The US
Federal Government “owns” and controls 28% of the US Land Mass. Most of this land is in 12 Western States.
Nevada
84.5%
Alaska
69.1%
Utah
57.4%
Oregon
53.1%
Idaho
50.2%
Arizona
48.1%
California
45.3%
Wyoming
42.3%
New
Mexico 41.8%
Colorado
36.6%
Washington
30.3%
Montana
29.9%
The case
for returning Federal Lands to the States is that the US Constitution restricts
federal land ownership to necessary government facilities like military bases
and government offices. Federal Lands were established in violation of the
Constitution because no Amendments expanding federal enumerated powers to own
land for tourism were filed or ratified.
If Congress had filed Amendments in 1872, States would not have ratified
them and Yellowstone would be a complex of State Parks.
The
practical reasons for returning federal lands to the States are that States
compete with each other and excessive federal land holdings prevent economic
development in the States where federal land ownership is excessive. Another
reason is that the US Interior Department Agencies do a poor job of maintaining
these lands and the federal government needs to be downsized.
The
Interior Department was formed to ensure waterways were clear for shipping of
goods to markets and roads and roads were built to do the same. Nationalizing
tourism was not a reason to bother the federal government. Progressive
politicians started this and as we all know now, they were Communists.
The
Annual US Forest Fire and Mud Slide Festivals could be reduced in size
dramatically if these forests were owned by millions of family owned tree
farmers who would live on-site, with good fire-fighting capability, tree
harvesting and maintenance of underbrush.
One
reason to delay the wholesale transfer of federal land to the States is the
number of “rogue” Liberal States developing in the West like California,
Oregon, Washington and others. These rogue States would use their ownership to
stop commerce and for political purposes. This could include State laws banning
oil drilling, mineral extraction and overseas shipments. It’s best to deal with this issue on a State
by State basis. Trump already ceded land back to Utah based on their request.
Norb
Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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