Author: Fritz Pettyjohn

Tyler Lindholm says we may get a hearing in the Revenue Committee as soon as a week from tomorrow.  Great timing, for us.  I believe Kasich will be given the podium to speak to the whole legislature the previous day.  If that’s true his speech will have added impact.  Natelson says he’ll probably be in Cheyenne for Kasich’s visit.  Bill Fruth will get a day there to lobby, hopefully escorted by Bill McIlvain.  Lobbyists Tony Gagliardi and, possibly, Matt Micheli, will work the members.  NFIB will be working its members, and 250 More will work the state.  I’m sure the IamAmerican team (Lou Marin and Loren Enns) will be able to help out.  I’ll have all day to lobby before I testify at 5:00 p.m.  Democrats in Wyoming don’t matter, so the only real opposition will come from the fringe  — the Eagle/Birchers.  And, on the merits, it’s a no brainer.

With all this going for us, if we can’t get five of the eight Republican votes on the committee……………

I don’t want to think about it.

We’re going to win, and I’m going out for a cold one.  Maybe Tyler and Dan will join me.

Speaker Kermit Brown didn’t do us any favor by assigning us to Revenue, but we’ll make it work.  Eight R’s, one D, so we’ll need five out of eight.  Tyler’s been advised to seek a hearing ASAP, so we’re hoping for the week of Jan. 26, after Kasich, Natelson, and Fruth have been there and laid the groundwork.  Lobbyist Matt Micheli has been hired by Kasich to set up his visit, and we’ll ask him to lobby as well.  Tony Gagliardi of NFIB will work the members, and Stephanie Wuerks will generate support from the membership of NFIB.  We’ve asked Bill McIlvain to reach out to the chair.  Kevin Grenier and 250 More will try to get grass roots support.  I’ll fly out to testify at the committee hearing.  With all this going for us we should be able to get five votes.

When you’ve done everything you can, you’ve done all you can do.

Bill McIlvain is on board in Wyoming.  This is big.  He was Speaker 25 years ago, and has already recruited Reps. Nathan Winters and Kendell Kroeker.  And, of utmost importance, Eli Bebout, the highly influential Senate Majority Leader.  He’s going to call WY Secretary of State Ed Murray and Sen. Mike Enzi, Chair of the Senate Budget Committee.  He’ll be getting together with Tyler and Dan to work on strategy.

Bill is married to Kevin Lundberg’s aunt, which is how we got to him.  Kevin volunteered to help in Wyoming, and did he ever come through.  Bill’s 82, and a registered lobbyist.  He’s plenty sharp, and seems excited about our cause.  The more he learns about it the more he’ll like it.

Several people told me that Bebout was the guy you had to get to in Wyoming.  I never figured a way to get to him, except by asking Kevin.  Thanks to Kevin we got to Bill.  And Bill got Bebout.

And Bebout can get us Wyoming.

They sold some property and are “loaning” the proceeds to the cause.  A substantial amount of money.  Enough to do enough, maybe.  I hope, and believe, that their generosity and patriotism will be rewarded with the recognition it deserves.  For that to happen we have to win.

Full speed ahead on the robocall project.  Dave’s in charge, though we’ll all pitch in.  His pro tells him the caller, whoever we decide on, should only give a 30 second intro  — then the program kicks in.  In Wyoming I think Sen. Barasso would be best, in Montana Sen. Daines.  Unless Palin, if we can get her, would be better than both of them.  I’ll check with Matthew and Tyler.

It’s not a lot to ask, cutting a 30 second tape.  The downside is some people get pissed at anyone making a robocall.  The upside is you’re associating yourself with a very important and popular issue.  The fact that it could be the salvation of this country should be a factor in favor, as well.

You’d think.

Dave and Susie’s contribution means that Typhoon Lou will be available to work with me in the mountain states.  He’s an old fashioned rabble rouser who relates well with the regular folks  — Tea Party people.  He’s a bundle of energy who will track down every Tea Party sympathizer in the states of Montana and Wyoming.

And then convert them to the cause.

Sponsor Matthew Monforton may be a freshman, but he’s no shrinking violet backbencher.  He’s suing the State of Montana on behalf of the Republican Party, seeking to overturn the current primary voting law, which allows any voter, however registered, to vote for any candidate.  The Central Committee voted to join his suit just yesterday, so he’s been busy.  The Constitution’s guarantee of the freedom of association means he should win, by the way.

He tells me it’ll be a fight every step of the way, in the Judiciary Committee, on the House floor, and the same in the Senate.  Judiciary is chaired by Jerry Bennett of Libby, which is nestled in the most northwest corner of the state  — the part of Montana with the strongest Birch presence.  12 R’s, 9 D’s, so we can only lose one R vote in committee, assuming unanimous D opposition.  Montana’s a big, rural state, and committee members come from all over the place, towns like Box Elder, Havre, Hamilton and Sun River.

On the bright side we’re confident we’ll have the strong support of Speaker Austin Knudsen, a former student of Rob Natelson, and a big fan of his.  Natelson’s visit to Helena should motivate Knudsen to do what he can for us.  Depending on how much he wants this bill, that can be a lot.

We’ve got to do the robocalls I’ve described earlier in Montana.  I don’t know media markets in Montana, but I’ve spent a whole lot of time in the state, and know it’s all spread out, and thinly populated.  But everybody’s got a phone, and a call from Matthew, Kasich, or Palin may get more attention in Montana City or Joliet than it would get in a metropolitan area.

A House district in Montana has around 7,000 registered voters.  Get half a dozen calls from back home, and your ears perk up.

I may be in Helena for a while.