Preservation of America's Wildlife

Tag: politics

  • All the Facts, Please, All Data Needed – Not Cherry-Picked Data to Appease Your Ignorance and Needs Financially

    Written by
    John Cox, M.A. C/M

    “The truth is in the details — In the field of communication, we separate misinformation from disinformation (campaigns of misinformation), or propaganda (motivated toward an end result by disinformation), or, simply leaving particular cumbersome information out from a subject area, in order to achieve, also, a wanted result, rather than a true result.  This discussion centers around result-oriented situations, and hopefully explains the challenges common-folks, such as you and I experience daily, within today’s rat-race of greed, ignorance, and self-proclaimed experts. .  i.e. controversies.  Diversions that suspend truth into a confusing quagmire of endless different results, most destructive to our environment, as well as our personal well-being.

    We have history that shows us, the inconsistency of science, for example.  More often than not, on our planet, we cannot use a “one-size fits all science” within our Wildlife Environments, across the United States, as well as internationally.  Going back to Ben Franklin and flying his kite, that generated Static Electricity, and he was sheltered from the storm while flying the kite.  Later, a Russian Scientist reviewing Franklin’s discovery, flew his kite into an electrical storm, and was hit, directly, with lightening – the bolt transcended down the kite line, hit the scientist’s head, and blew his shoes off.  He sacrificed his life, unknowingly, due to lack of information, or ignored the truth of the information.  So much for Peer Reviews. 

    Psychologist Catharin Morris Cox deducted, through extensive profiles and Scientific Deductive Reasoning (formula’s et al.) Franklins IQ was around 160 (IQ tests were not done at that time of his life span).  Through Deductive Reasoning, with all of evidence available, nothing set-side due to being an Uncomfortable Truth, or, not equitable within a disinformation context, left out, we see a truth developed into what we refer to as “Fact”.  We find today the term “Fact” is not necessarily a truth to depend upon, when used by itself, and left non-referenced.  The confusion we see today, not just in politics, but within science, as well, and many folks confused.

    Many American wildlife “facts” are distorted by bad science, outdated studies, or myths, often influencing management policies negatively. Common misconceptions include the myth that opossums consume large amounts of ticks (proven false by diet studies in some habitats when stomach contents examined) and that porcupines can shoot their quills. Misinformation extends to policy, where wolf delisting or animal control actions sometimes rely on flawed or non-peer-reviewed data.

    Notable Circumstances of Misinformation / Disinformation

    Wolf Management: Wolf delisting in some areas was based on 2012 research that many wolf biologists did not consider accurate or conclusive.  Yet still referenced, often, by many who do not understand, nor can really tell the difference between poor-science, accomplished by lack of experience in data gathering, and again, a lot of information left out of the data, as well as relied upon myth, or information from those whose finances may be lowered, by Factual-Truth.

    Wild Horse Impact: Evidence tells us that BLM studies have overstated, continuously, the impact of Wild Horses on grazing land while understating the impact of cattle, all the while noticeable, a lot of data not gathered, or ignored, or manipulated, should have not passed Peer Review, due to so many flaws within the data collected.  Severity of sending Wild Horses to Slaughter developed, and still exists to current situations we see today.

    Bad Science in Management

    Misguided Management: A study of 667 wildlife management systems found that many lack clear objectives and evidence, suggesting management is often not truly science-based.

    Wildlife Services: The USDA’s Wildlife Services program has been criticized for killing over a million native animals annually, sometimes based on broad, indiscriminate policies rather than specific, effective science.

    Survivorship Bias: Studies on falling cats (a common “fact”) often only include those taken to a vet, ignoring cats that died at the scene, resulting in skewed survival data. 

    Common Misinformation Sources

    False Narratives: The idea that hunting is entirely necessary for population control is frequently pushed, while studies, with complete details rather than conveniently left out details, show it can disrupt natural self-regulation in ecosystems.  The evidence of destruction within Wilderness Areas, as well as many Forest Habitats and Wildfires attest, equate to results showing us this to be true.  Limited attention given to regulated-permit hunting (as a priority over environmental health) and chosen Wildlife, remains non-scientific, as much as reflects the greed, ignorance, and avarice of hunting and bad science combined into their complex of misinformation – disinformation campaigns . . .

    AI and Social Media: Artificial intelligence and viral videos can create false portrayals of animal behavior, misinforming the public about wildlife needs, and attribute their science as necessary (as incorrect and cumbersomely void of facts)

    We can Conclude

    We see, you and I, many questionable situations today that require our attention, and knowledge, on how to distinguish between truth, and ignorant ranting, yet calling it science.  At the advent of AI becoming much better than over the past couple of decades, we find their truth, notably to be fiction, often developing into what some assume to be reality – or truth.  The more we know about Aristotle’s Dramatic Structure Paradigm, within storytelling, we can assimilate these fictional AI creations, and identify them as what they are, fictional-story-telling – that has indeed overlapped into complete fiction re-mastered as science. 

