SIERRA CLUB LAUNCHES NEGATIVE ATTACKS AGAINST JOHN THUNE (SD VOTER ALERT!!)

Once again, out-of-state environmental extremists have come to South Dakota to distort John Thune’s record on the environment. The Sierra Club is attacking John’s votes on arsenic levels. Like the League of Conservation Voters, this group doesn’t mention that John voted for the stricter arsenic standard just as Tom Daschle and Tim Johnson did. These extreme environmental groups continue to attack John’s fair, balanced approach to the environment and the needs of rural South Dakotans.

Like with the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club is an out-of-state group that promotes policies, which are harmful to South Dakota. Below are further details about the Sierra Club positions on South Dakota issues.

Logging. The Sierra Club opposes all logging in the Black Hills National Forest – even if such thinning measures would mitigate the risk of wildfire. (www.sierraclub.org)

- The Sierra Club alleges that “claims” of pine beetle infestation and fire hazards in the Black Hills are scientifically unfounded and are merely tools used by the timber industry to promote commercial logging. (www.sierraclub.org)

- The Sierra Club argues that bug infestation and fires are “part of a natural process” that should be permitted to run its course in the Black Hills. (The Associated Press, 1/25/02)

- According to the Sierra Club, the risk of fire in the Beaver Park area of the Black Hills National Forest is a “very insignificant thing.” (KNBN TV, 4/14/02)

- The Sierra Club advocates “prescribed burnings,” i.e. intentionally set fires, rather than thinning measures as the best way to minimize the risk of wildfires in areas such as the Black Hills. (www.sierraclub.org)

- In 2000, the National Park Service followed the Sierra Club’s advice regarding the use of “prescribed burning” at the Bandalier National Monument in Los Alamos, New Mexico. The result: unanticipated wind changes caused the fire to burn out of control – 18,000 people had to be evacuated, 235 homes were destroyed, and 47,000 acres were burned. (www.sierraclub.org)

Roadless Policy. The Sierra Club supports President Clinton’s “roadless” policy, which calls for a prohibition on road building and logging in nearly 60 million acres of roadless areas of national forest – including pine beetle-infested areas of the Black Hills - and ties the hands of local forest managers to treat forest areas at risk of destruction from catastrophic wildfire. (www.sierraclub.org)

- In addition to supporting a ban on future road construction, the Sierra Club advocates the closing of existing roads in the Black Hills National Forest.

- The Sierra Club argues that use of off-road vehicles is a “major problem” that threatens the Black Hills.

Prairie Dog Protection. The Sierra Club believes that prairie dogs are not a threat to livestock grazing and deserve protection. (www.sierraclub.org)

- The Sierra Club supports the creation of prairie dog reserves on national grasslands.

- The Sierra Club opposes federal programs aimed at controlling the population of prairie dogs.

- The Sierra Club advocates regulating sport shooting of prairie dog by imposing hunting seasons, license requirements, and bag limits.

This week, the South Dakota Democratic Party began running ads touting Tim Johnson’s record on tax relief. Here are some facts to help set the record straight:

• Tim Johnson voted 141 times for higher taxes;
• He voted for the largest tax increase in American history;
• He voted to raise taxes on Social Security;
• He voted 14 times against marriage penalty relief;
• He voted 13 times against repealing the death tax;
• He voted 5 times for a federal gas tax;
• He voted against the Balanced Budget Amendment;
• He was given an “F” rating by the National Taxpayer Union;
• He was named “Hostile to Taxpayers” by Citizens Against Government Waste.

1. Inform people about what John stands for. Write a letter to the editor about the harmful policies that the Sierra Club supports. Inform people about their record, so that when South Dakotans see an ad distorting John’s record, they know the truth behind this out-of-state group. For a list of newspapers or to file your letter electronically, please visit http://www.johnthune.com/LetterToEditor.asp.

2. Show your support for John by volunteering or making a financial contribution. To sign up to volunteer, visit http://www.johnthune.com/volunteer.asp, or to make a secure on-line contribution, visit http://www.johnthune.com/donate.asp.

3. Encourage your friends to register to vote. Voter registration is available on-line at http://www.state.sd.us/sos/Vote.htm.

ALERT TO ALL SD VOTERS - HELP END DASCHLE'S STRANGLE HOLD ON THE SENATE - EXPOSE JOHNSON -- ELECT THUNE.

Expose Johnson, and expose the Sierra Club as well. Maybe they hope to do for the Black Hills what they have done for the forest around Show Low, Arizona. With the western fires and the stupid ruling on the pledge by the 9th Circuit, this is the election to discredit and bury both the militant enviromentalists and the judicial activists. They stand convicted by their own "successful" results!

You're right on the money. From my view everything is crumbling for the evil donkey now. That list of Johnson votes says it all.

"The Sierra Club advocates 'prescribed burnings', i.e. intentionally set fires, rather than thinning measures as the best way to minimize the risk of wildfires in areas such as the Black Hills.

As opposed to harvesting the wood, creating jobs and growing the economy of the great state of South Dakota. These people are unreal.

"The Sierra Club advocates 'prescribed burnings', i.e. intentionally set fires, rather than thinning measures as the best way to minimize the risk of wildfires in areas such as the Black Hills".

Yeah, just ask the good citizens of Colorado and Arizon how well that has worked for them...The Sierra Club lawsuits against the National Forest Service has been a nightmare! 380,000 burned acres (plus over 350 homes and businesses)in Arizona and growing.

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