Engaging in the Democratic Process

Engaging in the Democratic Process

by Dean Felker, Hastings

Published November 2003 in the Nebraska OHV Advisor, a quarterly newspaper for NOHVA members..

Nebraska Off Highway Vehicle Association can only be as strong as its individual members. For the continued existence, prosperity and success we as members need to engage our selves in the Democratic Process, otherwise know as voting. In addition to voting we can talk to people, hopefully influencing their decisions. We have the freedom to spend our money where we choose. The freedom to speak up to dispel the myths and lies that portray recreational ATV use as being the equivalent of an environmental hazard and an ATV owner as an irresponsible, reckless misfit.

With the passage of the ATV registration (titling) bill thru the legislature, I have felt first hand the frustration of elected officials who are not accountable to the people. The voters of California showed their Governor the door for his lack of accountability. Voters can make a difference when they get involved. Are you willing to get involved? My personal opinion is the officials serving the State of Nebraska have written off recreational ATV usage and will never support it. Those same people need never ask me to vote for them either.

Our elected officials know if we are registered voters and if we actually vote. If you are not a registered voter you need to register and be an active participant in every election. Many people are apathetic when it comes to the ballet box. The argument of “it doesn’t make any difference if I vote or not” cannot be farther from the truth. By not voting you are letting other people elect the officials that make the decisions on the laws that affect us. Please take the time to get registered your vote does count. Need more info on how to register, check out http://www.vote-smart.org. I have not looked at it myself by it is reportedly full of good info on candidates and state voter registration info.

Engaging our friends, family, neighbors, coworkers and acquaintances in conversations can influence their opinions. If you are an avid ATV rider let people know it! During conversations you can discuss the plight of trails and ATV parks in our state. Inform people on what is going on. If you wrote and called your State Senator on the ATV registration bill, and feel you were brushed aside, tell people! That may be enough to cost them a vote the next election.

Talk to the people you do business with, the agent you buy your insurance from, the station you purchase gas at, the dealer you bought your ATV from. All these people benefit from your riding an ATV. If you camp when you ride, tell the dealer you bought your camper from, the store you bought your tent and other camping necessities at. If they associate your riding an ATV with you doing business with them they may take more of an interest too. Likewise pay attention to the supporters of closing the areas we have open now. Would you like to do business with someone in favor of closing all riding areas in Nebraska? Voting with your pocket book may have a greater result than the vote in a ballet box. The backlash of losing customers and getting a bag full of letters from angry customers can and does make a difference. Supporting the businesses that support NOHVA would be a good way to thank them for their support. Not spending your money with businesses that benefit from recreational ATV activities yet offer either little or no support in comparison to the benefits they receive can send a strong message too. Don’t be afraid to ask businesses how they support the activities. Are the businesses benefiting from recreational ATV usage actively challenging our elected officials to get more areas to ride at? Are you calling and writing letters? Don’t count on the local media to support us. When was the last time you saw an article on the success of a Headworks Jamboree? When have you read a positive article on recreational ATV use? Is it time for a few letters to the editor of our local papers? How about subscription cancellations, ever thought of that? How about the dealers not advertising so much in the paper and telling them why?

Stand up, let people know you are personally responsible and accountable the decisions you make. Many factors may influence you, but it is YOUR PERSONAL DECISION! For example don’t tell a dealer “I’m not buying an ATV from you because I read someone’s letter”. Don’t tell an elected official “I’m not voting for you because someone told me not to”. Do what you are going to do because it is your choice. Stay informed, do the research, know the facts and stand up for what you believe in! .

If during this next election cycle a candidate comes out in favor of more trails, get some of their signs up in your yard! People that know you may be influenced to vote for them given the fact you are supporting them! Think about the times you have voted. How did you choose the candidate? What influenced your decision? Did you really do the “eany, meany, miny, moe” thing when you voted? How many people just picked the current person in office? What if you could influence 3 or 4 other people not to vote for your current State Senator, for example? Think about it, it needs to happen. An elected official that forgets his or her constituency needs be voted out of office. Wouldn’t it be great to see a candidate running for office to come out in support of NOHVA?

Wouldn’t it be helpful to see the dealers organize to support more trails and ATV parks? How about the factory support for jamborees like they do in Utah? I was in Utah for the Rocky Mountain ATV Jamboree, it lasted a week and had just about 700 registered riders. Kawasaki donated an ATV to be raffled off the last night of the jamboree. Had to be present to win too, that kept the motels and campgrounds full one more night. Do you see any type of support for NOHVA when you walk into dealerships? Are there any membership applications for NOHVA? Do you think there should be? Are you willing to speak up? If the dealers would ask for your support to encourage the manufacturers to support NOHVA would you be willing to help?

There will have to be a large number of voting members, both at the ballet box and the cash register to make any difference. So in addition to registering to vote, sign up some new members and get them registered too. Get yourself and others engaged in the Democratic Process. If you stand up for nothing expect to get pushed over for everything.

Myself, I have just finished contacting Senator Nelson and Senator Hagel via their Washington office staff and Congressman Osborne’s Grand Island office. The purpose is to find out more about the federal funding. Nelsons office had a staff member that actually knew about the funding and was going to research more on the subject and get a letter sent out to me. Osborne’s office suggested we invite the Congressman to our next meeting. If it is clear that the intent of the federal funds available for trails is to include motorized trails and not to discriminate against any specific type of trial, I think we should invite both Senators and all three Congressmen to a meeting. I believe Congress is in recess after Thanksgiving so they can come home to their local districts and talk to the people they were elected to serve. We are the people they are elected to serve. Even though it may be more of a State problem the funding is done on a federal level. This in my opinion makes it their problem too.

Thanks for listening.

Regards, Dean Felker