Posted on 05/08/2016 8:15:57 AM PDT by Hojczyk
We have what we need to stay in business right here, Jones says, pointing to the lush pine and cedar forests that surround this town of 1,800 people on the northwest slope of the Siskiyou mountain range. But we can't get out there to cut it down because one agency won't talk to another one, or the environmentalists tie it up in court.
Then a series of environmental lawsuits in the 1980s and early 1990s brought new federal restrictions on logging from public lands. To keep timber-dependent counties afloat, the federal government offered money to replace the taxes they lost, until they could develop new industries.
Southwest Oregon is not a natural fit for a billionaire East Coaster, but neither are any of the other GOP candidates, particularly those running on a religious platform; Oregon is among the nation's least church-going states.
Trump's conviction that global trade deals are selling Americans short plays well with the independent streak that runs through Oregon Republican politics. Trump, many here believe, would never put up with letting the Western timber industry falter to protect endangered birds and owls.
It's a part of the world that sees itself as having been abandoned, said Jim Moore, a political scientist at Pacific University outside Portland. These were not Mitt Romney people; they did not vote for George W. Bush. They've latched on to Trump as they have latched on to other outside candidates. The difference is, he's winning.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Oregon ping
Oregon was a state very dependent on logging, but logging restrictions have been in effect for a very long time. Even during periods of expansion the drag of the dying timber industry has made Oregon a stagnant economy. The government would rather let Canadian soft lumber come into the country than let Americans have a job.
Will be interesting election in Oregon come November. The government killed logging...well see how many people rise up...many of them former Dems
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Yet another reason why the Feds should NOT be in the “real estate” business.
Sell the damn land, Feds!!
Many ofthe same emotions that propelled Obama into office are in play behind Trump.....I hope the end result will be different.
Southwest Oregon is the most beautiful part of the state and was always my favorite to drive through and stop/stay. I wish them the best.
I hadn’t heard that Rough & Ready had reopened. I once knew the family that owned it for generations, visited their home and the mill decades ago. Great people, and a great part of the state. I wish the best for all of the Josephine County folks.
Yes, BUT what are the realistic chances that ultra lib Oregon will vote for Trump over the 'Beast?
Lookit Kahlifonia, it's half burnt already.
Rough and Ready reopened, but are having a hard time getting big logs and may not stay open.
Pray America wakes
Yes, the article said they closed again. I know the mill was set up for big logs, and there aren’t too many of those being cut these days. I don’t think I’ve seen a one-log load on a truck since the late 70s, though they weren’t that unusual when I was a kid (60s, if you must know).
You have to read about 3/4 of the article before they accidentally tell you the name of the town. LA Times sucks.
Fire good, chainsaw bad.
Agreed, and we should only support candidates who feel the same way.
Had to read well into the article to find out what town was being dicussed, it is Cave Junction. Poor Cave Junction now has not only lost its illegal marijuana crop source of income because pot is now legal, now they lost lumber income.
Remember the spotted owl? They are close cousins of the barred owl (they interbreed) and the barred owls are taking over the territory of the spotted owl. Because of this the US F&W Service is spending millions to shoot and eradicate the beautiful barred owl. Truly nonsense as the two are so close genetically that there is little difference except the spotted owl lives in old growth forest and the barred owl's range is more diverse including tolerating humans.
Cave Junction - they can’t even figure out what their streets are called:
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