BLM blinks in their range war

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588

Bard, why are you worried about how much land the federal government owns?

Frankly, I'm far more worried about the folks with ulterior motives that would love to rape federal land for its natural resources. You know, the same folks that are adamantly fighting against reasonable regulations and control that protect and preserve our environment.

MalibuGuru · Joined: 11 Nov 1993 Posts: 9300

Why should the federal government own 80% of the land in one state and 5% in another? That is hardly fair to the citizens in the west. Just one more example of an intrusive federal government.

As for clean water, air, and land, I'm all for it. Couldn't states with some help from the feds do this? That way, people in NV could enjoy the revenue from their state, rather than Maryland's folks who receive some benefit from the NV federal lands.

techno900 · Joined: 28 Mar 2001 Posts: 4161

Bard,

Go to: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/03/23/us/western-land-owned-by-the-federal-government.html?_r=0

The reason the government owns so much land in the west is because at the time, the mid 1800's and even today, it is wilderness and desert that no one cared to own, farm, claim, etc.

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588

Bard, try to look deeper. This isn't some simplistic issue about freedom and liberty. Also, the states rights arguments just don't cut it in my book. What are the real details and who benefits. That kind of information reveals the truth.

uwindsurf · Joined: 18 Aug 2012 Posts: 968 Location: Classified

pueno · Joined: 03 Mar 2007 Posts: 2807

wynsurfer · Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Posts: 940

So why does the federal goverment own so much land in the western states?

Perhaps it is because it was the federal government that fought a war with Mexico, the Mexican American War, which secured that territory under the teraty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in which the Federal Goverment bought the land from Mexico for $15,000,000.

Later when states were admitted to the union, the Federal Government chose to keep much of the land under Federal control.

Why should it not?

I find it interesting that so many people seem outraged that the Federal Government controls so much land that it is solely responsible for securing for the American people.

Why?

MalibuGuru · Joined: 11 Nov 1993 Posts: 9300

Why should one state be controlled to a higher degree than another?

Yes this is all about states rights. IMO, the constitution gave the states all the rights that were not specifically enumerated in the constitution. As you can see by techno's link, our original 13 states had little or no federal land ownership.

Of course after the civil war, the federal government felt entitled to take the land. Now there may be a few states like Utah who want it back....(and they should get it) I do not think our founding fathers had it in mind to control the land of various states. We must remember that in the beginning the states were considered their own sovereign nations.

J64TWB · Joined: 24 Dec 2013 Posts: 1685

History Bard. Back in the 1800's federal position was privatize all land for farming. Problem is, West of the Rockies no land suitable. As of 1890 ish, they changed policy. Timber was the gold of the day and they wanted to preserve it. Timber was used for everything including the rail system. East was already privatized. Grandfathered. Who needs all that land?

I can get an acre of land for $1500 out West in places. What's the problem? Go to town my friend. Buy it up.

coboardhead · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 4303

Hey, I have 45 acres for sale. Prime cattle land up in the pinyon juniper. Maybe the Feds will buy it!

By far the most important reason I live here ( my county has the second highest percentage of Federal land in the lower 48 ) is because of the freedom of accessing and recreating on this land owned by all of us. The fact that private land is limited, has caused the creation of higher density developments which pays my bills. I, and many here, rely on the tourist and recreation visitors to maintain the economy.

If the mountains and deserts were private, we would have nothing to offer visitors. There would be no reason for many of us to live here.

I spent last weekend mountain biking on Federal land near Moab. Along with thousands of other folks. Eating in restaurants, drinking local beer etc. There is a huge economy attached to this land that many forget when they fret over Federal power.

Maybe we should privatize the oceans too. My deserts are your ocean Bard!