Dear Government, Please Protect Outdoor Industry

[J. D. Stembal]

Snowfalls have been decidedly below average for many of the ski resorts in the US, so environmentally focused articles were to be expected to come out of the Left.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/feb/06/outdoor-economy-lobbying-business-washington-oil-

 

The article ideologically pits the outdoor and wildlife industries against the more "rapey" types of industries, such as natural gas, petroleum and mining, claiming that outdoor recreation jobs lack representation in Washington D.C.

 

Some of the quotable gems in this article are:

 

 

 

The ski-industry closings are a small but representative setback for what a new report calls the outdoor economy — that is, “the stream of economic output that results from the protection and sustainable use of America’s lands and waters when they are preserved in a largely undeveloped state”.

 

 

 

“If you’re building economic policy, you need good numbers,” Lee-Ashley says. “What percentage of the US travel industry relates to outdoor places? How many people coming to the US visit a national park, and how much do they spend?”

 

 

 

Consider, as an example, a group called Protect Our Winters, which organizes skiers and snowboarders, among others, to “create a social movement against climate change, and ultimately to affect policy,” says Chris Steinkamp, its executive director. A nonprofit started by pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones and funded in part by the ski industry, its annual budget is about $500,000.

[WasatchMan]

A recreational industry going after a productive industry... Talk about cutting off the nose to spite the face.

[J-William]

 

If you want to hit a lefty where it hurts go after his freetime and hobbies.

[PGP]

This is classic "stakeholder analysis" consensus - based decision -making model. It is IMO just a reincarnation (a very smart reincarnation) of communism. This type of stuff is going to be pushed more and more.