News from Wyoming (until April 12'2010)

Freudenthal receives extremist letter

Gazette News Service | Posted: Friday, April 2, 2010

CHEYENNE — Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal is among dozens of governors in the country to receive letters demanding that they leave office or be removed.

Chris Boswell, the governor’s chief of staff, said Friday that state police intercepted the package when it arrived earlier this week.

At least 30 governors have received the letters from a group called the Guardians of the Free Republics.

The FBI said it expects all 50 governors to eventually receive the letters and warns that the letters could provoke violence.

The letters say the governors will be removed from office within three days if they don’t leave office, according to an FBI and Department of Homeland Security internal intelligence note.

Boswell declined to comment on whether the letter prompted extra security for Freudenthal.

Democrat Massie tosses name into race for state schools chief

JEREMY PELZER Casper Star-Tribune | Posted: Tuesday, April 6, 2010

 State Sen. Mike Massie

 LARAMIE — State Sen. Mike Massie kicked off his campaign for state superintendent of public instruction Tuesday, ending months of speculation about the Laramie Democrat’s political future.

At a media conference, Massie said that as the state’s top K-12 education official, he would fight for more classroom time for teachers, to reverse the state’s high dropout rate and to revamp the PAWS test, Wyoming’s primary student assessment exam.

Massie’s day job is executive director of Child Development Services of Wyoming.

Republican incumbent Jim McBride is seeking a second full term as state superintendent. He is facing a rare primary challenge for an incumbent, as two Cheyenne educators have entered the race: Laramie County School District 1 superintendent Ted Adams and Cheyenne assistant junior high principal Cindy Hill.

Massie also said that, if elected, he would push for major changes, if not outright abolition, of the Proficiency Assessments for Wyoming Students test.

“I would favor reviewing it with the idea that if you don’t scrap it, it would be totally revised,” he said. “I think we’ve had it around long enough to indicate that it’s taking up too much classroom time, so we need to reduce that. And we also understand how it’s not really providing us with information about individual student progress.”

Massie also said he supports charter schools and getting the most out of Wyoming’s state education funding, which has increased markedly in the past few years.

Massie said he had disagreements with McBride’s performance as state superintendent.

“It seems right now that the department’s focus is more back in Washington, D.C., and working with federal administrators as well as with Congress, and applying for additional federal money,” Massie said. “Along with that additional federal money will come the national standards as well as requirements on how we assess teachers. And I don’t believe that’s where our focus should be.”

McBride said that such a perspective was “rather misguided,” given the state Department of Education’s need to work closely with Washington to receive the approximately $200 million in federal education funding given to Wyoming each year.

McBride said he raised the issue last week in a meeting with Wyoming elementary and middle school principals.

“I said to them, ‘Would you like to develop a plan to transition away from all federal dollars? Would you be willing to take a 10 percent budget cut to do that?’ ” McBride said. “And not a single person in the room was willing to support that.”

McBride said he and Massie spoke by phone Tuesday morning before Massie’s announcement.

“I think Mike Massie has been a great legislator and a great senator,” McBride said. “He’ll be a strong competitor, and I like him a great deal. So I think we will have a fair competition that will ultimately come down to credentials and issues, and I think that’s the way it should be.”

Massie, 56, was born in Akron, Ohio, and moved to Laramie in 1979. He and his wife, Ruth, have a daughter in graduate school in Boston and a son with Angelman Syndrome, a rare neuro-genetic disorder that causes developmental delay.

Massie has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and a master’s degree in history from the University of Wyoming.

Massie is the first Democrat to publicly announce a run for statewide office this year. He also was considering a run for governor, and his announcement leaves the Democrats without a single publicly interested gubernatorial candidate.

Massie, who has served on the Senate Education Committee while in the Legislature, said he chose to run for state superintendent because of his “passion” for education.

“I did look very closely at running for governor — especially late last year — and decided that I need to follow my passion,” he said. “If I’m going to go through a seven- or eight-month campaign, it’s got to be with fire in the belly — and that’s what education does for me.”

OFFICE OF GOVERNOR DAVE FREUDENTHAL

April 8, 2010

Governor Hosts Community Conversation in Douglas April 27: Wind Projects and Power Transmission Are the Topics

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Wind projects and power transmission lines are the topics for a question and answer session in Douglas with Governor Dave Freudenthal later this month. The "community conversation" on wind development and electrical transmission line siting will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday evening, April 27, 2010,at the Douglas High School Auditorium.

"I’ll be there to hear from people and to answer questions," Freudenthal said. "There is a lot happening with wind development in Wyoming, and I want to hear what people have to say."

"These are complicated subjects, and folks are entitled to a straightforward conversation on what we can all agree are difficult, sometimes polarizing issues, related to wind development opportunities and electrical transmission line siting," Freudenthal said. "People need to know where the State stands on a whole range of issues relating to wind power and electrical transmission, ranging from sage grouse to property rights."

Some developers say Wyoming is "anti-wind," Freudenthal said. On the other hand, some property owners are concerned about private property rights in the face of wind-related development.

"Let’s get together and talk about it," Freudenthal said. "Maybe we can ask the lobbyists and hired guns to take a seat in the back row, and let the other folks have their say."

The Douglas "community conversation" is the first of several that the governor is expected to host this year. Other local meetings on wind development and power line siting issues are being planned for later this spring and summer.

Wyoming local governments not looking for bailouts

JOAN BARRON Casper Star-Tribune | Posted: Thursday, April 8, 2010

 

CHEYENNE — Although more local governments are experiencing budget problems, state Legislature leaders say they are not receiving requests for a special legislative session to bail out the cities, towns and counties.

House Speaker Colin Simpson, of Cody, a Republican candidate for governor, said he visited recently with Natrona County Sheriff Mark Benton, who is talking about laying off deputies.

“I understand the difficult position his office is in,” Simpson said Wednesday.

But Simpson said he has received no requests for a special session to allocate more money for the local governments.

Senate President John Hines, R-Gillette, said the requests for a special session he receives are from people who want the state to sue the federal government over the new health care reform law.

They are complaining because Wyoming didn’t join in the lawsuit filed by the state of Florida.

“I have resisted it because there is little we can do,” Hines said.

The decision not to join the lawsuit was made by state Attorney General Bruce Salzburg and had the support of Gov. Dave Freudenthal.

