We have are having a session in Colorado where the Republicans have literally lost their collective minds related to Sportsmen's issues. Read about what is going on in Colorado, call your Senator and House Representative and find out what is happening in your neck of the woods. These issues are easy coalition builders between environmentalists, recreational businesses and Sportsmen. We filled a meeting room at the Capitol full to overflowing and managed to corner a couple of these Repugs and even though their attitude and answers pissed me off to no end, I recognize a political opportunity when I see one.
I went to the Sportsmen's Caucus at the Colorado Capitol on January 24th. Currently the Republicans are playing games with Sportsmen's issues. They think they have the Sportsmen's vote locked up and what they do won't hurt them at the ballot box; I want to make them pay for their hubris. The next Sportsmen's Caucus is February 20th for Colorado. When does your Sportsmen's caucus meet?
The issues we are dealing with in Colorado include Off Road Vehicle Regulation, Internet Hunting, wasting meat, water, easements and habitat preservation. What's happening in your neck of the woods?
More below the fold:
Issues this session include:
Offroad Highway Vehicle Regulation - This bill would have given the Colorado Division of Wildlife the right to fine and give preference point penalties to OHV users that were traveling either completely off-road or on closed trails, e.g. Wilderness Areas and Monuments. A coalition of OHV groups, fishermen, and hunters designed the bill and it was poised to pass out of committee when two Republicans introduced and managed to pass a poison pill amendment. Rep. Rose and Rep. McNulty do not understand the sledge hammer they have handed the Democrats.
Trying to permanently ban internet based joystick hunting, e.g. For $10K a guy in Taiwan hunts elk via a rifle set up in a meadow on a tripod in Colorado by some enterprising scumbag with a elk license to sell. The Taiwanese shooter controls the rifle with a joystick and shoots the elk. The scumbag ships the meat and head to the guy in Taiwan. It should be obvious that this should be stopped. To some Republican free market scumabgs it's not.
Republicans are trying to gut the habitat stamp program by introducing a bill that would permanently hamstring the program. This program allows the DOW to buy land and conservation easements for hunting and fishing. Rep. Sonnenberg is trying to screw it up. Another Republican poster child for why Sportsmen must get some help from Democrats.
Another bill would reduce the penalty for leaving meat in the field. Right now, a scumbag that takes a head and leaves the meat in the field is heavily fined and can have their hunting privileges revoked for life. A Republican from Craig is trying to weaken the law to protect poachers. He needs to be stopped (and I need to find my notes on this bill).
There are other bills concerning Sportsmen and environmentalists that can be made into huge issues this session. Will the Democrats recognize the gift that Republicans are giving them and the natural coalition between Sportsmen and environmentalists this session?
Republicans seem to use the same play book all over the country. Are your local Republicans pulling this crap?