Page 30 - Flathead Beacon // 8.13.14

30 | AUGUST 13, 2014 OPINION
LETTERS
CREATE JOBS AND PREVENT CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES
Forest fires burned 9.3 million acres of federal forest land last year, making 2013 the third worst fire season on record for acres burned. Meanwhile, only 200,000 acres were harvested last year by the U.S. Forest Service. This means that 44 times as many acres burned as were responsi- bly harvested and restored. Congressman Steve Daines understands the crisis in our federal forests, and he clearly recognizes the negative impact of current federal pol- icies on jobs in our rural communities. He is working hard to pass a solution that re- forms these policies to protect our forests for future generations while simultane- ously revitalizing rural economies.
Daines has co-sponsored the Restor- ing Healthy Forests for Healthy Commu- nities Act to improve forest health and to benefit our citizens. Since forest projects are commonly tied up in bureaucracy and environmental lawsuits, the bill stream- lines the process to allow more projects to proceed. No other solution pending in Congress offers this level of certainty to effectively create jobs and help prevent catastrophic wildfire from destroying our public lands.
Elizabeth Toenyes Missoula
LAND TRANSFER WOULD DISENFRANCHISE AMERICANS
If Dave Skinner’s July 30 column, “Why Land Transfer Might Work,” is the best he can do in arguing for the theft of federal public lands by western states then he has already lost.
I assume Mr. Skinner is an Ameri- can. As such he’s entitled to as much of Montana’s federal lands as you or me. No more. No less. Yet somehow he argues with a straight face that disenfranchis- ing 313 million other Americans of their birthright is the morally correct thing to do. I suspect that even Mr. Skinner would be dismayed by his own self-interest if he lived in Ohio or Florida.
Federal public lands are a globally unique American treasure. They exist for all Americans because our forefathers had the foresight and wisdom to bequeath to us a vast public estate. Contained with- in this legacy are millions of acres of our most pristine lands, the sources of our clean water, and habitat for our fish and wildlife. And yes, our national forest sys- tem lands.
Mr. Skinner tries to paint opposition to the land transfer idea as partisan: favored by Republicans, opposed by Democrats. This is incorrect. In fact, historically, Re- publicans and Democrats have hammered out federal public land legislation and found agreement.
Abe Lincoln (R) established the De-
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partment of Agriculture (1862). Teddy Roosevelt (R) created the national forests (1905). Nixon’s (R) signature created the Environmental Protection Agency (1970), the Environmental Policy Act (1969), the Clean Air Act (1970), Earth Week (1971), the Clean Water Act (1972) and the Endan- gered Species Act (1973).
Mr. Skinner asserts that our federal national forests are mismanaged by the U.S. Forest Service. This is also incorrect. The USFS administers the laws dictated to them by Congress that sometimes con- flict in their purpose. It is the unenviable job of the men and women in the USFS to navigate the web of laws and regulations, the pressures from industry, and the chal- lenges by environmental interests.
If there’s a “problem with USFS man- agement” the responsibility may more fairly be placed on Congress and people with extreme points of view in general. If national forest management is to improve along the lines that Mr. Skinner advocates (more timber and less wilderness, more roads and poorer water quality) then it falls to Congress to fix it.
But how likely is Congress to fix Mr. Skinner’s problem? Not very likely with people like Mr. Skinner himself advocat- ing the extreme “no brainer” (as in “idi- otic”) idea of transfer of America’s federal public lands to western state control.
What’s a better way? Fortunately, peo- ple throughout western Montana are dem- onstrating how to solve national forest management problems. How? By work- ing together to find consensus solutions. What a novel concept!
Examples of these Montana citizen collaborative efforts include the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, Rocky Mountain Front Heritage Act, North Fork Watershed Protection Act, the Whitefish Range Part- nership, and others. Real people came to- gether and found mutually beneficial ways forward without wholesale disposal of our treasured national forests. Tweaks rather than a lobotomy.
Unfortunately, the above collabora- tive solutions require Congressional ac- tion that would settle land management debates for the foreseeable future.
But this is where Mr. Skinner is most like Congress. He advocates a very ex- treme position without regard for the rest of America. That’s the same polarization we see in our dominant two political par- ties today. Mr. Skinner’s no-brainer so- lution would rob the rest of America of a priceless national inheritance.
Don’t be fooled. Get involved in the on- going Flathead National Forest manage- ment plan revision effort and participate in civil public dialogue. Most importantly, enjoy – and take responsibility for – your national forests.
Dave Hadden, executive director Headwaters Montana
AMERICA NOW A NANNY STATE
In just a little more than 100 years, the United States went from a newly estab-
lished nation to become the most power- ful country in the world and in all of his- tory. It accomplished this unprecedented leap because it’s masterfully written Con- stitution allowed the diverse talents of its immigrant population to blossom with- out impediment. Shortly after the dawn of the 20th century, however, our country began to commit a series of blunders that gradually began to slow our progress. Giv- ing control of our currency to the banking cartel (Federal Reserve Act) was the first of these. The 17th amendment to our Con- stitution with election of senators by pop- ular vote instead of by state legislatures set the stage for usurpation of state rights. The 16th amendment allowed the federal government to collect income tax and led to its becoming an inefficient colossus. In- tervention in the affairs of other nations over the past 100 years has also worked to erode our might. Today our once great na- tion is in peril. Our people have not been vigilant and have allowed government to assume powers not intended by our founding fathers. Our representatives in Congress are more interested in reelec- tion that doing the people’s business. They are beholden to the special interests that finance their election campaigns rather than to their constituents.
The global elites are working diligently to destroy our republic so they can install their one world order. They have nearly succeeded. They dominate our national policies and are now gaining control at state and local levels as well. Over the past 100 years, these elite gangsters have man- aged to convince us that we should send most of the rewards of our toil to Washing- tonandthenreceiveourdoleastheyseefit to dispense it. In just 100 years we’ve gone from the greatest nation in history to a Eu- ropean-style nanny state. What we’ve built in the past 238 years with great determina- tion, ingenuity and sacrifice is beginning to fall apart. The final step before becom- ing total slaves to our masters, however, requires the confiscation of our firearms (our last line of defense against tyranny). We can expect a great push in this area in the days ahead.
Bill Payne Libby
In a recent article on the U.S. House candidates’ energy plans, Ryan Zinke says “The evidence strongly suggests that humans have had an influence on higher CO2. However, the evidence is equally as strong that there are other factors, such as rising ocean temperatures that have had a greater influence.”
What did he just say? And why does he think the ocean temperatures have risen? As far as I know, the human caused rise in CO2 is exactly why the ocean tempera- tures have risen. So, Mr. Zinke, you better do your homework.
Judy Elwood Kalispell
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ZINKE SHOULD DO HIS HOMEWORK