“I told them it’s an administrative decision,” Hines added. “We can’t tell the attorney general what to do.”

Hines said he was surprised that Natrona County’s projected 27 percent deficit is so high. The cities usually have more financial trouble than the counties in an economic downturn, he said.

The Rawlins City Council on Tuesday evening passed a resolution calling on the Wyoming Association of Municipalities to lobby the Legislature for a share of the tax on wind energy that goes into effect in 2012.

As the law stands now, the revenue from the $1 per megawatt hour would go to the counties where the facilities are located and to the state’s general fund.

During his news conference Wednesday, Freudenthal said more money for local governments will be a priority in the Legislature next year if revenues improve.

The problem is a steep decline in sales and use taxes that go primarily to the cities and towns.

“I have sympathy for them, but it is survivable,” Freudenthal said.

He pointed out that the state a year ago cut 10 percent from most of its budgets, agreed to a freeze on new positions and gave up some positions.

Freudenthal said he sees no need for a special session for either state aid for local government or for the Legislature to file its own lawsuit over the federal health care reform law.

He added that the Legislature is free to call itself into session on the health care reform issue to make a “fist in the air” statement.

“That’s OK, but it’s kind of an expensive one,” Freudenthal said.

Wyoming Treasurer Joe Meyer announces re-election bid

Associated Press | Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Wyoming Treasurer Joe Meyer said Monday he will run for re-election.

Meyer, 68, made the announcement in a coarse whisper in his office at the state Capitol. His voice hasn't been the same since he underwent lung cancer surgery late last year.

Meyer said doctors removed the tumor and told him recently there's no evidence the cancer has spread. He said doctors have given him a clean bill of health for his campaign, and he made light of his medical condition.

"I think any politician that can't give long speeches and talk too much probably will pick up another 10,000 votes, so I'm very hopeful," he said.

He also joked about losing his hair.

"I expect my hair to come back at some time, but there have been some advantages," he said. "I'm saving about $50 a month; I haven't had a haircut in about four months."

A Republican, Meyer was elected state treasurer in 2006. He also has served as Wyoming attorney general and secretary of state.

The treasurer's office oversees more than $11 billion in state funds. The state's portfolio has bounced back following losses in the recent stock market plunge. While market conditions account for that, Meyer said, his office can take credit for its conservative approach.

Meyer is close friends with former Vice President Dick Cheney. Meyer joked he may ask Cheney for campaign donations.

"I suspect I could cajole him into endorsing me. We'll see," Meyer said of Cheney. "He's not real into politics now. He's dealing with his grandchildren and writing a book and making lots of money and enjoying flyfishing. That's probably what his focus is."

Meyer said his lengthy government experience is an asset. "I think my experience and situations I've been in for the state of Wyoming will be useful for the next four years."

Other incumbent Republicans attended Meyer's announcement, including Auditor Rita Meyer, who is running for governor, and State Superintendent of Instruction Jim McBride and Secretary of State Max Maxfield, both seeking re-election.

Inventors conference set for Saturday in Gillette

Associated Press | Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010

GILLETTE, Wyo.— U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi is hosting his annual inventors conference this coming Saturday in Gillette.

It's the eighth year the Wyoming Republican has held the event, called "From Your Garage to the Assembly Line."

Enzi and other speakers will discuss securing patents, developing business plans and marketing inventions.

Enzi says, "Wyoming is full of imaginative and creative folks who just need resources to help them expand upon their ideas." He says the conference helps people turn their ideas into "tangible, usable products and inventions."

The conference will be at the Gillette College Technology Education Center. Contact Robin Bailey in Enzi's office for more information or to register.

Sumber:

-www.governor.wy.gov

-www.billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional

The Limits of Presidential Power

Article II of the Constitution defining (and limiting) the presidential powers

from Jon Roland's Constitution site

Section. 1. The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; a quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President [Modified by Amendment XII].

The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.

No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected [Modified by Amendment XXV].

The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:--"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Section. 2. The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

Section. 3. He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

Section. 4. The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Thanks to Jon Roland and his excellent, well documented site on our Constitution and related documents.

You should visit him at http://www.constitution.org/

It appears that County Sheriffs have jurisdiction over agents from the Executive Branch.

Amendment X states that powers not given to the President are reserved to states or the people, if not denied.

This excerpt distributed by Forest Glen Durland

Web site: http://www.uhuh.com Email: forest@uhuh.com

Constitutional Limitations of Presidential Power

Following the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the Founding Fathers of the United States of America met to create a constitution which was to serve as the fledgling nation’s backbone. Though previously unified under the Articles of Confederation, the thirteen articles failed to effectively facilitate cooperation between the individual states; the creation of a new governing document was essential if the newly-independent United States was to succeed as a sovereign country. Though the revolution had been fought to free the colonies from the misrule of a king and the tyranny of a centralized monarchy, the drafters of the Constitution recognized that successful unification of the thirteen states would require that some of their sovereignty be relinquished to a centralized governing body with sufficient power to influence state actions. However, the organization of the national state apparatus and the extent of its powers would have to be re-envisioned in order to prevent the US government from mirroring the body which it was to replace. It was decided that the national government would be split into three separate branches: one legislative, one judicial, and one executive. The US Constitution put forth a system of checks and balances intended to ensure the rights of individual states and to set the limitations of the powers that would be granted to the three branches of the federal government. This essay will focus on those powers granted to the executive by the Constitution, the rational behind their formation, and the theories of presidential power that attempt to explain the significant expansion of presidential powers that has taken place since the documents creation.

Section one of Article II of the US Constitution sets presidential and vice-presidential term limits at four years and states the manner through which they are to be elected. It also requires a fixed presidential salary which cannot be changed during a presidential term (Library of Congress). As James Wilson argued in the Pennsylvania ratifying debates, an income free from congressional influence would make it so that, “the President of the United States could shield himself, and refuse to carry into effect an act that violates the constitution” (Amar 181). In other words, the President’s decision making process would be free from the influence of potential increases or decreases to their salary imposed by Congress. It was also argued that the creation of a presidential salary would make every male US citizen eligible for election to the presidency; without the provision of a salary, only the wealthy would have the means to assume office (Amar 181). Thus, the stipulation of a presidential salary in the US Constitution also served as an effort to prevent aristocratic control of the nation.

