From the founding of the Bundy Ranch in 1876 until 1946, the Bundy cattle grazed around the ranch in the desert, because no one else lived there or cared, or did not want to spend the capital to acquire cattle and manage them as the Bundy’s were doing. Ranching is hard work.
In 1946, the BLM was founded. Sometime between its founding and 1993 they started to charge ranchers rent per cow on land that belonged to the USA. Now, back then, say in the late 19th Century Early 20th Century, desert land was considered worthless, unless there were minerals on it, or had a stream/creek/river that could be dammed. But that area around Bundy’s land was pretty worthless then.
In 1993, the BLM told the Bundy family that they could NOT freely graze as many cattle on “their” land as they used to (and paid the privilege for), but rather the BLM would allow NO MORE than 150 cattle to graze that land. Bundy, seeing how this would ruin him, objected. And the rest has been an ongoing legal matter since, with him refusing to “only” keep 150 cows on it, and the BLM racking up fines on him for doing so.
What was the reason for BLM’s decision back in 1993, to limit the Bundy Ranch to only 150 cows? The Desert Tortoise, who the environmentalists declared endangered by the cattle. Even that is a lie. The problem with these environmental laws is you cannot win against them. Judges ALWAYS rule for the government/greenies/environmentalists.
So you might see a kook who is trespassing, but I see an American, who, by the Grace of God go you or I, being ruined financially over some bureaucratic pencil pusher enamored by romantic save the whales types.
And one more thing. YOU call it trespass, yet the Bundy Ranch was there from 1876. Sure it was US land (as all the West was then), but we admired and encouraged settlers then. Now we kick them to the curb, because they're so-called despoilers of Mother Nature. And the kick of the government is deadly and powerful. Conservatives SHOULD support him.
>>....(recall hearing that the BATFE and FBI have sent agents and SWAT teams to take control of the situation from the BLM)....
If that is the case this will not end well for the ranchers. Wouldn’t Obama have to be informed and ok this as well?<<—
Or for the FBI/BATFE either for that matter.
If what I heard was right Mr. Bundy said they owned about 150 acres, the rest was leased from the Feds.
Bundy told the BLM he would not pay them because they had no authority since the feds didn’t own the land. That comes from Bundy’s sworn response in court. Bundy first started working with the BLM in 1954. He refused to pay after Feb 1993.