An open letter:
Dear President,
National forest is to the left of us, national forest is to the right. National forest is straight ahead of us, it's a sight, sight, sight.
The Gallitan National Forest is north, east and south of our home, in view, when looking out the picture windows or hanging out on our wraparound porch or deck. The Bridger Range, the Crazy Mountains, the Madison Range, the Gallitan Range and the Abasarokas are USFS properties. Cooke City is surrounded by the national forest. Bozeman's water supply comes primarily from Bozeman/Sourdough Creek and the Hyalite Reservoir, flowing out of Gallitan National Forest.
Gallitan National Forest
Ranger Districts.
We are not unique in Montana, where the Federal Government owns 29 percent of the total land. We may not be your subjects quite to the extent of Alaska (60 percent federal ownership) or Idaho (61 percent), but we also are also not quite the ignorant flatlanders that you made us out to be, during one or your petulant piques, earlier this year.
We have a simple question Dear President. That is, when are your US Forest Service rangers going to catch up to their dear colleagues in the National Park Service in the race to implement the federal government shutdown? We are scheduling a little get together. For the comfort of our guests we want to schedule for a date before homeward passages will be barricaded, the water supply cut off and views verboten.
Please do tell, Dear President, please do tell.
Sincerely,
Bozeman Comrade
Oregon's share of federal land within its borders is 53% - state and local lands another 3%. Enough to qualify Oregon ("She flies with her own wings") as dependent on the Feds for our existence. Most of the population relies on water that comes from Federal Forest sources. What about the interstate freeways that connect distant parts of large states - all federally owned. If Dear Leader - oops, President, is able to shut down all forms of federal gov. o punish us into submission, water and health care would just about do it.
ReplyDeleteMight it be time for the state to try to "kelo" the federal land? I know the odds of that working are nearly non-existent but it might be fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteFrontal, issue oriented assault on the Supremacy Clause, would make for fascinating theater and might educate a few of the folks who are educable.
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