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HOW ABOUT YOU?

Masquerading as Americans, Clinton and Gore recently knocked at the election door of American voters. Tricking the trusting public into thinking that more then 40 million acres of national forests must be removed from public access, they have treated themselves to the votes of extreme environmentalists deserting Al's camp for that of Bill Bradley.

In case you missed it, the Administration announced plans to prevent Multiple Use and Sustained Yield of over 40 million acres of national forest lands. Blowing the usual smoke of public input, seeking comments, studying the area etc. etc. Bill and Al have set the stage for public deception. Do not kid yourself, family, or friends into pretending that anybody's opinion but their own matters.

Why has the Administration done such a thing? The honest answer is: to try and win back the defecting environmental vote heading for Bill Bradley's camp. Bradley's "deep green" color is very appealing, especially to those who subscribe to the "my way or no way" school of compromise.

Bill Clinton owes Al Gore bigtime. Behind the scenes the markers are being called in. Even Bill's 'life after Washington' could be made miserable by not stepping up to the plate for Al-after all Al has done for him. Bill has everything to gain by going along with this deception and another opportunity to abuse the power entrusted to him.

Al Gore, the man who would be King, has demonstrated his capacity to tolerate any abuse of the American public and its laws to finally attain the office of President. How can a person who has demonstrated only a capacity to follow, think he would now know how to lead. But then-kings do not lead, they only rule.

Timing is everything in politics and elections. These folks have chosen well. Here's how it will work. (A)nnounce early in election cycle. (B)low smoke about protection and taking public comment. (U)se crisis creation mechanism to manipulate public perception. (S)ell your soul for votes. (E)lect Al Gore as President to pay off political debt. Sounds like ABUSE to me. How's that for a legacy?

The piecemeal timing of this strategy will allow time to change the minds of some defecting voters. It will also keep some in the Gore camp just long enough to get him elected. It will also be long enough to wear the American public down. They will have their concerns dismissed, trivialized and their voice lost in the cesspool of emotional rhetoric that passes for honest discussion with this Administration.

If ever our elected officials needed for the American public to get off and stay off its civic dead center it is now. Elected officials need a steady stream of loud, clear, rational opinion to flood the information highway. Private citizens elected these folks to carry our voice, not to be our voice. Remember-silence is consent. Remember also-the apolitical person is of absolutely no use in the defense of freedom. The apolitical persons of the world have never built a nation, but they have and will destroy nations. The United States is not immune to this destruction.

This land grab of more then 40 million acres of your land is largely in the Rocky Mountain west. We all know the region is a prime target for politicians to garner votes from those who live elsewhere-by deceiving and misleading them.

Destruction of these 40 million acres due to disease, fire and neglect will result if this action is not stopped. Notice I used the word stopped. This situation does not call for discussion, collaboration, consensus or any of the other "wordsmithing favorites". This is not a time to tolerate phrases from our elected officials or the Administration about wanting to be part of any process, wanting to be at the table or wanting to come to some consensus. This is a time of simple wants — you should want our laws to be respected and our rights under those existing laws protected.

The millions of acres involved here have already been studied at Congress' direction twice before. They were done in accordance with public law and vast public and professional input. Do not let lands that belong to you be stolen by those who have not learned to share according to the law.

The deplorable forest health conditions, which truly threaten these millions of acres call for management not politics. So where is Gore when the natural resources, public laws, and rights of Americans are at stake? Where he has always been — on the sidelines watching and waiting. How about you?

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