Section seven of Article I stipulates that all bills, once passed by both Houses, be presented to the president for consideration. The President can then sign the bill into law, return the bill to House in which it originated, or allow the bill to pass without their signature (Library of Congress). Though presidents prior to the Civil War tended to exercise their veto-power solely to raise constitutional objections to questionable bills, the Constitution itself does not expressly obligate the President to veto any bill deemed unconstitutional. If an unconstitutional provision was merely a small detail in a large piece of legislation, a President could simply choose to allow the bill to pass without their signature; they might also sign their name to a generally sound and desperately needed bill which contained only a minor constitutional flaw. However, “as an officer oath-bound to champion the constitution, the president would also be free to take up his veto pen in defense of the document, in an effort to appeal directly to the American public and to induce Congress to re-pass the bill without the offending details” (Amar 184).

Section two of Article II establishes the President as the “Commander and Chief” of the army and navy, as well as the militias of the original thirteen states, though only when they are called into service of the United States. They are given the right to ask for the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer of each of executive department, on anything pertaining to that department’s specific duties. The President is also given the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment (Library of Congress). Though section two granted the President with significant powers, it also placed restrictions upon the position so as to ensure that the US executive would not come to mirror the British Monarchy. Unlike the king, who maintained control over all of Britain’s military forces, the president could only exert control over state militias in order to “execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections, and repel Invasions” (Amar 187). While the British monarch could pardon whoever he wished, the US president could only pardon federal offenses, and was restricted from the ability to use their pardoning power to negate impeachment charges.

Section two goes on to describe several areas in which the president is to share power with Congress. Though the president is granted the ability to make treaties and to nominate members to the executive branch, Supreme Court, and other offices not expressly provided for in the Constitution, agreement and consent of two thirds of the Senate is necessary for any treaty or nomination to become effective. This broke the US Constitution from the British Model of unilateral control under the king by “giving the Senate a portion of traditionally executive authority—- much as Article I gave the president some legislative power via the veto clause” (Amar 190).

Section 3 of Article II obligates the president to inform Congress of the state of the union and to recommend measures which they feel are necessary and expedient; “to convene Congress in emergencies; to receive foreign diplomats; to ‘take care that laws are faithfully executed;’ and to commission all executive and judicial officers” (Amar 195).

The final section of Article II provides the most significant check to presidential power, “The President, Vice-President, and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office, on impeachment for and conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors” (Library of Congress). While British law lacked any mechanisms to oust a bad king, American-style impeachment made the president, as well as his cabinet members, responsible for any personal misconduct while serving as the nation’s leaders. Though entrusted with great powers, the president “would nonetheless be checked by the House and Senate, as the American people looked on, poised to render ultimate political judgment on all concerned” (Amar 204).

Since the creation and ratification of the United States Constitution, the scope of presidential powers has changed dramatically. Not surprisingly, considering the brevity of Article II of the US Constitution. Though rather precise limits are set on legislative and judicial power, no such limits govern the executive. It is within this vague constitutional description that “lay the seeds of a far more powerful position, one that has grown through elaboration of its explicit enumerated powers as well as the interpretation of its implied and inherent powers” (Pika Maltese 3). The Constitution’s ambiguity concerning the limitations of presidential action has led to several contrasting theories of presidential power: the constitutional theory, they stewardship theory, and the prerogative theory.

Proponents of the constitutional theory of presidential power argue that presidential power is strictly limited. They believe the powers of the executive to consist only of those specifically enumerated in the constitution or granted through an act of Congress. According to William Howard Taft, “there is no undefined residuum of power that he can exercise because it seems to him to be in the public interest…[presidential power] must be justified and vindicated by affirmative constitutional …provision” (Pika Maltese 13). The actions of US presidents up to the Civil War convey a shared desire to uphold such a literal interpretation of presidential power as stipulated by the Constitution.

Teddy Roosevelt serves as a fine example of someone who subscribed to the stewardship theory. He maintained the belief that a president of the US could do anything that was not expressly forbidden in the Constitution or by laws passed by Congress working within its constitutional authority. As Roosevelt stated in his autobiography, “I did and caused to be done many things not previously done by the President…I did not usurp power, but I did greatly broaden the use of executive power” (Pika Maltese 14). As these words suggest, the intent of a presidential steward is to leave the office in a better condition than when they assumed power.

It is the prerogative theory however, which extends the broadest range of powers to the president. In his essay “The Second Treatise of Government,” John Locke defines the concept of prerogative power as the power “to act according to discretion for the public good, without the prescription of the law, and sometimes even against it.” (Pika Maltese 14). The prerogative theory increases presidential powers to include the ability to carry out actions which are explicitly forbidden, should they be deemed to be in the national interest. Such power was exercised by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, “he appealed to military necessity, asserting that the Constitution’s Commander-in-Chief Clause…and its Take-Care Clause…combined to create a ‘war power’ for the president that was virtually unlimited;” and taken even further a century later when Richard Nixon claimed “[W]hen the President does it, that means that it is not illegal” (Pika Maltese 15).

The ambiguity of Article II of the US Constitution made possible such reinterpretations of presidential power; reinterpretations which have lead to a substantially expanded modern presidency. As the responsibilities of the president have increased significantly since the birth of the nation, some reinterpretation of the Constitutional limitations placed on the office’s power has been necessary. However, like Nixon, various presidents have taken their “reinterpretation” beyond what might be considered legitimate. It is these individuals which force one to question whether it was wise to leave the parameters of the presidential role so open to interpretation. Though the Constitution was created with the goal of uniting the nation while preventing the national government from coming to resemble that of the British Empire, the continuous expansion of the presidency and presidential powers, especially of late, pushes the United States ever closer to becoming like the despotic empire its forefathers fought so valiantly to be freed from.

References

The Library of Congress (1787). The United States Constitution. April 21st, 2008.

< http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/bdsdcc:@field(DOCID+@lit(bdsdccc0802))>

Amar, Akhil Reed. America’s Constitution: A Biography. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks 2005.

Pika, Joseph A. Maltese, John Anthony. The Politics of the Presidency. Washington D.C.: CQ Press 2006.Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

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What are 3 limitations to presidential power?

1)The judicial branch has power in oversight, and to overrule the president.
2)The president is bound to uphold and defend the constitution.
3) Presidential powers are limited by statute and constitutional ammendment (no dictators for life)

The Limits of Presidential Power

by William Rusher

Whenever a new president is inaugurated, there is always a tremendous amount of speculation over what he (or she) is going to "do." And there's no denying that the new chief executive does have a great deal of discretionary power. But it swiftly becomes apparent that there are strict limits on that power.

