diff --git a/scripts/cfn b/scripts/cfn
index 82fa37d..750f52e 100755
--- a/scripts/cfn
+++ b/scripts/cfn
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
-from __future__ import print_function
+
 import argparse
 import sys
 import time
diff --git a/scripts/cfn2py b/scripts/cfn2py
index 1b125fc..72e2d84 100755
--- a/scripts/cfn2py
+++ b/scripts/cfn2py
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ import argparse
 import json
 import pprint
 
+try:
+    getattr(__builtins__, 'basestring')
+except AttributeError:
+    str = str
+
 
 class object_registry(object):
     """Keep track of objects being created as Parameters or Resources
@@ -68,7 +73,7 @@ def do_header(d):
     if 'Resources' in d:
         seen = []
         resources = d['Resources']
-        for k, v in resources.items():
+        for k, v in list(resources.items()):
             (mod, tropo_object) = generate_troposphere_object(v['Type'])
             if tropo_object not in seen:
                 seen.append(tropo_object)
@@ -94,11 +99,11 @@ def do_description(d):
 def do_parameters(d):
     """Output the template Parameters"""
     params = d['Parameters']
-    for k, v in params.items():
+    for k, v in list(params.items()):
         object_name = objects.add(k)
         print('{} = t.add_parameter(Parameter('.format(object_name))
         print('    "{}",'.format(k))
-        for pk, pv in v.items():
+        for pk, pv in list(v.items()):
             print('    {}={},'.format(pk, output_value(pv)))
         print("))")
         print()
@@ -107,7 +112,7 @@ def do_parameters(d):
 def do_conditions(d):
     """Output the template Conditions"""
     conditions = d['Conditions']
-    for k, v in conditions.items():
+    for k, v in list(conditions.items()):
         print('t.add_condition("{}",'.format(k))
         print('    {}'.format(output_value(v)))
         print(")")
@@ -117,7 +122,7 @@ def do_conditions(d):
 def do_mappings(d):
     """Output the template Mappings"""
     mappings = d['Mappings']
-    for k, v in mappings.items():
+    for k, v in list(mappings.items()):
         print('t.add_mapping("{}",'.format(k))
         pprint.pprint(v)
         print(")")
@@ -144,7 +149,7 @@ def generate_troposphere_object(typename):
 
 def output_dict(d):
     out = []
-    for k, v in d.items():
+    for k, v in list(d.items()):
         out.append("{}={}".format(k.replace('\\', '\\\\'), output_value(v)))
     return ", ".join(out)
 
@@ -182,7 +187,7 @@ function_quirks = {
 
 def do_output_function(k, f, v):
     print('    {}={}('.format(k, f))
-    for pk, pv in v.items():
+    for pk, pv in list(v.items()):
         if pk in known_functions:
             do_resources_content(pk, pv, "")
         else:
@@ -194,7 +199,7 @@ def do_output_quirk_list(k, f, v):
     print('    {}=['.format(k))
     for e in v:
         print('    {}('.format(f))
-        for pk, pv in e.items():
+        for pk, pv in list(e.items()):
             if pk in known_functions:
                 do_resources_content(pk, pv)
             else:
@@ -205,7 +210,7 @@ def do_output_quirk_list(k, f, v):
 
 def do_output_quirk_mapping(k, v):
     m = function_quirks[k]
-    for pk in m.keys():
+    for pk in list(m.keys()):
         print('    {}={}('.format(k, pk))
         for e in m[pk]:
             print("        {},".format(output_value(v[e])))
@@ -214,7 +219,7 @@ def do_output_quirk_mapping(k, v):
 
 def do_output_quirk_metadata(k, v):
     m = function_quirks[k]
-    for pk in m.keys():
+    for pk in list(m.keys()):
         print('    Metadata={}('.format(pk))
         print("        {},".format(output_value(v)))
         print('    ),')
@@ -246,15 +251,15 @@ def do_resources(d):
     """Output the template Resources"""
 
     resources = d['Resources']
-    for k, v in resources.items():
+    for k, v in list(resources.items()):
         object_name = objects.add(k)
         (_, tropo_object) = generate_troposphere_object(v['Type'])
         if tropo_object in top_level_aliases:
             tropo_object = top_level_aliases[tropo_object]
         print('{} = t.add_resource({}('.format(object_name, tropo_object))
         print('    "{}",'.format(k))
-        for p in (x for x in ['Metadata', 'Properties'] if x in v):
-            for pk, pv in v[p].items():
+        for p in [x for x in ['Metadata', 'Properties'] if x in v]:
+            for pk, pv in list(v[p].items()):
                 if pk == "Tags":
                     print('    Tags=Tags(')
                     for d in pv:
@@ -333,7 +338,7 @@ def output_value(v):
 
     out = []
     # Should only be one of these...
-    for fk, fv in v.items():
+    for fk, fv in list(v.items()):
         if fk in function_map:
             (shortname, handler) = function_map[fk]
             if not isinstance(fv, list):
@@ -348,10 +353,10 @@ def do_outputs(d):
     """Output the template Outputs"""
 
