Posted on 10/02/2013 11:09:08 AM PDT by GraceG
So I got to thinking recently int he last two days.
I know that is a dangerous thing to do in the USSA these days....
If the Fed Gov really wanted to keep parks open in spite of shutdowns and raise a little money to boot, why not do the following:
1. Make a list of all State Governments that are currently "In the Black" financially.
2. Take that list and cross reference it with a list of National Parks.
3. Offer to sell back the National Parks to those states for the average asking price of undeveloped real estate in that state.
4. Take that monety and apply it paying the defict.
Win-Win
The states get to manage the parks and the fed gov can pay off debts.
Granted this won't allow all National Parks to "re-open", but it would be a good start!
Why do the Feds need millions of acres of land? Look at Death Valley. Over 3000 sq. mi., most of it of no particular beauty or significance. It was fine as a national monument, where there was some economic development allowed, but now every sq. inch of it is sacrosanct and off limits to development forever. The Feds are having a harder time managing all this space and they are wanting more of it off limits to economic activity. So why not carve out the most significant areas for preservation and auction off or allow homesteading to the vast majority of the remmaining acreage. It gives the Feds inordinate power to hold so much land, esp. over Western states, the majority of which are composed of Federal land. Oh, they will let it be developed, to crooks like Whorehouse Harry Reid, but if you are not an insider, forget it. The Eastern states are under no such restrictions, the majority of their lands being privately owned. Western states should have that same advantage, and these lands should be open to all comers, not just the well-connected few like Reid.
While I agree that the Federal government should dispose of some of their millions of acres of lands I do not agree that they should allow places like Yosemite to be clear cut, strip mined, and turned into a city replete with homeless and strip malls.
National Parks are a small fraction of all Federal land and I absolutely want to see them preserved for future generations.
Highways are among the few things that the feds are doing, that the Constitution explicitly allows them to do.
Article I Section 8, enumeration of powers of Congress: "To establish Post Offices and post Roads;"
What is a post road? It is a road between towns which allows transport of mail.
The Interstate Highway system was actually justified as national defense highways, to allow quick movement of troops and supplies from wherever to ports.
Absolutely no reason for a Federal Road NOW except when it crosses into Canada.
Pssst...Those early Post roads were town or state roads.
Grace, when you posted this I thought it was a bad idea. I just want you to know that after hearing about all of the asshattery and thuggery on the part of the National Park Service Police I’m now with you. Return the parks and the lands to the states and defund, debadge, and de-gun the Park Service Police!!!
Grace, when you posted this I thought it was a bad idea. I just want you to know that after hearing about all of the asshattery and thuggery on the part of the National Park Service Police I’m now with you. Return the parks and the lands to the states and defund, debadge, and de-gun the Park Service Police!!!
Thanks!
Too much of the west is owned by the fed gov...
I personally don’t think the fed should even own military bases, but should have to lease the land from the states via a 50 year leasing contract type thing.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.