In the first place, there are the limits that the new president imposes on himself. He may have pledged to do all sorts of things "on Day One" in the Oval Office, but a lot of them end up being postponed or severely modified, and some, for one reason or another, never get done at all. This is often all to the good: They were promised on the basis of information that turns out to have been inaccurate or incomplete, and on further consideration they may seem downright inadvisable.

Far larger are the restrictions imposed on the president by the Constitution, and by the statutes under which he is compelled to act. The Constitution is famously designed to limit the powers of the president (and, for that matter, of the Congress as well). A president cannot even appoint an ambassador to Nepal, let alone a Cabinet member or a justice of the Supreme Court, without the consent of two-thirds of the Senate. All sorts of presidential actions require the consent of the Senate, and a good many require the approval of both Houses of Congress.

Finally, there are the limitations imposed on presidential power by the political process itself. Even if a president possesses the indisputable power to take a particular step, it may be simply too unpopular with the public at large for him to take it. Franklin D. Roosevelt was, without much question, the most popular president of the 20th century. But when the Supreme Court blocked some of his efforts, and he tried to change its mind by proposing to enlarge it with justices sympathetic to his proposals, the public outcry forced Congress (which had previously been almost slavishly obedient to Roosevelt) to reject the "reform." Even if the consent of Congress had not been required, Roosevelt would have had to abandon his effort.

So we ought not to be surprised if President Obama fails to implement some of the pledges he made in the heat of the campaign. There are plenty of ways he can do this without seeming to betray his promises. Probably the easiest is to insist that he wants to keep a particular promise, but quietly let the Democratic leaders in Congress know that it won't break his heart if they manage to prevent him from having his way.

Meanwhile, I owe it to my readers to acknowledge that I was simply wrong recently, when I ventured that President-elect Obama would not name Hillary Clinton as his secretary of state. My estimate was that to do so would just give her a superb platform from which to pursue her own ambitions for the presidency in 2012 or 2016, while creating the potential for all sorts of public disagreements between the two during the Obama administration.

Obama's decision makes it clear that he's not all that upset by the prospect of Hillary running to succeed him (even if his own choice might be Vice President Biden), and that he doesn't anticipate -- or calculates that he can win -- any public disagreements between the two of them in the meantime.

These are legitimate political calculations, though either or both of them may prove to have been unwise.

Sumber:

www.uhuh.com/constitution/article2.htm

www.answers.com

www.townhall.com

www.thepoliticsofempire.wordpress.com

News from Wyoming (until march 29th 2010)

Wyoming state senator mulls political future

By JEREMY PELZER - Star-Tribune capital bureau | Posted: Thursday, March 18, 2010 1:00 am

CHEYENNE -- Whatever state Sen. Mike Massie’s political future is, it won’t include a fifth term in the Wyoming Senate.

Massie, a tall, bearded 16-year Senate veteran, said Wednesday that he won’t be running for re-election this fall. However, the Laramie Democrat said he’ll decide by the end of the month whether to run for statewide office, such as state superintendent of public instruction or governor.

"Sixteen years (in the Senate) is sufficient," Massie said. "I don't want to be hanging around longer than I should be. And it's time, after 16 years of 60-hour work weeks, to hand the ball off to somebody else."

Already, at least two Democrats are vying to succeed Massie: Laramie Mayor Jodi Guerin and 2008 Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Chris Rothfuss.

Guerin, whose second two-year term as mayor ends this year, said that if elected, she would focus on economic development, workforce training and improving Wyoming's inadequate child-care system, among other issues.

"I think there are some good opportunities to advance causes of the city of Laramie on the state level -- which is something that I'm interested in doing," Guerin said. "And I also think that there are some opportunities to do things that are good for the whole state as well."

Guerin and her husband John own and run the Coal Creek Coffee Company in Laramie.

Two years ago, Rothfuss, a chemical engineer, former diplomat and University of Wyoming international studies instructor, handily lost the U.S. Senate race to incumbent U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., by a 3-to-1 margin.

Since then, Rothfuss said, people from both parties have suggested he run for the state Legislature.

"I think this is a good year for that," Rothfuss said. "It seems like it's a good place to get some legislative experience, but also to really effect some change in some of the objectives that I was looking for when I was running for United States Senate."

One of those objectives, he said, is to help Wyoming benefit more from its energy industry -- from researching coal liquification and carbon sequestration technologies to finding more profitable ways to export energy than simply shipping out coal, oil and gas.

Massie said both Guerin and Rothfuss have spoken to him about their candidacies.

"They're both really qualified individuals," he said. "Either one would do a fine job in the state Senate."

Contact capital bureau reporter Jeremy Pelzer at (307) 632-1244 or jeremy.pelzer@trib.com. Read more about Wyoming politics at http://tribtown.trib.com/wypolitics.

Barrasso apologizes for factual error

By JEREMY PELZER - Star-Tribune capital bureau | Posted: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 1:00 am

CHEYENNE -- U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., tried to call a Utah congressman on Tuesday to apologize after falsely claiming on national cable news that the lawmaker voted for the federal health care reform bill after his brother was appointed a federal judge.

Speaking with Fox News' Greta Van Susteren on Monday, Barrasso said, "In Utah, a member from Utah that voted on the bill, he was against it and then he was for it. And what a coincidence that his brother just got named to be a federal judge."

U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson's brother Scott was recently nominated by the Obama administration to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

However, Jim Matheson, a Democrat, voted "no" during all three House votes on Democratic health care reform bills this session: the House bill in November, as well as both the Senate bill and the reconciliation bill last Sunday.

Barrasso spokesperson Emily Lawrimore said Tuesday that the senator "misspoke" and placed a call to the congressman to apologize.

As of early Tuesday evening, though, he hadn't yet spoken with the congressman, said Matheson spokesperson Alyson Heyrend.

Asked what Matheson thought about Barrasso's statements, Heyrend said, "Obviously he thinks it's pretty unfortunate that the senator would say something false about his voting record on the news."

As for how Barrasso got his facts wrong, Lawrimore said, "I think there were a lot of different stories last week about the appointment, and that's how he got or had the wrong idea."

