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The Nevada Outdoor Democrats appreciate the Democratic Candidates that care enough about our Western traditions to speak directly with our group. THANK YOU! Scroll down to read all statements. From Former Senator John Edwards July 2007 STATEMENT FOR NEVADA OUTDOORS DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS We owe it to ourselves, our children and our grandchildren to protect the land, air and water we rely on. We owe it to the world to become a responsible and moral leader for clean energy and conservation. We must act now to halt global warming. According to the latest forecast from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the dangers for states like Nevada are especially severe. Western states can expect longer, more frequent droughts and even greater difficulties meeting future water needs than they face now. That’s why our generation must be the one that says “yes” to renewable fuels and ends forever our dependence on foreign oil. Our generation must be the one that builds the new energy economy based on clean, renewable fuels and energy efficiency. While global warming requires a national and international response, other issues are best left to the states. Water, for example, is primarily a state issue. I believe that transfers within Nevada are decisions for Nevadans. To protect our waterways for fishing, I strongly support the Clean Water Act and believe the Act is critically important to restoring the health of our nation's waters. I have strongly opposed efforts to roll back this historic legislation. Sharing the outdoors between generations is a great American tradition. I believe it is also symbolic of our obligation to act as stewards of the planet for our children and grandchildren. As a child I enjoyed camping trips with my parents and cousins, and later I shared the outdoors with my own children. Whenever we hike or swim or camp or canoe with our kids, we are reminded of both the gift and the responsibility that we have been given. For more information, visit: http://johnedwards.com
ELKO Free Press Exclusive: Edwards unveils hunting, fishing bill of rights By DOUG McMURDO Associate Editor Thursday, October 25, 2007 2:05 PM PDT ELKO - Former North Carolina senator John Edwards became the first presidential candidate of either party to address the future of America's outdoor recreation opportunities Wednesday when he unveiled his hunting and fishing bill of rights. "Growing up in a rural area, in a small town, it's important to me the rights of hunters and fishers are protected," said Edwards in an interview with the Free Press. Edwards' bill of rights focuses on five principles; all that could resonate with northern Nevadans' love affair with the great outdoors. Edwards would push to improve access to public and recreation lands; protect the tradition of responsible gun ownership; preserve access to clean, healthy water for fishing; secure the nation's natural heritage for future generations; and expect citizens to share responsibility for stewardship. The issue of access to public lands has long been a contentious one in Nevada, where the federal government manages more than 86 percent of the land. While federal land managers have been more willing to work with Nevada citizens in recent years, distrust and resentment remain on both sides of the equation - due to long memories, perhaps, more than the improved effort to form public/private partnerships. Edwards' plan would give local conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts more say in land policy through the creation of regional public access councils, which would work as advisory committees to the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service. Conservationists would be joined by hunters, fishers, scientists and others on these councils. "There's no magic formula," he said when asked what role conservationists, who often seek to cut off public access and not improve it, would play in the debate. "The goal is to bring all these interests together and make sure all views are heard," said Edwards. While Edwards no longer hunts, he does fish and supports the Second Amendment right to bear arms. "Owning a gun was a part of life where I grew up and it's the same in Elko. I respect that way of life." Rather than attack gun ownership - for hunting, target shooting or home defense - Edwards supports gun safety training, keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and responsible gun ownership. With global warming and other issues having a negative impact on nature, Edwards believes America must act now to preserve wildlands for future generations. He said President Bush's policies have "put narrow corporate interests ahead of regular families, causing new threats to our nation's great wildlife habitats," he writes. Resource protection, balancing federal land management and the eradication of invasive species - think cheatgrass in Elko County - are among Edwards' priorities. Edwards knows the government alone cannot preserve the land and protect access and would ask Americans to assume part of the responsibility. He said he would create a conservation reserve program to help ranchers and farmers practice sound conservation and create an Outdoor Career Corps to train young people interested in working in the industry. When asked why he drafted his Hunting and Fishing Bill of Rights, Edwards said there was a void to fill. "I didn't see anyone else talking about it at all, but this is the kind of issue that's important to me." --------------- READ all of John Edwards Hunting and Fishing Bill of Rights http://www.johnedwards.com/issues/rural/hunting-and-fishing/ From Governor Bill Richardson July 2007 To the Members of