Public land ranchers concerned about candidate’s position that public lands ought be managed to preserve Idaho’s wildlife heritage
Idaho’s Gubernatorial candidate Keith Allred, challenger to “Butch” Otter, recently drew a distinction between wildlife management on public versus private land, standing behind Idaho sportsmen on the bighorn sheep issue :
Candidate’s Comments Cause for Concern – Frank Priestley, Idaho Farm Bureau President
During the October 9th discussion between Allred and members of the Idaho Sportsmen’s Caucus Advisory Council, the subject of bighorn sheep management came up. Following are Allred’s comments verbatim:
“My family a hundred years ago was driving sheep and cattle up to the Sawtooth Valley and running sheep. So I’d like to see a viable sheep industry. But we also have a long enough family history that we remember when there (were) much more substantial bighorn sheep populations in Idaho than there are now. So how do you manage those competing perspectives? Here’s one kind of distinction I would draw: On public lands, to me, wildlife populations have to take priority over individual private interests, really economic interests, and grazing. On private lands then private property owners need to take priority.”
(Emphasis added)
This recognition that wildlife management on public lands ought reflect all Idahoans’ interest, and ought preserve Idaho’s wildlife heritage is threatening to some.
To most, it’s just plain common sense.
UPDATE: Allred Licks the Boot 10/29/10 : Statement on Bighorn and Domestic Sheep – Keith Allred, Ag Weekly
From Keith Allred – I’m sorry to have inappropriately applied the distinction between public and private land to bighorn and domestic sheep questions in recent comments I made to the Sportsman’s Caucus. I’d like to clarify my points and suggest a solution.
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Comments
We need to remember that Butch Otter said the other day that wildlife were just another kind of livestock.
Haven’t seen any poll numbers recently–how is Allred looking relative to Chest-thumpin’ Otter?
When you leave a comment on this article disagreeing with the concept that domestic sheep do NOT spread disease to wild sheep, the comment vanishes. I wonder what happens if you put a post agreeing with the article….
I hope all of you that live in Idaho are working to get this guy in office…:*)
I was at a conservation social event in Boise in Sept, and both Minnick and Allred were there. Some of us cornered Allred about what he would do with wolves. He hemmed and hawed, sounding like a typical politician. But Allred was honest enough to say that “livestock are the problem.” We agreed with that assessment!
Nevertheless, the guy is clearly head and shoulders above the Butcher, with a functioning brain that values education. For reasons that evade me, however, the LDS and working class in Idaho seem to be behind Butch, per usual voting patterns in the state.
The Highway 12 debacle where Butch was cutting backroom deals with big oil show his corporate loyalties iniminical to the working class. Then his personal history of DUIs, tight fitting jeans contests, divorce and living out of wedlock with his now trophy wife (30 years younger, and whom he married shortly before his last gubernatorial contest, as I recall) would all seem contrary to LDS values as well.
I would like to be wrong, but several decades of seeing Idaho trending redder tells me Butch by a comfortable margin.
Debra, nice job exposing the hypocrisy of organized religion.
It’s beyond my comprehension how Otter could have gotten elected in the first place and now will probably win re-election easily. If you watched any of the debates Allred made him look like a fool. Otter could not put two coherent thoughts together, he really is a buffoon.
UPDATE: Allred Licks the Boot 10/29/10 : Statement on Bighorn and Domestic Sheep – Keith Allred, Ag Weekly
Wow. For a moment, we thought that Idaho might have a politician NOT beholden to livestock interests. A brief and fleeting moment.
You should’ve known better, it is Idaho after all…
I think this latest is a clarification not a change in position. No politician in Idaho will campaign on an “end public land grazing platform”, at least not for a while. He just told the farm bureau he did not support ending ALL grazing on public land. And his position that wildlife on public lands should take priority over grazing is still apt. After all, that’s what trying to get BLM to properly administer grazing permits is about.
i don’t think anyone expected Allred to take an “end public land grazing” platform ~ but his statement to the sportsmen caucus demonstrated an understanding of the issue, i.e. bighorn v. domestic sheep, which necessitated an “either/or” position – there is no ‘coexistence’ on this issue – and he took the right position.
then, called out by Livestock (i.e. Noh), he drank the state cool-aid and went with the mirky waters … pretending like there’s some sort of resolution where both sides make out … that’s not realistic, and that desired outcome has stalled action that should be protecting bighorn sheep. the “win/win” narrative on this issue is BS – it’s a win for the sheepman, and bighorn get the shaft ~~~ sportsmen know that.
that’s disappointing.
You guys crack me up with comments on politicians:
“his personal history of DUIs, tight fitting jeans contests, divorce and living out of wedlock with his now trophy wife”
I already know that the “cowboy hat” is reason to hate someone but why not really get personal and hate someone for the color of their hair, eye color, sexual preference or skin color? Heck I know one politician who has an ugly kid so maybe I won’t vote for her either. Pretty soon the only politicians we “should” vote for will be mixed race, non religious, big business hating, sexually androgynous, socially liberal people who wear gray suits made of third generation recycled hemp clothing. Or maybe I’ll vote for the the candidate who best represents my viewpoint…as crazy as that sounds.
Good point, Tim Bondy. For those unclear about this candidate’s position:
“…as governor I will advocate for the Forest Service to open vacant allotments to accommodate the sheep producers who may be removed from their allotments on the Payette Forest.”
Those vacant allotments are not in bighorn habitat and it’s unlikely the FS would open them up. There would be environmental review and lots of problems for all concerned. It’s not something the governor has any control over anyway.
Vote for the candidate that best represents your viewpoint????
Say it isn’t so!!!
Tim Bondy, just to clarify, I am not saying I won’t vote for Otter because of these personal factors. Rather, they are normally concerns for certain religious factions, and for some reason, are overlooked in Otter’s case.
For my voting decisions, I judge a candidate by their actions and positions in the public realm. Their personal lives are irrelevant as long as not involving criminal convictions. Otter’s drastic cuts for education, focus on 19th century industries like sheep ranching and mining instead of 21st century businesses like high tech and renewable energy, lack of concern for conservation and the environment, and general whoring for corporate interests (see again Hwy 12 debacle) makes this election an easy decision for me.
I am quite dismayed, however, by the general tenor of Idaho’s gubernatorial race, where Otter and Allred appear to be competing to see who has the biggest cowboy hat.
Tim Bondy, just to clarify, I am not saying I won’t vote for Otter because of these personal factors. Rather, they are normally concerns for certain religious factions, and for some reason, are overlooked in Otter’s case.
For my voting decisions, I judge candidates by their actions and positions in the public realm. Their personal lives are irrelevant as long as not involving criminal convictions. Otter’s drastic cuts for education, focus on 19th century industries like sheep ranching and mining instead of 21st century businesses like high tech and renewable energy, lack of concern for conservation and the environment, and general whoring for corporate interests (see again Hwy 12 debacle) make this election an easy decision for me.
I am quite dismayed, however, by the general tenor of Idaho’s gubernatorial race, where Otter and Allred appear to be competing to see who has the biggest cowboy hat.
Sorry for the double post–for some reason, the posting was delayed on my end and I thought it hadn’t gone through.
“…lack of concern for conservation and the environment, and general whoring for corporate interests (see again Hwy 12 debacle)”
I lived in Otter’s district before he was crowned Governor, he was one of the worst corporate whores in all of Idaho, thus his anointed position of late. Most of Idaho’s legislature is anti-biosphere health oriented. All they care about is the almighty dollar (s) ~ those in their pockets both present and future ~ and total control over whomever lives in the state or enters it, as long as they are the serfdom ranks. If you have lots of $$ and/or political clout, well, that’s different…
As far as religiosity, it’s not a welcome topic on this blog but I will say this much… Think, for just a moment, what LDS means, especially the “S” part. This groups sees itself as such and all others are some kind of lower level species. Similar to the Krishnas in the airports of years gone by, they saw everyone else as demons. In my personal experience in Idaho, the dominant group seems to have a similar view of “the other”. They also believe that they are “chosen” stewards of the land ~ because they “know” better?? Yet they wave off any science that might indicate something other than what they believe. The politicians of Idaho are in league with this notion and should be publicly/nationally called out on it given the idea of separation of church and state and all. IMO, Idaho is owned and operated by this faction, therefore, it is a factor to consider when voting for one of them or one of their approved candidates.
This is not to say this is the only faction but it’s one that shouldn’t be ignored when it comes to Constitutional Rights and elections and backroom legislation, especially in these western states.
“Their personal lives are irrelevant as long as not involving criminal convictions”
Otter has two BTW. He is better suited for a circus sideshow act than the statehouse.