4x4Wire

This administration has misapplied the Antiquities Act and by a stroke of a pen circumvented Congress in management of public lands. During the speech the president said, “I will use my authority to protect more of our pristine federal lands for future generations.”

4x4Wire.com believes that responsible monument designations should include public input and cooperation, along with adherence to the 1906 act, which states, “the limits of which in all cases shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with proper care and management of the objects to be protected.”

While the act gives the president the authority to make designations “in his discretion,” local stakeholders and those most familiar with the land are valuable resources who should not be overlooked. This administration and all future administrations should work with congress, affected user groups and local and state elected officials before any designations of public lands as national monuments. Americans are a diverse group of citizens who have different, yet compatible, ways of enjoying the great outdoors. 4x4Wire.com believes that there is room on our public lands for those who enjoy motorized recreation.

4x4Wire.com advocates for responsible motorized recreation and believes that the disposition of public lands should include the voices of all users.

Then, let’s look at the childish temper tantrum displayed by the the Administration with respect to the barriers placed around the World War II Monument.

First, some salient facts need to be reviewed.  The WWII Monument is a facility that is open to the public 7 days a week, 24 hours per day with no required on-site presence of government employee to control admission.  Yes, there are government expenses incurred for trash collection and lawn care.  So, under the “shutdown” those to not get accomplished.

However, let’s look close at the news reports concerning the barricades places to deter WWII Veterans from visiting the Monument.  According to news reports, on Day 1 of the “shutdown”, simple action of stringing plastic tape was done.  That proved useless and Day 2 resulted in substantial barricade fences being brought in to deter access to the open-air Monument.

Someone had to incur expense to lease/rent/install the barricades.  After all, if the government was “shutdown” and employees furloughed, who provided the labor to acquire and install the barricades?

In normal times, the President cannot change the laws passed by Congress. The President can go back to Congress and request an Amendment to the law as passed.So, what has happened, the President has taken it upon himself to make unilateral changes to the ACA (ObamaCare) without consulting Congress.So, the GOP controlled House sent forward a bill seeking a delay in one mandate of the ACA. The Democrats (and President) have rejected that proposal. That “delay” mirrors previous “delays” (unilateral changes) to the ACA previously enacted by the President.The kicker, the issue is about DELAYING the individual mandate within the ACA. Coincidently, the President has already delayed aspects of the very same ACA -- without advice and consent of Congress.Yup, the Democrats (and President) have achieved the shutdown of government because they were not going to negotiate an implementation delay in accordance with established process. And yet, the President has already made unilateral changes to the very same law OUTSIDE established process.The arrogance of the President and the Democrat leadership have set the stage for the next recession.Keep in mind, this is a lead up to the real fight with the pending debt ceiling. With a debt in the $16 trillion range and climbing, there is a real danger to the long-term stability of the United States of America.I applaud the Republican party for their stand on ObamaCare and the projected excessive government debt it will create. And, for their stance to restrain uncontrolled government growth.The continued growth of government is unsustainable. The continued growth of government regulation is unsustainable.All ready, agencies are issuing public land closure orders that will further limit public access to public lands. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security are exempt from the shutdown.So, we have federal museums being closed. We have national parks being closed. We have hunting and fishing opportunities being placed off limits.Wade through the media hype and this is not that big of a calamity. More than three-quarters of the government is still on the job; as are the House of Representatives and Senators. Cut spending. Cut government regulation.

 

There are many ways you can become involved for as little as 5 minutes a month.  Please take a few minutes to look over the following list of opportunities.  Activism is you being active in protecting your rights.  Activism starts with ACT.5 Minutes a Month ---- Leave a copy of your club or association newsletter at work.-- Put a note about your club activities in the company newsletter.-- Call or send an e-mail to your elected official.-- Write a contribution check to a political action fund.-- On your next trail ride, stop and pick up a broken bottle or crushed can.15 Minutes a Month ---- Call new club members to welcome them and ask them to get involved. -- Write a "Dear Legislator" letter on a critical issue.-- Write a Letter to a public official to preserve recreation opportunities.-- Write a Letter to the Editor about recreation issues.-- Leave your campsite cleaner than you found it.1-2 Hours a Month ---- Write several letters to representatives and local newspaper editors.-- Get to know your local legislator.-- Become more active in your local club.-- Take membership applications and newsletters to libraries and stores.-- Attend a local Planning Board meeting.-- Attend a BLM or Forest Service Public Comment meeting.3-5 Hours a Month ---- Join a campaign to clean up a campsite or trail.-- Participate in a club or association committee.-- Work with the political committee to elect recreation supportive candidates to office.-- Volunteer on a phone bank.-- Work at a community outreach booth on a weekend.-- Take a friend on a club or association outing

The Los Angeles Daily News reports that the cancellation of an NRA Basic Pistol Course was achieved by the district's hasty adoption of a "Rule 2420," introduced by board of trustees member Scott Svonkin. The rule prohibits all firearms on campus, other than those carried by law enforcement personnel and those used for "theatrical performances." We'll let Svonkin explain it for himself. "The one thing we wanted to prevent was Pierce College being the Wild Wild West. . . . By preventing guns on campus, I wanted to prevent people who took the class from shooting a horse or cow on campus."Attorney C.D. Michel has filed suit on behalf of the safety class' instructor. As Michel details on his website, Svonkin freely admitted that his rule was targeted at the NRA. "Recently the Board of Trustees found out that on two of our campuses we had classes about guns being taught for the community with the support of the NRA," Svonkin said during a radio interview. "We did not want community members coming on campus to an NRA-supported class, if they were going to bring guns to demonstrate for these people from the community on how to use guns." In a separate interview, Svonkin added, "I believe that the NRA's goal is to promote gun ownership, and that guns lead to death. So, not having the NRA teach classes, not having the NRA classes on our campuses, is a good thing . . . . I'm much happier with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department protecting our students and our staff and our faculty than having some random person who took a three-hour class and thinks that they're Dirty Harry." Michel notes that the background section of Svonkin's rule attempts to justify the ban on the grounds that "[t]he presence of firearms, even when nonoperational and in the instructional setting, lends itself to the potential for panic and fear." But, as Michel further notes, since 2008, the NRA course has instructed over 660 students, mostly female without injury or incident or anyone erupting into "panic or fear." Also, while we enjoy the arts as much at the next person, we still don't understand why having actors potentially pointing firearms at each other during theatrical performances is okay in an academic setting, while having instructors detail their safe handling and use is not. Like we said, there must be something in the water. Posting courtesy of National Rifle Association