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.
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 mishandled 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!
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Apr '12
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
In abandoning tradition and its tacit wisdom the Left has embraced a culture manufactured to make them feel morally superior. By writing off the past as nothing more than oppressors vs. the oppressed they are constantly forging new higher high ground from which the rest of us looked like small people, then rodents, then ants, then .... well lets just say they're pretty sure they don't need us here to corrupt their Shangri-La.
Even when I was still a Leftist living in sub-Oregon California (the real Northern California) and I started hearing about protecting trees, I was flabbergasted. A few years ago at the local community college, one young fellow gave a speech about the horrible rape of the forests. My question was simple: "Why don't you just spend your energy planting new trees?". He was dumbfounded at such a strange suggestion, the possibility that he might actually be part of the solution.
After class I gave him $20 and recommended he have a nice cup of shut-up already and go plant some trees.
These young people are just looking to be important so their leaders keep them well fed with demagogic tripe.
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Tamara,
Two things:
(1) Welcome to Ricochet!
(2) Take heart. You could always be stuck with those of us in California, who are beginning to believe that the Mayan calendar is specific to us.
Jan '11
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
A few thoughts for you to consider going forward.
Your ideological opponents are not going to give up without a fight. They believe they are right, they like what they have attained and they aren't going to surrender anything to you. They despise you.
You better be prepared to fight. I don't mean debate; debate is for high school. I mean engage in direct action, intimidation and, if necessary, violence. You and your friends are going to have to outnumber, shout down, outlast and scare your opponents on the Left. As Karl Malden's character, the Catholic priest, said in On the Waterfront, you must be ready to take it all the way, "Right down the line."
The bad thing is that the Left believes that you are wusses; the good thing for you is that the Left are cowards. Hit them (figuratively) and they cry for mommy.
But you have to fight. The tragedy of the Right in America is that it hasn't. That's why it finds itself tethered.
Sep '11
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Like Troy, I bid you a hearty welcome to Ricochet. I grew up in SW Washington, literally able to see Oregon across the Columbia River out my front window. My family and I loved the vacation we spent in Bend and consider it one of our favorite places.
Our beloved Pacific NW is beset by both politically correct environmentalism and a horrid case of NIMBYism. We love our beautiful area, and if something has a .0000001% chance of damaging it in the least, a minimum of 30% of the electorate will fight it.
The cure? De Tocqueville's civic agency. Engage the culture, engage the conversation, expose the lies, distortions and half-truths that pass for public discourse. Refuse to be intimidated and win the day.
The next time an environmentalist goes on a rampage about climate change, the spotted owl (I lived through those battles too, devastated my home area) or whatever, ask them whether rich countries or poor ones protect the environment better. If they want a cleaner environment (and they don't want you to know it really is better than 40 years ago), get the government out of the way of wealth creation.
Mar '12
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
California, Washington, Oregon (and Vermont in the east) are just the first states experiencing the political reality of what the Democrat Party now represents: a high/low alliance against the middle. The wealthy (e.g., Hollywood, dotcommies and trust funders from other states) want to shut down all economic activity that employs and sustains a growing middle class. They ally with a welfare class and public employee unions to get power and enact ever stricter environmental laws that strangle the extractive industries (oil, gas, mining and lumber), the electric generators and the manufacturing industries, and finally use zoning to force home prices beyond what middle class can afford. The model is starting to be replicated in other naturally beautiful states, like Colorado, Montana, and Idaho. Environmentalism is a secular religion empowering an elite brahmin caste which is most hostile to the economic and political power of the middle class. They are creating a high/low society that represents everything our forefathers fled in coming to America.
Mar '11
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Their priorities definitely need recalibrating. Madiganistan (née Illinois) is still shedding jobs, despite the awesome awesomeness of President Obama's carefully crafted economy. The EPA has decided that coal plants are going to have to meet a standard of 1000 lb/MW-hr when most can't do much better than 1800. And since it takes at least twenty years to get a nuke approved, assuming one can get a nuke approved, it is going to get darker than usual around here fairly soon, thanks to the nitwits running the EPA. It turns out that wind power might not be the solution to our problems either -- it might mess up the butterflies.
People? Bah! Who needs 'em?
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Tamara,
Welcome to Ricochet! My husband is from Sunriver and went to high school in Bend.
May '12
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
tj, new here myself. Have been wondering what to post to add to the ricochet experience. You hit the hammer with the nail; ricochet needs more posts like yours. That is from a standpoint of a going to work person who expresses themselves nicely, is concerned about the country and one who is not a writer.
There are lots of authors and writers on ricochet and most keyed into the beltway.
While I am not a good writer, I have a wealth of similar experiences to your from the practical side of government overregulation the distinguished writers here are so fluent on, but really don't have the day to day experiences.
Keep up the good work, young grasshopper.
Jan '11
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Tamara
You've no doubt noticed that other than the welcomes and good wishes, which I offer as well, the other comments all fall into the categories of diagnostic, debate or despair. No one except me said the obvious - They've taken what you had away from you and they mean to keep it. In simple terms, "Screw you."
