Don's Tuesday Column

THE WAY I SEE IT   by Don Polson  Red Bluff Daily News   5/06/2014

Candidates, debt and the feds western land grab

In case you missed other announcements, the Tea Party Patriots will host candidates tonight at 5 PM, at the Community/Senior Center, South Jackson and Kimball. KBLF owner and morning talker Cal Hunter will act as moderator. All participating candidates are welcome to have tables around the room with material or just be available for public interaction.

It was an oversight not to mention the rather ingenious float that the State of Jefferson committee and Tea Party Patriots decorated and entered in the Roundup parade. The theme was the “Ocean of Debt” swallowing California. Someone chopped off the front of a decent-sized boat such that it was propped at an angle diving into a blue tarp covered trailer labeled, appropriately, “Ocean of Debt.” Adding to the scene were pictures, peering out the cabin windows, of Democrat politicians Feinstein, Pelosi and Brown, cheerily smiling as the S.S. California sinks in front of a wave with the words “422 billion in debt—trillions in unfunded liabilities.” Not exactly rodeo themed but, in fact, it is only due to the dire financial straights Sacramento has given us that hundreds of thousands of dollars are no longer available for our fairgrounds and events like the Red Bluff Roundup. Thumbs up to the State of Jefferson committee.

Now for some “fun facts” about the not-so-funny reality behind the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). For western states, from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, in territories that achieved statehood after the Civil War, the vast Louisiana Purchase provided the land. The Federal Government agreed at each state’s inception to transfer land to state control and ownership. In fact, one of the agencies that combined to form the BLM in 1946 (according to the Congressional Research Service, or CRS) “was the Grazing Service (first known as the DOI Grazing Division), established in 1934 to administer grazing on public rangelands. The other was the General Land Office, which had been created in 1812 to oversee disposal of the federal lands. The BLM [administers] 247.9 million acres … concentrated (99.8%) in the 11 western states.”

I doubt that in either 1934 or 1946 it was remotely considered “grazing service” to reduce grazing numbers below traditional and sustainable levels (meaning not overgrazing what nature replenishes) previously agreed among the parties involved. Grazing was not just an economic boon to ranchers but also a service for rangeland fire prevention. So, right there the BLM is at cross-purposes to the spirit of one of its founding agencies.

Then, ponder for a minute the clear language that the General Land Office “had been created in 1812 to oversee disposal of the federal lands.” “Disposal,” folks, not accumulation and aggrandizement. The United “States” of America authorized the federal government, not vice versa—it was inconceivable to early Americans that Washington should preside over and own most of any state’s land.

Some astonishing perspective: The “BLM currently owns in the state of Nevada more acreage than all of the states of New England combined, according to the CRS. By contrast, the BLM does not own a single acre of land in any New England state.” Of Nevada’s roughly 70 million acres, the federal government owns about 57 million acres (including about 48 million by BLM); in Nevada, the feds own four times the land that’s in private or state hands. The New England states contain in total 40.4 million acres.

I had the good fortune to discuss Mr. Bundy’s situation with radio journalist Lars Larsen and found him to be his usual well-informed self. We can all agree that neither the law, legally pronounced regulations nor judicial decisions give Bundy a legal leg to stand on. However, Lars and everyone should heed what John Hinderaker wrote at Powerlineblog.com, that there are good reasons “Why You Should Be Sympathetic Toward Cliven Bundy.” It’s searchable at the Powerline.blog site and at DonPolson.blogspot.com. If and when you see the conflict reappear in the news, perhaps you will be better informed.

“To begin with, his family has been ranching on the acres at issue since the late 19^th century. They and other settlers were induced to come to Nevada in part by the federal government’s promise that they would be able to graze their cattle on adjacent government-owned land …

“Over the last two or three decades, the Bureau has squeezed the ranchers in southern Nevada by limiting the acres on which their cattle can graze, reducing the number of cattle that can be on federal land, and charging grazing fees for the ever-diminishing privilege. The effect of these restrictions has been to drive the ranchers out of business. Formerly, there were dozens of ranches in the area where Bundy operates. Now, his ranch is the only one.” His attitude is that “they are supposed to be charging me a fee for managing the land and all they are doing is trying to manage me out of business. Why should I pay them for that?”

To feds and Democrats, people like the Bundys don’t develop apps, bribe politicians, collect welfare or green energy subsidies, haven’t been to law school and reside here legally—who do they think they are? Americans with God-given, Constitutional rights? I think so!