Federal government overreach has risen to a new high with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) surrounding the ranch of Cliven Bundy of Nevada.
About 200 federal officers had Bundy and his family in their sights, and rounded up his cattle. This government overreach was ostentatiously based on a desire to protect the desert tortoise, a supposed endangered species.
The fight that reached its climax in the weekend started twenty years ago, when the BLM designated 600,000 acres of Bundy’s ranch as federal lands. While land ownership for ranches has historically been a little vague, Bundy’s family has had the rights to this land for over 100 years. In fact, they were ranching on it long before the BLM came into existence.
While the BLM seized the ranchland, they allowed Bundy to continue using it, as long as he paid a “maintenance fee” to defray costs of maintaining roads and other infrastructure in the land. When the government stopped the maintenance, Bundy did it himself; using the money he would otherwise have paid the government. He offered to pay that money to the county that his ranch is in, just to keep everything legal. He has battled against the BLM for twenty years, in order to keep his family ranch intact.
The current round of troubles started with a lawsuit form one of the environmental groups, stating that ranching operations were dangerous to the endangered desert tortoise. There are several problems with that argument. First of all, cattle don’t harm the tortoise population in any way.
Secondly, Bundy has spent his own money to preserve the tortoises. But the big problem is that the same BLM which is attacking his family for those tortoises has been killing them off, because there were too many for the BLM to take care of. What hypocrisy!
This is clearly nothing more than the federal government trying to steal land. Why they want to steal the land is up for debate; but fracking and other mineral rights have been demonstrated to be possible reasons. Numerous exploratory wells have been drilled in the area under dispute, lending credence to these claims.
It can be fairly argued that Bundy has broken the law, by refusing to remove his cattle from land that has been in his family for over a century, as well as refusing to pay the BLM for use of that land.
Even so, if it were determined in court that he was breaking the law, that would be no justification for sending 200 armed agents to take his ranch under siege with sniper rifles, machine guns and armed helicopters.The government forces arrayed at the Bundy ranch look like they came for a fight, not to uphold the law.
In an effort to keep their actions under wraps, government agents have established a “first amendment area” in conjunction with the action being taken at the Bundy ranch. This enclosed area is several miles from the ranch and any of the activity that is happening.
Supposedly, anyone who desires to protest the actions being taken by the government is free to do so… as long as they do it in that cordoned off area.
That implies that the 1st Amendment rights of Americans have been suspended in all other areas, something that the BLM has no right to do. This looks like martial law, whether they want to officially declared it as such or not. The government is taking away our rights, without any legal justification.
On weekend, Bundy ranch protesters forced federal forces to stand down, but the invasion is not over yet.
Video first seen on Info Wars.
This case concerns us all, as it is clearly another expansion of government authority, taken by the Obama administration, without legislation allowing them to do so. Like the other recent examples of abuse of authority which we are seeing this administration take, it is a small step to take us closer to becoming a police state.
Once more, government agents with guns were telling law-abiding citizens that they couldn’t do something which the Constitution specifically gave us the right to do.
Could this turn into the next “shot heard round the world” at some point? Unless government agents back off for good, it just might. With the current political situation in our country and the tyranny we see coming out of Washington every day, there are many who are saying it is time for a second American revolution.
Thomas Jefferson wrote about this, stating that revolution is necessary to clean out the government. Should this situation escalate to violence, we might just see a housecleaning.
This article has been written by Bill White for Survivopedia.
I’ve spoken for over 40yrs about this, to those who would listen. Other’s called me crazy! History has a way of repeating itself, and we WILL see another Civil War!
James – 20, maybe even 10 years ago, I would have said you were crazy too. The last few years though, I see why you were right. Great insight. Stansberry described it as “normalcy bias”. Probably about 90 percent of this country does not see what is coming.
What if the Bundys were mexican americans or blacks? How differently would this be handled?
This is not about race. Why do some have to always bring race into a situation such as this. Get over it please and pay more attention to what will affect all of our freedoms if we let it happen.
You really don’t think that if they were mexicans claiming rights under some old spanish land grant, they would be treated differently?
The “old Spanish land grants”? Are you kidding me? First of all Mexico had a revolution that rendered all claims that Spain had to any part of this continent. Second, after Texas shellacked Santa Anna and his army to gain Independence, followed by a number of battles that Mexican government had with the US in an attempt to get back lost territories, all of the areas in the western states were ceded by Mexico along with all claims to any lands … no “old Spanish land grants” survived.