the Nevada Outdoor Democrats, It is a pleasure to address the Nevada Outdoor Democrats. Nevada is a major player in the 2008 primary campaign for the first time, and for the first time Western values and Western issues will play a significant role in choosing our next president. You, the Nevada Outdoor Democrats, have an opportunity to shape the debate and the future of our party. Throughout my career, I have worked tirelessly to protect the rights of sportsmen and to preserve this American tradition for future generations. I have worked to protect “roadless” areas in my state, and to protect our wild spaces for future generations to enjoy. I opened more than 8 million acres of land in New Mexico to hunters, fishermen, and outdoorsmen, and authorized the purchase of easements to give access to public lands. Finally, I sought to increase the numbers of the most-hunted species, from elk to dove, bass to catfish, and instructed the state Game Commission to distribute those animals to provide everyone in my state the opportunity to hunt. I established an online licensing program to provide easier access to permits, and amended the law to allow for hunting license refunds, transfers, and donations under certain circumstances. I also created the Hunt of a Lifetime program, which grants special elk hunting licenses to young hunters with life-threatening illnesses. I support the 2nd Amendment and believe in our right to bear arms. I proposed and signed a “conceal and carry” law in New Mexico. I have a permit myself. And we waived gun license fees for law enforcement personnel and retirees. Wayne LaPierre of the National Rifle Association flew to New Mexico to endorse my campaign for reelection last year, and I appreciate his support. For too long, America’s sportsmen have looked at the Democratic Party as an enemy. Together, you and I will change that. It is an honor to address you here today, and I hope to meet you in person during a future visit to Nevada. I have not had a chance to address the other issues facing our country. For more information on my plans for Iraq, education, health care, water, and economic development, please visit my website: www.richardsonforpresident.com or contact my Nevada headquarters at 702.385.2455. Thank you for your time. I hope that you will get involved in my campaign to bring Western values to the White House and that I can count on your support on January 19, 2008. Sincerely, Governor Bill Richardson From Senator Joe Biden September 2007 To Members of the Nevada Outdoor Democrats, We all share a fundamental and indispensable goal: to pass on to our children and grandchildren a community and a world better than our own. We have a moral obligation to protect one of America’s greatest assets: its outdoors. From graceful rivers in New England to the picturesque mountains of Nevada, we inhabit one of the most beautiful and diverse environments in the world. Yet, over the last century, our lands, waterways, and air have been polluted and pillaged. We can and must do better. We should not have to worry that a grandfather, by taking his granddaughter to a favorite fishing hole, is exposing her to dioxin contamination; or that students are swallowing arsenic when they turn on faucets at school. During my 34 years in the United States Senate, I have been a leading voice for protecting the environment to ensure that we pass on a cleaner, greener world to our children. As President, I will reduce power plant emissions with tougher standards and hold malfeasant corporations accountable for their actions by restoring the Superfund Trust Fund. I have vehemently opposed efforts to eliminate the environmental standards that protect the quality of our air and water, and I will continue this fight to preserve our lands and wildlife. I will invest in new technology and support new research in alternative and renewable energy sources. I will increase the use of renewable fuels, reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and encourage Americans to become more energy efficient. These efforts will lead to a greener, more environmentally friendly America. I have long been a supporter of legitimate ownership and use of firearms, with restrictions to ensure the public safety and well-being of our citizens and our children. We need carefully drafted measures that balance the need to avoid restrictions on the legitimate rights of gun owners with the need to protect law enforcement officers and the public from gun-related violence. Finally, addressing global warming – the biggest challenge of our times – will be a top priority of the Biden administration. Global warming carries dire consequences for all mankind. In the Senate, I have spearheaded efforts to pass legislation that aggressively limits greenhouse gas emissions and seeks to avert the major problems that climate change poses. However, we cannot act alone. Global warming is an international problem that requires an international solution. That is why as President, I will use every resource at my disposal to ensure that the United States is a leader in the worldwide fight against global warming. There is much work to be done, but I strongly believe that together we can create a better world for future generations – a world where our children can safely and responsibly enjoy and interact with the splendor of the American outdoors. I hope you will join me in this historic endeavor. For more information about my candidacy and vision for America, please visit www.joebiden.com. Sincerely yours, Senator Joseph Biden No Statement or Message to the NODC Yet: Senator Hillary Clinton Senator Chris Dodd Former Senator Mike Gravel Representative Dennis Kucinich Senator Barack Obama
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