Big Business Replaced by Big NGO
When did we abandon the environmental pricaples of reduce, reuse, & recycle for tax, ban and prohibit? We never did, but there is a group that is working behind the scenes to change US environmental policy to one of extreme regulation and regressive taxation rather than activism and personal responsibility.
It is not enough that that DC levied a $0.05/bag tax as of January 1st, now Oregon, Washington State and Florida are being pushed to enter in to discussions to tax and/or ban bags. Even Brownsville TX seemed to recently pass a plastic bag ban because of grass roots movement (many other cities also held these discussions in the past year). What seem to be a random series of events or a true grassroots effort is actually linked as strong pattern pointing to one group, the Surfrider Foundation.
Over the past few years almost every small town, city or state that has proposed a ban or tax in Hawaii or the lower 48 states has a Surfrider Chapter within 15-20 miles of the city near the capitol. This is not a conspiracy as they have quietly been claiming responsibility for these new taxes and restrictive legislation victories.
In strong irony Surfrider has never tried to legislate recycling or responsibility laws (such as litter enforcement). That is to say rather than encourage better behavior outside of their social circles they have launched a strategy of regulation against the masses. Do they feel that people can't be changed and have to be controled? Who knows
Now I am not saying that Surfrider or anyone should not have a voice, but there is one thing that is being missed in their growing political influence. They are a 501 c tax exempt group conducting regular and growing political and lobbying activities.
This means that your tax dollars, or more exactly their tax exemption funded by your tax dollars, are being used to campaign to tax and regulate you.
How is that for a double tax burden…but in a way you have to give them credit they were savy to turn the government against us. Shouldn’t someone review their status before we all get taxed or regulated to death?
Don’t take my word that they are the source simply read a few of these articles and links.
Surfrider DC Chapter takes credit for our tax and asks for support to tax Maryland and Virginia
http://www.surfrider.org/capitol/plastics.html
Rick Hayes, incoming chairman of the Sebastian Inlet Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation quoted support for tax/ban in Florida
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100118/NEWS01/1180307/1006/news01/State+studies+tax++eventual+ban+of+paper++plastic+bags
The Portland chapter of the Surfrider Foundation has collected 5,000 signatures asking the city to ban plastic checkout bags
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/02/should_oregon_ban_plastic_bags.html
Surfrider holds tax and ban ralleys at Hawaii and California State Capitols
http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/press-release/rise-above-plastics-rally-at-california-state-capitol_40755/
The list goes on…Palo Alto, CA; Seattle, WA; Manhattan Beach, CA; Red Bank, NJ; Westport, CN…
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"Now I am not saying that Surfrider or anyone should not have a voice, but there is one thing that is being missed in their growing political influence. They are a 501 c tax exempt group conducting regular and growing political and lobbying activities."
ReplyDeleteFree Speech, Baby! Don't curb free speech!!!
Before having "the skies are falling" panic attacks, please spend some time reading the rules and regulations that govern 501(c)3 organizations, examine the legal meaning of "substantial" and then take a good close look at the broad spectrum of activities the Surfrider Foundation are engaged in, at the national level and at the grass roots chapter levels. Also, your assertion of "regular and growing" is misleading without measurable metrics and published scientific proof.