Our forefathers knew what to do to oppressive authorities. (For illustration see the first episode of the PBS series "John Adams" and the scene at Boston Harbor, or read "My Kinsman, Major Molineux," by Hawthorne.) Boomers became more passive and thus we now find ourselves dispossessed from the Shining City on the Hill.
Progressives hold the commanding heights of the culture; conservatives, through their past inactions, are on the outside, looking in.
The progressives, like feudal lords, are not going to relinquish their power and perquisites willingly; those things are going to have to be taken from them. For an outside, "indigenous" force like conservatives and traditionalists are today that doesn't mean engaging in argument, debate or sweet reason. It means guerrilla warfare.
As the Old Man said in "The Magnificent Seven:"
"Fight. You must fight."
Mar '11
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Um, lemme guess - Oregon is a Progressive state, right?
What else do we need to know?
The pine trees and coastline will survive.
Jul '10
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Welcome to Ricochet Tammy J.
Now I will read your post!
Jun '10
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Welcome, Queen of the Tribbles. I don't know, but I assume that Portland's anti-sprawl policy just drove the real estate prices up, and held Portland back too. One more thing that just drives the cost of doing business up.
May '12
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
My son and his wife graduated from Reed College. (One of the most liberal colleges in the USA). They are both deep into the "left" and I have had to take the approach of an unsigned "truce" to visit with them and the grand-kids.
Oregon is gorgeous in the summer and early fall. The fruit and veggies are super. Blackberry are available at most folks back door. But --- the rain and mists that fall almost non-stop Nov. thru May keep many inside with an almost permanent grumpy "cabin-fever". They both read a lot of books.
The environmentalists are too "over the top" and view conservatives as rapists of the environment. I see this area as a steep uphill battle, however --- one that honestly must be investigated, addressed, planned for, then presented in a pragmatic, edifying, and thoughtful way --- and moved forward by all of us.
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Troy Senik, Ed.: Tamara,
Two things:
(1) Welcome to Ricochet!
(2) Take heart. You could always be stuck with those of us in California, who are beginning to believe that the Mayan calendar is specific to us. · 18 hours ago
I second that! Welcome, Tamara. And you think you've got problems? Head south on I-5 whenever you're feeling too depressed about Oregon.
May '10
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Oh, nice. I've been here since Day 1 (courtesy of the Facebook promo) and posting on the Member Feed, where I've been content to stay. On the other hand, my fellow Hugh Hewitt Tribble, @tamij, shows up a few days ago, and gets her first post promoted to the Main Feed. I see how this works. She is the Bigfoot of Ricochet!
(Completely kidding - Tami is a friend and I'm delighted to see her post promoted. She is a gifted writer and organizer with a true passion for the beliefs many of us hold, and has recently decided to start committing her thoughts to a longer-form medium - glad it's here. If anybody's looking for a wonderful addition to their writing staff, you could do much worse ... 8^)
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Tamara, welcome to Ricochet! You won't extinguish my dream of moving to (relatively) free Oregon. Think of how good you have it: the official unemployment rate here in the Golden State is an awe-inspiring 10.8 per cent; the former Bear Republic is well into what feels like the 100th straight year of a state budget crisis; meanwhile, our maximum leader and one-party legislature are mainly concerned with building unaffordable "high speed rail" in the Central Valley, dismantling dams and stamping out carbon dioxide wherever it may be produced.
Dec '10
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
A hearty "Welcome Aboard" to a fellow Conservative Oregonian (we're a rare breed)! I refer to myself as a WilsonVillain - having lived in Wilsonville since 93.
I was doing some family research over the weekend (and tripped over one of those dread skeletons, but that story is for another day). My kids were both born in Portland, as was I. My mother in Oregon City. Her mother in Mulino, her father in rural Benton county. And all 4 of their parents were born in either Benton or Clackamas counties - making my kids 5th generation Oregonians. Considering the Oregon Trail started up in 1848 and the 1st generation was born in the 1860's, I don't think you'll find many with deeper roots.
You'll find the comments section has a dreaded 200 word limit, which can be somewhat annoying for those of us who have diarrhea of the fingers .
Edited on July 9, 2012 at 11:57pmDec '10
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Everything you said is spot on, with the exception that you failed to mention the sea lion fiasco. Sea lions become a protected species in the 70's but salmon were running up the Columbia in record number. In the 2000's, salmon are suddenly endangered. We have to tear down the dams on the river! Now how many of those dams have been built in the past 40 years? Ummmm, none. So what has changed, why have the salmon populations diminished so?
Couldn't have anything to do with the sea lions that hang out at the base of the Bonneville dam and gorge themselves on salmon heading up river to spawn, could it? But don't you dare harm those poor little sea lions (whose population has now fully recovered).
Freakin Insanity!!!!!
May '10
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Oh, the cross-pollinations of the center-right blogosphere-radiosphere!
Jul '12
Re: Let's Re-Calibrate Their Priorities!
Wow! Thank-you all for the hearty welcomes and your kind comments!! Writing was my first major, and to be able to combine my love of this country, politics and economics...it just doesn't get more fun than that!
Don't worry--I will fight! I'm not timid and I don't back down!!!