there were more jobs. This could be the start of the Medicare for All program. Healthy people in Wyoming would make for more productive workers, which would have great financial returns for Wyoming.
The Wyoming constitution guarantees equal health care for men and women. Reproductive rights would be the law for all. Women are dying when their rights are blocked. Abortion is health care. You can’t get reproductive care at the hardware store!!
Equality would be our standard. We would accept all people for who they are. Young people would stay in Wyoming. The upcoming Wyominites are more liberal thinking than their parents. They want a good experience in their lives. They want acceptance.
The environment is critical to everything we do. Windmills and solar panels will be standard. Universities and community colleges will research other forms of energy. We will be the leaders in this endeavor. (Oil rigs are ugly.) Coal can be made into building bricks for housing and buildings. Yes, they are fireproof. How many cans of lighter fluid are needed to light up a charcoal barbecue? We will always need some petrol products, and we will find better ways to harvest it.
Schools will be fun. No kindergartner will be forced to learn to read. Many schools all over the world teach creative skills through play. Students learn to read in about 3rd grade with great success in comprehension. Students are frustrated and want to know everything. There would be less suicide among very young kids. They are frustrated & unhappy with the intensity of their education. Also, there would be many technical programs with high school certifications. Emergency services, fire, plumbers,
Canibus would be legal. Driving drunk would have harsher punishments. Records for convictions for using canibus would be wiped.
Growing Hemp would be encouraged, as it uses less water and produces a replacement for many plastic products. It would also do great in our climate.
We would work with the Federal Government instead of yelling about government overreach.
This would save $$$$’s used to sue them. We should try to work with other agencies to get the best results. A prime minister of Israel brought long-time enemies into her kitchen and cooked for them. They started talking to each other. President Jimmy Carter brought them to Camp David, and peace agreements were reached. We need to go back to those practices.
Liberal government and ideals work. We’ve tried a very conservative government, and I believe that is why we are fighting so much. I fear our school system will be destroyed and our economy ruined.
We need to get around the table and talk. Because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu. (Ann Richards-Texas governor)
Standing ovation, Theresa. Reap what we sow. Invest now, enjoy the benefits in our children’s future. Universal healthcare is so difficult, only 31 of 32 developed countries have managed to make it work. Same for universal pre-K, paid family leave, free university education, common sense gun control and taxing the ultra-wealthy.
When I was enrolled at Central Wyoming College in the late 60’s we had a visit from one of our Congress members, think it was Gale McGee, and his speech revolved around Viet Nam and Wyoming’s economy. The focus point being diversify our economy. Now, here we are all these year later and it’s still the topic of conversation. He said at the time that we couldn’t continue to depend on mineral extraction. Our state has been dominated by Republicans for all these years and rather than address the elephant in the room, they’ve year after year kick the can down the road. Their only solution is to kick the horse when it’s down. The Freedom Caucus is going to have their shot at it, and I predict that it’s not going to go well. Sorry about the metaphors.