     outputs = d['Outputs']
-    for k, v in outputs.items():
+    for k, v in list(outputs.items()):
         print('{} = t.add_output(Output('.format(k))
         print('    "{}",'.format(k))
-        for pk, pv in v.items():
+        for pk, pv in list(v.items()):
             if isinstance(pv, str):
                 print('    {}="{}",'.format(pk, pv))
             else:
@@ -385,7 +390,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     ]
 
     for s in sections:
-        if s in d.keys():
+        if s in list(d.keys()):
             globals()["do_" + s.lower()](d)
 
     do_trailer(d)
diff --git a/troposphere/__init__.py b/troposphere/__init__.py
index 3d7b815..dd1a281 100644
--- a/troposphere/__init__.py
+++ b/troposphere/__init__.py
@@ -61,8 +61,11 @@ def encode_to_dict(obj):
             new_lst.append(encode_to_dict(o))
         return new_lst
     elif isinstance(obj, dict):
-        return {name: encode_to_dict(prop) for name, prop in obj.items()}
+        props = {}
+        for name, prop in list(obj.items()):
+            props[name] = encode_to_dict(prop)
 
+        return props
     # This is useful when dealing with external libs using
     # this format. Specifically awacs.
     elif hasattr(obj, 'JSONrepr'):
@@ -114,13 +117,13 @@ class BaseAWSObject(object):
         self.__initialized = True
 
         # Check for properties defined in the class
-        for k, (_, required) in self.props.items():
+        for k, (_, required) in list(self.props.items()):
             v = getattr(type(self), k, None)
             if v is not None and k not in kwargs:
                 self.__setattr__(k, v)
 
         # Now that it is initialized, populate it with the kwargs
-        for k, v in kwargs.items():
+        for k, v in list(kwargs.items()):
             self.__setattr__(k, v)
 
         self.add_to_template()
@@ -152,7 +155,7 @@ class BaseAWSObject(object):
             raise AttributeError(name)
 
     def __setattr__(self, name, value):
-        if name in self.__dict__ \
+        if name in list(self.__dict__.keys()) \
                 or '_BaseAWSObject__initialized' not in self.__dict__:
             return dict.__setattr__(self, name, value)
         elif name in self.attributes:
@@ -253,18 +256,18 @@ class BaseAWSObject(object):
         if self.properties:
             return encode_to_dict(self.resource)
         elif hasattr(self, 'resource_type'):
-            return {
-                k: v
-                for k, v in self.resource.items()
-                if k != 'Properties'
-            }
+            d = {}
+            for k, v in list(self.resource.items()):
+                if k != 'Properties':
+                    d[k] = v
+            return d
         else:
             return {}
 
     @classmethod
     def _from_dict(cls, title=None, **kwargs):
         props = {}
-        for prop_name, value in kwargs.items():
+        for prop_name, value in list(kwargs.items()):
             try:
                 prop_attrs = cls.props[prop_name]
             except KeyError:
@@ -305,7 +308,7 @@ class BaseAWSObject(object):
         return cls._from_dict(title, **d)
 
     def _validate_props(self):
-        for k, (_, required) in self.props.items():
+        for k, (_, required) in list(self.props.items()):
             if required and k not in self.properties:
                 rtype = getattr(self, 'resource_type', "<unknown type>")
                 title = getattr(self, 'title')
@@ -553,9 +556,7 @@ class Tags(AWSHelperFn):
                 elif isinstance(arg, dict):
                     tag_dict.update(arg)
                 else:
-                    raise TypeError(
-                        "Tags needs to be either kwargs, dict, or AWSHelperFn"
-                    )
+                    raise TypeError
 
         def add_tag(tag_list, k, v):
             tag_list.append({'Key': k, 'Value': v, })
@@ -565,7 +566,7 @@ class Tags(AWSHelperFn):
             for k, v in sorted(tag_dict.items()):
                 add_tag(self.tags, k, v)
         else:
-            for k, v in tag_dict.items():
+            for k, v in list(tag_dict.items()):
                 add_tag(self.tags, k, v)
 
     # allow concatenation of the Tags object via '+' operator
@@ -883,7 +884,7 @@ class Parameter(AWSDeclaration):
                 allowed = [float, int]
                 # See if the default value can be coerced into one
                 # of the correct types
-                if not any(check_type(x, default) for x in allowed):
+                if not any([check_type(x, default) for x in allowed]):
                     raise ValueError(error_str %
                                      (param_type, type(default), default))
             elif param_type == 'List<Number>':
@@ -894,7 +895,7 @@ class Parameter(AWSDeclaration):
                 dlist = default.split(",")
                 for d in dlist:
                     # Verify the split array are all numbers
-                    if not any(check_type(x, d) for x in allowed):
+                    if not any([check_type(x, d) for x in allowed]):
                         raise ValueError(error_str %
                                          (param_type, type(d), dlist))