Be careful how you vote but by all means, please vote!

[Pierre]

Folks,
One of the things sportsmen/women are guilty of is not voting for sportsmen friendly candidates. Ask questions? Do they know what the Public Trust is? Do they know what the N. American Model of Wildlife Conservation (and the Montana Model) is? Do they understand BOTH private property rights and public property rights. Do they advocate for Federal Lands transfer? Are they willing to work with sportsmen/women? Do they advocate legislative meddling in game management issues? Ballot box biology? Or Science based mgmt. Do they support public process for fish and game management? Support public access to public lands? On and on!
My advice is to have no mercy....ask tough questions before you vote! Hold their feet to the fire! Do NOT let them say one thing and do another.
But, in a time of complacency in voting, do your homework, and by all means, get out and Vote!!!
Joe

 

[smarandr]

Excellent post. Politicians need to realize that hunting extends far deeper than just the 2nd Amendment.

 

[Ben Long]

Vote. Not just this year, but every chance that comes up.

 

[2Tracks]

2nd 3rd and 4th the above....you have to vote to be heard!!!!!

 

[howler]

good post Pierre,,
If you have ever been active in sportsmen's legislative work its very apparent that one party backs sportsmen and the other is more than willing to throw us under the nearest bus,, check it out and vote

 

[1_pointer]

Mike Rowe on voting...

Mike Rowe was asked by a fan to help out with this year’s election by encouraging his following to go out and vote. Mike’s response to this request was nothing short of perfect. What he offered instead was wisdom and a completely different outlook on this issue. Check out the exchange below.

Hey Mike, I have nothing but respect for you. Your no-nonsense outlook and incredible eloquence have really had a profound impact in my life. Can you please encourage your huge following to go out and vote this election? I would never impose on you by asking you to advocate one politician over another, but I do feel this election could really use your help. I know that there are many people out there who feel like there is nothing they can do. Please try to use your gifts to make them see that they can do something – that their vote counts.

Hi Jeremy

Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate it. I also share your concern for our country, and agree wholeheartedly that every vote counts. However, I’m afraid I can’t encourage millions of people whom I’ve never met to just run out and cast a ballot, simply because they have the right to vote. That would be like encouraging everyone to buy an AR-15, simply because they have the right to bear arms. I would need to know a few things about them before offering that kind of encouragement. For instance, do they know how to care for a weapon? Can they afford the cost of the weapon? Do they have a history of violence? Are they mentally stable? In short, are they responsible citizens?

Casting a ballot is not so different. It’s an important right that we all share, and one that impacts our society in dramatic fashion. But it’s one thing to respect and acknowledge our collective rights, and quite another thing to affirmatively encourage people I’ve never met to exercise them. And yet, my friends in Hollywood do that very thing, and they’re at it again.

Every four years, celebrities and movie stars look earnestly into the camera and tell the country to “get out and vote.” They tell us it’s our “most important civic duty,” and they speak as if the very act of casting a ballot is more important than the outcome of the election. This strikes me as somewhat hysterical. Does anyone actually believe that Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen DeGeneres, and Ed Norton would encourage the “masses” to vote, if they believed the “masses” would elect Donald Trump?

Regardless of their political agenda, my celebrity pals are fundamentally mistaken about our “civic duty” to vote. There is simply no such thing. Voting is a right, not a duty, and not a moral obligation. Like all rights, the right to vote comes with some responsibilities, but lets face it – the bar is not set very high. If you believe aliens from another planet walk among us, you are welcome at the polls. If you believe the world is flat, and the moon landing was completely staged, you are invited to cast a ballot. Astrologists, racists, ghost-hunters, sexists, and people who rely upon a Magic 8 Ball to determine their daily wardrobe are all allowed to participate. In fact, and to your point, they’re encouraged.

The undeniable reality is this: our right to vote does not require any understanding of current events, or any awareness of how our government works. So, when a celebrity reminds the country that “everybody’s vote counts,” they are absolutely correct. But when they tell us that “everybody in the country should get out there and vote,” regardless of what they think or believe, I gotta wonder what they’re smoking.

