Further, no private land may be sold to the federal government unless the restrictions/use comply with state guidelines- in other words, the federal government may purchase the land, but the resoources of that land purchased will fall under the jurisdiction of the state and not the federal government.
The federal government should be reduced to a silent partner, facilitating the purchase if need be, but having no role in managing the land.
If the federal government wants to buy land, they have to put up for sale 1 and one half the amount of like kind acreage they already own at the market rate they purchase the land in order for the county to allow the title transfer to be recorded.
Further, each county board or commissioners or managers will have the right to reject the transfer of title to the federal government from private hands based on local zoning and resource use determinations made at the rural/local level.
In short, the federal government will have to negotiate with the local people/government, to ensure that land use is not cut-off, restricted from recreation or natural resource use, etc.
The policy of states in the west SHOULD CLEARLY be to begin a long term process of getting the federal government out of the land ownership and management business save for limited areas like national parks or small monument acreage.
The state has the right NOT to allow private citizens to transfer title to the federal government without state approval- that is the Constitutional basis for the legislation.
I'll run, I'll work tirelessly to have this enacted, and in my state, I trust we will likely succeed.
It's a shame I have to work to fight against this President to protect American lands from becoming UN lands or whatever other nonesense the federal government appears to have in mind.
I will actively oppose BUSH at the next election if he is doing this. WHY? Because with a Gore in office, the public support in my state for requiring the federal gov't to begin a long term policy of returning lands to the people of the states will fly a whole lot easier with Al Gore trying to give them to foreign entities.
Bush has lost his friggin mind and absolutely lost my vote and gained my opposition if he even thinks about going down this apparent road. End of story.
The dam guy can not be trusted at that point. He said he was in favor of local control, and he's doing just the opposite. I hate a liar.