selling off federal lands: new House rules make it easier

[VanMarmot]

All of this simplistic fascination with cut/dig/despoil/privatize is completely at odds with the substantial economics (and jobs) associated with outdoor recreation – from hiking to hunting to all outdoorsy pursuits in between – a sustainable industry that each year generates $646 billion in consumer spending and supports 6.1 million direct jobs. And these bozos are intent on throwing all of this away for a handful to transient extraction jobs and the ideology of plutocracy?

What confused me for awhile is how a huge outdoor industry ($646 billion is equal to the annual defense budget) could keep losing out to the much smaller cut/dig/despoil/privatize crowd. My take is that while the outdoor industry is huge, it's still composed of a multitude of fiefdoms that don't necessarily get along with one another: hikers versus mountain bikers, hikers versus hunters, OHV riders versus equestrians, etc., etc. Put these squabbling factions up against a smaller, but ferociously more focused thing like Koch Industries (to name just one), and you're toast. Divide and conquer except we're doing it to ourselves.

My personal experience with this self-defeating attitude was when we backpacked through Yosemite a few years ago. I was wearing a brightly colored orange pullover - essential if you're hiking during hunting season in southwest Washington or Southern Oregon - and another backpacker we encountered *sniffed* and then asked why I was wearing those "bright" colors. When I mentioned the hunting connection, I got a deeper *sniff* and a mini-lecture on the evils of hunting, of hunters, of meat, of bright colors, etc., etc. I don't hunt but I respect those who do so responsibly so I really didn't appreciate being lectured like this. But it did get me thinking about why the outdoors keeps losing.

Gabriel Howe makes some good points about inclusion here, as does Land Tawney here.

I'm not a group hug kind of person but if we don't stop this squabbling and find some path to common cause about the outdoors we all love, then we'll be paying $500 for a permit to hike in one of the Koch's clear-cuts!

[retired jerry]

or to broaden the picture

civilizations fall not so much because of military or spending too much, but partisan fighting with each other

For example China invented gun powder, had huge sea going ships, clearly the supreme power at the time, then they had a period of civil war and inward focus letting the west come in, force them to allow opium which further weakened them, they're just now recovering

Liberals and conservatives need to appreciate each other more, quit bickering, and move forward

The people that are encouraging this polarization so they can pass special tax and spending bills to benefit themselves, like people extracting resources from federal land, are maybe afraid this is getting out of hand and will ease off on the polarization

The Koch brothers stayed out of the president election, maybe they're coming around?

[miah66]

The Koch brothers stayed out of the president election, maybe they're coming around?

They already have all the stooges they need in the House and Senate. These land transfers will be put into a package with something Trump wants and he'll sign the bill and say, "It'll be great, we'll replace those public lands."

[Guy]

Liberals and conservatives need to appreciate each other more, quit bickering, and move forward

I could not agree with this more Jerry but sadly I also think this is further away than it's ever been and people on both the left and the right are equally guilty.

[retired jerry]

"They already have all the stooges they need in the House and Senate..."

We're at the apex

Because of the popularity of Trump and Bernie, the Koch's are now ready to ease off

"It's always darkest just before the dawn"

Okay, I admit it, I'm a polyana

[retired jerry]

"I could not agree with this more Jerry but sadly I also think this is further away than it's ever been and people on both the left and the right are equally guilty."

Same response as previous

And you're blaming the victim. The reason we're so polarized is because we've been propogandized for years. We're only human to respond to it.

Years from now, we'll look back at this and remember we experienced the turn-around point.

If we all do our part to fix this

[Rand Man]

"Divide and conquer except we're doing it to ourselves."

SA was similar under apartheid, Born a Crime.

[Koda]

Liberals and conservatives need to appreciate each other more, quit bickering, and move forward

The one thing both conservatives and liberals, left and right wingers, HATE, is a free-thinker, a nonconformist. From either side. Unless you subscribe in every detail to one doctrine or the other, you will be denounced.
Edward Abbey

[miah66]

This is all of us, arguing about the NWFP, off-leash dogs, cairns, bikes in the wilderness, etc.

[Sean Thomas]

All of this is incredibly depressing. As a relatively young person I really fear for the future of this planet. I'm not a doomsday prepper, am not stocking bullets and teepee, beer and guns etc in a shack in the woods so when it "hits the fan" I'll be "safe" But I do feel the fact that the most powerful nation on the planet electing a person for POTUS who either doesn't believe in climate change(or blames it on the Chinese) is a pretty grim indicator of just how bad things have really become(not to mention idiots like Mitch McConnell or pro gay conversion therapy thinkers like Mike Pence right behind him). It seems that some of us all too easily forget that we need a healthy planet to survive and prosper, but the planet most certainly doesn't need us(and would probably rather shit us out in one massive dump to mars or venus right about now


I completely agree with Van Marmot on the need to put our differences aside and band together. Not just between outdoor communities, but the planet as a whole. This may be long after we're all gone, but I fear someday we'll be on the brink, and our children's children and so on will be in tears thinking, "if they(meaning those of us alive in today's world, who still have a chance to turn this thing around) had just stopped fighting amongst themselves they could have saved our beloved planet earth" from the environmental disaster that future generations will undoubtedly(already are?) facing considering the fact that so many still wish to put profit margins and bottom lines ahead of anything and everything else, especially environmental concerns. Really, what happens when the petri dish has nothing left to give?(steps off soapbox)