Something Positive

This post is long overdue.

I've said for a long time that I greatly prefer to be for something rather than just against something else. And as much as I enjoy taking on things that I disagree with and feel need to be brought to light, it's high time I discussed why I'll be voting for who I'm voting for in Wyoming's congressional race.

My support for Gary Trauner was initially sparked by a sharp dissatisfaction with Barbara Cubin. I had met her back in high school when I went on the Close-Up trip to DC, and my initial impression was one of utter falseness and pandering; we'd been warned not to ask for cookies by our accompanying teacher. Her lackluster record and deplorable attendance over the next several years have resulted in me never once voting for her. But in 2002 and 2004, I was just voting against her, rather than for her opponent. That changed in 2006.

Gary Trauner already had my vote as soon as he started running against Cubin in the last election. But when I got to meet him face to face at a meet-n-greet at Java Moon in Sheridan, I knew that actually I'd be voting for him, and not just against the incumbent.

It's a great feeling, being excited for a candidate. It's less inspiring, and harder to get interested in the process, when you just pick the candidate that's less bad than the other, or just someone else that's bound to do a better job than his or her opponent.

Believe it or not, I consider myself fairly moderate. I'll be the first to acknowledge that neither major political party has all the right or good ideas. A lot of the time, the best course of action is found somewhere between the extremes of views. The nation is supposed to work on compromise, where the interests of all involved parties are met to the greatest extent possible. That doesn't happen with rubber stamps or demonization or focusing on negatives.

Gary Trauner is a guy that will seek balance. If elected, he's not just going to work for the people that voted for him. He recognizes that there has to be a balance whenever governement acts. It has a role, it has a place, but it is neither the end-all-be-all nor the worst possible solution. He's for balanced budgets, for common-sense approaches, and for taking on the underlying cause of problems rather than slapping on a band-aid. And he runs a clean campaign on why you should vote for him, not why you shouldn't vote for his opponent; he doens't resort to labels or the lowest common denominator. He goes door to door and talks to the people he wants to represent. And he isn't buying his seat.

One particular thing I really like about the man is that he's really just asking for a shot. If he gets elected and the people don't like the job he does, then they can vote him out in the next election.

Not to put the cart before the horse, but I doubt that will happen.

So here's how I see the race for Wyoming's seat in the US House of Representatives. On one hand, we have a candidate who's working for your vote, that runs on what he'll do and why you should vote for him, that is making a case to represent the whole of the state. On the other hand, we've got a negative campaign seeking to give us more of what we've had for longer than I can remember - and if you're like me, you don't much care for what we've got right now.

It seems pretty obvious to me, and I hope you agree.

-Regis