Indeed, in recent weeks there have been -- mostly from right-of-center media outlets -- questioning whether Scott Matheson's appointment was intended as a quid pro quo for his brother's support of the Democratic health care bill.

Until Saturday, Matheson had stayed mum on whether he planned to vote for the $938 billion reform package that, among other things, extends insurance coverage to roughly 32 million additional Americans, requires most Americans to purchase health insurance, and obligates larger employers to provide coverage to their workers.

Barrasso, an orthopedic surgeon who's one of two doctors in the U.S. Senate, has been a vocal opponent of the health care reform bill, appearing regularly on cable TV news to attack the massive Democratic health care bill.

"I think this is going to be bad for patients, it's going to be bad for practitioners, for our doctors and our nurses, and it's going to be bad for payers," Barrasso said Tuesday in an interview on MSNBC.

Wyoming Democratic Party spokesperson Brianna Jones said that throughout the health care debate, Barrasso has been "fearmongering and having a very, very loose relationship with the truth."

"I think it was great that he was willing to apologize," Jones said. "But on the other hand, I think it belies a greater need to focus on the facts."

Contact capital bureau reporter Jeremy Pelzer at (307) 632-1244 or jeremy.pelzer@trib.com. Read more about Wyoming politics and government at http://tribtown.trib.com/wypolitics.

Council meets behind closed doors over press

By PETE NICKEAS - Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Thursday, March 25, 2010 12:00 am

The Casper City Council held an executive-session discussion about media policy at a work session in the last month, according to sources, who say council members were reminded by Mayor Bill Brauer to not share information about the council's closed-door business.

Three officials present during the meeting were granted anonymity to speak freely about the closed-door talks, which may have violated state law. The sources stopped short of calling Brauer's point a "warning," though one source said that Brauer's main point was that "what is said [in executive session], stays here."

Attorney Bruce Moats with the Wyoming Press Association, who in the past has represented the Casper Star-Tribune in court cases, said the discussion didn't fall under any exemptions outlined by the state's open meetings laws.

Brauer denied advising council members to not speak to the press, though the sources said the back-and-forth focused on increased media scrutiny and how to deal with inquiries regarding the closed-door meetings.

"I frequently remind people when we go into executive session what that means," Brauer said. "If that's illegal ... we won't talk about it in executive session. When we go into executive session, that's all a part of the deal, to remind people what executive session means."

The state's open meetings law allows city councils and other legislative bodies to hold closed door meetings to discuss sensitive issues, but those exemptions are outlined within the law.

"That discussion about what should be disclosed in and of itself does not fit any exemption I could think of," Moats said.

Moats added that if the mayor had an opinion of what should and should not be public, he should have said it in an open meeting.

"There's no harm in the public knowing that is the position of the mayor," Moats said. "They might want to comment to the mayor about that policy."

One of the common exemptions used by the city council to hold closed-door meetings is for "contract negotiations." For the past few weeks, sources said, the city was working on a contract extension for the local firefighters' union.

That contract became public when it was approved at a full city council meeting.

One source said the mayor's reminder was that most items discussed in executive session -- such as the firefighters contract -- eventually become public when they are brought into an open city council meeting, and that is the time to speak about them. Brauer said he was concerned about items that never become public -- such as some disputes over personnel matters.

Another source said that not all council members agreed with the mayor, saying it may be counterproductive to clamp down on media relations when public distrust of government is high.

Reach city reporter Pete Nickeas at pete.nickeas@trib.com or (307) 266-0639. Read more about Casper politics and government at http://tribtown.trib.com/redtape

A governing body of an agency can hold closed-door executive sessions ...

1. With law enforcement officers to discuss threats to the security of public or private property, or to discuss threats to the public's right of access

2. To discuss personnel matters

3. To discuss litigation or potential litigation

4. To discuss national security

5. When a licensing agency is preparing, administering or grading examinations

6. When considering the term, parole or release of an individual from a correctional or penal institution

7. To consider land purchases when media publicity would cause a likely increase in price

8. To consider the acceptance of gifts, donations and bequests which the donor has requested in writing to be kept confidential

9. To consider or receive information considered classified by law

10. To consider accepting or tendering offers of wages, salaries, benefits and terms of employment during negotiations

11. To consider any student-related disciplinary action

Local groups get $23K

By PETE NICKEAS - Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Sunday, March 28, 2010 12:00 am

Casper's tanking tax revenue hasn't stopped the city council from agreeing to spend more than $23,000 on discretionary events and programming.

The council's "Community Promotions" program allows local groups to ask for city money and services for their programs. Results from the spring round of applications, which have to be formally approved at a full council meeting, were discussed and approved at Thursday's city council work session.

Some groups ask for cash, others ask for in-kind services or to use city facilities, and some ask for all three. After the groups ask for the money, each council member decides if the application is worthy of consideration. All 10 groups seeking money or services were approved for some aid this time around.

After each member votes on the application's merits, they decide how much cash and how much in facilities and services to provide the groups. The totals from the nine members are averaged, and the results are voted on at a full city council meeting.

The 12-24 Club, which was awarded $250,000 in the fall for upgrades to its new building, will receive $1,100 in cash and about $500 in waived facilities fees for a recovery rally. That event -- with or without the city funding -- is expected to turn a profit, according to the group's application.

Council Vice President Paul Bertoglio and Ward 2 Councilwoman Stefanie Boster were the only council members who voted to provide no cash to any of the five groups seeking city money. Bertoglio also voted "no" on three of the facilities requests and one of the in-kind requests.

"Some of these groups are using our facilities ... with or without our funds, they are going to be cash positive. At some point, some of these groups need to raise fees to do some of this stuff," Bertoglio said. "These are great organizations -- but they have the ability to raise the fees a few bucks and cover the events."

Casper Mayor Bill Brauer voted to approve almost $16,000 of the requests. No other council member wanted to approve more than $10,000 of the requests. Brauer also voted to spend the most money in the fall round of community promotions applications.

"They were doing something good to help promote the community," Brauer said in explaining his vote. "There's always concern with the revenue dropping. That's no reason to shut off the faucet."

When the council approved the fall round of community promotions funding, it gave out $173,000 -- $52,000 in cash, $72,000 for city facilities and $48,000 of in-kind services. The successful groups had sought a total of $355,000. The council awarded just 23 percent of the cash the groups requested and honored nearly all the requests for facilities and in-kind services.

