On my way into work today, I was listening to the Joe and Patti Show on KGMI and they were talking about gophers in Thurston County. Apparently, a couple from there are upset because they cannot build two more houses on their 20 acre plot due to an endangered species of gopher living there. You can read the Olympian article here. They were given the choice to either pay to relocate the gophers or fence off the gopher section and only develop part of their 20 acre plot.
So I’m listening to Patti Brooks talk about the government coming in and stealing our property rights, valuing a little rodent over taxpaying citizens, and how the government should compensate landowners for this, when it hit me. Patti Brooks is a socialist. This couple made a bad business investment. They bought land with hopes of developing it without looking into potential hurdles. Their business investment didn’t pan out and now, Patti wants us, the taxpayers, to bail them out. Just give them a big old government handout for their failed business venture. That’s called socialism folks. Straight up, corporate socialism. Maybe Patti wants us all sucking at the government teat, but I would prefer that people have to live with their business decisions, good or bad.
Furthermore, Patti is trying to destroy our cultural heritage. Yes, the gopher is a “rodent,” but it is an essential part of the ecosystem. I want our natural lands protected so I can take my kids fishing or hunting. Patti wants to flush all that down the drain. Who needs our outdoor recreation? Property rights are at stake. We need to save our forests, ecosystems, and yes, rodents, so that our children can hunt and fish, ride bikes, and climb mountains just like I did growing up, and my father before me.
I don’t think we should let a socialist like Patti Brooks destroy our cultural heritage. If you want to let Patti know how you feel, you can post to her blog about the subject here, or you can email her at patti@kgmi.com
In case the sarcasm wasn't clear enough, I don’t honestly believe that Patti Brooks is a socialist, or even that socialism is necessarily a bad thing. I was making the point that Patti rails against big government every day, but when it comes to the government cutting her a check over a failed business investment, she is all for it. It is pointing out the irony of her contradictory positions.
As always, thank you for reading.
Comments by Readers
Todd Granger
May 19, 2011Riley,
How much do the socialists cost at the worlds largest pocket gopher homestead, where bad business decisions are required, good or bad, by couple Generals let loose from a gopher hole.
“Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which boasts a large population of the threatened pocket gophers, is hoping relocation will be a viable option for the growing military facility, according to a presentation made to the Thurston County Planning Commission in March by a JBLM ecologist.”
Rob Stratton
May 23, 2011Interesting view point Riley.
I don’t see this as a bad investment I see this as a property rights issue. They bought the property in full faith they can use it as they see fit. How much did these folks par for this property and now the “authorities” want to tell them what they can or can’t use without compensating them for the loss of the use of what is theirs?
Also missing is what was this property in the past? Was it farmland that was plowed up every year? And because it has not been used for farming and gophers moved in now it is “protected”. I know someone who had horses for years on 20 acres that bordered state forest, the county came out and told them they can’t no longer use the back portion of their property for a “buffer” zone to the forest? Give me a break the National and State forests are the buffer zones.
Doug Karlberg
May 28, 2011Riley,
If it was spelled out in the deed that specifically included an endangered species of gopher, I could see your point, but when people invest large sums of money to buy land to build on, they should have some assurance that they can use the property as anticipated.
I don’t know of any one who has a gopher inspection, nor can I imagine that any one would.
Blindsiding people after they have bought land always leaves a victim, with a large monetary loss.
Maybe if this happened to you and your savings, you would understand what it is like to walk in an innocent victims shoes.
Nothing in your article indicates that they were anything other than innocent victims, and may suffer large losses because of it.
Maybe we will all have to do a gopher and lizard inspection before buying, but the list of potential critters that may be endangered after you buy your land, is endless.
It appears that you do not like Patti’s political views, and are searching for the faintest thread to criticize her.
Gophers are part of our environment, but so are bear, wolves, mountain lion, termites, snakes, spiders, dandelions, and aphids.