Do not mess with the proles
The ownership society envisioned by George Bush, where there is no common land for everyone to enjoy, just took a reality hit in NY-48th this week. Score one for the common man.
Republicans underestimated the lure of the fish in Oswego County, and as predicted, the anglers liked the Democratic angle a bit better. Dairy farmer Aubertine beat land owner Barclay in part because Barclay owned land that included part of a river and was charging anglers $30 to fish there. The land was previously public.
Political lesson #1: Do not mess with the (fishing) proles.
It’s as if every sportsman/sportswoman in Oswego heard what Barclay was charging and asked “You talkin’ to me?” Then they voted for Auberdine. Do not mess with the proles.
The “ownership society” is like some kind of Republican Xanadu code word for “sticking it to the masses,” all the while touting it as the great elixir for society’s ills. It was in actuality bad medicine, or as Naomi Klein put it in The Nation:
“yesterday’s ownership society has morphed into today’s members-only society.”
Americans are wising up. Take a look at this dissection (bold mine) of Bush’s ownership society from David Morris at AlterNet:
He [Bush] firmly believes that we don’t own those things that most of us would indisputably believe we do own — our bodies, our privacy, our dignity, our bedrooms. And to add insult to injury, he just as firmly believes that we can own those things that most of us would argue are not ours to own — air, words, folklore.
It is a losing strategy for Republicans. America is a free society so when people begin divvying up public lands, words, ideas, etc. for private monopoly the citizens are going to fight back with their most effective weapon: their votes.
It’s a great time to be a Democrat.
I assume you’re referring to his property on the Salmon River. I have some first-hand experience regarding that issue and people tend to forget one of the big reasons he took the action was he and his family grew tired of cleaning up rotting fish carcasses, tangled fishing lines with numerous hooks still attached, and all the other assorted trash left behind on his property by irresponsible fishermen. As a paddling enthusiast, I miss traveling that stretch of river myself but I’ve had enough run-ins with the fishing idiots that predominate that waterway to understand his point of view.
Rights are a wonderful thing. Too bad some people don’t want the responsibility that come with them.
I agree that people should be responsible about keeping nature clean and green and it’s too bad those who don’t prevent you from enjoying the Salmon River.
Last week ladkiddo had a similar post about the Adirondacks and private property vs. public use.
I’m really torn on this issue because I’d love to own waterfront property, a dream of mine, but I also love the idea that public land and waterways are for everyone to enjoy.