[ctdonath2]

We do that by charging usage fees which are applied to facilitate maintenance and organization of appropriate use. That’s what The Bundys agreed to.

Problem is, BLM increased fees substantially, and did NOT route those fees back to caretaking. As other ranchers learned, the new fees are designed to discourage ALL use, and to drive ranchers off the land entirely.

Maintenance & facilitation fees are fair, and a proper role of government.
Abusing the fee process for private gain (a la Reid’s solar farm involvement) is intolerable, and Bundy is laudable for standing up to such bureaucratic abuse.

[P-Marlowe]

Problem is, BLM increased fees substantially, and did NOT route those fees back to caretaking. As other ranchers learned, the new fees are designed to discourage ALL use, and to drive ranchers off the land entirely.

Which amounts to a regulatory taking without just compensation. If they don't want ranchers, then they should just buy the ranches. Instead they use regulatory powers to drive them out of business, in this case a family business that has been running for over 100 years.