Look at our current candidates. No one appears to like either one of them. Their approval ratings are at record lows. It’s not about who you like more, it’s about who you hate less. Sure, we can blame the media, the system, and the candidates themselves, but let’s be honest – Donald and Hillary are there because we put them there. The electorate has tolerated the intolerable. We’ve treated this entire process like the final episode of American Idol. What did we expect?

So no, Jeremy – I can’t personally encourage everyone in the country to run out and vote. I wouldn’t do it, even if I thought it would benefit my personal choice. Because the truth is, the country doesn’t need voters who have to be cajoled, enticed, or persuaded to cast a ballot. We need voters who wish to participate in the process. So if you really want me to say something political, how about this – read more.

Spend a few hours every week studying American history, human nature, and economic theory. Start with “Economics in One Lesson.” Then try Keynes. Then Hayek. Then Marx. Then Hegel. Develop a worldview that you can articulate as well as defend. Test your theory with people who disagree with you. Debate. Argue. Adjust your philosophy as necessary. Then, when the next election comes around, cast a vote for the candidate whose worldview seems most in line with your own.

Or, don’t. None of the freedoms spelled out in our Constitution were put there so people could cast uninformed ballots out of some misplaced sense of civic duty brought on by a celebrity guilt-trip. The right to assemble, to protest, to speak freely – these rights were included to help assure that the best ideas and the best candidates would emerge from the most transparent process possible.

Remember – there’s nothing virtuous or patriotic about voting just for the sake of voting, and the next time someone tells you otherwise, do me a favor – ask them who they’re voting for. Then tell them you’re voting for their opponent. Then, see if they’ll give you a ride to the polls.

In the meantime, dig into “Economics in One Lesson,” by Henry Hazlitt. It sounds like a snooze but it really is a page turner, and you can download it for free.

Mike

http://www.outdoorhub.com/news/2016/10/12/mike-rowe-shares-wise-opinion-voting/

 

[Irrelevant]

Mike Rowe on voting...

You beat me to it, I was going to throw a link up to that as it's too good not to share. I, for one, would like to see Mike Rowe for President...

 

[LopeHunter]

Research then vote. America really is a special place. Have been fortunate to travel a bit and every dang time the wheels touch down back here in the States, I feel thankful to be home. People are literally dying while attempting to get into our country. You call the police here, they tend to show up. And not rob you. If you have a dispute, you do not have to be part of a duel at 30 paces since we have courts. We can own homes and land and start companies. Go to Church or not.

A wise person said that the person you are not able to criticize aloud is the person that controls you. Very few people we cannot publically criticize in America. This is not true in many countries. For all our warts and challenges, America is a great place to live.

 

[Tkaldahl2000]

I had no idea when I was in 9th grade civics class 35 years ago how much of a B.S. filter it would provide. There are days now when I wish I would have paid closer attention, and I am truly frightened by the percentage of my classmates that got through it with scores under 70%. How many people really understand that the next president has the potential to appoint 3 justices to the supreme court? If there is not thoughtful opposition to Idealogical leanings of the nominees, we could wind up with a very unbalanced and unhealthy situation. I will not in good conscience vote for either of the candidates fielded by the minority fringes of both parties, and no, I am not wasting my vote. It is time to break the stranglehold of the two party system.

 

[fwagner]

Big Fin had a podcast that really puts a bow on this topic....his (Sept. 30th) episode from New Mexico where he is stuck at camp. Voting isn't a enough, be active. Write your representative, get involved and follow organizations like BHA, TRCP, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, etc.

 

[James Riley]

I will not in good conscience vote for either of the candidates fielded by the minority fringes of both parties, and no, I am not wasting my vote. It is time to break the stranglehold of the two party system.

