Working to get the job done

As with many things in life, the 2018 Wyoming Legislature is here and gone already.

Our local representatives, Nathan Winters and Wyatt Agar, have done well in keeping us informed of what’s been happening in Cheyenne during this budget session. Though the political game is one that often sees hard-drawn line of House vs. Senate or Democrat vs. Republican, Winters and Agar recently shared that they worked together on items such as bills related to the state budget, education, agriculture and bit coin technology.

This type of partnership, which ignores the rigid definitions of politics, is what is needed to make any real progress. Sometimes politicians can get caught up in how they’re supposed to vote or what they’re supposed to support based on their party affiliation, that they forget to look at simply how a bill could benefit or damage the people.

Of course, stepping outside those boundaries can be uncomfortable or, as Winters and Agar put it, “take them out of their wheelhouse,” it’s also something that has to be embraced to make any progress. Stepping into those situations are what can, hopefully, make a person stronger, or make them realize whether a particular path is the right one.

As the Legislature comes to a close this week, the focus turns from the issues at the state level to those in Thermopolis and Hot Springs County and the local races. Whether you’re Democrat, Republican or otherwise affiliated, it’s important to realize that it takes our elected officials working together to bring about positive change in our community.

Hopefully those planning to run for office understand that.