SNOWMOBILE – Snow Groups Respond Positively to Election Results
With the 2004 presidential election a wrap, politically-minded people in the snowmobile industry are breathing a sigh of relief.
George W. Bush and his administration have been friendly to snowmobiling for the past four years, and, according to the American Council of Snowmobile Association’s executive director Christine Jourdain, snowmobilers have meant a lot to Bush’s re-election campaign.
Jourdain said that Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior, gave a personal “thanks” to snowmobilers immediately following the election. “Those were the first words out of her mouth,” Jourdain said.
“(George Bush’ re-election) is going to affect snowmobiling in positive ways — not just for snowmobiling, but for all recreation and all powersports,” said Ed Klim, president of the International Snowmobile Manufacturer’s Association. “President Bush appointed key people to manage the Department of the Interior, the National Park Service, the National Forest Service and the Environmental Protection Agency. It’s his personal belief that individuals should be able to responsibly recreate on public lands and those beliefs are the same as the people who he’s appointed to these key agencies.”
Both Klim and Jourdain stressed the access they’ve had to key decision-makers has been unprecedented, and they believe this access will continue. Jourdain also believes that many of these key players, such as Fran Mainella with the National Park Service, will be back for another term.
“It’s a very open administration, not only to us, but to all people, including the Bluewater Network, the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society,” Klim said. “We will continue to have access to the leaders, and we understand we have to continue to tell the truth and be responsible in what we do. We’re not going to act irresponsibly, and Bush won’t treat us irresponsibly.”