March 13, 1997 - TELLURIDE DAILY PLANET

Up Bear Creek - By Art Goodtimes

Have you forgotten Tianamen Square?

MONEYBAG DEMOCRACY ... That's the label tossed at us by China in the recent trade wrangle and they may have zapped us there. The wire service figure of Dem heir-elect Al Gore arguing that he'd done "nothing improper" (let alone illegal), while promising "never to do it again," was embarrassing enough, without the wire service photo op of a short-sleeved Bill Clinton, one hand in pocket and the other hugging Arkadelphia tornado victim Judy Sligh amid a convenient backdrop of rubble and ruins. But the recently published lists of campaign contributors for both parties is truly a national scandal (Phillip Morris, $2.7 million; AT&T, $2.1 million; Association of Trial Lawyers, $2.1 million; Teamsters Union, $1.9 million; etc.) ... Still, there's no equating the indisputable corruption and current influence of big money interests in our representative political system with ongoing Tibetan genocide and the mainland's totalitarian rule by an elite political cadre. No comparison! ... China ought to be ostracized from

the body politic for its fascist behavior vis a vis its own citizens, not to speak of the atrocities it has inflicted on neighboring Tibet. And most certainly it ought to be denied entry into the World Trade Organization ... Talk about rogue states. China is a rampaging elephant still, and its murdering Communist Party ways should make it world pariah, not market opportunity. Clinton should abandon his high level talks with the party leadership and slash all trade with China. Now.

SPEAKING OF AL ... But I have to admit his March 2 speech to the National Association of Counties the day after the Washington Post broke its damaging allegations of fundraising improprieties was by turns funny and presidential. Even some GOP commissioners were impressed. And he didn't even mention his campaign financing problems. Instead, he focused on county issues. Citing the NACO conference theme, "The Evolution of Devolution," Gore reiterated the need to empower local governments not only with new responsibilities, but new power and funding to match ... He seems to have inherited all of Clinton's suave polish. One just wonders if there's any spine under all that jelly ... He's a far cry from his papa. I heard Sen. Albert Gore from Tennessee speak at a college once in California. He was a marvelous orator. Grandfatherly. Incisive. By the time he'd finished I was convinced everything he'd said was right on the money ... With his son, the words seemed more or less politically appealing, if vaguely generic.

As if we were watching a Clinton clone in the making. Slick but lacking in substance.

BUMPER CROP ... Bob Beer recommended this one: Forget World Peace.

Visualize Using Your Turn Signal.

RAISING CAEN ... Dick Kreck, The Denver Post page two columnist, will never get his wish. Ain't nobody gonna name an alley in San Fran after this man ... His March 5 column surveyed the City by-the-bay from somewhere on Pacific Heights, touting restaurants and name-dropping. It was journeyman Kreck. Not much pep, but pleasant. Herb Caen without the wit ... But, heh, far be it for me to pan a daily columnist. Doing it weekly is tough love enough.

JOINING THE CLUB ... Being clubbie was never a big ticket item on my park bench. But when it came time for my first Club 20 meeting this past weekend, I couldn't say no ... The last time I'd attended the Western Slope's premiere business and industry group's annual business meeting and banquet had been back in the early '80s. Convicted miscreant James Watt was the featured speaker, and a counter demonstration was organized outside a Grand Junction hotel. A dump truck with anti-Watt banners was rolled up to the sidewalk and the usually colorful crowd of regional enviros showed up to hear myself and others lambaste Reagan's wilderness-hating Secretary of the Interior ... So, there I was, delivering a pointed speech full of lyric bombast and tree-hugging rhetoric when this guy in a suit comes out into the crowd and begins to heckle me. "You don't know what you're talking about," he insists. "Come in and see for yourself what's going on at our meeting." And he jabs a ticket for the Club 20 luncheon into the air

in front of me ... Well, always game for a challenge I accepted his invitation. And dressed like the Earth First!er I was, I sauntered into a room full of suit and ties to take a seat next to a big wig for Umetco Minerals. And darn if he wasn't a pretty decent sort. We chatted convivially. Watt's speech was horrible, as was to be expected. The experience only confirmed my hunch that Club 20 was an establishment event for the wealthy and well-connected. But I was impressed at the Western friendliness and the willingness to meet the opposition with a certain degree of civility long ago abandoned in the cities ... Now, here it is, over a decade later in the same Grand Junction. I'm the one in a tie (if not a suit j and with a beard and ponytail that sets me far off from most the rest of those in attendance) ... But the group is still friendly. Margy Christenson nee Masson, mining lobbyist and veteran of the Umetco dump wars, is full of hugs and kind words. Ex-representative Steve Acquafresca and I talk orchards

and politics and family and ideas ... And actually it turns out that the Club has changed some. Gary Sprung and buddy Fritz are the representatives for Gunnison County (both High Country Citizen Alliance activists of long standing). Pitkin County Commissioners Rachael Richards and Shellie Harper are smart and liberal. Jasper Welch of La Plata County and Andy Darr of San Juan County are moderates. And when it comes to voting on resolutions, we win several battles. A resolution to endorse the killing of elk, deer and predators as a constitutional right in Colorado is defeated! A resolution to insist the Feds make a decision on wilderness study areas within three years or the lands revert back to multiple use fails to win approval and is tabled! This is not the Club 20 of old ... Indeed, the discussion of some 20 resolutions was open, spirited and eye-opening. Yes, the conservatives dominated much of the time. But good arguments won issues, and several times amendments were made to statements that changed unac

ceptable stances to laudable compromises. It was impressive ... And the speakers were interesting. Hearing former Gov. Dick Lamm and former Sen. Hank Brown agreeing (itself a miracle) that the nation was going to hell in a handbasket but with really good reasoning and undeniable logic was stimulating, especially before a crowd of pro-capitalist boosters. US Rep. Scott McInnis was spectacularly disappointing in his right wing idealoguism before a partisan crowd. Denver Post columnist Chuck Green made me nauseous with his glorification of the Boulder Jon-Benet murder case. But Lt. Gov. Gail Schoettler gave a great speech, emphasizing the peaceful transfer of power at the recent inaugural (a tradition of some note in the most powerful nation on the earth) and detailing her on-going mediation work on several important state issues, most recently the Animas-La Plata controversy. A woman to watch. Many hope she throws her hat in the ring for Romer's seat when he finally steps down ... All in all, a worthwhile even

t. And, yes, after many decades, old Dylan is right the times they are a'changing.