That funding was approved at the beginning of the economic downturn the city is now experiencing. Revenue from the statewide 4-cent sales tax, which pays for community promotions funding and the day-to-day operations of the city, is down about 25 percent.

Reach city reporter Pete Nickeas at pete.nickeas@trib.com or (307) 266-0639. Read more about Casper politics and government at http://tribtown.trib.com/redtape

Breakdown

Money approved

Cash -- $5,752

Facilities -- $5,113

In-kind -- $12,447.74

Money requested

Cash -- $23,374

Facilities -- $5,113

In-kind -- $12,447.74

Ayers to speak at University of Wyoming

By JEREMY PELZER - Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Monday, March 29, 2010 3:30 pm

 CHEYENNE -- Bill Ayers, a professor and former domestic terrorist who became a household name during the 2008 presidential election, will visit the University of Wyoming next month to discuss education and social justice issues.

Ayers will deliver a lecture entitled "Trudge toward Freedom: Moral Commitment and Ethical Action" at UW's Education Auditorium on April 5. The following day, he will participate in a teleconference with Wyoming school principals.

His visit comes as part of a biannual lecture series put on by the UW's Social Justice Research Center, a privately endowed center that studies problems of oppression and inequalities among different social groups in society.

No public funds are being used to pay for Ayers' visit, said UW spokeswoman Jessica Lowell.

Even so, Ayers' presence on campus is sure to spark outrage among conservatives. In the late 1960s, Ayers helped found the militant left-wing terrorist group the Weather Underground, which protested the Vietnam War by bombing the Pentagon, U.S. Capitol and other government buildings.

Ayers found himself back in the headlines two years ago, when Republican John McCain's presidential campaign tried to highlight Ayers' ties to then-presidential nominee Barack Obama. The two lived in the same neighborhood in Chicago's South Side, once worked on the same charity board, and Ayers hosted a small meet-the-candidate event for Obama in 1995.

Obama, who was a young boy when the Weather Underground bombings took place, denounced Ayers' terrorist past and said that Ayers played no part in his presidential campaign.

These days, Ayers has become a respected academic. As Distinguished Professor of Education and Senior University Scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago, he studies, among other things, teaching about social justice, urban educational reform and children in trouble with the law.

Ayers is a founder of the "small schools" movement, which seeks to replace sprawling, crowded urban schools with small, student-centered facilities, often built around specific focuses such as African-American studies and the United Nations.

Contact capital bureau reporter Jeremy Pelzer at (307) 632-1244 or jeremy.pelzer@trib.com. Read more about Wyoming politics and government at http://tribtown.trib.com/wypolitics.

Sumber dari:

-www.trib.com/news/state-and-regional/article

-www.trib.com/news/local/article

News from Wyoming (until march 15th '2010)

Local Republican Women Discuss Getting Republicans And Women Elected

By Betsy Love on Tue 02/16/2010 08:07

Republican Women of Sheridan County had their first meeting of 2010 last night at the Sheridan Senior Center. The speaker at the meeting was Wyoming GOP Chairman, Diana Vaughn, who spoke with the group about the importance of getting not just Republicans elected, but more women Republicans as well:

Vaughn mentioned that although women in Wyoming tend to vote in higher numbers than men and are often very politically active, they still only represent a small fraction of the state elected officials.

The meeting of Republican Women, which includes several men, also discussed the looming state gubernatorial race. The speakers at their next meeting on March 11th will be the Republican primary contenders for governor.

You can get more info at www.wfrw.vcn.com

The Sheridan County Republican Caucus and County Convention Held This Weekend

By Betsy Love on Mon 03/15/2010 07:00

GOP Logo

Sheridan County Republicans held a precinct caucus and a county convention this weekend in order to elect a caucus chairman, vote on party resolutions, and elect delegates for the State Convention and adopt the county platform. Cathy Poleman, who is the Chairman of the Sheridan County Republicans, says the resolutions and platforms committees had quite a lot of work cut out for them.

Before these resolutions become public and official, they must go through the state processes and become adopted. The elected delegates who will represent Sheridan County at the state convention, Cathy says, include our four state representatives from Sheridan County

This year, the Wyoming Republican State Convention is in Sheridan and will take place on Thursday, April 29th-May 1st, at the Holiday Inn.

Also coming up is the annual Reagan Day Dinner, which will also be at the Holiday Inn in Sheridan on March 20th. Liz Cheney will be the guest speaker at the Reagan Day Dinner, but she will also be the guest on public pulse this Tuesday.

Speaker Of The House Colin Simpson Was In Sheridan Thursday To Talk Budget Session

By Ron Richter on Fri 03/12/2010 00:05

Wyoming House of Representatives Speaker Colin Simpson

Its been one week since the Wyoming State Legislature wrapped up the 2010 Budget Session in Cheyenne. Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives Colin Simpson stopped by the Sheridan Media studios Thursday to discuss some of the issues from this year's session. Sheridan Media's Ron Richter has more.

Most local government's around Wyoming had hopes that the Legislature would tap into the Legislative Reserve Account to allow more funding to be distributed to municipalities around the state. Speaker of the House Colin Simpson comments on why the reserves were left alone.

Currently there is approximately $700 million in the Legislative Reserve Account. The budget will go into effect July 1st of this year, and Simpson says the Legislature will convene some six months later to determine if there are any changes that can be made.

Simpson said that education funding, Medicaid and the retirement system were three major reasons why legislators choose not to use any of the reserve funds this session. Be sure to join us Monday, where we'll hear from Simpson on a bill that he co-sponsored that ultimately died in the Senate.

Democrats pan campaign finance system

By EJ Conzola II - Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Sunday, March 14, 2010 12:00 am

Politics should not be a zero sum game, in which one side has to lose if the other is to win, a former and possibly future candidate for elected office told Natrona County Democrats on Saturday.

The nation's elected leadership needs to "focus on problems, instead of the opposition," former U.S. Senate candidate Chris Rothfuss said in his keynote speech to the Natrona County Democratic Convention.

Members of both political parties should approach contentious issues by looking at what will be best for the American people, said Rothfuss, who lost his 2008 senate race to Republican Mike Enzi.

Unfortunately, "the people that we have in Washington, D.C. just aren't good at that," he said.

Although Rothfuss called on both parties to put aside partisanship and work for the good of the people who elected them, he was -- not surprisingly -- especially critical of Republicans, whom he took to task for "looking for ways to shoot down ideas."

