During a recent episode of Cowboy State Politics, the head of the Wyoming Business Council made a stunning statement: that we need bigger government and that the free market is “dead.”
Let that sink in.
Wyoming is a state built on independence, risk, and private enterprise. Ranchers, tradesmen, shop owners, energy workers, restaurateurs, and small business owners built this state without waiting for a government handout.
And yet, taxpayers are being asked to continue funding an organization whose leadership appears to believe the free market no longer works.
This is not just a budget debate. This is a values debate.
If the philosophy guiding a taxpayer-funded entity is that government must step in because markets cannot function on their own, then we must ask:
- Is the state now in the business of replacing private risk?
- Who decides which businesses deserve help?
- What happens to the entrepreneurs who don’t receive funding?
- When a subsidized business fails, who bears the loss?
When I opened my business, there were no guarantees. We invested our own money. I worked relentlessly. If I fail, the consequences are mine.
That’s how markets create discipline. That’s how businesses stay lean. That’s how innovation survives.
Government funding changes that dynamic. When risk is socialized, accountability weakens.
Supporters argue these programs create jobs. That may be true in some cases. But job creation at what cost? And for how long? Taxpayers deserve full transparency on cost per job, long-term survival rates, and measurable return on investment.
If we truly believe in limited government and free enterprise, then our policies must reflect that belief — especially when public money is involved.
Wyoming doesn’t need to declare the free market dead.
We need to get government out of the way and let it breathe.
Christine Iverson - Sheridan County