That's the conclusion I've come to. In fact, when I carry it out, I find it hard to vote for a party-person on the down ballot. If I vote for a player, I am voting for the team he/she is on, and I hate both teams, if not their players. But I have to question the judgement of a good person (Sanders, Trump, Webb, Dole, etc.) who chooses a team when only two teams get to play. Especially when those two teams team up to keep other teams from playing. That means they are really only one team. And the stadium is full of rabid fans who root, and hate, regardless.

I'm a Denver Broncos fan, but when I think about it, I don't live anywhere near Denver, the Broncos don't give a S about me, none of my family play or work for them, so why do I give a S abut them? I guess I don't. But at least they don't conspire with the Patriots to keep the Browns from playing.

I think I beat that poor analogy to death. Sorry. Just rambling.

 

[RobG]

Pierre came here and not the ALC site because he knows the majority of people here will vote for good people - at least down ticket where it will matter the most for hunters. Similarly, Decaprio calls on his followers to vote because the majority of his people will vote for people he would support. Mike Rowe pretty much said as much... Mike Rowe is acting like he is taking a higher road by not encouraging his followers to vote, but he is a dang smart guy and the more likely explanation is that, just like Pierre and Decaprio, he knows damn well how his followers will vote. And the less of that the better .

 

[James Riley]

Pierre came here and not the ALC site because he knows the majority of people here will vote for good people - at least down ticket where it will matter the most for hunters. Similarly, Decaprio calls on his followers to vote because the majority of his people will vote for people he would support. Mike Rowe pretty much said as much... Mike Rowe is acting like he is taking a higher road by not encouraging his followers to vote, but he is a dang smart guy and the more likely explanation is that, just like Pierre and Decaprio, he knows damn well how his followers will vote. And the less of that the better .

This ^^^^^.

Besides, anyone who references Hegel without analysis is suspect, in my opinion. Unlike any other author who ever lived, he demands it.

I am therefor suspect.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I had no idea when I was in 9th grade civics class 35 years ago how much of a B.S. filter it would provide. There are days now when I wish I would have paid closer attention, and I am truly frightened by the percentage of my classmates that got through it with scores under 70%. How many people really understand that the next president has the potential to appoint 3 justices to the supreme court? If there is not thoughtful opposition to Idealogical leanings of the nominees, we could wind up with a very unbalanced and unhealthy situation. I will not in good conscience vote for either of the candidates fielded by the minority fringes of both parties, and no, I am not wasting my vote. It is time to break the stranglehold of the two party system.

We need to bring back civics and government classes as well as shop.

it's important to note that the Senate still has to approve any SUPCO nominees. Blue Dog Democrats will likely hold up any nominee that would hurt their chances for re-election, so while the supreme court issue is important, for a host of reasons beyond firearms or public lands, it's important to remember that the election cycle never ends, and someone vulnerable will always need to stop a liberal or conservative appointment to prove their not beholden to whomever is president.

And for the record - both candidates were not fielded by the fringes, they were selected by the majority of party members who voted in the primary elections. They both won the popular vote in their primaries.

 

[James Riley]

both candidates were not fielded by the fringes, they were selected by the majority of party members who voted in the primary elections.

I agree it wasn't the fringe, but the fans in the stands that did it, all rallied by the establishment cheerleaders in the media. I see it now even more.

 

[elkduds]

It seems obvious that people who intend to vote will gather some education RE candidates/issues. That would mean more voters = more informed voters, a positive trend. But there is plenty of evidence that many voters sip a little Kool ade as their only preparation for elections. Example: The blue campaign signs of a struggling national candidate are only being placed on public property in my neighborhood. Which is illegal. When I remove them legally I get accused of stealing the signs. I encourage the accusers call the police, so they can get straight on the law. But the blue signs get reposted. I suspect the blue candidate cannot find any private properties that will accept signs, so they have to post them illegally along highway ramps. When campaigns don't even know or instruct their volunteers what is legal in campaign signage, that is a woefully uninformed campaign.

Informed voters: yes! Dead voters, those paid to vote, voters who toss a coin: save your vote for America's Got Talent.