Despite the obstructionism of the GOP and the current focus on the struggling effort to reform health care, the administration of President Barack Obama has accomplished a great deal, particularly in the area of foreign policy, Rothfuss said.

"The rest of the world looks on us as an ally again," said Rothfuss, a chemical engineer who worked as a science advisor for the U.S. State Department from 2003 to 2006.

He criticized the current campaign finance system, which he said gives large campaign contributors greater access to elected officials than the average citizen.

Rothfuss also criticized the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that allows corporations to spend freely on political campaigns, but stopped short of criticizing the five justices responsible for the ruling, saying they were following the Constitution as they saw it.

Rothfuss also said he is contemplating a return to politics with a bid for a state Senate seat if state Sen. Mike Massie runs for governor.

Former Wyoming Secretary of State Kathy Karpan also scored the way campaigns are financed during her luncheon speech. Karpan, who has mounted unsuccessful campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate, noted the costs of campaigning have spiraled upwards in recent years.

"There's something wrong with that picture," she said.

Karpan praised the fundraising strategy employed by the Obama campaign, which raised a great deal of money through small contributions from many donors, largely through the Internet. Because the money came from a large number of people, rather than a small circle of large contributors, Obama is less beholden to those wealthy backers, she said.

"Broad-based support meant freedom," she said.

While the speeches by Rothfuss and Karpan were the highlights of the day for many Democrats, most of the convention centered around the drafting of a party platform for the 2010 election and the selection of delegates for the state Democratic convention, which will be held May 14 and 15 in Casper.

Posted in Local on Sunday, March 14, 2010 12:00 am Updated: 6:05 pm.

Measure still needs formal approval at council meeting

City gives initial approval to street extension

By PETE NICKEAS - Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010 12:00 am

Casper City Council members have informally agreed to connect 21st Street to Wyoming Boulevard.

Five of the eight members in attendance at a work session this week voted for the proposal, which calls for the road to be built in three segments between Missouri Street and Wyoming Boulevard.

Three members voted against the plan, reflecting their growing concern about the city's lagging tax revenues.

There are two missing segments between Missouri Street and Wyoming Boulevard: One stretches from Missouri to Kingsbury Drive, and the other is a shorter portion between Walsh Drive and Wyoming Boulevard. Under the construction proposal, the segment between Missouri and Kingsbury would be broken into two shorter sections, the first running from Missouri to Rustic Court and the second completing the link to Kingsbury.

The city is obligated to pay for half of the road construction for about half of the first segment, City Manager Tom Forslund said.

Engineering estimates had pegged the city's cost as high as $450,000, so when the city's cost came in at about $200,000, it was a relief to city council members and city planners. The city didn't budget for the project, as city planners didn't think construction would begin this year. That road segment will be paid for with cost savings from other projects.

Anything past the city's obligation -- finishing the first segment or doing the entire second segment -- is optional. To build 21st Street out to Wyoming Boulevard, the city would have to pay the entire cost of the construction now and hope to recapture that outlay from developers in the future, Public Services Director Gary Clough told the council during Monday's work session.

Those costs add about $600,000 to the total project price, though the city would also be able to "recapture" 75 percent of the construction costs of the road from future developers who might build in the area to be served by the road, according to Clough.

The city has saved money on other projects, and construction costs on the other two segments could also be paid for with those savings, Clough said.

Still, council members were hesitant to commit money not knowing what next year's budget will look like. Ward 2 Councilwoman Stefanie Boster suggested waiting until after the budget is approved in June to consider the project.

Forslund said the developer building the first portion will begin construction when the weather is better, and the city needs to decide now if it wants to do the entire project. Otherwise, the city will have to seek bids and do the construction work separate from the development work.

Debate between council members focused the city's poor finances and the need to alleviate the pressure on 15th Street, which is near its capacity, according to Forslund.

Ward 3 Councilman Maury Daubin voted against the measure, saying the time wasn't right to commit money without knowing more about the city's financial future.

Council Vice President Paul Bertoglio disagreed, citing low construction costs and the need to open up the area.

"I think we should, given the cost savings we have," said Bertoglio, who lives in the ward where the construction is scheduled. "At some point we're still on the lam for this. The cost is probably going to double, and the opportunity [is there] to get this done so much cheaper. We need to keep in mind that we have to start some of this interconnection ... 21st [Street], that's going to become a major arterial at some point."

Reach city reporter Pete Nickeas at pete.nickeas@trib.com or (307) 266-0639. Read more about Casper politics and government at http://tribtown.trib.com/redtape

Posted in Local on Thursday, March 11, 2010 12:00 am Updated: 6:03 pm.

Ten groups seek city money

By PETE NICKEAS - Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 12:00 am

Ten organizations are seeking money and services from the city of Casper during the spring round of "community promotions" funding.

That money is doled out by the Casper City Council to any group the council deems worthy of funding or help from the city. Some groups ask for police officers to patrol crowds. Others seek to have facility fees waived, and others ask for cash. Some ask for all three.

The council first decides if groups are worthy. Any group receiving a majority vote advances to another round of voting, where council members decide how much help they want to give. Groups receive an average of what the nine members think they should get.

Of the 10 organizations seeking funding, Special Olympics Wyoming is the only one that applied for and received money earlier this budget year.

Special Olympics Wyoming was supposed to submit two applications in July for the round of money disbursed in the fall -- one application for a winter 2010 event and one for a fall 2010 event, according to Debbie Huber, one of the group's volunteers.

The Casper City Council awarded the group more than $4,000 in October -- $1,750 for city facilities, $510 in in-kind services, and $1,944 of a $4,000 request for cash. That will be used for the fall 2010 event.

Since the group was late with its Winter 2010 application, the event has already passed, and the group is now seeking a $6,000 reimbursement for money it already spent on ski lift tickets.

Also seeking money is the 12/24 Club, a nonprofit organization that sponsors anonymous meetings for addicts. Though the group didn't receive any community promotions money in the fall, the city council did award it $250,000 in August to help with construction costs for its new building.

The 12/24 Club's request is for $5,000 in cash and $500 for facilities and in-kind services for a Recovery Rally. That event is expected to turn a profit, even without the city funding, according to the group's application.

When the council approved the fall round of community promotions funding, it gave out $173,000 -- $52,000 in cash, $72,000 for city facilities, and $48,000 of in-kind services. The successful groups had sought a total of $355,000. The council awarded just 23 percent of the cash the groups requested and honored nearly all the requests for facilities and in-kind services.

