Sunday, July 8, 2012

Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!

Sitting here, looking at the pines through my window on this picture-perfect, sunny Oregon day, I wonder what I can possibly write that will make a difference?  I was born in this beautiful state, and outwardly it looks much the same now as it did all those years ago: breath-taking coastline vistas, rugged mountain ranges, valleys plentiful with fields of grass seed and produce, and high desert country to satisfy the most ardent outdoorsman.

And yet, beneath nature's facade is a state rife with systemic economic failure. The mean state unemployment rate (8.4%) is above the national average (8.2%). However, some areas, such as my home town of Bend (Deschutes county) are currently at a dismal 10.3% unemployment despite boasting some of the nation's finest fishing, skiing, boating, hunting, golf and other recreational activities. Oregon also carries a debt of load of over $34.6 bil, in spite of an endless store of possible revenue sources.

How is it that a state so plentiful in natural resources carries such an overwhelming debt burden? Consider that 11 million acres of Oregon timberland (40% of all forests) is now sequestered and sheltered from harvest by the feds! So the elites in DC, many of whom have never visited our fair state, nor met a logger, are presumptively declaring much of Oregon a national park of sorts. Thus, our renewable resources are now an aging, over-managed tinder-box listed as a trophy for some ecologically-minded, endangered species-touting, beltway do-gooder.

Further, Oregon's state business taxes and regulatory fees have made this the 42nd best state for business. That's 42nd out of 50! (no Obama, not 57) A state of 98,380 square miles (9th largest state), and population of only 3.87 million is lagging behind 41 other states!  We have rich soil, a wonderful growing season, pure water and air, ports, rivers, forests and hard-working Oregonians, and yet are tethered to restrictive policies and regulations.  At this point in Oregon's great history the only creatures flourishing may be the poor Northern Spotted Owl and Mountain Pine Beetle!

For some 35-40 years my state has been the special project of non-sensical, eco-fanatics who have put everything but people first! Whole logging towns have become skeletons of the thriving communities they once were.  Driving over the scenic North Santiam Pass from Bend to Salem, once vibrant townships have given way to boarded up businesses, and awe-inspiring forests resemble spotty, post-chemo hair growth following fires of beetle-ravaged pines.

I realize this is just one state--my state. But Oregon is surely a reasonable representation of the eventual result of unbridled, unjustified and unprecedented progressive ruling and legislation. Those gate-keepers--the education and media elite--have succeeded in grooming a generation that sincerely believe humans are the avowed enemy of the planet.  In their upside-down world-view, whales and seals are more important than babies and old-growth timber is infinitely more precious than old loggers.

We are now reaping what these entrenched environmentalists have sown: a severe economic recession as well as mis-handled and over-managed natural resources! I would bet cash money that the average logger has a far greater knowledge and respect for the outdoors and our forests than the typical beltway,  save-the-planet, bureaucrat or activist. The farmers I know here love the land and understand being a good neighbor and a good caretaker of said land, as well as making a profit from their crops.

For too many years we, and by we I mean hard working, America-loving people, have been unengaged and allowed the left to take-over our schools, our government and our institutions.  The progressives have improved nothing except their eco and ideologue scorecards. 

Well it's time. It's time for all of us supposed "fly-over" citizens to wake up and make our voices heard. It's time we engaged and fought for what we know to be right and good and true. It's time to educate those beltway legislators and re-calibrate their priorities: people come first!

22 comments:

  1. Great post Tami!! It's time for patriotic citizens to wake up. We cannot allow the "progressives" to win and destroy the American dream!

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  2. Bravo, Tami!

    You are absolutely right. The twisted priorities that have led to politicians and special interest placing the value of human rights far behind the rights of plants and animals has created not only economic hardships for those they claim to represent, but potential ecological disasters as well.

    Unfortunately it's not only in Oregon, but California and Texas are experiencing these hardships as well; not to mention the potential economic boon that would have been the Keystone pipeline.

    So we keep fighting the good fight and hopefully this November our actions will spark a change for the better in our beautiful country.

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  3. Yep. I wrote this about Oregon, but also as a microcosm of the country as a whole. I know Hugh Hewitt has defended farmers in need of water due to the over-reaching endangered species acts. It's everywhere. This fallacious worldview is harming everyone. The politics of the left harms the economy and people in not just narrow ways...and I hope to post writings that fully support that and add to Obama's swift repudiation!

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    1. God bless Tami! Thank you for doing that. We must make sure Andrew Breitbart's voice lives on through us.

