letter to the governor herbert

russ_outdoors · Oct 12, 2016

Governor Herbert,

As a life-long republican, Utah resident and someone who has voted for you in the past, I am writing to voice my opinion on matters I consider crucial, not only now, but for future generations as well. I do not support the transfer of federal lands into state hands. Having seen your actions on the stream access issue, and the way your office has given control of the UDWR to Sportsman for Fish and Wildlife (SFW) through Wildlife Board appointments, it is clear our public resources are not safe under your stewardship. Rather it appears you are intent on giving our precious public resources (land, access and stewardship) over to special interests and the highest bidder. It is truly a sad day when Federal oversight is preferred to State. As such, I will not be voting for you this election.

swampfox · Oct 12, 2016

Couldn't agree more.

desertpointbrian · Oct 12, 2016

Awesome letter can we all copy and paste

deadibob · Oct 12, 2016

Herby sucks. He would have never got elected on his own. We keep getting stuck with these default governors when our elected governors cut and run for a better job. This has happened twice in the recent past, both Leavitt and Huntsman left us holding the bag with Lt. gov. trolls. There should be an election when one leaves office early.

Herby aka "AVAILABLE JONES" is no friend to Utahns. He is continually raising taxes including a 3 step fuel tax. Is anti-constitutional carry and wants to control public lands. Spending tax dollars to pay for a law suit non of us want.

I don't like the feds, but if the state gets hold of the land it will be privatized, gated and locked 30 minutes later.

Problem is too many people in Utah vote straight-line Republican ticket without even reading the ballot. Makes it impossible to unseat a republican governor in this state.

russ_outdoors · Oct 12, 2016

Feel free to copy and paste all you want. Please make you voices heard by contacting candidates directly. Campaigns track input from the public and if enough speak up, sometimes they will listen or adjust their position.

I'm a solid middle class, middle aged, god-fearing, gun-owner family man and for the first time ever, will likely be voting for more Democrat candidates than Republican this November. Sad.

MoGreen · Oct 12, 2016

>I'm a solid middle class, middle
>aged, god-fearing, gun-owner family man
>and for the first time
>ever, will likely be voting
>for more Democrat candidates than
>Republican this November. Sad.

Just remember, Hillary will change her stance on anything if you pay her enough money

--------------------------
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I hunt, therefore I am.
Harvest the land.
Taking of the fallen lamb.

dz · Oct 12, 2016

Russ, God fearing to me means that you vote on morals first. I'm not trying to change your vote. For me I can see how they vote on the Abortion issue and make my choice from that. I'm a simple minded guy and I voice my opinion to those that are elected but I'm Pro Life. And I have 12 kids to prove it! 9 of them that I'm glad that their Bio Mom and Dad didn't decide to end their life.

DZ

deadibob · Oct 12, 2016

>Russ, God fearing to me
>means that you vote on
>morals first. I'm not
>trying to change your vote.
> For me I can
>see how they vote on
>the Abortion issue and make
>my choice from that.
>I'm a simple minded guy
>and I voice my opinion
>to those that are elected
>but I'm Pro Life.
>And I have 12 kids
>to prove it! 9
>of them that I'm glad
>that their Bio Mom and
>Dad didn't decide to end
>their life.
>
>DZ

So what about the other three? Are you wishing their Bio Mom and Dad ended their life? Because that's what it sounds like. ;-)

dz · Oct 12, 2016

Sorry I'm the Bio Dad of the other 3, and we adopted the other 9.

grizzly · Oct 12, 2016

First time Democratic Party voter here too.

Grizzly

huntin50 · Oct 13, 2016

I think it is good to voice valid concerns. Herbert will win in a landslide IMO. There are lots of issues to consider.

Hawkeye · Oct 13, 2016

It is always good to get involved and voice your opinion. Let us know if you (or your employer) get a response from the governor's office.

-Hawkeye-

russ_outdoors · Oct 13, 2016

>It is always good to get
>involved and voice your opinion.
> Let us know if
>you (or your employer) get
>a response from the governor's
>office.
>
>-Hawkeye-

Fortunately I own my own engineering firm, so they can threaten my boss (me) all they want.

No doubt Herbert will get re-elected. Fortunately, I believe the Governor's position on the land issue is untenable, both constitutionally and with regards to public support. I know exactly zero people in my associations who, when educated, think Utah should take over our federal lands. With our state's changing demographics, any current support will gradually ebb.

Zeke · Oct 13, 2016

I'm not a herby fan but I fail to see how telling a guy that you hate his policies and you're not voting for him can possibly further your cause.....

What are you hoping to gain by the letter?

Seems counterproductive but if it makes you feel better, go for it.

Zeke

grizzly · Oct 13, 2016

>I'm not a herby fan but
>I fail to see how
>telling a guy that you
>hate his policies and you're
>not voting for him can
>possibly further your cause.....
>
>What are you hoping to gain
>by the letter?
>
>Seems counterproductive but if it makes
>you feel better, go for
>it.
>
>Zeke

Yeah, politicians should only hear how wonderful they are.

Grizzly

Zeke · Oct 13, 2016

Missed the point huh Grizz and decided to make up your own ending?
Zeke

pufftuffly · Oct 13, 2016

>Missed the point huh Grizz and
>decided to make up your
>own ending?
>Zeke

Please ol wise one, enlighten us with your point.

Seems to me Grizz hit the nail on the head.

