Leatherman Tools backs Kerry

Yahoo ^ | JLB

[Republican Extremist]

No more Leatherman tools for me!

Top Business Leaders from the Outdoor Industry Endorse Kerry-Edwards Tuesday September 14, 2:24 pm ET The Health of the Great American Outdoors is at Stake

OREGON CITY, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 14, 2004--Senior executives from leading outdoor manufacturers, retailers and associations across the country gathered today to endorse Senator John Kerry for President and Senator John Edwards for Vice President. They announced their endorsement at a press conference with Senator John Edwards at Clackamus Community College in Oregon City, Oregon. "We have come together to endorse Senators Kerry and Edwards because they share our values and goals," said Lee Fromson, president of Seattle-based Cascade Designs, Inc., a leading manufacturer of outdoor equipment. "And we are here today because the Great American Outdoors is in serious jeopardy and if we fail at protecting the outdoors then our businesses will fail, our health will fail and we will leave future generations with air they can't breathe and water they can't drink."

Remarks by Senator John Edwards and Cascade Design's Lee Fromson carried common themes:

We must clean up the air we breathe and the water we drink or the health of all Americans will suffer We must provide more venues and opportunities for outdoor recreation for the 150 million Americans who actively enjoy outdoor recreation We must treasure our national parks for recreation and not the industries that mine them for treasure We must lower health care costs to stay in business. This is true for all businesses not just our own. "Our national parks are severely under-funded resulting in rampant understaffing, site closures, eliminated visitor education programs, neglected cultural and natural resource preservation and unsafe trails," said Peter Bragdon, vice president and general counsel of Columbia Sportswear. "Protecting our parks and open space is essential to the health of my business, the outdoor industry at large and to the many States whose economies depend upon tourism and recreation, not to mention the millions upon millions of Americans who enjoy the Great American Outdoors each year."

"Health care is the hardest decision I have to make each year as a business owner," said Paul Fish, president of Mountain Gear in Spokane, WA. "I want to provide my employees and their families with quality care but the cost of doing so weakens the very business we are trying to build together."

Executives attending today's event included: Lee Fromson, president, Cascade Designs, Inc.(Seattle, WA); Peter Bragden, vice president, general counsel, Columbia Sportswear (Portland, Oregon); Menno Van Wyk, CEO Montrail (Seattle, WA); Paul Fish, president Mountain Gear (Spokane, WA); Carn Nielsen, vice president, Mountain Gear (Spokane, WA); Dan Nordstrom, CEO Outdoor Research (Seattle, WA); Jeff Bowman, vice president, Cascade Designs, Inc. (Seattle, WA); Doug Phillips, president, Metolius Climbing (Bend, OR); Tim Leatherman, president, Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. (Portland, OR); Dunham Gooding, president, American Alpine Institute, Ltd (Bellingham, WA); Brian Bennett, national accounts manager, Patagonia (Ventura, CA)

Outdoor businesses depend on abundant and available recreation opportunities so their customers can enjoy outdoor activities. In return, outdoor businesses employ over a million Americans, contribute $18 billion to the U.S. economy and work closely together to promote an active and healthy lifestyle to the 149 million Americans who enjoy the great American outdoors.

September 14, 2004

Dear Fellow Americans:

We are business leaders in the outdoor industry and we have come together because we can no longer be silent. Outdoor businesses depend on abundant and available recreation opportunities so our customers can enjoy outdoor activities. In return, outdoor businesses employ over a million Americans, contribute $18 billion to the U.S. economy and work together to promote an active and healthy lifestyle to the 149 million Americans who love the great American outdoors.

In our opinion increasing the number of venues for active outdoor recreation, staunchly protecting the environment, bolstering recreation and conservation funding to our public land agencies and reducing health care costs go hand-in-hand. They are essential for the health and well being of the outdoor industry and its customers.