    But many do not, nor have not, studied story-structure, or Physics, or Biology, but rather learned it through life – as incomplete as that may be.  Cherry-picking, so to speak, what we understand, compared to taking the time to learn the things that are a little more difficult to understand, remains the status-quo; whether, directly or indirectly (social media a good example.  Then derive our own conclusion – once again, facts left out that can be critical.  Destruction does follow, make no doubt.  Perhaps not as dramatic as taking a lightening bolt to the head, and your shoes being blown off, but the results for our Wildlife, our nation’s forests, as well as our entire Terrestrial environment, suffers greatly.  And none of the above, I mention, can defend themselves – So it is up to us, to step up and defend it all.  The priority must develop into all life on this planet to coexist – ignorance picks and chooses life of their choice, yet we see through history, that these types of bigotry are very destructive,” — John Cox M.A. C/M

  • The truth About Conservation Budgets State & Federal

    Assimilated and Written by
    John Cox, M.A. C/M et al.

    “We are seeing, and continue to see, misinformation from the Hunting and Trapping community. Disinformation within their advertising campaigns, as well, in the matters of who contributes to State F&W Services, in all 50 States. Fiscally, as we review State Budgets, and money obtained — We see $3.3 Billion annually, from marked-up products having to do with outdoor sports, all, and the Hunters and Trappers want us to suppose all of those merchandise taxes paid, from them — Even though it is from non-hunters as well. They also have a $-Amount of $111 Billion dollars, trying to say that is what they pay annually — it is not so. That covers a twenty year time periods and within all 50 States, of merchandise-tax we all pay

    We also find, at State F&W levels, the costs of license and permits covers, most often 30% to 60% in some states, the Administrative Expenses to sell and regulate Laws. The other 40% to 70% is obtained through Taxpayer Money, both State and Federal, and Conservation of Lands and Waterways not included. Now Let’s discuss the actual Conservation Funded — as larger problems exist here — For example Washingyon and Oregon, only w.4% of all money received to them, goes to Conservation Efforts. But let’s explore this further.

    U.S. fish and wildlife conservation is funded by a mix of federal, state, and private money totaling billions annually, primarily supported by excise taxes on gear and license fees paid by hunters, anglers, and boaters, alongside significant federal general tax revenue. While state agencies rely heavily on hunting/fishing revenue (roughly $3.3 billion annually Nation Wide i.e. 50 States, et al.), the overall, larger scope of federal and general conservation is increasingly funded by the general public.

    Who Pays for Wildlife Conservation?

    Hunters and Anglers (“Users”): Through the Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program, hunters, anglers, and shooters pay federal excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and fishing equipment, which are distributed to states. They also pay for state hunting/fishing licenses, tags, and stamps.

    Boaters: A portion of the federal gas tax attributed to motorboat fuel use funds aquatic conservation.

    General Public (Taxpayers): A significant portion of federal agency funding (e.g., US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service) comes from general federal income taxes, not user fees.

    Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) & Private Sector: Conservation groups, NGOs, and private landowners contribute to habitat protection and conservation initiatives.

    Breakdown of Funding Sources (State Level)

    State wildlife agency budgets, totaling roughly $5.6 billion, are driven by (Budget Money assimilated via all 50 States — Over all, so there is no confusion that each state receives that amount, because they do not):

    ~40% to 60% Hunting/Fishing Licenses & Federal Excise Taxes: User-fee based funding, making up the bulk of state budgets.

    ~40% to 70% Other Sources: State general funds, dedicated sales taxes (e.g., Missouri), federal grants, and donations.

    Breakdown of Federal Wildlife Spending (USFWS)

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has a budget of over $4 billion, including over $2 billion in direct appropriations and $2 billion in permanent, primarily state-directed funding.

    The USFWS Resource Management account covers endangered species, migratory birds, and habitat management.

    Non-hunting Contribution: Some studies estimate that 94% of total (state + federal) wildlife conservation funding comes from the non-hunting public, while hunters, through specific taxes, fund about 5-6% of the total, though this is heavily debated by user-centric funding studies.

    Key Funding Trends

    Declining Hunter Numbers: The decline in hunting participation is creating a “funding gap” for state agencies reliant on license fees.

    The “User Pays” System: The Pittman-Robertson Act (hunting) and Dingell-Johnson Act (fishing) create a consistent, reliable revenue stream for state agencies, often referred to as “user fees”.

    Increased Need for General Funding: With the decrease in hunters, there is growing pressure to diversify funding sources beyond license sales and excise taxes, in the matters of Administration Only.

    Not included here is the Bureau of Lands Management, The USDA Forestry, the National Park Service, The Department of the Interior (and subsidizes), as well as other agencies within the Federal and State levels, receive only Tax Payer money for Conservation Efforts and Lands and Wildlife Management.

    So we see the fabrication, from Hunting and Trapping people and Non-Profits, that take the information they do have, and make it appear, via the Disinformation Process, as if they pay everything related to Hunting and Trapping, in this discussion, for example. We are being polite about the situation here, as it is the lies they are Conservationists, to begin with, and pay for everything. . .

    Also not included here is the Budgets and outright financing received from Taxpayers, that continue to correct, to repair, to re-establish Wildlife, as well as common bullet-ridden Highway Signs (e,g, $415 Million per year+, Restroom Repairs & Maintenance in or near Wilderness areas, among many other costly situations i.e. RV or Quad damages in Wilderness areas, et al., among others.

    Change is required, actually needed.” — by Preservation of America’s Wildlife — Toni Davis, PhD Research Biologist, Mike Schultz, M.F.A. Large Mammal Biologist, John Cox, M.A. C/M, et al.