Zeke · Oct 13, 2016

I asked what the point of the letter was and how it furthers the cause. Seems like a simple question.

What does Russ expect to come of the letter? Is it to make him feel good or to spur the governor into action and champion his cause when he already told him... well, read his letter.

It's quite a simple question so I hope you can stay up puffy.

Get it NOW?

I can't follow the logic when I ask a question and people fail to comprehend but come to their own flawed conclusions.

Is every one a little cranky and just looking for a fight?

Zeke

russ_outdoors · Oct 13, 2016

> What does Russ expect to
>come of the letter? Is
>it to make him feel
>good or to spur the
>governor into action and champion
>his cause when he already
>told him... well, read his
>letter.
>

Both. I feel better knowing I have made my position known to my elected official and hope it will play a small part in his positions going forward. I have written letters to elected officials and businesses for years and have been pleasantly surprised at how often they respond. Sometimes even asking for further information about my position. I understand I am just one voice and vote. But if the governor receives hundreds or even thousands of similarly voiced correspondence, I do believe it can make a difference.

Zeke · Oct 13, 2016

Thanks for the reply Russ!

I'll send a similar letter but I think I'll omit the part about not voting for him. Maybe with your spice and my honey we can make a difference if others join in.

Zeke

Hawkeye · Oct 13, 2016

Good work boys. I have expressed my views to the governor's office on a couple of different occasions and in different formats. I guess you could say I have tried both honey and spice. It is good for sportsment to get involved.

-Hawkeye-

Vanilla · Oct 13, 2016

There is no changing the gov's position on this. He's bought and paid for already. Heck, he called himself "Available Jones" for crying out loud!

But I love that you reached out to him and told him. Not only the governor, but the Republican Party itself in Utah needs to know that we are willing to vote the other way if they go wrong on this. I assure you if they thought it would mean losing power, their tune would change.

Similar to the abortion reference, I have made this a single issue for me. If you oppose my ability to access public land and waters to recreate, you will not get my vote. Period. Abortion is an important issue to me, but I also know it's a settled issue. You can vote pro life all you want, but Roe v Wade and its progeny are the law of the land. Taking away our ability to hunt and fish will have a much bigger impact on me and you than abortion, since that one has already been decided.

There are several moral measuring sticks one can use to determine the quality of a candidate. Public water and lands is a good one, IMO.

dz · Oct 13, 2016

Very well put V. I agree I just use how they look at abortion to get a pulse on them. How they look at other moral issues determines my vote too.. Not always a perfect guide but it does point towards where they stand. I hope to see Roe v Wade turned over. I might have to live to be 200 years old.

DZ

MoGreen · Oct 13, 2016

One day people will write letter to Hillary:

Dear Mrs. Clinton

I always supported your policies. But could you please remove the military police post from my corner?

P.S. Please don't shoot me for writing this.

Yours truly,

Sheep

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--------------------------
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I hunt, therefore I am.
Harvest the land.
Taking of the fallen lamb.

Oneye · Oct 18, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Oct-18-16 AT 05:23PM (MST)[p]My letter to Governor Herbert is as a registered republican I will be voting for Mike Weinholtz, that's all.

deerslayer88 · Oct 19, 2016

Herbert is a idiot buff said.

?If men were angels, no government would be
necessary.? John Adams

hossblur · Oct 19, 2016

Should change registration to lib, make repub sweat. I voted weinholz tonight

"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun"

russ_outdoors · Oct 25, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Oct-25-16 AT 11:59AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Oct-25-16 AT 11:34?AM (MST)

Received a call from someone associated with the Wildlife Board this morning. My letter to the governor was forwarded to them with a request to contact me and seek further comment. I was able to voice my opinions and concerns, and they were able to educate me more about the board and its processes.

(FWIW, there will likely be (2) Wildlife Board appointments coming up early next year)

My overall impression from the conversation is that they, as in the Wildlife Board, are aware that SFW is not looked upon favorably by sportsmen in general and that there is a cloud hanging over the award of the recent Expo contract.

I was very grateful for them reaching out and taking time to talk with me.

wstrntines · Oct 27, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Oct-27-16 AT 01:58PM (MST)[p]Wrote a letter to both candidates on the issue. Herbert never even wrote back. His competition did and has no interest in giving the land back to state hands. So i'll make an effort to write Herby another e-mail.

grizzly · Oct 27, 2016

Good job on the letter and response.

I voted for Weinholtz too... easiest vote I've ever made (except for Rob Bishop's challenger, of course).

Grizzly

Chuuk · Oct 29, 2016

I commend you for writing your politicians. One thing I recently became aware of is how little we need to do to get our voices heard. I am currently in grad school and taking a macro social work class. Our professor explained that to effect change on a political level we need to let our local representatives hear form us. She went on to explain that local politicians feel "overwhelmed" when their office receives about 20 phone calls a day. Imagine if everyone that is on this site that does not agree with public land transfers, or the way the SFW run the DWR now, if they only would call their local official and be a thorn in their side. I heard a quote recently, if you feel you are not big enough to make a difference, spend the night in a room with three mosquitoes. I know I wrote my local senator a year or so ago to ask her position on something, The response I got from her intern was enough to make me never vote for her again. The arrogance from her office was very upsetting and they did not even answer my question. Remember that these people so work for us, but unless we demand they work for us, they will just collect paychecks from special interests.

Go out and let your voice be heard. If you have some friends in the same district as you, become the reason your politician will listen to you.