The Federal government does not like to be challenged, and it has the resources and the power to make citizens yield, and does so when it cannot win the argument. If you have been following the conflict in Oregon recently between ranchers and the Federal government, you will know that the government, which owns over 50% of the land in eleven western states, is willing to jail you for unintended trespass of undeveloped, unoccupied land.
Two ranchers who did some brush clearing of their own ranch, but inadvertently burned some of the adjoining federal land, are now in prison for a long stay, based on a charge of arson. It is worth pointing out that the fire they started was put out by the ranchers without outside help, and the land itself is actually now healthier and more productive due to the reduction of brush and overgrowth. But the government wants to make sure that everyone understands they are in charge and they have the power.
A small group of ranchers, led by Ammon Bundy, are occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge building in protest of the unjust sentence and the overbearing government position. Fortunately, no violence has developed, but Bundy and his group have vowed to stay until the two ranchers in question are freed. But the government still wants to make a strong point, and they have enlisted a judge to help them.
Huge fine threatened, page 2:
If he can’t pay they can put him in jail. This is the way the system licks up otherwise innocent people and holds them in captivity indefinitely or until they pay up.
Look at Bundys fees. The million they are saying is not the fee he owes. He owes 80000 in fees since 93 abd a 920000 dollar fine. Where the$#%&!@*do they think he’s going to get that million bucks? Their solution? Sell your ranch so we can use it for energy development!
b******t
It says in the constitution that the Goverment shall own NO land except 10sq miles for Washington, D.C. So why do they own half the western states land? Riddle me that batman…
Ryan Bronson Dumb. Makes absolutely no difference. The constitution says “Property” of which, land is a part of..Duh.. Obviously you don’t read very well if at all.
This clause, commonly known as the Property or Territorial Clause, grants Congress the constitutional authority for the management and control of all territories or other property owned by United States. Additionally, the clause also proclaims that nothing contained within the Constitution may be interpreted to harm (prejudice) any claim of the United States, or of any particular State. The exact scope of this clause has long been a matter of debate.
The federal government owns or controls about thirty percent of the land in the United States. These holdings include national parks, national forests, recreation areas, wildlife refuges, vast tracts of range and wasteland managed by the Bureau of Land Management, reservations held in trust for Native American tribes, military bases, and ordinary federal buildings and installations. Although federal property can be found in every state, the largest concentrations are in the west, where, for example, the federal government owns over eighty percent of the land within Nevada.[11]
Pursuant to a parallel clause in Article One, Section Eight, the Supreme Court has held that states may not tax such federal property. In another case, Kleppe v. New Mexico, the Court ruled that the Federal Wild Horse and Burro Act was a constitutional exercise of congressional power under the Property Clause – at least insofar as it was applied to a finding of trespass. The case prohibited the entering upon the public lands of the United States and removing wild burros under the New Mexico Estray Law.[12]
Tyranical government!
That’s $70,000 plus tax right.
Meanwhile , Brokeback Bundy enjoys eating fresh hot buttered corn !
Brokeback Bundy and his butt pirates just want to be left alone with their new sex toys . They’re a bunch of ball lickers . These kind of people need to get laid with someone other than livestock and relatives .