Senators John Kerry and John Edwards share our values and goals. They know that promoting active outdoor recreation promotes good health. They know that proactively protecting and supporting public lands for recreational use means future generations will enjoy them too. They know that improving the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink is not negotiable for any industry or business in America. They know that health care costs will continue to increase unless we are united in reducing obesity in America.

John Kerry and John Edwards are committed to preserving our national parks for the benefit of current and future generations. President Bush has promoted policies that break that commitment and endanger the future sustainability of our national parks. President Bush's policies have severely under-funded our national parks resulting in rampant understaffing, site closures, elimination of visitor education programs and neglected cultural and natural resource preservation, demonstrating indifference towards unsafe trails, unclear facilities and the growing shortage of safety staff.

As importantly, the Bush administration has rolled back basic environmental protections that undermine parks including:

Rolling back Clean Air Act requirements that ensure visibility and healthy visits to our national parks; Eliminating federal protections for our public lands that will allow mining, logging and development in national forests; Slashing the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which enables the National Park Service to acquire new land and protect and enhance existing parks facilities. In contrast John Kerry and John Edwards have a plan to protect the scenic landscapes and vistas for the appreciation of future generations through rigorous enforcement of clean air and water regulations and will preserve the resources that embody our cultural heritage through committed funding for parks operations by:

Increasing the operating budget of the National Park Service by $600 million will put our parks back on the path toward recovery and restoration. We will pay for this important objective by modernizing the sale of mineral rights and using the revenue generated to increase the operating budgets of our national parks. We know that Senator Kerry is a champion on the environmental issues that are central to our industry and customers. We also believe that Senator Kerry's economic and health care policies will keep our businesses competitive and health care affordable.

Therefore, we the undersigned are proud to endorse Senator Kerry as the next President of the United States.

Sincerely,

Lee Fromson, president, Cascade Designs (Seattle, WA)

Peter Bragden, vice president, general counsel, Columbia Sportswear (Portland, Oregon)

Menno Van Wyk, CEO, Montrail (Seattle, WA)

Paul Fish, president, Mountain Gear (Spokane, WA)

Carn Nielsen, vice president, Mountain Gear (Spokane, WA)

Dan Nordstrom, CEO, Outdoor Research (Seattle, WA)

Jeff Bowman, vice president, Cascade Designs (Seattle, WA)

Doug Phillips, president, Metolius Climbing (Bend, OR)

Tim Leatherman, president, Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. (Portland, OR)

Dunham Gooding, president, American Alpine Institute, Ltd (Bellingham, WA)

Larry Harrison, president, Earth Games (San Clemente, CA)

Jim Clark, CEO, Watermark (Arcata, CA)

Steve Barker, CEO, Eagle Creek Travel Gear (San Diego, CA)

Peter Metcalf, CEO, Black Diamond (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Ashley Korenblat, president, Western Spirit Cycling (Moab, Utah)

Mike Wallenfels, vice president, Mountain Hardware (Richmond, CA)

Roody Rasmussen, CEO, Petzl America (Clearfield, UT)

Tony Post, president, Vibram (Concord, MA)

Kelly Stone, director sales and marketing, Werner Paddles (Seattle, WA)

Joe Hyer, president, Alpine Experience (Olympia, WA)

Mike Sullivan, president, Sullivan Agency (Wimberley, TX)

Bob Olsen, president, Peregrine Outfitters (Williston, VT)

Michael Crooke, CEO, Patagonia (Ventura, CA)

Brian Bennett, director national accounts, Patagonia (Ventura, CA)

Adam Forest, managing partner, The Forest Group (Lotus, CA)

Gordon Seabury, president, Horny Toad Activewear (Santa Barbara, CA)

Paul Gagner, vice president, Gregory Mountain Products (Temecula, CA)

Tom Campion, founder and chairman, Zumiez Inc. (Everett, WA)

Malcolm Daly, president, Trango (Boulder, CO)

Rodney Smith, president, American Outdoor Products (Boulder, CO)

Joan Keller, president, Le Travel Store (San Diego, CA)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact: For Cascade Designs, Inc. Martha Keeley, 978-468-8961

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: Cascade Designs, Inc.

