Dear Editor,
“The forest was shrinking, but the trees kept voting for the axe, for the axe was clever and convinced the trees that because his handle was made of wood he was one of them” - an old Turkish proverb.
It’s time to talk about voting. Not with the admonition from our President (Sept. 10, 2026, at the RNC) to “Cheat like hell!” But with the recognition that your vote matters.
I am an Independent. In Wyoming, this selection on your voter registration is designated “Not Affiliated.” But living in Wyoming (Rock Springs, Rawlins, Worland and now Pinedale), I often register with one of the two major parties for the closed primaries so I can have a voice in selecting the best candidate from one or the other of the two in preparation for the General Election.
During my time in Wyoming, there used to be a pretty certain switch in the parties of elected governors. We had Herschler (R), Sullivan (D), then Gerringer (R), then Freudenthal (D) and next Mead and now Gordon—both Republicans. I don’t remember any specific grousing about the Democratic or the Republican governors. I think all of these men tried their best to work for the people of Wyoming, regardless of national politics.
The reason I am an Independent is that parties change. Big money, and often from out of state, seems to have encouraged today’s Wyoming parties to follow their leads. It is important to me to understand what will be the likely outcome of my vote now.
Even as I registered R for this August’s Primary, I looked carefully at the records and character of each candidate. I looked carefully at the tax issue. Then I voted.
My vote is a small thing, but collectively we are the voice of Wyoming. Will our votes harmonize towards peace and fairness in our future? Or will we buy the lies of some who just know we will vote their party line and keep them in their seats - those who have enabled unprecedented levels of corruption and violence in violation of the terms of our U.S. Constitution.
Your vote is important. Be an independent-minded voter - even if you don’t actually change your voter registration. Find the truth. Make it known with your vote.
One more proverb to remember: “Power corrupts; Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Karla Bird, Pinedale, Wyo.
