Fellow Americans,

I have read through the different topics here, and have put some thought into this subject. I am in agreement with several of the posts, but have a little disturbing news to share. 1st, neither presidential candidate is going to do more or less for restoration of the Salmon runs, cleansing of the environment, reversing of our evaporating rights to bear arms, nor are we going to see a huge swing in environmental policy towards our forests, streams, farmland, logging policy, fishing rights or anything else. The reason: Neither candidate cares. They don’t. If you think one party is better than the other at the federal level, you have been downtown Seattle, smoking crack for the last year.

The facts are: almost (and I will repeat) ALMOST all environmental issues are decided at the state level, unless someone petitions the Supreme Court to change an unfair law. So, once again, I will be forced to vote for one of two –less than adequate- candidates; one, to whom I will have eventually entrust the future path of this great nation and the future of my children. I don’t like the odds here. Also, I don’t like the 121 billion dollars of OUR money, (money we don’t have) yes, OUR money –we the taxpayers and voters- our hard earned cash on a sideline show in Iraq, while our fighting men and women are giving their lives (999 to date) to a cause that really has nothing to do with anything remotely related to our national security. Those are people’s sons and daughters, people like you and me that we will never again meet on the river, pass on a hike in the woods, have as a fishing/hunting buddy; people who will never have the kids (or have left some behind) that might have been our kids lifelong best friend. Like many of you on the board, I have spent a substantial amount of time in the military, in the Marines, and I really really really despise the lies that lead us –the American people- into supporting such a venture, and I really despise the lack of interest –in all of the presidential frontrunners- to keep and build prosperity at home in the U.S.

So, if we want to change the face of the environmental policy, start with our home state, skip the Bush/Kerry debate when it comes to the environment and start concentrating on a national health policy for our seniors, or a drug management plan, or even some type of employment program that will actually work. Start with the basic issues that we face as a nation, and start kicking politicians in the nuts, here in the Pacific Northwest to change our ‘regional’ policies to allow growth in future opportunities.

It’s not only our right to question our elected leaders, its also our responsibility.