"...I work in DC, and see things a little closer than many out there. "

An insider's perspective is always good to have. But, when you are so close, you often can't see the forest for the trees. That seems to be particularly true of people who work inside the Beltway at our nation's capital.

In this case, "getting out and voting for change," as you say it, seems to be urging a vote for Kerry. Be careful what you wish for... I can tell you that environmental groups on the state level don't like ATV's, but they all like Kerry. I've got to think there's a reason for that.

 

More accusations and innuendo, but no facts to back them.

You sure you people aren't on Bush's campaign team?

 

You can't be serious! Check this out:

"We are endorsing John Kerry," she said. "He is a dream come true for the environmental community."

That's from a newspaper account quoting Phoebe Cohen, League of Conservation Voters, at the Vote for Change concert in Orlando last week. You can find stuff like this all over the web, along with a lot of info about environmentalists opposing ATVs.

My problem with Kerry, going by his track record, is that he might tell an audience of ATV'ers that he rides an ATV and will promise more options for ATV recreation. A week later, he would tell an environmentalist group that he is against ATV access to national parks and forests. He did this very thing with SUV's. The Detroit auto workers got one story, and he told an Arbor Day group just the opposite the following week.

It just doesn't matter any more what Kerry says. He'll say anything if he thinks it might get him a vote. You've got to go with what the people supporting him are saying.

And no, I don't have anything to do with Bush's campaign. I just have a good crap detector, and Kerry sets it off with about everything he says.

 

Let me preface that... vote for change is not an endorsement for any candidate or political party. Remember, when participating in this year's elections, that many localities will have local referendums on the ballot as well. Some will undoubtedly directly affect our issues. What I suggest is that people do some homework and find out exactly how the candidates they intend to support stand on any given subject, and vote their conscience. The important work here is VOTE! Voting for change in my context is recognizing that current policies towards ATV's in general are in need of revamping, and not a suggestion that either party have a preference over the other.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

Ahh, a source! See folks, it didn't kill him either! it actually helps to argue the position, too.
Tomorrow, we will cover "lying in debate, why it's bad". [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

I'll look for that endorsement and see what the situation is. I would suspect that it is the same generic endorsement treehuggers give any Democrat... but if they have a basis for it, I'm sure they will provide some backing evidence.

 

You seen to have forgetten that treehuggers got Clinton to issue an executive order closing Yellowstone to snowmobiles When Bush opened it back up, they even went to court to try and block him.

As an ATV'er who likes to ride trails in national forests, I'm concerned that an executive order issued by a president urged on by "silent sports advocates" could take that away.

 

You know, we could sit here and bash tree huggers all day... and when you thinik about it, the reason ATV's are being singled out in general is due to their very powerful lobby efforts, but the real solution to the mess we are faced with today, is involvement. Writing letters, paying attention to local issues that affect ATV access, knowing where your local politicians stand... in short, being involved.

I don't care what party you choose to vote for... all I ask is that you take the same amount of time it takes you to change your shorts and write your congressman (person, sorry ladies) and tell them of your concerns, and urge them to become involved in your fight too. If enough people do that, we may get our foot in the door.

The other suggestion is for everyone to join a riding club, or other organization that is taking an active role in making sure that both sides of a story is told. Too many times, the data presented by the access lobby is twisted to make us look like a bunch of hooligans, and their picture always shows the sky is falling... we all know that for every bad apple, there are a lot of good people out there who do give a bleep, and act responsibly, and who choose to make ATV's a family activity. It is time to get off the porch and make a contribution to the cause...

 

What you recommend is very good. We definitely need to become more vocal and more organized. Just how important that is can be seen in the following, which I got off the johnkerry.com website. It's from the Kerry-Edwards vision for a cleaner environment:

"John Kerry will reinstate the Clinton administration’s phase-out of noisy and polluting
snowmobiles, which have been overrunning some of our most precious national lands,
including Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. While snowmobiles,
jet skis and all terrain vehicles have their place, they do not mix with sensitive wildlife
resources and our nation’s most treasured wild places."

Hmmm--"precious national lands..." I wonder if that's where I rode my ATV last weekend.

 

I wonder if any of them have ever been to Yellowstone or Tetons.

 

Heck, roughing it to many of them means checking into a rustic Hotel and doing without 24 hour room service... I doubt that either of them has driven a pickup truck accross this great country of ours, seeing the sights, meeting the people, eating food in a good old fashioned greasy spoon, paid for their gas with the left over cash they earned last week after paying the bills that are probably a month or two late. I doubt either of them even see a poor man on the sidewalk. You know, I see the president and congressmen every day go zooming by in their big black Caddies surrounded with security personel and police, and they ignore the hundreds of homeless that live right accross the street from them in Lafayett park, or on every street corner begging for your pocket change. In their minds, we don't have a problem in this country. All I see is lip service. and patting each other on teh back for sending some poor schmuck military service man off to fight someone else's war. IF we spent a fraction of the money we spent on the war against non existant weapons of mass destruction on our schools, or feeding the homeless, or on health care for those that can't afford insurance etc etc etc... we would be much better off. What I don't see is anyone getting involved directly in solving anything. Did you know that only a handful of congressmen have children that are enlisted soldiers in the military? I think the number is something like 1 or 2. that is why they don't have any empathy towards the military. Oh they can cut their benefits, and cut them some more beause they have to tighten their belts... but then they vote to take a raise for themselves. One congressman even closed his DC office because he was afraid of terrorist threats... While the rest of us have to stay behind with targets painted on our backs.. What a coward.

Sorry folks, Dragginbutt's personal skeletons coming out here... but it just riles me to no end that in the greatest and richest country in the world, with the most freedoms, and highest standard of living.. why are there homeless people on our streets? Why are their nutcases walking around.. Why are their hungry children in our midst? Why are some people being turned away from our hospitals because they can't afford insurance? Why does our government provide cash programs for foreign born non citizens to start a business here in the US when it won't help the ones who were born here? I could go on and on....

I just can't believe the actions of those that we choose to elect sometimes, and we let them get away with it. These are people folks, just like you and I, they put their pants on one leg at a time, and they should be held accountable for their actions, just like you and I are. If they don't want to listen to our complaints, it is time to replace them. But you have to let them know you are P-ed off. They are not very intuitive...and I swear, they can't hear you from their guilded halls, and armored cars...