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peoli

(3,111 posts)
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 12:31 AM Jul 2014

Ted Cruz Launches Senate Fight To Auction Off America’s Public Lands

Source: ThinkProgress

After a busy few months trying to impeach Attorney General Eric Holder, increase carbon pollution, and wipe out limits on campaign contributions, Tea Party favorite Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is now working to sell off America’s national forests, parks, and other public lands.

On Tuesday, Cruz filed an amendment to the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014 (S. 2363) to force the federal government to sell off a significant portion of the country’s most prized lands in the West. The amendment would prohibit the federal government from owning more than 50 percent of any land within one state, and requires the government to transfer the excess land to the states or sell it to the highest bidder.

Federal lands make up one-fifth of the nation’s landmass and over 50 percent of the land Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska. Under Cruz’s proposal, these states, which are home to some of the country’s most beloved national parks, forests, wildlife areas and iconic natural resources, would be forced to either pass the costs of managing these lands along to state taxpayers or, more likely, give them away or sell them off for mining, drilling, and logging.

Cruz’s amendment is the latest in a radical effort by right-wing lawmakers to give control of America’s public lands to states or private industry. The movement garnered national attention earlier this year with the help of Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher who spurred a standoff with federal officials after refusing to pay more than $1 million in grazing fees owed to taxpayers. Bundy notoriously refuses to acknowledge federal authority, telling CNN in April that “I’ll be damned if this is the property of the United States. They have no business here.”

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/07/10/3458798/ted-cruz-auction-off-public-lands/

61 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Ted Cruz Launches Senate Fight To Auction Off America’s Public Lands (Original Post) peoli Jul 2014 OP
Fuck him. This land is your land, this land is my land...it's not his to sell, so he can kiss my MADem Jul 2014 #1
I like your response.... prairierose Jul 2014 #3
Hee hee--I forgot the "pardon my French" but I meant it! MADem Jul 2014 #4
No pardon needed! sheshe2 Jul 2014 #6
Most of this is going to be in red states yeoman6987 Jul 2014 #25
It's already happening.... Lodestar Jul 2014 #60
God, they make me both tired and mad. NO, NO, NO!!! Thieves they are. Shrike47 Jul 2014 #2
Fucking piece of Republican shit. Another product of bad family planning. mountain grammy Jul 2014 #5
but, but, but ... enid602 Jul 2014 #7
I cannot think of a person who more deserves to be converted into bear poop in a national park. Half-Century Man Jul 2014 #8
PETA would be after us for giving the bear indigestion nolabels Jul 2014 #19
I have a better idea - Let's see if we can auction off Ted Cruz to any country that will take him. jillan Jul 2014 #9
We should deport him back to Canada. HooptieWagon Jul 2014 #10
Too late! Canada granted him his renouncement of his citizenship! They know Nay Jul 2014 #28
Send him back to Cuba then. Kablooie Jul 2014 #35
Send him anywhere. HooptieWagon Jul 2014 #39
Didn't he already auction everything he is to the lobbyists? nolabels Jul 2014 #18
Didn't waste time reading it... ReRe Jul 2014 #11
The fact that he is a senator is scary enough, but shebornik Jul 2014 #12
Ted Cruz Is Scary... supercats Jul 2014 #13
Oh shite.. that MoFO would.. how about we auction him off instead? Cha Jul 2014 #14
Is Mme DeFarge still around? WinkyDink Jul 2014 #24
Teddy Roosevelt would be ashamed of you Ted. MiniMe Jul 2014 #15
Feed America to the chipper, like in Fargo. truthisfreedom Jul 2014 #16
Ugh... sakabatou Jul 2014 #17
Let's have a giant yard sale!! elias49 Jul 2014 #20
Sell Big Bend National Park, first. earthside Jul 2014 #21
SELL THE ALAMO! WinkyDink Jul 2014 #23
Let us rather start by closing and selling off the military bases in Texas SwankyXomb Jul 2014 #27
Stay classy, Texas Haters. Paladin Jul 2014 #31
nobody should hate on Texas. navarth Jul 2014 #45
Don't forget the 3.3 million TX votes for Obama, last time around. (nt) Paladin Jul 2014 #46
They already got "Eminent Domain" perverted for private profit (that's when it OKAY for the govt to WinkyDink Jul 2014 #22
ooooo...just wait until the al-Bundy militia gets wind of this! KansDem Jul 2014 #26
If the land were privately owned... HooptieWagon Jul 2014 #40
Destruction for profit! liberal N proud Jul 2014 #29
Fine nykym Jul 2014 #30
Want to know what will prevent this? The oil and gas companies. Paladin Jul 2014 #32
Wouldn't the oil and gas companies be the most likely buyers? Red Mountain Jul 2014 #57
Kicked for visability. blackspade Jul 2014 #33
Finally the Republicans are doing something! Hooray! Kablooie Jul 2014 #34
Cruz is a disaster for American politics. He is going to have to be brought under control. ladjf Jul 2014 #36
If Teddy Roosevelt could come back . . . Brigid Jul 2014 #37
Didn't Clinton and Gore do this sort of thing 20 years ago hughee99 Jul 2014 #38
Please elucidate NT juajen Jul 2014 #50
There was a project during the Clinton admin hughee99 Jul 2014 #56
K&R. Disgusting. Overseas Jul 2014 #41
How about we sell Cruz's home off to the highest bidder and drop a drill in the middle LynneSin Jul 2014 #42
The Fasicist State continues to spead its Tyranny over the land . geretogo Jul 2014 #43
Public = me and I refuse to sell my part. LoisB Jul 2014 #44
Perhaps he will sell half dome first... bayareaboy Jul 2014 #47
"more than 50%" ... 1StrongBlackMan Jul 2014 #48
LOL ... 1StrongBlackMan Jul 2014 #49
Why should a POS Canadian be allowed to serve in the US Senate?? OldRedneck Jul 2014 #51
Ted Cruz is a Christian Dominionist, yes? blkmusclmachine Jul 2014 #52
Total destruction, except where the Cross shines down from the clouds!! blkmusclmachine Jul 2014 #54
Eminent domain appears to be a form of feudalism. polynomial Jul 2014 #53
Fuckin' sellout Blue Owl Jul 2014 #55
Exxon-Mobil Yosemite Theme Park DemoTex Jul 2014 #58
This has been in the works since Bush. It's a corporate effort to purchase Lodestar Jul 2014 #59
how do people get elected and re-elected when they do this shit? yurbud Jul 2014 #61

