Posted on 02/23/2016 12:44:52 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Of all the controversies associated with Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, his position on federally owned land tends to attract less attention.
But the issue of public land ownership is important to Nevadans, where federal government agencies manage and control around 85 percent of state land.
And it's partially why Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is slamming Trump on the issue in a campaign ad airing just days before the Nevada Republican presidential caucus on Feb. 23.
"Eighty-five percent of Nevada is owned and regulated by the federal government," says Cruz in the ad. "And Donald Trump wants to keep big government in charge. That's ridiculous."
The ad has aired dozens of times in Reno through the lead up to Nevada's caucus, according to Political TV Ad Archive. We thought Cruz's claim merited fact-checking, because public lands management is a critical issue with Nevada voters.
An on-screen graphic refers to a January interview with Field & Stream magazine, where Trump said he would be hesitant to give federal land over to state and local governments.
"I don't like the idea, because I want to keep the lands great, and you don't know what the state is going to do," he told an interviewer. "I mean, are they going to sell if they get into a little bit of trouble?"
Trump's campaign offered a slightly more detailed explanation of his proposed policy in an answer to a candidate questionnaire, but said the bigger issue was land management and not transfer of ownership.
"The issue is not that so much of the state is public land; it is how that land is managed," the campaign wrote, promising to cut "needless bureaucratic red tape."
The Trump campaign didn't return emails seeking comment.
Cruz, on the other hand, takes a more libertarian stance on public land issues and said the amount of land owned by the federal government is "unacceptable."
"I believe we should transfer as much federal land as possible back to the states and ideally back to the people," he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in December.
Cruz fought with the Bureau of Land Management over the agency's efforts to "claim 90,000 acres of disputed land near Texas's Red River," and for a time supported Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy's standoff with the federal government over his unpaid grazing fees.
And many of the Texas senator's Nevada supporters pushed for a failed bill in the state Legislature that "would lay claim to almost all federally managed public lands and water rights in the state."
It's worth noting that Nevada's state constitution expressly gives up the state's rights to all "unappropriated public lands" to the federal government, which is why it's worth quibbling with candidates like Cruz and Rubio promise to "return" control to its citizens - who have never held a claim to the federally owned land in the past 151 years of Nevada statehood.
Our ruling
Cruz says that Trump wants to keep "big government" in charge of Nevada's public lands.
Trump has answered questions on public land management twice. He has not advocated for transferring ownership, but he has focused on cutting bureaucratic red tape. Cruz exaggerates Trump's position slightly by saying Trump favors "big" government.
We rate the ad's statement Mostly True.
Exactly.
The big IF is can we trust the feds. It depends on who is in charge.
I’d rather trust the states... things could go wrong there also of course but.
It's not an issue that matters to most people, but it's a serious issue for Constitutionalists. And libertarians.
Thank you for posting this. I was a strong supporter of Donald Trump until I read this most disturbing article. This is outrageous.
Once the voters hear about this, there is no way Trump will get more than 15% of Nevada’s caucus voters tonight. You can bet on it.
I am so ashamed to have ever thought Trump was worthy of my support. Excuse me while I self-flagellate.
It’s scary that these people vote. How do they decide? Certainly not based on the issues.
There might be people less committed to the Trump who will believe it.
Good for you.
In the case of Nevada and most of Calif, we took it from Mexico fair and square...in war.
Great post. Thank you.
Have you ever picked a winner that went on to become President?
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Have you ever been a conservative?
I read an interview with him but don’t have the time to find the link right now. He stated he wants to do something about the BLM and its regulations that are destroying mining, ranchers, hunting. He wants the land open but doesn’t want the states to be able to sell it is my guess but that’s only a guess and I don’t believe he’s done any in depth research yet.
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Interesting and had to look it up...... And here it is..
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEVADA
SNIP:
Third. That the people inhabiting said territory do agree and declare, that they forever disclaim all right and title to the unappropriated public lands lying within said territory, and that the same shall be and remain at the sole and entire disposition of the United States; and that lands belonging to citizens of the United States, residing without the said state, shall never be taxed higher than the land belonging to the residents thereof; and that no taxes shall be imposed by said state on lands or property therein belonging to, or which may hereafter be purchased by, the United States, unless otherwise provided by the congress of the United States.
end snip
Probably right about that but Cruz will fight for states rights in this and other issues.
And Cruz knows nothing about business and economics. Do you think this is the time for on the job training for a junior senator with 3 years experience?
The laws of other countries have no bearing on our laws. What matters is what our laws are. Cruz was a citizen at birth through his Mother no matter what Canada says.
I spent some time on the birther threads. One thing that we discovered was that Indonesia didn't allow dual citizenship. That had no bearing on US law. Obama would have to denounce his citizenship at an Embassy at the age of 21 so Indoneasia laws did not affect America's.
It’s just that for the 20 years I’ve lived in Nevada, this has been an issue. Every Congressman and Senator that runs promises to get federal land given back to the state. Old story. We haven’t seen any yet ;)
I don’t need to. I am not impressed with Harvard in general and it is no surprise that they believe the Constitution is a living document that means what they want it to mean at the time.
I don’t need to. I am not impressed with Harvard in general and it is no surprise that they believe the Constitution is a living document that means what they want it to mean at the time.
I think the issue for someone at least wanting to get the state land back from the feds will appeal to Nevada people.
It appeals to me.
As for a magical presidential wand, that’s what you Trumpers believe in.
Ted believes in hard work to achieve goals.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3400849/posts?page=111#111
Click the above for the Nevada State Constitution on the matter. Thus it’s up to the
citizens of Nevada to make some changes as a starter.
I'm sure it was thoroughly discussed and all the paperwork was there.
Some Canadian paperwork is still "hidden" because of Canadian privacy laws.
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