Cheney looks toward support Wyo way of life in House
As Election Day draws closer, Liz Cheney continues campaigning across the state, telling Wyomingites her story and the reasons she will make the best candidate for Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“If I’m elected, one of my top priorities will be to make sure we are able to undo as much of the damage from the Obama years as possible,” Cheney says. “We need to start by rolling back the size, scope and authority of the federal government, particularly as it comes to issues like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM), among others.”
Committee work
As a first priority, if elected, Cheney says she will focus on being placed in the right committees.
“My priority would be the Natural Resources Committee,” she explains. “I think that committee is hugely important for Wyoming because of the public lands issues.”
Cheney also says she would like to play a role in the national security arena, including making sure the military has the appropriate resources and the country is well defended.
Federal overreach
As a top issue, federal overreach is widespread throughout the current administration in Washington, D.C.
“When we look at things like BLM Planning 2.0, for example, making sure that people understand how dangerous it is and how it is a threat to our sovereignty is important,” Cheney comments. “I think it’s important that Wyoming’s representative is really leading on these issues.”
As she looks back 40 years, Cheney says that the federal government used to operate such that the general population believed they were operating in good faith and that the government listened to the people.
“I think that sense is gone today,” she says. “We really need to re-establish why local control is so important.”
She adds, “We also have to make sure that we explain to people the extent to which these agencies are operating outside of the law.”
Solid action
To start the reforms process, Cheney sees that repeal of a number of pieces of legislation as an important place to start.
“We have to think of creative ways to tie the hands of these agencies,” she explains.
Cheney believes that one of the best ways to solve some of the problems in today’s government is by looking at repealing pieces of legislation, such as the Endangered Species Act and estate tax legislation.
“Fundamental regulatory reform and really limiting the ability of agencies to change the meaning of the law by the rules that they pass are very important,” she continues. “We need clear, quantitative requirements.”
Moving to local control
“We have got to have more authority invested in the state,” Cheney says, adding that government that is closer to the people it governs is better.
The concept also applies to federal lands, though Cheney does not believe that clear-cut transfer of public lands to state hands is the best solution.
“I think there are a lot of options when we look at federal lands,” she says. “I think it’s important to guarantee access and make sure the state has the resources it needs for an increased role that we ought to play.”
She continues that management of federal lands is not a cut-and-dry issue with a simple “yes” or “no” answer.
“We’ve got to do whatever is best for the land and the people of Wyoming,” Cheney comments. “Certainly more authority and more autonomy is important, but this issue is too big and too important to answer with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response.”
“The people who are dependent on the land ought to be in charge of it,” she adds.
When the federal government begins to get involved in people’s lives, the result is often unfavorable, Cheney adds, noting that healthcare is an prime example.
“That is what happens when the government starts to reach its tentacles in,” Cheney comments. “We shouldn’t have to keep learning this lesson over and over again.”
Running for Congress
“It has been a real honor to be the Republican nominee,” Cheney comments. “I think it’s a sacred obligation and duty to be Wyoming’s representative in Congress.”
She adds, “If I’m honored to be elected, I’ll fight every day on behalf of these issues that impact Wyoming. These are issues I really care about and will fight for so that we’re able to build the kind of coalitions we need to defend our people.”
Saige Albert is managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at saige@wylr.net.
