Pombo is a national nuisance. He’s on the House Resource Committeee. This Committee affects whole swaths of US geography that include high altitudes in Washington, OR, CA, ID, MT… and other Western states. This is where the headwaters of critical river systems of the West originate. This is where key fish species spawn — BUT ONLY if the natural environments are protected. And Pombo has not been looking out for fish, fishermen, or other distinctively Western resources.

Without stronger environomental protections and federal oversight, the headwaters of these river systems cannot support and sustain the environments critical for the lifecycles of salmon, trout, and many other species. These fish species nest in headwater regions, without which spawning cannot occur. No spawning grounds = extinction.

Pombo has tanked a proposal for a Wilderness Area in Washington state that has huge implications for salmon life cycles in one entire river system. And that is only one single example (of caving in to mineral and mining interests, thereby screwing sports fishermen, tourism, and local businesses in that area).

Fishermen know their favorite species have been impacted, and those guys understand a lot about the natural cycles of the rivers. The fishermen are only now looking at the WHOLE RIVER SYSTEMS to figure out where the critical degradation of the SYSTEMS are taking place.

Therefore, Pombo’s actions on the Resource Comm are affecting fishermen and outdoor tourism throughout a huge region of the US (WA, OR, ID, MT).

He’s a Property Rights wingnut — I’m all for private property (as are all those fishermen that I know!), but everyone who fishes realizes that nobody can ‘own’ part of a river. A river is a PUBLIC TRUST, even if the land surrounding it is privately held.

Most rivers travel through several states before they reach (in my case) the Pacific, so it is simply not possible to protect fishing resources unless you start at the federal level. Which is why Mr. Pombo is a pestilence for anyone who loves fishing — or hunting (since some wild range animals feed on fish). Pombo’s rancher personana is a veil for destruction of critical regions of US habitat that fisherman and hunters rely on.

Fishermen are not traditionally ‘lefty’ voters, but Pombo’s ideogical, wingnut views are seriously impacting the biological health of key systems in the West. It’s really important that many more voters understand he’s harming all of us.

Which is my prompt to head for ActBlue.

We are TIRED of lobbyists and BIG MONEY short circuiting our democracy. Let Pombo spend as much as he wants here. The way to take money out of politics is to render it USELESS.

Check out his website: http://weblog.jerrymcnerney.org/

another great post, and another contribution sent. But please don’t bother sending this cd to me — not really a fan of the mystery band….. instead, maybe give a plug in your next post to the new Pet Shop Boys album which is being released in the US on June 22. Its extremely political — the lead single is about Blair’s relationship with Bush, and is called “I’m With Stupid”, and its their best work since they released by favorite PSB album, Bilingual) :)

Re: Winograd’s loss, I think that the “netroots push” probably came too late for her. People need time to realize that there is a viable alternative to deeply entrenched incumbents like Harman, and “early money” is needed. That’s why I’m giving to McNerney — the more early money he gets, the more seriously “establishment” contributors–the folks who can afford to write checks with more than one zero on them — will take his candidacy.

You are turning into a national treasure Howie!

I grew up in San Joaquin Co. and went to HS in Tracy with multiple Pombo relatives. Not exactly the brightest bulbs on the Christmas tree (more like the ones that only work when you happen to be looking for the dead ones).

All the farmers in Tracy got rich when the SF Bay Area housing prices went through the roof, by selling their land to developers. Pombo is no exception. When I lived there, the population was steady at about 15,000 people. In the past 20 years it’s gone up to 75,000 – and the farmland is becoming harder and harder to spot between the strip malls and mcMansion developments.

But while they definitely got rich, these conservative Republican farmers and ranchers didn’t quite get EVERYTHING they wanted: many of the buyers of the houses in those new developments in their carefully gerrymandered Republican district are SF Bay Area uber-libs.

It was no problem until Bush ascended, because politics really aren’t that important to most people when things are okay. But in the past few years it’s become obvious that there’s a very clear division between the conservative old-timers and the liberal new-comers. The libs are angry, and the conservatives (like all good little conservatives everywhere) are scared.

You can see it driving over the Altamont Pass from the Bay Area to Tracy. There are crosses shaved into the grass on the hills, flags painted on the hills, and very large Bush signs on grubby farm outbuildings. In the 30 years I’ve been driving that road (family still live over there) there was NEVER ANYTHING like this, until the past 3 years. All of the signs/flags face West, as though the old-timers are saying, “Liberals, stay out.” It’s funny, sad and spooky subliminal symbolism – and I’m pretty damn sure it’s too little too late.

HA-HA!