Would BHO think differently though?
The lands we BOUGHT legally from Mexico? Those lands?
What has Mexican land have to do with Spain? That is apples and Oranges in comparison. Neither have a claim to any land inside our borders.
I think you must have recieved that modern version of Liberal History or just like making it up as you go along, like most left Wing history professors do now on college campuses.
It has to do with obama being a person “of color”.
The day he got elected was the day of death for our country. He will give it all away to “them”.
Please realize that I am not a government supporter or anything but Bundy did threaten the BLM with a range war. I know that the BLM took what should be by rights Bundy’s, but the threat of violence in today’s political climate will elicit a violent response from those in power. Our government feels that might is right. They have more money more guns and more paid for manpower than Bundy.
Only through the extra teeth given them through the 9-11 incident and the resulting pattriot act
@Henry
the FIRST thing that happened…is that…BLM and other federal law enforcement all with GUNS came and surrounded BUNDY Ranch…he and his family were never armed…and never threatened anyone …..and by the way when they come for you and yours who ya gonna call…..and who will come to help you stop tyranny and theft of personal property….just ask’in……..Semper Fi
It is time that the government re-learn the fact that they work for us. If it takes a revolution to teach the Feds that they are suppose to be responsible ONLY for a providing a common defense and regulating interstate commerce then so be it!! It is time we got back to being a Constitutional Republic instead of the commie democracy that we’ve become!
It is also high time, after more than a 100 years for the Federal government to give all of these huge land parcels they hold to the states in which they exist for the state to control, or sell, or maintain as the individual states shall decide.
The people in the states put the Federal government in place for the protection of the people and states, and if necessary the people in the states need to take the Federal government down if it becomes a threat to the people and the states.
I 100% agree. It’s a great theory, but, what is actually happening is the USA is broke – the politicians are giving land (“The purchase of U.S. pork giant Smithfield Foods by a Chinese meat processor was cleared Friday by the federal government, moving the controversial $4.7 billion deal a step closer toward being completed.”) to China and others who own our debt. With this Smithfield deal, the Chinese get all the farmland that Smithfield owns too !!! This simply boils down to this liberal, nanny state administration funding their socialist agenda however they can.
do not buy Smithfield products. I do not allow Tyson in my house because they have muslims praying over the foods. and besides they are taking AMERICANS JOBS.
and if Reid’s and obama have their way more land will be grabbed to sell to the Chinese or Arabs who ever as long as AMERICANS DO NOT OWN IT THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS. the dictators.
What a governmental, soap opera, it all, is… These lizards at law have been printing bogus money since day one, while pretending it’s of value, and now having spent us into bankruptcy, are trying to save face; again, at our expense; by accepting known counterfeits to buy our land with not federal; not reserve prehung paper; known to to be worthless… There should be Trade Dollars and Domestic Dollars with restrictions upon what trade dollars should represent; a bushel of wheat for a barrel of oil… try ingesting oil… you buy our products or quit your commerce means of deficit warring… Keep all the paper, our lizards at law have hung; youse guys have made it worthless… And such a great wakeup call for us to become so disadvantaged that we manufacture and buy only for and from ourselves; lest we get conquered by commerce… without a shot being fired… Edgrrr…
Please quote Bundy’s threat, instead of making a vague claim. I do not believe Bundy ever threatened violence in any way.
This is far from being over. Harry Reid and his son, Rory, have made a deal with the Chinese for this land. In order to save face he will pull something else worse. I pray we can hold them off and keep this land that belongs to us.
They’re going to build a lithium battery factory for Tesla there
The feds may have come looking for a fight, but when they suddenly realized that they were actually going to get one, they backed off. Maybe they weren’t really looking for a fight so much as a chance to bully people. The BLM stated that they backed off for the safety of their officers and the public. It is notable however, that they never backed off when the only danger seemed to be to the public; but only when they found their officers were in danger of being shot too. So for the BLM, and, I suspect, the rest of the current crop of federal agents of every stripe (along with a great many other, more local, LEOs), the only safety they seem to be concerned with, is their own. If you look at the video of the Boston marathon bomber’s arrest, you find no LEOs willing to try and arrest an already wounded young man hiding in a covered boat. They actually wait for the arrival of the SWAT troops with an armored vehicle to remove the cover from the boat. At the Colombine High School shooting, several people actually bled out and died while the numerous SWAT teams waited outside because they thought there might be explosive booby traps inside. That’s not the kind of behavior I was always taught to honor LEOs for. HHMMMNNN…Can you imagine Wyatt Earp acting like that?
PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO, THE CLOSEST TO THE TRUTH YOU WILL GET!
http://scgnews.com/bundy-ranch-what-youre-not-being-told?utm_medium=share-bar&utm_campaign=optimization&utm_source=link
Video is down (by scgnews.com) … said further investigation needed to verify information presented.
The REAL problem is that the government NO LONGER WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE. We are expected to support them and all their ideals whether we agree or not. A “housecleaning” is in order for ALL elected officials. The government is too big to even function at all. No one knows what the other is doing and there is far too much duplication. The states should govern their own people with the federal government to back them, not the other way around. We are a republic FOR THE PEOPLE. Our ancestors left their home lands to get away from government, I guess some people just can’t take care of themselves. Living in the West, I have a real problem with Washington telling us what we can and can’t do with our land. The environmental groups have their place but maybe they should look at ALL the facts and see what is being done BEFORE they B@@CH, moan and groan about all the threatened species. I want the land and animals to be here for the generations that follow but lets be sensible about it. The BLM does some good things but they definitely need to remember who they serve – THE PEOPLE – not the government.
Just follow the money and you will see it has nothing to do with protecting the species and environment. The money trail never lies, only people.
Just read the article i read at investors business daily… http://www.investorvillage.com/mbthread.asp?mb=67&nhValue=119050&nmValue=119090&dValue=1&tid=13743163&showall=1
Check to see the REAL connection to the BLM and Harry Reid’s family and friends. Talk about being corrupt! Leave it to government to cheat the people, but make sure you pay your taxes or you will do more time then any murderer.
http://www.investorvillage.com/mbthread.asp?mb=67&nhValue=119050&nmValue=119090&dValue=1&tid=13743163&showall=1
This goes along with the obama people wanting take our weapons away., and other fredoms. The people that work for the BLM must be bad people and not care what happens to his fellowmen. I”m talking about the top dogs . We do not need a civic war, iin which obama would like to have. He would be able to declare martial law and stay in power as a dictator. The goverment gave the banks & companys billions of tax payers monney. They could have given every body that had a joy one million dollars , and the ones that have lived off of the gover ment would be looking for a job. The goverment would be getting thier money back in taxes. We do not need our country tore up in a civil war with the loss of life
And then the minorities would rule!
The governmentals are simpleminded from so much inbreeding… trying to disarm Americans… Who will protect the sadomasochists as soon as they do…??? Edgrrr…
James – 20, maybe even 10 years ago, I would have said you were crazy too. The last few years though, I see why you were right. Great insight. Stansberry described it as “normalcy bias”. Probably about 90 percent of this country does not see what is coming.
This was a test to see how the American people would tollerate the feds taking over the land they use. It was also to measure how and what type of weapons, if any, would be brought to the stand off by the civilians. Now they have found out and will be pressing the gun grabbers to go after our 2nd amendment rights harder and sneakier than ever before. Everyone needs to wake up and vote out of office or impeach every one of those who, do not back the US consitiution and the freedoms it defines. It is time to find out who your representitives are and what they stand for, you and the country or teraianical regeime who is out to destroy The United States of America.
The psychophants have played their soap operas from their always on top motif down to whatever it takes to keep their soap opera afloat… at everybody elses’ expense, but their own… while they work both sides of the street with their Re-Pubic-Crap-Tic, Cons – Piracy… Edgrrr…
Here is a link to a well researched article on this issue, which is outstanding in its research. It proves that Harry Reid and his son are behind this whole thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFiosLqjoQQ
Thanks and keep up the good work.
Race Hudson
Boy, that video came down fast – NSA is watching.
Let’s face it. Bundy is not a hero. He has been using publicly owned lands for over 19 years without paying the minimal grazing fees charged by BLM. His competitors have to graze on their own land, pay taxes on that land, etc., and try to match his prices. Now he whines that the government wants him to pay back fees and stop mooching off the taxpayers. Boo Hoo for poor Bundy. I agree that the government, as usual, is mismanaging the situation and may be involved in some corruption. I agree that their heavy handedness is intolerable. But let Bundy quit whimpering and moaning that he is a victim.