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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 10, 2015 - 07:14am PT
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49 Republican Senators Just Voted To Sell Off Your National Forests & Public Lands.
http://unofficialnetworks.com/2015/04/republican-senators-just-voted-to-sell-off-your-national-forests
“SA 838 is a budgetary amendment which backs support for and funding of state efforts to take over federal land. It was part of a larger debate over the 2016 fiscal year federal budget.
Introducing the amendment, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R, AK) stated, “When we have an opportunity to consider this amendment, a vote for it is really a vote in support of — as a priority of this Congress — comprehensive approaches to land policies to facilitate economic development, empower States and improve our conservation systems.”
The back story is that there’s ongoing, and potentially unconstitutional efforts taking place in Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Alaska and Idaho to see those states take possession of public land from the federal government, then allow the exploitation of their resources by private industry.
AmericanProgress.org calls it “…a losing battle that amounts to little more than political grandstanding to rally their extreme conservative base and feed an antigovernment narrative. Such bills contradict the majority of public opinion in these states, as well as economic realities and constitutional precedent dating back to the mid-19th century.”
The senate’s budgetary amendment to support this privatization carries no legal weight — it’s not a law — but does signify a troubling level of support for the privatization of public land. And make no mistake, this is about privatization and resource exploitation.
Efforts to “reclaim” public land are financially support by special interest groups like ALEC and Americans For Prosperity. ALEC is primarily funded by ExxonMobil while Americans For Prosperity was founded by David and Charles Koch.
SA 838 passed 51-49. Democrats unanimously opposed it, while all but three Republicans voted for it. The holdouts were Corey Gardner of Colorado, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee.
If it’s not a law (yet!), then why worry about it? “If you let a bad idea fester long enough, it sounds less and less like a bad idea,” states Steve Kline, of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. The fear is that this success in the senate could encourage future efforts to pass similar language as actual legislation.” – indefinitelywild
Here is what you can do: write your U.S. Senators, & or sign this Wilderness Society petition:
Here's a corrected link to the Wilderness Society page on the subject, with their petition link at the bottom:
http://wilderness.org/blog/new-attacks-congress-tries-sell-public-lands
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crankster
Trad climber
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Apr 10, 2015 - 07:22am PT
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Just posted this to the "Freezing Forum Topics" thread, Fritz. Another reason why political topics are relevant to climbers - or should be.
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overwatch
climber
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Apr 10, 2015 - 07:32am PT
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could someone on a real computer post a link to that petition?
I have a crappy old "smart" phone and inputting web addresses is a pita.
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Apr 10, 2015 - 07:37am PT
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NOT what Thomas Jefferson would do. He would buy, not sell.
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Flip Flop
climber
salad bowl, california
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Apr 10, 2015 - 07:44am PT
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I just voted to sell 49 senators.
Is Cmac a republican anti-democracy shill trying to silence intellectual debate? I hope not.
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overwatch
climber
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Apr 10, 2015 - 07:46am PT
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Thank you...signing that sh#t.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Apr 10, 2015 - 07:46am PT
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That's the first good idea I've heard from the Republicans in a long time.
We SHOULD sell off government land. As much as possible. National Forests, BLM, National Parks. All of it.
It's that, or keep borrowing from future taxpayers to finance OUR High Life.
I'll miss the parks and forests as much as anyone, but there's a price to pay for shitty government. And right now, we're NOT paying the real price.
Maybe future generations will get their sh#t together - and quit spending money they don't have - and will be able to buy the land back.
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Apr 10, 2015 - 07:47am PT
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"Here is what you can do: write your U.S. Senators"
Anybody actually do this? Silence = acceptance.
Fee-based access to public lands has been the trend for years now...disturbingly, too many people see it as not a big deal (edit: see Chaz, above), or even appropriate. That view, combined with overwhelming indifference & inaction, hastens this trend.
Silence = acceptance
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zBrown
Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
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Apr 10, 2015 - 07:55am PT
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Linkwise, clicking on this should do it. If it doesn't, then request that zBrown be frozen, temporarily at least. Man it's really fast once it gets cached and you click it a second, third, fourth ... time.
PETITION
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MisterE
Gym climber
Being In Sierra Happy Of Place
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Apr 10, 2015 - 08:02am PT
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Thanks to the Supreme Court for paving the way.
What did we expect by allowing their decisions?
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 10, 2015 - 08:02am PT
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Thanks all for posting corrected links. I have likewise corrected my original link.
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zBrown
Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
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Apr 10, 2015 - 08:02am PT
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On second thought, as a failsafe, climbers should form an LLC (nobody wants to get blamed now do they) and get in on the land grab.
On third thought, it might be wise to form an LLC in each state. Some of the lawyers that practice frequently on the ST forum will probably do the paperwork pro bono with a little nudging.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Apr 10, 2015 - 08:04am PT
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The Republican Party is morally and intellectually bankrupt.
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lynrd foreskinnerd
climber
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Apr 10, 2015 - 08:40am PT
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I tried to appeal to local concerns to my Senator. I feel it is the most proactive and logical way to appeal to these guys. Heres my letter(well actually an email, will update if he responds or what). Also of note: he is a newb to the senate.
Senator Lankford,
I spent the last few days camping and enjoying the scenic Wichita Mountain Wildlife refuge. In that time I saw buffalo, elk, prairie dogs, peaks and valleys, rivers and lakes. I had an amazing time. Soldiers from nearby Fort Sill like to take the very rare day off to come out and just enjoy the outdoors. There is rock climbing, fishing, and boating to be had. While me may disagree on climate change, surely we agree the outdoors are an asset to the people of Oklahoma and more importantly our armed forces. SA 838 would sell this slice of heaven to the highest bidder. Budget deficits are a very real concern, but I would urge you to find other avenues than to take away from an amazing piece of wild land that Oklahomans have enjoyed since 1901! I hope you take this message to heart and I anxiously await your reply.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Apr 10, 2015 - 08:43am PT
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Right on, Warbler, right the hell on!
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Apr 10, 2015 - 08:49am PT
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"99% of Americans have no clue as to what is out there on public land because they never get off their fat asses to check it out. They will shrug this off because it has no direct effect on them, and those who want to pillage know it."
BULLSEYE.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Apr 10, 2015 - 08:49am PT
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99% of Americans have no clue as to what is out there on public land because they never get off their fat asses to check it out.
And this is especially true for 99% of the 1%.
Sign that petition!
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Apr 10, 2015 - 09:11am PT
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Shameful.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that one of the two republicans who voted against was my states senator Kelly Ayotte. She's closely tied with McCain, and usually votes opposite to my views. Thanks, Kelly. You did right this one time. Keep it up.
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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Apr 10, 2015 - 09:36am PT
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Yea, the states have way more money and expertise to manage the lands...
... well not!
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