Posted on 02/22/2016 10:25:45 AM PST by magellan
Real estate mogul Donald Trump would not let states take control of federal lands, the Republican presidential candidate said in a recent interview.
"I don't like the idea because I want to keep the lands great, and you don't know what the state is going to do," Trump said during a talk with Field & Stream magazine earlier this week.
The trade publication, sitting down with Trump at Las Vegas' Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show, had asked about the issue of turning over federally controlled lands to individual states -- an idea previously floated by rival 2016 contender and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and supported by staunch states-rights activists.
The proposal has also received more attention in light of recent actions by radical conservatives like Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and his son Ammon Bundy, who led an armed group earlier this month in occupying a national wildlife refuge in Oregon to protest federal land use policies.
Trump cautioned, however, that states would be unpredictable in maintaining the designated lands.
"I mean, are they going to sell if they get into a little bit of trouble?" Trump asked. "I don't think it's something that should be sold."
He added: "We have to be great stewards of this land. This is magnificent land. And we have to be great stewards of this land."
The billionaire businessman suggested later in the interview that while he was a fan of oil and gas companies drilling and fracking on federal lands, protecting the earth should still be a top priority.
"I'm very much into energy, and I'm very much into fracking and drilling, and we never want to be hostage again to OPEC and go back to where we were. And right now, we're at a very interesting point because right now there's so much energy," Trump said. "And maybe that's an advantage and maybe--actually, it's more of an advantage in terms of your question because we don't have to do the kind of drilling that we did."
"I am for energy exploration, as long as we don't do anything to damage the land. And right now we don't need too much -- there's a lot of energy," he said.
33% leaves 67% more to go. Wake up and check out the news every now and then. The Feds are constantly "acquiring" land. Even if it means diverting water from it, flooding it, burning it and destroying ranchers' cattle in the process or rounding up the wild horses and sending them off to slaughter, etc... You might want to crawl out from under that rock you've been living under before it gets snatched up as well.
More of Trump’s “conservatism” on display. Ah well.. shrinking tr power of the federal government is passé anyway. Republicans and purported conservatives want a “strongman” leader now.
Kinda sounds like obama-lite to me!
Section 3 - New States
New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new States shall be
formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by
the Junction of two or more States, or parts of States, without the Consent of the
Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.
The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations
respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in
this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or
of any particular State.
Were the other candidates asked this? Like to know where they all stand.
Let’s not forget that the orange oompa loompa called for the Apple boycott using the Twitter app on his iPhone. What a douche.
The classic double bind for the Republican candidate
Hand it to the states and you are a crony capitalist because the States want to sell it...
Let the Federal govt. continue to manage it and you are a big government guy.
G. W. Bush was supposed to hand back the land...how did that work out?
I'm not sure he has even that much.
As Trump gets more and more airtime and he continues to be the frontrunner, it does appear that many of his prescriptions to “Make America Great Again” start from FedGov
“Trump supporters will see this as another brilliant statement.”
Yep. Plus...
1. “This is old news.”
2. “You’re a GOPe hack/paid troll/etc.”
3. “That isn’t what he said”
4. “You’re just another ‘Cruzer’”
5. “He’s just being the awesome businessman he is”
Doesn't matter. If it doesn't get really huge awesome incredible awesome huge really really huge applause at his next really, he'll just change his opinion like he has on everything else. He's conservative, you know...
There is NOTHING Trump could say or do to change his supporters’ minds. You are as bad as a Hillary supporter.
I am a Trump supporter. This issue has to be looked at carefully. Every state is aware of land protection. States are responsible. Federal government ownership leads to corruption. Trump has to comprise on
this.
I agree with you. I think it’s a great wrong done to the nation and to the people of those states and to the economies of those states and of the nation.
‘-)
Is there absolutely nothing about which you think Trump is wrong? Or is he just so infallible and brilliant his judgment must never be called to question?
Trump doesn't do "research." That's beneath him. He just spouts off, and, whatever he says, his followers will buy it.
“Because it is true that pawning land off from one government to another may not solve the problem, in fact, may make it worse.”
I’m confident that the state government of Colorado would turn such land into revenue sources for themselves, and I would not be allowed to hunt or fish on it.
I was being charitable.
Trump could lay a copy of the Constitution down on 5th Ave. and fire shots at it...
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