Cooperative Living August 2018 - 8

habitats. Managing the remainder, the
Forest Service can reach the desired (and
healthy) condition of about 10 percent in a
young- forest or early successional stage (020
years old). Right now less than 2 percent
is zero-20.
To reach the desired level of young forest,
the Forest Service must increase sustainable
timber harvests. Harvests will benefit the
forest, wildlife, local economies, and a
variety of forest users. Each of us can help
the Forest Service by supporting projects
and forest plan implementation. fs.usda.gov/
detail/gwj/landmanagement/projects.
We can contact our congressional
delegation to let them know we want the
Forest Service to have adequate support
to reach forest plan habitat targets.
Regenerating young-forest habitat in
our Appalachians serves a very similar
wildlife and restoration function as
estuarine seagrass beds do for the
Chesapeake Bay.
- Wayne Thacker, Chair
Virginia Wildlife Habitat Coalition
bumcw@aol.com
Bumpass
ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE ON POPULAR
VOTE AND ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Over the past few issues, three letters
have been submitted to these pages to
discuss popular vote vs. the electoral college.
The first letter (March/April 2018 issue),
tried unconvincingly to help voters
understand the nearsightedness of our
founders in failing to understand the
future growth of our country; thereby
contending that the current modern
generation of voters requires a system
where every vote counts. Thus, a plug
for the popular vote.
The second letter (May 2018 issue),
a rebuttal, agreed as the founders did
that every vote should count at least in
a general election. The founders'
problem was how to make every vote
heard, no matter the location. Their
phrase: to avoid the tyranny of the
commons, or mob rule. To put it in
their words, " the majority should rule
but the minority must be heard. " The
Electoral College achieved both. The
letter took a stab at humor for those
who could care less, but the point
was made clear with actual data from
the 2016 general election. Trump won
95 percent of the U.S. counties (3,000
out of 3,141). What common sense
person would consider that a
losing proposition?
Bravo to our founders. George W.
Bush won 2,500 out of 3,000 (in 2000)
and still needed a Florida Supreme
Court to win! Again, bravo.
The third letter (June 2018)
attempted to support the writer's
position (popular vote, I think)
emotionally. I didn't appreciate the
letter's tone, or the facts presented. It
ends by " helping " the editors to print
only happy " hidden gems. " Referring
to the second letter as " political
propaganda " was blind to the crux of
the discussion, which was Constitutional,
and nowhere political. We all hope
" teachers " get it right, otherwise the
debate will continue ad nauseum.
At heart here we must understand
that, " all have a right to an opinion but,
none have a right to make up facts. "
Only relevance makes a good debate.
- Frank Sardina
Unionville
6 | Cooperative Living | August 2018
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Cooperative Living August 2018

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