Phone: (503) 253-7826 Toll Free: (800) 847-8665 Fax: (503) 253-7830 Warranty E-mail: toolwarranty@leatherman.com General E-mail: mktg@leatherman.com

[Max Combined]

Thanks for the post. I misplaced my micra leatherman last week while on a business trip and I was just about to order a new one. Now, I'll buy another brand. Any suggestions? I like the small scissors of the Micra.

[go star go]

i carry gerber myself... :-)

[wardaddy]

Where's Chounaird? (Patagonia)

FR is slow...must be heavy debate traffic

[e_castillo]

"Now what am I to do with my capitalist tool?"

Throw that Chinese made piece of crap away and buy a Gerber.

[Osage Orange]

Gordon Seabury, president, Horny Toad Activewear (Santa Barbara, CA)

No doubt this guy and his company supported Clinton too....... : )

[TC Rider]

Talk about shooting themselves in the foot. How does closing millions of acres of America's forests to American citizens help these idiots?

They may endear themselves to the hiking/climbing community but watch for the hunting/shooting community to find other sources of footwear, clothing and multi-tools.

I won't throw out the Leatherman I already own, but I already have my eye on SOG multi-tool, the choice of our forces in Iraq.

[CloudyI]

These are different kinds of tools. They are actually a neat little tool that looks like pocket knife (although bigger) that has plyers, knife, saw, etc....kind of like a swiss army knife on steroids.

Oh well---What do you expect from that part of the country--tree huggers--

[Tweaker]

"We are business leaders in the outdoor industry and we have come together because we can no longer be silent. Outdoor businesses depend on abundant and available recreation opportunities so our customers can enjoy outdoor activities."

Note to the outdoor industry.

Higher taxes mean less business.
Stupid official positions have the same effect.

Courage

[ebersole]

I'll get busy on e-bay tonight get rid of some of their items...

[zip]

"Health care is the hardest decision I have to make each year as a business owner," said Paul Fish, president of Mountain Gear in Spokane, WA. "I want to provide my employees and their families with quality care but the cost of doing so weakens the very business we are trying to build together."

This shows how idiotic these people really are. "Their" candidate edwards is one of the major causes of health care insurance costs skyrocketing. His vicious attacks on health care providers has made it almost impossible for doctors to make a decent living. I'm glad I don't buy most of the products mentioned here. I do use leatherman multitools but will never buy another one.

[Republican Extremist]

I have a 10 year old Leatherman, but I think Gerber and Wenger are two alternatives.

This sucks, as I wear Patagonia and Colombia shirts for CCW.

[Max Combined]

I am glad no one from Benchmade knives was on that list of socialists.

[Fintan]

That does it. I'm voting for Kerry, dammit...

 

[L.N. Smithee]

"Leatherman Tools," huh? That endorsement will go a long way in San Francisco.

[Dad2Angels]

"We must lower health care costs to stay in business....said Peter Bragdon, vice president and general counsel of Columbia Sportswear"

I've yet to see a stitch of this poser's line of clothing that wasn't made in some 3rd world cesspool where the workers toil for the privelage of being allowed to live another day.

[wardaddy]

Whoops...I missed Patagonia...lefty bastards.

I like Colombia and Browning anyhow.....just bought some nice Colombia pile for a good price and a cammo Browning zipup very heavy pile that feels great.

For knives....those ex-military guys in Oceanside CA make a helluvan edge.

I remember when being outdoorsy meant you were a man not a freak.

[TC Rider]

Leatherman on the lower left.

[Constantine XIII]

Heh, I use the cheapo generic version made my Caroline Knife and Tool Works. :D

[Great_Dame]

When good companys go bad. Thanks guys for listing not only your names, but the names of your businesses. It helps me out a lot when I'm shopping.

...Got to go add a few more to the "Don't buy from these morons" list.

[vox_freedom]

Actually (it is on the desk in front of me as I write), the Leatherman Wave tool, and its case, are made in the USA.