A club member contacted Senator Warner's office when he learned a vote to stop the Forest Service "Roadless Initiative" was coming up. I post the E-mail as an example of a respectful and informative letter to an elected official.

Tree Farmer

Subject: Sen Warner's Office, Attention: Ann Loomis
Date:
Wed, 12 Jul 2000 14:35:15 -0400
From:
Buz Brinig <buzbrinig@his.com>
To: senator@warner.senate.gov


Dear Ms. Loomis:
I am writing concerning the Interior Appropriations bill.
I understand that Senator Craig is introducing a rider which
would delay the onset of the Forest Service Roadless Rules
and that Senator Warner may vote against the bill.
I spoke to Meredith Moseley in your office on February 29,
2000 concerning the 'Roadless' initiative of the Forest Service
and I hope that our concerns have been recognized. I am a
member of the American Motorcycle Association and several
local off-road riding clubs who use the national forests
extensively...and responsibly.
We are very concerned that the Forest Service and the
Clinton administration plan to severely restrict usage of forest
areas through the broad application of 'Roadless Rules' which
they seem to be able to enact without any congressional
scrutiny or oversight. Restriction of the use of the national
forests is not in our interest nor in the interests of others who
are willing to use the areas properly and share use of these
forests with others.
In terms of your local constituents, the Northern Virginia
Trail Riders club is a 75-member group which meets monthly
in Fairfax. Potomac Vintage Riders is a 35-member club
from the northern Virginia area. We, the members
of these clubs, enjoy hiking, camping, riding motorcycles and
all terrain vehicles (ATVs) in the woods and we like to take
our families to enjoy these wilderness areas. We wish to
continue to do so.
Our club members come from all walks of life. Our
ages run from 25 to 65. We hold jobs, pay taxes, vote in
elections and have families who enjoy recreation in the national
forests.
We would encourage Senator Warner to vote for the bill if it
would stop the Forest Service from further restricting use of the
national forests. Any help you could give us in this regard would
be greatly appreciated.


Buz Brinig
Arlington, Virginia


PS: If a representative from the Senator's office would ever like
to address either of the groups that I mention above, please
contact me and we will work the details out.

 

Sorry, folks; save your breath!

Today's Washington Post (July 13, page A7): "Craig Drops Effort To Halt Forest Plan."

"In a victory for environmentalists, Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) dropped plans to try to halt President Clinton's proposal to protect 43 million acres of roadless forests. Craig said he had the votes to pass his amendment in the Senate, but withdrew it to allow the courts to decide whether the administration violated open meeting laws by discussing the initiative with environmentalists before it was announced."

Note the quotation marks, the Washington Post's words, not mine--Clinton wants to "protect" 43 million acres? He only wants to protect his . . . oh, never mind.

The Senate staffer who spoke to the AMA Lobbying Workshop in February said relief was more likely found in the courts than in the legislature, because the Republicans had too slim a majority to over-ride a Clinton veto.

The Clinton administration previously violated the open meeting laws when Hillary Clinton conducted her secret and closed meetings on health care reform with her "private citizen" operatives, early in the administration. Mark ye well, New York!

Tree Farmer

 

Lets just pray Gore does not get elected. If he does, this will continue for at least another 4 years.
The Clinton/Gore administration has to be one of the lowest points in American history. I can not believe the things that have happened in the last 7 years. It is no wonder some other countries can't stand us. Clinton has embarrassed us beyond belief.

 

Thank you Tree Farmer for keeping us informed.