This isn't at all complicated. Have you ever traveled across America?
The eastern and mid-western states have a lot of arable land that people wanted to homestead. Exactly the same opportunity that settlers in the western states had. As it turns out, there's lots of land in the West that isn't really productive and no one living within the territories wanted to claim.
That's the fact.
Either you are a States Rights Advocate or you are a Federal Government Sycophant.
Sure, of course I am.
Under what legal concept do you assert that the states now own this land that they never claimed or wanted at the time of statehood?
Federally owned land that has ceased to be of use for it's original purpose, should also be returned to the people.
What? It's already owned by the people.
To be sure, states will need to manage their "newly acquired" land, but that management will be done a whole lot closer to the people than it is now.
Again, which people?
“Sure, of course I am.”
Which is it? That’s a non-answer.
“Under what legal concept do you assert that the states now own this land that they never claimed or wanted at the time of statehood?”
Hope can you assert at this point in time that the states claimed at the time they didn’t want the land in question? Basically, as I see it, the federal “taking” of the large percentage of the land within a Western state, was “bribe” the state paid to the Federal Government as the price for statehood. It was simply theft.
“What? It’s already owned by the people.”
Specious comment! We both know that the Fed Gov doesn’t really see it that way.
Are you certain you’re not a democrat?