General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBefore the fall: America's public lands on clearance rack
Theres a Russian connection between what the 115th Congressional Republicans are legislating and not too distant events in that foreign nation. See if you can follow the breadcrumbs.
Before the fall of the former USSR, the country needed money to satisfy its governmental budgets. To get money, the state auctioned off state properties. The banks put in charge of the auctions devalued, then sold those state properties for pennies on the dollar to...themselves.
Yukos (Russian Oil Company) 1994
Value at auction: $350 million
Valued 2 years later at: $9.0 billion
Overnight, billionaires were made from scams like this. Vladamir Putin and others followed that recipe after the fall of the former Soviet Union, as outlined in Rachel Maddows -- Putin, World's Richest Man piece. Putin is now estimated to be worth $85 - $100 billion.
Fast-forward to 2017. Just like with Putin's regime, within hours of taking control of our government, after Russia helped get Donald tRump and Republicans in power, on January 3rd, 2017, Republicans made a subtle, if not quiet sly move to House rules that makes it easier to dispose of unspecified public lands. These rules do not require senate nor presidential approval. The idea was that at least some public lands are a drag on local economies and therefore should be devalued to having no value, making it possible for states to, you guessed it, sell them to satisfy budget funding. That was House Resolution 5. It is already enacted and in force.
As being reported in the news in the past several days, Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R), with help from fellow Utah Republican Congressman Rob Bishop's H.R. 5 crafty wording, introduced H.R. 621, a bill that identifies 3.3 million acres across 10 states to be 'disposed of' and sold off. Right now, the CBO, which provides lawmakers with data so they can make budget decisions, officially considers public lands to have no monetary value, meaning that legislation like Chaffetz's has an easier path to enactment.
Its a recipe whose result is something we can know and see right now, this very moment: Russia. Land of the oligarchs. America. Soon to be the land of the oligarchs, with the king of America's oligarchs at the helm and his KGOP crew doing the dirty work. Rust belt and coal jobs be damned!
Say goodbye to our national parks
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028547773
References
1) The Wilderness Society
2) The Rachel Maddow Show - MSNBC
liberal N proud
(60,335 posts)They have plans to get rich from raping this nation of its treasures and making them their own private windfalls.
ffr
(22,670 posts)Get rich quick.
It's about the money. What's the question?
diva77
(7,643 posts)Rep. Bishop:
Washington office:
123 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
ph: 202-225-0453
fax: 202-225-5857
Ogden office (main Utah office):
1017 Federal Building
324 25th St
Ogden, UT 84401
ph: 801-625-0107
fax: 801-625-0124
Rep. Chaffetz:
WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE
2236 Rayburn House
Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-7751
Hours: M-F 9AM-6PM EST
PROVO, UT OFFICE
51 S University Ave.
Suite 318
Provo, UT 84601
Phone: (801) 851-2500
OregonBlue
(7,754 posts)Every Democrat in America has to bid on these lands.
ffr
(22,670 posts)It was a clerical error or something. Sorry. Those lands have already been sold to corporations with ties to the KGOP and the tRump conglomerates.
But if you need a job after you lose yours to tRumps soon-to-be recession, I'm sure you can take up part-time work in one of our former national parks.
SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)ffr
(22,670 posts)Every American citizen is an equal owner of our public lands. Yet that birthright, so unique to our country, is threatened by misguided individuals and legislative attacks that seek to seize, transfer or otherwise dispose of our public lands by promoting state ownership or, worse, selling our childrens inheritance to the highest bidder for private financial gain. Dozens of bills and legislative amendments have been introduced by members of Congress that have sought to transfer, sell or remove important conservation tools that safeguard our public lands legacy. - BHA E-mail form page
It must burn, knowing that probably 95% of them voted for said republicans.