That funding was approved at the beginning of the economic downturn the city is now experiencing. Revenue from the statewide 4-cent sales tax, which pays for community promotions funding and the day-to-day operations of the city, is down nearly 25 percent.

The council members will fill out vote sheets that will be compiled and presented at the March 25 work session. Formal approval of any money could come at a subsequent meeting.

Reach city reporter Pete Nickeas at pete.nickeas@trib.com or (307) 266-0639. Read more about Casper politics and government at http://tribtown.trib.com/redtape

Posted in Local on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 12:00 am Updated: 5:07 pm.

Family supports Freudenthal's decision not to challenge term limits law

Wyoming gov rules out third term

By JOAN BARRON - Star-Tribune capital bureau | Posted: Friday, March 5, 2010 12:00 am

Dave Freudenthal, Wyoming Governor

CHEYENNE -- With his wife Nancy at his side, Gov. Dave Freudenthal formally announced Thursday that he will not be a candidate for re-election this year.

"This decision is not made lightly but has strong support from my family," said the two-term Democratic chief executive.

"I suspect this statement comes as no surprise to most observers of the Wyoming political scene," he added.

If he had decided to run, Freudenthal would have had to challenge the state's term limits law, which observers said was no barrier given that the Wyoming Supreme Court already overturned term limits for legislators.

The governor said his decision began to gel over Christmas when he sat down with his wife and children. The children were uniformly opposed to him running again, he said.

Nancy Freudenthal said it was very much a family decision.

The job is demanding on a governor's personal and family life, she said.

"It was hard for me not to blurt out what I thought," she said.

Nancy Freudenthal's appointment to a federal judgeship is awaiting a confirmation vote by the U.S. Senate.

A recent Republican poll gave Freudenthal an extremely high approval rating.

The governor earlier announced he would commission a poll on various issues, a move that briefly fueled speculation he would run again.

Freudenthal said Thursday that the pollster was paid for the survey, but it wasn't done.

"We'll turn the stuff over to the (Democratic) party and let them work with the pollster, what questions they want," he said.

Freudenthal said he does not know what he will do when he leaves office in 10 months.

He declined to talk about any "legacy."

"We don't do that legacy stuff," he said during the news conference. "This legacy stuff is incredibly dangerous."

"I would like to see us actually do a carbon capture/sequestration process. I would like to see the GE process work. I would like to see the NCAR thing get going," he added.

But these projects, he said, are part of a process and will move forward regardless of who is governor.

Lawmakers from both parties were positive about Freudenthal's performance during seven-plus years as chief executive.

Sen. Eli Bebout, R-Riverton, who lost to Freudenthal in a close race for governor in 2002, said he respects the governor's decision and knows it was not an easy one.

The governor, he said, has tried to minimize the impact on the state of the federal government's handling of wolves and sage grouse.

"I think he really tried to represent Wyoming against the intrusiveness of the federal government, and he did that," Bebout said.

"When we had huge energy development, he did the balancing act," said Sen. Kathryn Sessions, D-Cheyenne.

"He tried to preserve those things that we hold most dear in this state -- our water, our air, our mountains, our open space. He was the balancer between all of that and industry and money and all the stuff on the other side," Sessions said.

"He did so much for our kids, for juvenile justice, recognizing that what was happening to young people was not acceptable and using his office to make the improvements that needed to be made," she added.

Rep. Roy Cohee, R-Casper, a former House speaker, said Freudenthal has done a good job.

"In the last eight years we've been fortunate, and I think we have done a fair job investing, saving and spending appropriately," Cohee said.

Rep. Rodney "Pete" Anderson, R-Pine Bluffs, said Freudenthal has been a very popular governor.

"But he's obviously had a free ride with the financial part of the state," Anderson said. "I don't know why he'd want to go back in when it'd be such a problem after that (success)."

House Speaker Colin Simpson, R-Cody, a probable candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, said Freudenthal has been a fine governor.

"And I applaud his love for the state and the way that's been portrayed during his tenure as governor. He'll be remembered as, I think, a well-liked, popular governor who's led Wyoming through some exceptional times," Simpson said.

Freudenthal said he told his staff Thursday morning that his decision to close one door is "kind of bittersweet."

One one hand, he said, "I'm 59, I've got a great life ahead of me, and things look good."

"On the other hand, it's been a grand adventure, and you hate for it to end," Freudenthal said.

Contact capital bureau reporter Joan Barron at 307-632-1244 or joan.barron@trib.com

What they're saying

Here are some comments about Gov. Dave Freudenthal's announcement that he won't seek re-election:

"He tried to preserve those things that we hold most dear in this state -- our water, our air, our mountains, our open space. He was the balancer between all of that and industry and money and all the stuff on the other side."

-- Sen. Kathryn Sessions, D-Cheyenne

"Anybody that has dedicated that many years to public service needs to be commended and respected for the sacrifices that they’ve made in the public service."

-- Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron Micheli

"He'll be remembered as, I think, a well-liked, popular governor who's led Wyoming through some exceptional times."

-- House Speaker Colin Simpson, R-Cody

"He left the state in a good place. ...I have said publicly many times that I think Gov. Freudenthal's done a pretty good job for Wyoming."

-- Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Mead

"It's obviously going to be a new era for the state, and it's also a loss for the state, too. He's done a magnificent job for eight years."

-- State Sen. Mike Massie, D-Laramie

"Thank you to the governor and certainly to Mrs. Freudenthal for their service to the state of Wyoming. He's been in that office going into his eighth year, and I know full well the toll that takes on both the governor and his family."

-- State Auditor Rita Meyer, GOP gubernatorial candidate

"Dave has been a good spokesman and salesman for our state. His fiscal conservatism and his recognition of the power of the Legislature has resulted in good things getting done and bad things from happening. Assuming the rest of the year goes well, Dave will be pleased with his legacy, and I thank him for his service."

-- U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.

"Gov. Freudenthal has created a lasting legacy for our state. There's no question that Dave always puts Wyoming first. We've enjoyed a great working relationship, and our state has excelled under his leadership."

-- U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo.

Posted in Govt-and-politics on Friday, March 5, 2010 12:00 am Updated: 2:39 pm. 

sumber:

-www.sheridanmedia.com

-www.trib.com