Greets, fellow desert users!

This is abominable news, indeed: your tax dollars are being spent to support the American Recreation Coalition, representing all forms of motorized recreation in America, in efforts to "privatize" public lands, closing them to use by any but those who can afford the exhorbitant fees and restrictions applied thereto.

PLEASE READ ON, AND CHECK OUT SOME OF THE LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION!!!

Last June, I posted an entry titled: "/*Recreation Takeover Toolbox went
live today*/" and did the unusual thing of prefacing it with the words
*"!!! THIS IS IMPORTANT !!!"
*www.wildwilderness.org/content/view/47/64/
<http://www.wildwilderness.org/content/view/47/64/>
**
Obviously, I thought this was unusually important. I then went on to say:

* I STRONGLY encourage people who care about America's
Public Lands to explore the new **www.tools4outdoors.us*
<http://www.tools4outdoors.us>
* website and to familiarize yourself with the privatization
tools being used to bring about this transformation.*

My introduction was followed with a news release from the American Recreation Coalition. It began with these words.

* The Toolbox for the Great Outdoors Second Edition is now
available online at **www.tools4outdoors.us*
<http://www.tools4outdoors.us>*. The Toolbox is
the result of cooperation between six federal agencies,
ReserveAmerica and the American Recreation Coalition.

*
In my desire to provide a heads-up about a major new threat, I missed what was quite possibly the most important part of the story. I missed the scandalous part -- and I am now in a position to share a new discovery that will likely make you angry.

It turns out that the ARC's privatization toolbox, although created by and for the benefit of the commercial industry, was funded by the TAXPAYERS. *We the People* paid dearly so that we could be screwed by industry.

Searching the website FederalSpending.org (a project of OMB Watch) I have discovered that since the year 2000 American taxpayers have paid the ARC more than $450,000 for its efforts. Our money was awarded in 19 separate contracts involving six federal agencies. In addition the ARC
has been awarded at least five federal grants worth, in total, more than $40,000. That's a half million tax-dollars paid to the ARC!

It is one thing for a lobbying organization, such as the ARC, to spend it's own money in an effort to influence public policy. It is something altogether different when governmental agencies pay an lobbying organization, to advance their own anti-public lands agenda.

In recognition of this being Tax Day and in reaction to what I have just discovered .... I offer two quotes, both by Thomas Jefferson.

/ "To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the
propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors is
sinful and tyrannical." / -Thomas Jefferson
**
/ "We have the greatest opportunity the world has ever seen,
as long as we remain honest -- which will be as long as we
can keep the attention of our people alive. If they once
become inattentive to public affairs, you and I, and
Congress and Assemblies, judges and governors would all
become wolves."/ -Thomas Jefferson

Scott

Pasted below is a sampling of what I have discovered and a link where full information can be found.

--- begin quoted ---

http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?fiscal_year=&co...
eation+coalition&sortby=r&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&detail=-1&submit=GO&p
rintnav=0
<http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?fiscal_year=&company_name=american+rec
reation+coalition&sortby=r&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&detail=-1&submit=GO&
printnav=0>

*Summary*
Total dollars: $451,220
Total number of transactions: 19

*Extent of Competition*
Not competed $442,520

*Top 5 Products or Services Sold*
Recreation Studies $220,000
ADP Supplies $46,000
Other Professional Services $45,000
Other Administrative Support Services $39,000
ADP Software $30,000

*Top 5 Agencies Purchasing from Contractor(s)*
Federal Highway Administration $294,000
Bureau of Land Management $65,600
Forest Service $46,000
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - civil program financing only $30,020
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service $24,850

*Top 10 Contractors
*AMERICAN RECREATION COALITION $451,220

2000 $39,000
2001 $0
2002 $230,020
2003 $10,000
2004 $5,600
2005 $2,300
2006 $164,300 *

*Note: FY 2006 does not include data from some agencies.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Scott Silver
Wild Wilderness
248 NW Wilmington Ave.
Bend, OR 97701

phone: 541-385-5261
e-mail: ssilver@wildwilderness.org <ssilver@wildwilderness.org>
Internet: http://www.wildwilderness.org