Conservatives Angered By Environmental Provision

I think I can understand what you are saying. Both you and 'Ben Ficklin' have valid concerns. I think it depends on the area. But there are two extremes working in the country. One extreme is the development people, the other extreme is the rabid environmentalist. We have a problem with the environmentalist, yes, but the developers are literally taking over the Wasatch front in Weber County! Everywhere you look, farms and ranches are being ripped out for the 'redevelopment' projects. There's tooooo much development!

It's getting so people are actually grateful for 'open space'! They (the developers) get around people by going to the city councils, and getting them to condemn people's property if it's in the way of their dreams of huge developed communities with big houses and huge shopping centers.

If you go on the interstate, and drive out of the city, you find that there are actually small farming communites, and big open ranches and farm properties. This is the land that the big developers don't seem to want, yet. But when they do, they'll be like big bugs with voracious appetites. Don't get me wrong, we need some development at times. But there's too much where we are! There are some places in UT that could use some. But if they don't want it, that's all right!

There are, however, parts of Utah where the environmental activists are making inroads, (obviously). But on the Wasatch Front, as in other parts of the West the big developer is master right now! Seriously, both of you have good points, no need to butt heads!

Sometimes partnerships with landowners and environmentalists, and the developer with trusts and easments are the only way to a solution to avoid a gridlock between the two extremes. To me, that's fine. As long as someone's property rights are not stepped on by either of the opposing interests. As long as people selling are being given what they deserve for their land, and not being coerced into giving up anything.

In some places the developer is very pushy, and will walk all over the landowner. He or she can be as big a problem as the environmentalists!

I think you probably need to read some of my other posts on other threads as you are close. The problem here is that the developers are using the envirowhackos to obtain what they want. It sounds perverse, but by encouraging the confiscation of private property, they are able to build developments considered "environmentally friendly" by having the land confiscated then purchase it at fractions of it's actual value. It's the worst of both worlds as in the Everglades the swamp is being redeveloped in a manner not as nature had it, but in a manner which will damage the eastern part of the swamp immeasurably.

This might just be what the developers, at least some of them, are up to! We have a wonderful little free newspaper that is put out by our county, that is called "Weber Sentinel". It's about events in our local area. But is suprisingly very conservative. At least the column writers are.

There was an article a couple of years ago, that warned of a socialist idea getting into Utah. It crept it's way in almost unnoticed except by a trained eye. They said it is in the form of city or community planning. A lot of people are kind of naive about it, and it seems harmless. It has to do with property rights, and them getting taken away.

They say it has something to do with sustainable communities. I really wish I could find that article, as it is hard to explain. But the author seemed to perceive it as being a potential problem, as it seemed to be socialistic. This is still an old-fashioned state in many ways. They might not notice it until it is too late.

I hope that all this development isn't related to this. It does sometime seem, if you look at the big picture, as if someone somewhere is trying to 'pack' us into large, crowded cities and communities, for reasons that could become sinister. I don't know, maybe they're trying to do that to control us. Or, maybe my 'tinfoil' hat is picking up signals (eeeeekkkkk)! After I read that article, it send a chill through me. Most of our local leaders are good people, even many of the Democrats. I don't believe they may be aware of this. A lot of people have come into the Wasatch Front. I know more housing is badly needed in places. However some people feel so crowded, they move further upstate, or into Idaho.

I know that they get people's property with that 'eminent domain' thing. A lot of our little farms, orchards, ranches are disappearing. At least those close to the cities. Anyway, that little paper is on the internet now. It pertains to our area, but the writers do write about topics on a national and international scale. They are very concerned about what the constitution says. They don't seem to be particularly partisan. You might like to read them, anyway. You might find a kindred spirit, I know I did.

They have good perceptions on topics about freedom. I guess that could come from a time when they were driven into the desert to escape the government. But not all people in Utah were Mormons. They had the mountain men, and others who were quite independent in their own ways.

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