Creative Wedge Issues....

[HardWorkingDem]

The new issue of the Washington Monthly has an interesting article on hunting and how hunters can't find land to hunt on - it's all privately owned.

Now, here is a fine example of how Dems could be creative in creating a wedge issue on their own. I was talking to a hunting co-worker of mine and asked him about this and he told me it was a HUGE issue amongst hunters. To me, this seems like an excellent local, wedge issue that Dems could pick off the cherry tree.

Of course, other Du'ers who see hunting as barbaric will probably jump in here, however, whether one likes hunting or not, hunting will be with our species for all of time, so we might as well use it to our advantage.

[Peanutcat]

1. And?

What's your idea?

[HardWorkingDem]

8. Sorry....

just that mainly for state and local issues that this issue be used for what it is worth. I guess it is one of those things that is very passionate to a group of people that Dems are missing out on. A campaign that sort of makes more government owned land available at lower costs than that of privately owned land. Also, in my area huge sections of land are owned by private power companies that sell their energy to the public. States could use such a thing to make more hunting and fishing land available.

Those are just a few.

[Pab Sungenis]

2. I don't like hunting....

But it is perfectly legal. And a lack of open hunting ground is just one symptom of a greater problem: the privatization of everything in America.

I feel no reason, even if you don't like hunting, not to use this issue. It shows, in undeniable terms, how the drive to divest the government of everything it owns hurts everybody. And it shows it in Red State terms. Perfect!

[blm]

3. It was one of the points made by Kerry during the campaign that no media

bothered to discuss.

Kerry has hunted since he was a boy. He's a crack shot. He hunted during the campaign specifically so he could get attention for his remarks on hunting.

Media, instead, roundly ignored his serious positions on hunting, the environment and responsible gun ownership and turned it all into "Kerry's trying to ACT like a hunter to attract men voters. HA. Ha. Ha. Nobody believes this act. Ha. Kerry holding a GUN? Ha. Ha."

Not one word spoken by the news media was devoted to discussing the actual policy.

I think Alex Sanders should be contacted about this. He brought it up campaigning for Kerry in SC and he's a very eloquent and engaging speaker. He and his wife are avid sports shooters, and I believe his wife is a champion.

[Pab Sungenis]

5. A few well placed issues ads

Might go a long way with this. If we can't count on the free media, we need to get our message out the best we can.

[MrBenchley]

4. Actually, hunting is a severely declining sport

fewer than 6% of the population hunts...and it's dropping every year.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/fieldstream/hunting/article/0,13199,458090,00.html

As it is now, regulating hunting is a drain on the taxpayer....I've yet to find a state that gets back in revenue the cost of administering the program....and that's not adding in the additional costs associated with this "sport": for example, the Cedar fire which killed 15 people, gutted more than 2,000 homes, and caused $400 million plus in damages, was set by a "noble sportsman"--who was put on probation for it.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/fires/

And what's the solution proposed: shall we commandeer private land so drunks can stumble through the woods shooting guns?

[HardWorkingDem]

9. Should have lumped in fishermen too....

here is the problem: let's face it, what is the largest group of reliable voters out there? It is white males. Now, who make up the largest group of hunting/fishing/sportsmen? White males.

Like the poster remarks below, this reply is sort of condescending and part of the problem of Dems. You know, too smart thinking for their own britches.

I guess in your opinion birdwatchers put more in the kitty than hunters?

(A caveat, I am not a hunter, nor do I care for caged hunts or hunting simply for trophies. But for those who hunt to eat the wildgame, as long as it is legal and not out of hand, I do not have a problem with those type of hunters. My point is, this is a possible wedge issue that we are completely ignoring).

[MrBenchley]

12. Jeeze, you see a lot of drive-by fly-tying tragedies?

The plain fact is, Americans get shot at third-world rates because we've got a large, loud and thoroughl;y scummy gun lobby in cahoots with the Republicans.

Who are the biggest fucking crybabies out there? White males. And men are a lot less likely to vote than women...

http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0228/p04s01-ussc.html



"this reply is sort of condescending"
No, it's downright contemptuous. Frankly, hunting is a dying sport that's too long in its dying.

"birdwatchers put more in the kitty than hunters"
Jeeze, birdwatchers don't cost states big bucks....nor was it a birdwatcher who killed 15 people in California playing with matches in the woods.

[Odin2005]

6. This one one of the reasons rural voters vote Republican.

The Republicans have cutivated the meme that Liberals are a bunch of city slickers who want to take away your guns. Unfortunately, urbanites reinforce that Republican propaganda by disdainfully calling us stupid, gun-toting hicks. I hunt and I find the "Drunk Hunters" coment from the New Jersey poster deeply ofensive.

[MrBenchley]

7. Yeah, the GOP is great at pandering to ignorant bigots....

And I suggest you get a bullet to bite on....hunting in many parts of the country IS drunks stumbling around in the woods.

[HardWorkingDem]

10. Stereotypical reply is out of line....and...

in my area some of the biggest hunters are extremely wealthy people from Chicago that commute to roam around in the brush...

[MrBenchley]

11. The reply was right on the money....

Here's a bunch of triggerhappy bobos complaining because Virginia is thinking of outlawing hunting while drunk....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A27398-2005Feb15?language=printer

[HardWorkingDem]

15. If you can't answer....

with sincerity or politeness, then next time why don't you just skip on by a thread you don't want to really add to.

I think many would appreciate it.

[MrBenchley]

16. I answered sincerely...tough titty if you don't like it.

[Nimrod2005]

13. I don't hunt, but I like the idea. Call Big Eddy with it.

[Doctor_J]

14. None of our issues ever get talked about, so what's the point?

Millions of people can't afford heat this winter, and Tweety's response is, "doesn't Osama sound like Michael Moore?"

What are the chances of Leslie Blitzer doing a show on, "Public lands have almost disappeared - where do we go to hunt?"