But when a society establishes criminals-by-right
and looters-by-law--men who use force to seize the
wealth of disarmed victims--then money becomes
its creators' avenger. Such looters believe it safe
to rob defenseless men, once they passed a law
to disarm them.But their loot becomes the magnet for other looters,
who get it from them as they got it...when you see that in order to produce,
you need to obtain permission from men
who produce nothing--
when you see that money is flowing to
those who deal, not in goods, but in
favors--
when you see that men get richer by graft
and by pull than by work, and your laws don't
protect you against them, but protect them
against you--
when you see corruption being rewarded and
honesty becoming a self-sacrifice--you may know that your society is doomed."
- Ayn Rand; Atlas Shrugged: p. 382-387
True then. True now.
The tactics used here by the government are also use by the enviro groups. They bring the law suits that force the government to put restriction on the land owner, forcing him to become a willing seller.
Here is a quote from Carry_Okie's web site:
Private "charitable" foundations of major corporations have effected this strategy across the nation, both in Congress and in the courts. They sponsor and publicize subjective "science," whether to obtain legislation directed to an obvious problem or toward legal action against a weakened target. Legal precedent extends the applicability of cited legislation and lowers the cost successive claims. Property owners gradually lose their ability to finance the cost of compliance or legal resistance. Lacking a profitable use of the property, the market value approaches zero. After repeated exercise of expensive regulations, purchase of the land then concludes any remaining claim by an owner.
Klamath Basin is a Watershed Event
Check it out. Read it. He has a whole section on forestry that you might enjoy.