freefish7
  • Home
  • Natural Art
  • freefish7 blog
  • A Fisherman's Freedom Philosophy
  • About
  • Why I fish
  • Seafood Options
  • Public Comments
  • SAFMC Visioning Project
  • PEW Discussion
  • freefish7 radio
  • Archives

Public Servant Concept

10/7/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture
Self-governance with official oversight is one of the things I have advocated for in fishery management. Fishermen have representatives on fishery management panels that are currently appointed by politicians. Licensed fishermen should have the right to vote for who represents us. Our representatives should be mouth pieces that do what we want them to. The internet allows us to communicate and coordinate in ways that were not possible until recently. We could review proposed actions online and vote on the positions our public servants will take in meetings. Our votes should be binding when a 2/3 majority of a suitable quorum of license holders agree on something. Failure to achieve a quorum or supermajority support should trigger a default neutral position. 

This public servant concept could be applied in state and local governments. We could pick an articulate, apolitical person to speak on behalf of citizen legislators. We could empower people to govern ourselves rather than relying on politicians to rule us. We could set an example for self-governance that shows others across the globe how they can have more control over their own lives and destiny. Freedom requires more personal responsibility than political servitude. Citizen legislators would have a personal interest in preserving the individual liberties that collectively make us free people.

Politics has become so toxic that it is tearing families and our nation apart. It is time we started thinking about ways to move beyond the two party system that often leaves us with only the most extreme voices "representing" us. Our voice can be heard IF enough of us are willing to coordinate our efforts. We can be the voice of reason that is missing in politics today. Would you rather have more control of your life or trust politicians to take care of you? 
1 Comment

Intro

10/5/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Recent events have made me think it is time to start writing about my philosophy on freedom before it is too late. I was planning to write a book later in life about how experiences as a fisherman and fisheries advocate shaped my freedom philosophy. This blog will be the first step in writing that book. 

I am incredibly blessed to be an independent commercial fisherman. This career offers freedom like few others can. There are trips I never see another boat in a vast ocean of solitude. We rely on our knowledge and hard work to earn a paycheck harvesting nature's bounty. There is no guarantee we will be successful or even return home. The loss of a fellow fisherman due to mismanagement of our snapper/grouper fishery caused me to get involved as a fisheries advocate. He fell off a boat in rough seas during a dangerous derby fishery and was never seen again. We had been fishing within a few miles of him before heading home. 

Dealing with politicians while advocating for responsible fishery management was an eye-opener. I quickly learned that money influenced politicians far more than previously thought. On the other hand, I also learned the ONLY thing that trumps money in politics is enough people peacefully supporting or opposing an issue. The bigger the issue, the more people it takes. Getting fishermen to stand together on an issue is usually like herding cats. We won the battles when most of us did stand united. Recreational and commercial fishermen worked together to stop an attempt at unnecessarily closing large portions of America's southeast seafloor. We stopped the Unconstitutional push to make us install Orwellian Vessel Monitoring Systems on our private property. We stopped a Catch Share scheme that would have privatized more of America's public resources and let global corporations own them. 

We are blessed with freedom few have ever known throughout human history. We have the power and responsibility to preserve our individual liberties that collectively make us free people. All we have to do is think and stand united on key issues.  
0 Comments

    Author

    This blog is about ways we can preserve and promote the individual liberties that collectively make us free people. 

    Archives

    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly