WCD is about power, not the environment

I am a Democrat. The Democratic Party is the party of the working person and is supposed to fight for those unable to fight for themselves. That is why I 100 percent agree with the Democratic Central Committee of Charles County in their opposition to the watershed conservation district. No Democrat that I can support would vote for anything that hurts so many people.

At a recent chamber breakfast, I heard some comments from respected Democrats in describing the WCD. Sen. Mac Middleton called it disrespectful. Del. Edith Patterson called it absurd and disenfranchising. Del. Sally Jameson called it unneeded. These are Democrats that live in our county.

It’s my belief that the reason there is such visceral opposition to this policy is because we see how mean-spirited it truly is. We know what fair is, and this is not fair. Don’t be fooled. This has nothing to do with the environment, or controlling sprawl. It has everything to do with power.

We, the citizens of Charles County, have allowed claims of environmental protections to trample our rights. The environment is now used to oppose all growth here in Charles County. The environment is now used to divide us. The environment is now used to exclude us. This worked well for some in the past. Some of us remember promises about how preserving Chapman State Park would bring economic prosperity to Indian Head through tourism and eco-tourism. Today, Chapman State Park greets you with a locked gate, and the only people with the keys are the groups that advocated for its preservation. Indian Head withers.

Some advocating the strongest for the WCD are those who own environmentally sensitive parcels of land, right here in Western Charles County. However, they were conveniently carved out, gerrymandered from the pain and restrictions that this policy inflicts. While staunchly advocating for the use of government to restrict rights and freedoms from so many, they lecture us and exclude themselves. Our local politics have taken a dark turn.

We need a new day in Charles County. We need champions. Recent elections in the towns of Indian Head and La Plata have shown us that we can embrace hope. We need fresh faces but, most importantly, fresh ideas and sound economic policies. The path we’re currently on will only board more buildings, kill more jobs and subject another generation to misery. We need commissioners that listen to all of their citizens. We need strong, honest leaders that will fight for our rights and our prosperity. Candidates that not only respect their constituents, but candidates that actually like the people they represent.

Anyone that votes in favor of or supports the WCD and puts special interest groups over the welfare of their own citizens is not a Democrat that I will ever support again. Brian Klaas, Nanjemoy