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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGOP candidates stay quiet on Oregon standoff
Republican presidential candidates are staying mum as an armed group has taken over part of a national wildlife refuge in rural Oregon even those who supported the father of at least one of its leaders, who had his own standoff with the government in 2014, and have called for limits on federal control over Western land.
Some of the issues involved in the standoff Constitutional rights, allegations of federal government overreach and individual liberties have come to the fore in the GOP primary race. And as Western states are poised to play a larger role in the contest, so has the issue of property rights in a region where the federal government controls about half of the land.
But few candidates seemed willing to wade into any of these issues Sunday as the leaders of the group said they are standing up against government overreach and are prepared to remain there for as long as it takes. The group said it is protesting the case of two Oregon ranchers who were convicted of arson in 2012 and are scheduled to report to federal prison Monday. The ranchers were convicted on a broad terrorism charge. Many ranchers and land users in the West lease public land.
The effort is being led by at least one son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who had an armed standoff with the government in 2014 over land rights. Bundy was criticized for making racially charged remarks, leading many politicians to back away from him.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-candidates-stay-quiet-on-oregon-standoff/2016/01/03/b8b9806c-b239-11e5-9388-466021d971de_story.html
Nobody could foresee GOP candidates' silence coming on this.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)IDemo
(16,926 posts)RKP5637
(67,112 posts)daleanime
(17,796 posts)what portraits in courage.
saltpoint
(50,986 posts)if they speak up.
It's hard out there being the candidate of Bundys and fundies.
Cyrano
(15,063 posts)so it's kinda hard for them to bitch against a group of "American patriots" who are armed to the teeth. Most of us would call that group homegrown crazies, or perhaps even "terrorists."
Whatever their rhetoric, these militia guys in Oregon have declared war against the United States government -- which means you, me and all the rest of us.
But Republican candidates are in a corner. Many of their voters agree with the crazies in Oregon. They can't call out American terrorists for what they are.
So let's all sit back and watch while this group of brave Republican candidates either keeps their mouths shut throughout this episode, or stick up for this armed gang of "patriots."
Looks like things are about to get interesting.
Initech
(100,105 posts)Scuba
(53,475 posts)eppur_se_muova
(36,299 posts)fredamae
(4,458 posts)spanone
(135,886 posts)Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)Nothing those idiots could "contribute" would be in any way useful, so I'd just as soon not hear them babble.
George II
(67,782 posts)uriel1972
(4,261 posts)Before they nail their balls, or was it flags... can't remeber, to the mast.
Blue_Adept
(6,402 posts)I haven't seen anything out of them yet.
PatrynXX
(5,668 posts)only one I've read saying anything.