It’s Clark County. You say the government has driven 53 ranchers out of business? Really? Don’t you think some of those ranchers sold their family properties to cash out? Much easier than ranching and far more lucrative. It’s the way of the world - I know more than a few rich “former” farmers who sold the land. Cattle ranching is still profitable despite the growing amount of regulation on the business - the price of beef reflects this.
My neighbor pays his grazing fees and also pays to use my pasture for his cows. That is business. He does not have a right to graze his cattle on my property because his father or grandfather did. He does not own the property anymore. Any claims he once held to the land should have been settled years ago in court by his father or grandfather. That is how it works out here no matter how flawed BLM may be.
This story has taken on a narrative all it’s own and it’s become a wildfire of spin, but the one fact that is not in dispute is that Bundy made a decision not to pay for his grazing rights. If he really believed that reasoning he should have stopped paying taxes.
While I sympathize with the larger sentiments, we should be very cautious because there are major ramifications for property rights. Using his logic, I should go to our our old family homestead (also federal land) and cut some firewood because my grandpa and his father did it? Let’s see where that gets me. I can’t because we don’t own the land anymore!
Count me as the second kook on the thread. Maybe a bunch of you would come pick up guns to defend my neighbor if the County came to evict his cows after he refused to pay me for using it without my permission? Is there a difference? He used to own this land - probably a better claim that Bundy’s father or grandfather.
FWIW though - I really hope Reid had something to do with this because of Rory. I am tired of the blatant corruption from Reid. Politicians have no right benefitting directly or indirectly from permissions granted for public land.
I don’t always agree with how public lands are used or regulated, but it is public land that belongs to the nation and we can set the terms at the ballot box. Private land = mine. The same property rights apply to both in this situation.
Reading some of the comments makes me shake my head. 1010RD is right - this is not the place to make a stand.
Those of you who compare this to the real Boston Tea Party fail to understand - we have representation. Bundy made an informed decision and most of his supporters seem blind to the fact that thousands of Westerners have paid land use rights to the BLM without a problem. Why is Bundy worth our blood when he is the only one who did not follow the law?
Reading some of the comments to this story make me shake my head.... should I just gun down the next officer who pulls me over for speeding because I don’t like his agency or the law? Is that the way to change the speed limit laws?
Is such a thing possible any more? They tell you only what they want you to know, and they can change it tomorrow if they feel like it.
Thanks for your thoughtful comments and perspective.
That is probably an accurate prediction of events that will become increasingly common in the next few years. And it will be effective in changing enforcement of speed limit laws.
I suppose there might be some other unfortunate side effects however...
The rule of law was a great idea. It is unfortunate that our political elites no longer want to be restrained by that idea. The rest of the population will inevitably follow that lead.
The (lack of) merits of Bundy's cause will be completely irrelevant once the Federal Government forces kill him and his supporters in a night time raid. That demonstration decisively replaces rule of law with rule by force.
Most people will shrug off the news and submit to the Government, hoping for a rule of law that gradually fades into a distant memory. Most people (myself included) will likely be very disappointed with the outcomes.
I suppose there might be some other unfortunate side effects too...
I doubt that we are going to be able to vote our way out of this.
No you don't.
If you're represented Mr. beer, why were tens of millions of Americans totally ignored for the past several decades when they screamed, protested, petitioned and voted for relief from this epic invasion of our country?
Do you think 25,000,000 illegals, who've created a massive industry of fraud, have not compromised and undermined our electoral process?
No you don't.
If you're represented Mr. beer, why were tens of millions of Americans totally ignored for the past several decades when they screamed, protested, petitioned and voted for relief from this epic invasion of our country?
Do you think 25,000,000 illegals, who've created a massive industry of fraud, have not compromised and undermined our electoral process?
If you’re represented Mr. beer, why were tens of millions of Americans totally ignored for the past several decades when they screamed, protested, petitioned and voted for relief from this epic invasion of our country?
Why did your government at all levels aid and abet this massive epic lawlessness?
You must have went for a late dinner...
I’ll check back later to see if your still evading the questions.
Because he is far from the only one who did not follow the law.
Because civil disobedience is sometimes the RIGHT thing to do.
Because in this country the largest law breakers are the ones in power.
Because there are perhaps thousands of people who are delinquent in some form for paying taxes or fees to the feds, but they are not sending SWAT teams to visit them. THINK. Why not?
A pharmacist I used to work with told me how many old and very well-tolerated and effective medications, old "standards" that were used for years and years were driven out of business and shut down. By Obama. With the use of restrictions and laws supposedly about healthcare safety.
When just the history of how safe these meds had been all these years should have told the story.
This is not about his refusal to pay the fees. When you get that you will see the picture more clearly.
Finally! After reading all of the raving criticisms of 1010RD, including allusions of him being a “troll”, you’ve jumped in and offered a reasoned response to his detractors! I’ll read on to see how they respond to your wise words and clear-headed thinking. I must say I have low expectations at this point.