[George Frm Br00klyn Park]

All, It needs to be said that all of the "gridlock" is NOT due to "outside" sources. Our Government at its very best. Ain't y'all proud? Peace and love, George.

[George Frm Br00klyn Park]

"She reported 73 million acres of forest are at moderate to high risk from wildfire."

Guys, Ah-yup. A few homes and other man made structures also. Peace and love, George.

[concerned about politics]

Veneman said many timber sales that could thin forests have been stopped by lawsuits filed by environmental groups.
She reported 73 million acres of forest are at moderate to high risk from wildfire.
"Management by doing nothing is not an option," she said.

Environmentalists responded that the Bush administration doesn't care about the environment.
"Their focus on timber as a commodity is just one more example overall of the Bush administration's total embrace of the big corporate agenda," said Jane Danowitz, director of the Heritage Forests Campaign.

The Bush administraton wants to stop the country from torching itself.

The eco-freaks call Bush names.
To them, homes, animals, and people being burnt alive is beauty.
If they don't get their human misery fix, they just aren't happy and it hurts their self esteem.

[hammerdown]

"Management by doing nothing is not an option,"

Do you think she's been reading a certain book ?

[Ben Ficklin]

It was reported at the time that Veneman stated that the Forest Svc spends 60% of its budget on planning and litigation.

[A Navy Vet]

I like government gridlock. But is there ONE fedgov bureaucracy that isn't incompetent? I'm beginning to lose my faith in Washington...oh, woe.

[kitchen]

George,

I'm reminded of a quote attributed to Eisenhower, to one of his activist cabinet members:

"Don't do something, just stand there!"

All things considered, I'd rather have these wannabe outdoorsmen cowering in their cubicles than find them out in the forest locking gates. I do hate bouncing the hot wrench around in the back of the Jeep, although those gates make excellent road drags.

[rdavis84]

I've got it now. The Whole Plan is to bloat the FedGov to such a level that it can't do ANYTHING. THAT MUST BE the Master Plan that I've been hearing about.

I wonder how much increase the Forest Service got this Budget? Whatever it is, it's not enough, Triple it!! The Education Dept., the FBI, CIA, HUD, NASA, DOD, ad infinitum too!

It's the American Way! Spend our way out of problems. What the heck, the FedRes can just Print some more money! That ought to work!

[hattend]

Bosworth and his boss, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, appeared before the committee last month to discuss the problem.

They said managing national forests is getting more difficult because of excessive litigation and regulations. That is contributing to an increased risk of catastrophic wildfires, they added.

Veneman said many timber sales that could thin forests have been stopped by lawsuits filed by environmental groups.

She reported 73 million acres of forest are at moderate to high risk from wildfire.

"Management by doing nothing is not an option," she said.

Not once does the idea of privatizing forest land (like it used to be) come up. Can't have those eeeevil capitalists taking care of natural resources.

Ijits.