LET'S FOCUS ON ISSUES THAT REALLY MATTER
Don’t Waste Energy on Rule Allowing Concealed Guns in National Parks
Election-year politics is maddening, but let the gun lobby have "this important step in the right direction," becuase it really doesn't matter. What matters is the long-term health of our national parks.
A lot of people are hot and bothered about the Bush administration's proposed rule to allow concealed weapons in national parks, but practically, is this really worth our time and effort?
Yes, it's maddening to tolerate such low-end, election-year politics spurred by the National Rifle Association (NRA), but I say give the gun lobby this hollow victory, so we can spend our time and energy on issues that could really help our national parks instead of worrying about something that's already happening and hasn't caused any problems.
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NEW REPORT BY RIVAL PROVIDES ALARMING DETAILS
The Anti-Conservation Mission of the NRA
It's hardly a news flash that the National Rifle Association (NRA) supports anti-conservation, if not anti-hunting, politicians. Even though I've written about it several times, I never realized how bad it was.
A just-released report by the NRA's nemesis, the American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA), deals out all the dreadful details, and it should be a major eye-opener for any hunter who still supports the NRA.
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GAG RIDE SHOWS THE CHARMING SIDE OF CYCLING
Most Motorists Courteous, Cautious, Helpful
My cycling buddies wanted me to write about what happened on this year's GAG Ride, which stands for Geezers Around Glacier, but I had decided not to do it.
Until I read all the recent negative news about the escalating conflict between cyclists and motorists on our roadways, that is.
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THE FORCE IS WITH YOU
Score One for the Brewmasters
If you know how government works (or doesn't) and followed last week's quick reversal of a Montana Department of Revenue (DOR) proposed rule to limit taproom hours, you might be as amazed as I am.
Government officials usually dig in deep and don't like to admit mistakes, but in less than a week, we saw a rapid and decisive turnaround by the DOR and even an admission that the agency hadn't properly thought out the proposed rule before throwing it out into the public arena.
You might be saying, "No Big Deal," but for me, this little skirmish has a big back story.
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NEED A GOOD LAUGH THAT ISN'T FUNNY?
The Elk Vaccination Follies
It has been depressing lately, don't you think? At the ORG (Old Retired Guys) table at the coffee shop morning after morning, it has been nothing but despair -- the war, the economy, the cost of gas, the steadily shrinking IRAs, the smoke, the aches and pains and health care crisis that makes them worse, and our political leaders unable to do anything about these and most other issues that really matter, at least to the ORGs. Nowadays, it's so hard to lighten up and wear a smiley face.
But alas, thanks to the Montana Stockgrowers Association and Montana Farm Bureau I had a great laugh this week when I read about their proposal to capture, test, vaccinate and release all the elk from coming out of Yellowstone National Park.
Are they serious? Or just trying to brighten our day?
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IT'S TOUGH BEING GREEN, BUT WE CAN DO IT
A Wolf Plan that Works
Anybody who follows the endlessly volatile wolf issue--and it's hard not to follow it with all the news coverage--knows the greens won a big victory last week. Judge Donald Molloy of the U.S. District Court sided with Earthjustice and 12 conservation organizations and essentially relisted, albeit temporarily, the wolf as an endangered species.
So, what now? That's the question I've been asking people on both sides of the debate this week, and I might have the answer, a way to quickly get the wolf debate behind us. Does that sound good?
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MORE FISHING TOURNAMENTS SPAWN MORE FISHING FOR ALL
Competitive Fishing Can Benefit All Anglers
If you've been reading the outdoor section of NewWest.Net over the past week, you'll know I've been writing about the experience of being in my first fishing tournament, the Governor's Cup Walleye Tournament on Fort Peck Reservoir.
One reason I haven't been in a tournament long ago is some false impressions I had about competitive fishing, mainly my concern that it had a negative impact on fishery. Based on my limited experience, it seems that the opposite is true. Now, I believe more tournaments would mean more fishing and bigger fish for all anglers.
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VOTE FOR HUNTING AND WILDLIFE, NOT THE NRA
Hunters, Look Beyond the End of Your Gun Barrel
Has anybody heard that we have a big election coming up? And that in the wake of the historic Scalia opinion in the D.C. v. Heller case, gun rights might be a big issue in the campaign, especially in key western "swing states" such as Colorado, Montana and New Mexico?
Republicans obviously believe they can win these and other western states on the gun issue alone. But I think most hunters can see beyond the end of their gun barrels.
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WHERE IS THE HOUSE BILL?
Congress Needs to Walk the Talk on Recreation Fees
On June 18, finally, Congress started seriously looking into the runaway recreational fee charging policy of federal agencies, primarily the U.S. Forest Service (FS), but it's still just talk. We've had enough of that, so let's just spike this pay-for-play policy, which is at best an extreme stretch of the legal authority given agencies by Congress--"given," sort of, I should say, since our elected leaders never even debated it or voted on it.
Even though it's moving at glacier speed, we at least have the Baucus-Crapo Bill, S. 2438, introduced in the Senate to spike the Recreation Access Tax. This is clearly a bipartisan issue, ripe for election-year politics. Now, we need a sponsor for a similar bill in the House.
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COMMENTS WORTH REPEATING
Guns and the Most Controversial Nonprofit of Them All
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. What is the Most Controversial Nonprofit Organization of Them All?
Can we agree that it is the National Rifle Association?
Fervently supported by millions of gun owners, but bitterly criticized by its detractors, including many hunters who feel the gun group elects anti-hunting politicians who vote consistently against the protecting wildlife habitat. Critics think the NRA stands for Not Really an Ally or National Republican Army.
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