One of the most liberal Democrats of the 1960s explained why we need the Second Amendment.
“Certainly one of the chief guarantees of freedom under any government, no matter how popular and respected, is the right of citizens to keep and bear arms … The right of citizens to bear arms is just one guarantee against arbitrary government, one more safeguard, against the tyranny which now appears remote in America but which historically has proven to be always possible.”
– Hubert H. Humphrey, Senator, Vice President
Without the Second Amendment, a federal paramilitary would have run Cliven Bundy off the land has family had run cattle on in Nevada for well over 100 years.
“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”
– Thomas Jefferson
Quite true, but I have to ask why the tax payers of Nevada flip the bill for Clive to feed his livestock for free, which he then sells for a profit?
How much does it coast them for free range land? Has this land not been used since about 1870 for this purpose?
What is the other option? The land is BLM so it is going to just sit there and not be used for a tax paying purpose.
If cattlemen do not graze that land you have the following:
1. Increase risk of grass fires
2. Cattle are kept in confinement operations:
….a. The US tax payer foots the bill for the grain through grain subsidies.
….b. Monsanto (seed) has record breaking profits
….c. ADM has record breaking profits (ethanol) and distillers grain, the leaving, are made into cattle feed a second profit center.
….d. Escherichia coli O157: H7 mutation occurs and becomes endemic within confined cattle
….e. children and people get ill and some die. 63,153 cases of infection and 20 deaths in the USA.
I rather have the cattle out on that BLM land. It is cheaper.
(As usual I have the links- some old to back this up.)
Gail, that is a good synopsis, and few would doubt you have the links.
RE: “why the tax payers of Nevada flip the bill for Clive to feed his livestock for free”
Clive pays grazing fees to the state of Nevada. The BLM is trying to double dip.
Unbelievable waste of federal tax dollars harassing Cliven Bundy, 200 agents, snipers, BLS roping off 1st Amendment rights areas? Millions of $ wasted, would be cheaper just to leave people alone. Maybe could spend $ instead hatching desert tortoise eggs. We do not need Reid cronyism for more in pockets of well connected with Chinese corporate solar farms to prevent nonexistent global warming.
“Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in almost every country in Europe.”
– Noah Webster
“The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops.”
– Noah Webster
“A free people ought to be armed.”
– George Washington
“No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.”
– Thomas Jefferson
“I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.”
– Thomas Jefferson
Monticello.org cross checks Jefferson quotes and the one in the article is not attributed to him. However, he did say the following:
“The natural progress of things is for liberty to yeild, and government to gain ground.” – Thomas Jefferson to Edward Carrington, Paris, May 27, 1788 (that’s how he spelled yield)
“if we can but prevent the government from wasting the labours of the people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must become happy.” – Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, November 29, 1802
Address if you will the core problem: the president, with the stroke of a pen, can switch ownership of state land to the federal government, without compensation to the people of the state.
Heck the government can switch ownership of land from a private person to the government or to a privileged person/corporation.