By Bradley Harrington
“If you penny-loafer conservatives – you slaves in splendor – ever had the courage of a housecat, we’d have a free America today … Our vile ‘leaders’ are not the real enemy. You are.” ~ Kenneth Royce, “Boston’s Gun Bible,” 2009 edition
For anyone laboring under the delusion that most “conservative” Republicans in Wyoming have ever been anything other than a scared school of spineless jellyfish, that foolishness has now been blown sky high:
“The state Senate failed to reverse Gov. Matt Mead’s veto of Senate File 14 on Friday after just seven of the 30 members voted to override the governor’s action. The legislation would have ended the state’s civil forfeiture policy.” (“Mead’s asset forfeiture veto stands,” WTE, Feb 28.)
With the original Senate vote favoring SF 14 standing at 26-3 (one excused), that certainly is a bit of a difference, and a detailed survey tells a sorry story:
► The four Democrats – Bernadine Craft (Rock Springs), Floyd Esquibel (Cheyenne), John Hastert (Green River) and Chris Rothfuss (Laramie) – all voted against the bill both times.
That is exactly what you would expect from the liberals in the Legislature. No surprises there.
► Those four were joined by two Republicans who did the same, however – Paul Barnard (Evanston) and Michael Von Flatern (Gillette). And they were also joined by Republican Ogden Driskell (Devil’s Tower and the “excused” vote the first time).
Obviously, these folks don’t have any more use for “due process of law” when it comes to heisting your property than do the aspiring authoritarians they are supposedly fighting.
► Of the seven Republicans in favor of the override, one – Curt Meier (LaGrange) – actually had voted “no” originally but voted “yes” this go-round. I can only presume he had a back operation in between, i.e., the insertion of a spine.
► Of those seven, therefore, there were six – Bruce Burns (Sheridan), Cale Case (Lander), Leland Christensen (Alta), Stan Cooper (Kemmerer), Ray Peterson (Cowley) and Charles Scott (Casper) – who maintained the courage of their convictions. Thank you!
► That leaves 16 so-called “conservatives” – including Laramie County’s own Fred Emerich, Wayne Johnson, Stephan Pappas and Tony Ross – who tucked their timid tails between their legs and headed for the horizon.
What’s up, guys? What changed in two weeks?
That King Mead, another alleged “conservative” who wouldn’t know the rule of law if it bit him in his own tail, issued his proclamation?
Is that all that’s necessary to take you down?
Apparently so, since a “conviction” is that which one lives by and would die for, if necessary, and “courage” is the ability to stick to that in the face of any and all opposition. You 16 vote-swappers have proved that you have neither.
Which raises the question: What use are you, anyway? If you don’t stand tall for individual liberty, who needs you?
We know who the Democrats are. Who are you?
You laughable lightweights talk out the sides of your necks about property rights – but when it’s time for the rubber to meet the road, you cave like craven cowards.
No principles, no ideals, no values, no integrity and no honesty to speak of. People who will stand for anything and thereby stand for nothing.
Absolutely, piteously pathetic.
In that respect, unfortunately, you are not alone as that is the fraidy-cat course of action being pursued by most of your “conservative” brain-brothers nationally – where it’s now the entire country being leveled and not just our freedom from unreasonable search and seizure here in Wyoming.
Moreover, sad as this spectacle is to think about, it has a gruesome truth of its own. The weak “defense” of the principles of capitalism being offered up by the “conservatives” is far worse than no defense at all: It lends credence to the arguments of the enemy and actually entrenches their rule.
So, Dear Reader, wonder no longer why your liberties continue to disappear, despite having all the facts, reality and history on your side. With “friends” such as these, who needs enemies? These are our “conservatives,” 16 more blots on the history of one capitulation after another.
But to keep things in perspective, the original Revolutionists of 1776 had their Tories and Loyalists to contend with as well. And, in conclusion, perhaps it would be best to quote the message that patriot Samuel Adams had for them:
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!” (“Philadelphia State House Speech,” 1776.)
Bradley Harrington is a computer technician and a writer who lives in Cheyenne. Email: brad@bradandbarbie.com.
