ALEC Legislators - Privatization of Public Lands

Many times I have referred to the focus of ALEC state legislators to destroy our public lands - by turning them over to their ALEC corporate masters.

The ALEC goal - get a hold of public lands so the states can then either sell them to private entities or lease them to private entities.

Public lands are the public commons.
The public commons is for the people.

ALEC believes that instead of raising taxes that ALEC legislators should promote the sale of state assets to private entities.

ALEC legislators want the public commons to be given to the private sector, all of it - it is happening across the US where ALEC legislators are trying to get control of public lands for their ALEC corporate masters.

This past weekend a article came up that is short and I will reprint in it's entirety.

ICL Pushes Back Against Hopes for State Grab of Federal Land: 'It's Not a Piggy Bank to be Raided'

Posted by Morgan Barnhart on Fri, Feb 8, 2013 at 4:15 PM

The Idaho Conservation League is blasting some Idaho lawmakers for proposing a state takeover of federal land, saying that “it represents a threat” of privatization of public lands, .

“One of our primary arguments is that this is an ideology that’s been disproved in the courts before," Jonathan Oppenheimer, ICL senior conservation associate, told Boise Weekly, adding that “right wing groups” such as the American Legislative Exchange Council are behind the “radical proposals.”

Currently, 33 million acres are managed by the federal government. However, similar to Utah’s recent stake on federal land, some Idaho Legislators are advocating for a state takeover.

“We have a lot of concerns," said Oppenheimer. “The public land is not a piggy bank to be raided.”

Oppenheimer said groups like ALEC and lawmakers such as Republican Utah Rep. Ken Ivory have been traveling around the West, promoting the bills as “profitable."

If such a measure were ever passed in Idaho, Oppenheimer said that the ICL would have concerns that public lands could be privatized, resulting in no-trespassing signs popping up.

Oppenheimer was quick to add that there has been no proposed Idaho legislation to date, but insisted, “This represents a threat to our land and, potentially, a years long legal battle that would drain Idaho’s tax dollars.”

Oppenheimer said groups like ALEC and lawmakers such as Republican Utah Rep. Ken Ivory have been traveling around the West, promoting the bills as “profitable."

PROFIT - ALEC legislators serving their ALEC Corporate masters

NOT THE PUBLIC - they are suppose to serve.

FINALLY - people are starting to wake up and see this for what it is.
Land grabs by legislators of the American Legislative Exchange Council which would serve only their ALEC profit sector corporate masters.

FINALLY!!! - people are starting to wake up and speaking out.