Letter to the Journal Editor

The autumn 2004 issue of the THE WILSON QUARTERLY leads with the topic "Politics as War."
      "Poitics as War" writes the Quarterly's staff reflects their conclusion American politics is too partisan for the good of the country. Whether this is true or not, what might be a way to mitigate this perceived undue partisanship? An answer has been nurtured by the Friends of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge Complex. It is bipartisanship!
      Bipartisanship is constructed on the foundation of a common cause. The Friends have found this in effort to promote and sustain the Complex as well as the many other open and closed wildlife refuges throughout this country. With the wildlife refuges as our focus, we have promoted these special places through media outlets, information and educational efforts, the photography contest, interaction and interrelationship with political carriers in many of the 70 communities within the Complex and via communication with our national policy makers and their staff.
      These efforts to promote the Complex have laid the foundation for sustaining this wildlife refuge as well as the others within the national system. Why? Because members of Congress are sensitive to the famous former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill's these; namely, "all politics is local". Their awareness is translated into organizing task forces in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate to sustaining these wildlife refuges via increased funding and advocacy efforts vis-a`-vis other agencies within the Department of Interior, the Corps of Engineers, etc.
      In 2005, we will be continually challenged to become partisan via a position affecting the wildlife refuges by a special interest pressure group or a self-anointed public interest pressure group. Let us continue to nurture our bi-partisan approach in all policy issues affecting the wildlife refuges. Why? The proof is in the results we have attained in public policy direction, since our grounding in May, 1997. Today there is a law enforcement presence throughout the Complex, more biologists and bi-techs, staff for outreach to the public, and thus greater Fish and Wildlife visibility throughout the 261 miles of this Complex.
      All of this development has come about thanks to citizens throughout the Complex showing an increased interest and involvement is promoting and sustaining wildlife and their wildlife habitat. Thanks to all!
      Sincerely,
      Jim Eddy, president, The Friends of the Upper Mississippi River Refuges