MADem

(135,425 posts)
1. Fuck him. This land is your land, this land is my land...it's not his to sell, so he can kiss my
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 12:33 AM
Jul 2014

tired old ass!

 

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)
25. Most of this is going to be in red states
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 10:01 AM
Jul 2014

the exception I guess is Nevada. I haven't heard much from the red states on their thoughts. I can't imagine that they all agree with this. Plus, what happened to state's rights that Cruz always screams? Why is he getting his nose into another state's business? Should he concern himself with Texas only?

Lodestar

(2,388 posts)
60. It's already happening....
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 06:51 PM
Jul 2014

It's been in the works since Bush...Corporations want OUR resources and those all over the world.

This is what happened in April and it will be death by a thousand cuts such as this:

April 2014
Idaho Residents Protest Auction of Public Lands for Oil and Gas Drilling

Yesterday, prior to the Idaho Oil and Gas Commission auctioning of mineral rights for 17,700 acres of state endowment land, a small but lively group of residents protested the sale, which saw every tract awarded to Alta Mesa Idaho for $1,148,435 in “bonus bids.”

http://ecowatch.com/2014/04/18/idaho-auction-public-lands-for-drilling/

-------


2013
Ignoring Public Outcry, Federal Government To Offer Oil And Gas Leases Near Mesa Verde National Park

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/07/03/2256071/ignoring-public-outcry-federal-government-to-offer-oil-and-gas-leases-near-mesa-verde-national-park/

------

A Turning Point for the Bureau of Land Management
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2013/12/18/81291/a-turning-point-for-the-bureau-of-land-management/

Half-Century Man

(5,279 posts)
8. I cannot think of a person who more deserves to be converted into bear poop in a national park.
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 01:03 AM
Jul 2014

He is a troll IRL.

jillan

(39,451 posts)
9. I have a better idea - Let's see if we can auction off Ted Cruz to any country that will take him.
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 01:07 AM
Jul 2014

Auctions start at 1 cent.

Nay

(12,051 posts)
28. Too late! Canada granted him his renouncement of his citizenship! They know
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 10:30 AM
Jul 2014

an asshole when they see one, unlike the U.S. .....

