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Science Forum Index » Environment Forum » Editorial Column: The Republican land-grab plank
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| Aozotorp |
 Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 9:55 am |
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http://www.montanaforum.com/rednews/2003/12/19/build/land/landgrab-oped.ph
p?nnn=1
Editorial Column: The Republican land-grab plank
By JEFF GIBSON
Standard Opinion Page Editor
Democratic governor candidate Brian Schweitzer recently noted that the state
Republican Party platform contains a plank that would affect state control of
federal public lands within Montana borders.
The Republican plank urges a “transfer of administration” of federal lands
such as national forests, parks, BLM lands and so forth to the state.
It’s no secret that many Montana Republicans detest the notion of public
lands, be they state or federal. In fact, the plank mentioned above actually
might represent a softening of traditional Republican position. A “transfer
of administration” does not necessarily mean an outright handover. As we read
it, the Republican plank would let the state run the federal lands, but not
necessarily own them. (Not that it matters, because neither policy will ever
happen.)
It wasn’t so long ago (1980s and 1990s) that some legislative Republicans
were urging an outright takeover of federal lands, along the lines favored by
the so-called “Sagebrush Rebellion.” There also was sentiment among some
legislative Republicans to sell off state lands. You can see the one-two punch
envisioned here – Turn federal lands into state lands, then sell off the
state holdings. Result: The public lands become private lands.
Some Republican conservatives (not, all – some) don’t even like it that the
public can gain access to public land. They have opposed land-access laws,
stream-access laws and have passed punitive trespass laws that tend to
intimidate even users of public lands. Their idea of the highest use of any
land is development – specifically, the kind of development that will produce
the largest and most immediate profit. Their idea of outdoor recreation is
something motorized.
Any Montanan who has been paying attention knows all this.
What the Democrats don’t get is that many ordinary Montanans feel exactly the
same way. An awful lot of Montanans are not greens, they’re browns. They are
openly contemptuous of anything that has to do with environmental protection,
restricted land use or regulations on how one may go about making a buck. This
may be a form of extremism, as some have suggested, but extremists are not
necessarily minorities.
If state Democrats keep pounding on these issues, they’ll probably benefit
somewhat in next year’s elections. From a practical standpoint, they’re
going to be helped a lot more by the newly gerrymandered legislative districts.
Saturday, December 20, 2003 |
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