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    2. Bingo. Well said.

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  4. Eco zealotry has run wild in all blue states. Perhaps Obama's communist coup will have the unintended consequence of provoking a counter revolution and pro economic growth policies.

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  5. Wouldn't that be a wonderful consequence, Paul? Thanks for commenting to my neophyte entry!

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  6. Great post, Tami. It also does not help that we have a governor, who, in the mold of Obama, has proposed a ten-year energy "plan" emphasizing green energy sources (wind, solar, etc.) He is also moving to centralize education with the appointment of a new board and "czar," Rudy Crew. Thank goodness for the Cascade Policy Institute and their free-market writings and solutions. You are right--we can't be "fly-over" citizens.

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  7. You're so right, Joel. I could have written much about the crazy energy designs on the state--the greenies are sincere and sincerely wrong! We have some of the BEST energy potential in the nation and yet energy costs are rising. And to further the the insults, PGE asks if we'd like the privilege of paying more to help fund green energy? What? NO!

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  8. This lunacy has taken over formerly red—or at least purple—states like Colorado, as well. I've heard rumblings that the devastating wildfires we experienced last month are a result of state legislators and assorted feds buying into the notion that logging is a violation of Mother Earth. I suspect the folks who lost their homes (nearly 610 of them) might beg to disagree with the practices that failed to thin out those overgrown forests.

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  9. I was thinking of the CO fires as I wrote this. The same mis-management aided the big CA fires of a few years ago.

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  10. So right Tami. Here in Illinois the Pols are all crooked. You can get anything done with cash under the table. And Nothing done without. We have our jobs to do locally, which is just as important and the big one in November. Never give up.

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    1. I don't plan on giving up, Chuck! we must be tenacious and determined!

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  11. Well said, Tami. I fear that the ecological and environmental movement has decided that nature is more important than man, and that the planet would be better off without us... and that regulating and taxing humans to support Mother Gaia is of greater value than supporting human endeavors. And they've decided this after spending all our money, requiring even more of us. It's time that we cleaned house, in Oregon as well as the rest of the nation, and put people and business before owls and smelt.

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  12. Superb and I KNOW! I live in Central POORegon. I have seen firsthand and battled on the front line in the woods, the environazis starting in early 1980's when I lived in the swillamette valley and went to work logging(gasp) and fighting which I did for ten years. Actually it was a total of 15 years.

    Environazis and liberalism, the curse of the statist progressive agenda.

    The BEST stewards of the land are those who WORK, respect and KNOW the land. Be they in timber, ranching or farming.

    POORegon: the most 'regressive progressive state in our Republic. A cesspool of liberal governance and we are slowing living a painful death in this state.

    May I have your permission to re-post at my site with proper link back and credit?

    I am a friend of the fine and most excellent LadyRaven.

    Very well done and will be honored to add you to my blogroll over at Patriot's Corner.

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    1. Thank-you so much Patriot! Of course you may post! I'm thrilled to have it posted wherever it will be read! Thanks again!

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  13. Look for it late tonight with a snarky lead in of sorts about our beautiful but oh so woeful state.

    THANK YOU!!!!!!!

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  14. Hey, you're good at this! Are you sure this is your FIRST post? I'd be interested in seeing you write about the plight of the farmers of the San Joaquin Valley (& the delta smelt.)The DEMS have caused a man-made drought in what was the most fertile farmland on Earth. Absolute lunacy.

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    1. Yes...this is my frist post! However, writing/English was my first major and I wrote quite a bit years ago. I took a 20 year hiatus for an Accounting job which paid the bills, but never brought me joy. I love writing and new media and politics--so perhaps I can resurrect old skills/gifts and discover a way to support myself?

      Thanks for the kind words!!

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  15. Amen and amen, Tami!! Great post! I agree with 'redsquirrel': Talk about the plight of the farmers due to a lil fish. I live here in the red inner belly of the Big Blue Socialist Beast, Kalifornia. I think we might need to change the official 'mascot' of our state from a grizzly to a Delta Smelt !! The "Environmentalist Whackos" (thank you, Rush L.) of the EPA and the Democrat Party need the boot of common sense applied firmly to their collective fanny perpendiculars in November....and don't hit it on the door on the way out!!

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    1. LOL! Too funny, Scott! I have heard Hugh talk about the ridiculous fish issue and the peril of farmers as a consequence. Perhaps I'll do a little research and write as you suggest?

      Thanks for your encouragement!

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