 

HooptieWagon

(17,064 posts)
39. Send him anywhere.
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 12:06 PM
Jul 2014

I'd be happy to double the US economic support to any country that will take the asshole.

nolabels

(13,133 posts)
18. Didn't he already auction everything he is to the lobbyists?
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 07:12 AM
Jul 2014

Most obviously even if another country would accept him he would only be ballooning the federal deficit. One could only imagine how much money up front another country would want just to take him off our hands

shebornik

(127 posts)
12. The fact that he is a senator is scary enough, but
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 02:16 AM
Jul 2014

its even more frightening that there are enough voters to put someone like him in office.

 

supercats

(429 posts)
13. Ted Cruz Is Scary...
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 02:19 AM
Jul 2014

We must find a way to send him back to Canada for good. It's ironic that here he is a United States Senator and he absolutely hates the United States Government, and the entire United States as well. He needs to be banished from America, or jailed for the rest of his life.

 

elias49

(4,259 posts)
20. Let's have a giant yard sale!!
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 08:25 AM
Jul 2014

Know that big fucking statue in NY...has a torch or something...hunerd bucks.
That big-ass hole out in Arizona...yours for a song. Make a wicked good land-fill.

Ted Cruz is a stain.

earthside

(6,960 posts)
21. Sell Big Bend National Park, first.
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 08:50 AM
Jul 2014

You know, to see how well it would work (or not).

The test case ought to be selling off Big Bend National Park to the highest bidder, then seeing what happens to that land in five years.

Let's see how Texans feel about the national park in their state being the first to be sold.

SwankyXomb

(2,030 posts)
27. Let us rather start by closing and selling off the military bases in Texas
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 10:22 AM
Jul 2014

How much does that pump into the Texas economy every year? And then when the state goes completely broke, Texans can say "Thanks, Ted!"

navarth

(5,927 posts)
45. nobody should hate on Texas.
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 02:23 PM
Jul 2014

I really didn't get the impression that they were doing that, Paladin; but I understand your emotion. It seemed to me like they were calling out the dumb voters that put this clown into office by seeing if they'd like it if their own land was treated that way. Texas has no franchise on dumb voters. And Texas gave us Bill Moyers, Jim Hightower, Molly Ivins, Kenny Dorham (look him up), and many more. Solidarity.

 

WinkyDink

(51,311 posts)
22. They already got "Eminent Domain" perverted for private profit (that's when it OKAY for the govt to
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 08:50 AM
Jul 2014

take your private land, right, Messers Cruz and Bundy?).

KansDem

(28,498 posts)
26. ooooo...just wait until the al-Bundy militia gets wind of this!
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 10:09 AM
Jul 2014

They'll be there to protect public land! Won't they? I mean, just because they despise "Big Government" doesn't mean they want the plutocrats to own all that land, does it?

They surely wouldn't want the Koch Bros. or the Waltons to own all that land, right? RIGHT?!! HELLO?!!

 

HooptieWagon

(17,064 posts)
40. If the land were privately owned...
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 12:10 PM
Jul 2014

al-Bundy wouldn't get the subsidized cheap grazing fees that he refuses to pay.

liberal N proud

(60,302 posts)
29. Destruction for profit!
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 10:46 AM
Jul 2014

The destructive nature of the GOP and their Teabagger contingent will lay waste to this nation. And for what? GREED, that's what.



Wake up America before it is all gone

nykym

(3,063 posts)
30. Fine
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 10:48 AM
Jul 2014

add a rider to the sale that the land must be kept as pristine and untouched as it is and remain free for all to enter and enjoy at the expense of the owner. Never to be used for anything other than the original stated reason for it's being.

Paladin

(28,203 posts)
32. Want to know what will prevent this? The oil and gas companies.
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 11:00 AM
Jul 2014

Yeah, the oil and gas companies. They have millions of those federal acres under lease, and those leases have a paltry 12.5% royalty rate, which hasn't changed since 1920. Letting that acreage fall into private ownership would cause the royalty rate to dramatically increase, particularly in the red-hot shale plays---the energy companies could be on the hook for 25% royalty rates, instead of 12.5%. Ain't going to happen. This is just more impotent hot air from Cruz.

Red Mountain

(1,704 posts)
57. Wouldn't the oil and gas companies be the most likely buyers?
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 06:36 PM
Jul 2014

Not sure what 12.5% means in dollars on average per acre or for that matter what the land is likely to sell for......but if it's profitable enough I'd guess they would rather own it.

blackspade

(10,056 posts)
33. Kicked for visability.
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 11:13 AM
Jul 2014

Cruz is such a disgusting traitor.

I call him a traitor because he and his ilk won't be satisfied until they have destroyed the United States and reduced us to a collection of squabbling Balkanized states.

Fuck you Cruz.

Kablooie

(18,571 posts)
34. Finally the Republicans are doing something! Hooray!
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 11:21 AM
Jul 2014

Why is EVERYTHING they do evil?
It boggles the mind how these people think.

ladjf

(17,320 posts)
36. Cruz is a disaster for American politics. He is going to have to be brought under control.
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 11:23 AM
Jul 2014

He's dangerous.

hughee99

(16,113 posts)
38. Didn't Clinton and Gore do this sort of thing 20 years ago
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 12:04 PM
Jul 2014

when they were "Reinventing Government"? n/t

hughee99

(16,113 posts)
56. There was a project during the Clinton admin
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 06:20 PM
Jul 2014

That was basically evaluating public assets and selling them or contracting out services if they thought it was a good idea. This, if I recall, was a project in which Gore played a prominent role. I found it on wiki (for what it's worth).

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Partnership_for_Reinventing_Government

LynneSin

(95,337 posts)
42. How about we sell Cruz's home off to the highest bidder and drop a drill in the middle
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 12:36 PM
Jul 2014

of his front lawn.

You'd think he'd go for that?

 

1StrongBlackMan

(31,849 posts)
49. LOL ...
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 03:01 PM
Jul 2014

There was talk like that here in Arizona, until some bunch of "tree huggers" reminded the idiot legislature that if they were to get and sale off the Federal Lands ... where were they going to go to play with their gunzzzz, erm ... hunt?

 

blkmusclmachine

(16,149 posts)
52. Ted Cruz is a Christian Dominionist, yes?
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 04:21 PM
Jul 2014

Of the New Apostolic Reformation theology movement, my guess, if yes ...

polynomial

(750 posts)
53. Eminent domain appears to be a form of feudalism.
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 04:25 PM
Jul 2014


That is some of the basics in reasons why we the people tend to peel away from European reasoning.

Worse, America developed a civil war driven in hatred acrimoniously, with special feelings that embellished an antebellum character, now revealed in political people like that special southern element, Ted Cruz.

This Eminent Domain stuff definitely has to be debated.

Think about it, on one hand Ted Cruz opens up a huge chasm in modern political structure and applications.

Consider this that each major railroad uses as much fuel as the American Navy. If our railroads converted to electricity the nation would be overflowing in fossil fuel. No need to drill. The big plus is job’s baby jobs.

Yes it would take a presidential order which would be very controversial, but legal. Actually President Obama could do it in sections. Make a conversion in very strategic places. All done legally, and promoting technology.

For those who don’t know fossil fuel powers generators in each engine that create electricity that power electric motors in all the America diesel motors made by General Electric and General Motors. We always needed electricity to power these motors.

Lodestar

(2,388 posts)
59. This has been in the works since Bush. It's a corporate effort to purchase
Fri Jul 11, 2014, 06:46 PM
Jul 2014

and own public lands for its resources just as they are doing around the globe. Bush entertained advisors who suggested the lands be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Like their ownership of our government they are out to divvy up the spoils. And if you think this is an exaggeration, think again. It's already happening....

Idaho Residents Protest Auction of Public Lands for Oil and Gas Drilling

April 2014
Yesterday, prior to the Idaho Oil and Gas Commission auctioning of mineral rights for 17,700 acres of state endowment land, a small but lively group of residents protested the sale, which saw every tract awarded to Alta Mesa Idaho for $1,148,435 in “bonus bids.”

http://ecowatch.com/2014/04/18/idaho-auction-public-lands-for-drilling

--------------

2013
Ignoring Public Outcry, Federal Government To Offer Oil And Gas Leases Near Mesa Verde National Park

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/07/03/2256071/ignoring-public-outcry-federal-government-to-offer-oil-and-gas-leases-near-mesa-verde-national-park/

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