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| -Land of the Free |
| Feds back down in Nevada |
| 2014-04-13 |
| For now. They'll be back. Zombies always do. But make no mistake. This was a big win. Two photos: One. Two (Reuters) - U.S. officials ended a stand-off with hundreds of armed protesters in the Nevada desert on Saturday, calling off the government's roundup of cattle it said were illegally grazing on federal land and giving about 300 animals back to the rancher who owned them. The dispute less than 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas between rancher Cliven Bundy and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management had simmered for days. Bundy had stopped paying fees for grazing his cattle on the government land and officials said he had ignored court orders. Anti-government groups, right-wing politicians and gun-rights activists camped around Bundy's ranch to support him. The bureau had called in a team of armed rangers to Nevada to seize the 1,000 head of cattle on Saturday but backed down in the interests of safety. |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #19 This guy can't even round up cattle with a swat team. When I. "take" Crimea, it stays taken! |
| Posted by: Vlad Putin laughing 2014-04-13 21:01 |
| #18 There is never an excuse for a military response to what amounts to a financial dispute. The Bundys own no real property or other liquid assets that the government of the people by the people and for the people couldn't merely put liens on? Hell, I'm no radical, but if I lived nearby, I might have wandered over and toasted a marshmallow by the campfire. |
| Posted by: Snusort Spomose2148 2014-04-13 19:35 |
| #17 This whole argument of him owing back fees is mute. Fees for what? His permit has been revoked for 20 years. He cant pay for a revoked permit. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2014-04-13 19:32 |
| #16 There are some "letters" floating around the Internet that essentially suggest that the Feds fully intend to resume things as soon as the media attention and the supporters. The "letters" also state that the White House will revoke the press credentials of anyone who asks about the Bundy situation during a White House press conference. Whether the "letters" and suggestions are true or not remain to be seen. What does appear to be true is that Harry Reid has made NO public comment about what is going on in his home state. |
| Posted by: Chantry 2014-04-13 19:20 |
| #15 His argument as I understand it is that Clark County, not the Feds, own the property and should receive the fees. If he's not current on fees to both I find it hard to support him. I still hate the heavy jackboot (Snipers? Dogs and Tasers? Closure of airspace?) of an imperious and asshole bureaucracy. Pay the fees to Clark Countyso Harry gets his cut. The Chinese will want reimbursement for the "Happy ending" they paid Rory and Harry Reid for their solar farms |
| Posted by: Frank G 2014-04-13 17:11 |
| #14 MSM, Progressives and Obamazoids (OK, so I'm a sucker for redundancy) escalate the cry for firearms controls in 3..2..1..... |
| Posted by: Uncle Phester 2014-04-13 16:46 |
| #13 Raising cattle in the desert since 1870's and then comes along bringing in gambling and prostitutes bent on taking everything anyone owns, elects cockroaches to public office to start taking everything ranchers out of everything they own, 51 down, 1 over at Gold Butte with heavy influence on the local federal liberal court system... Bull Shit. |
| Posted by: Bubba Graiting8281 2014-04-13 15:57 |
| #12 Bull shit. |
| Posted by: Bubba Graiting8281 2014-04-13 15:44 |
| #11 Let me say again that none of what I just wrote excuses the government's heavy handedness in this. Bringing in the marshals, the helicopters and the SWAT team is not appropriate. There's a lease. That's a contract. Each side is supposed to abide by it. Problems? Take it to court since courts are usually very good at handling contract disputes. Present your case and then abide by what the court says. Or appeal. But when you lose in court and then tell the government to go to hell you are inviting a response. Guess what -- the government responded. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2014-04-13 15:13 |
| #10 The other side of this is that (apparently) Bundy hasn't been paying the proper leasing fee to the BLM for use of the land. His complaint (apparently) is that the BLM hasn't honored their side of the lease agreement. What those terms are I don't know. But usually if the government feels it's owed money, and takes you to court, and gets an order, and you then flout the order, force is going to be used to carry out that order. That's why they are the government. My point: Bundy could and should have expected this. Is the government being too heavy handed? Yes. But when you mess with the bull you get the horns. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2014-04-13 15:09 |
| #9 I just had a horrible thought. Suppose it wouldn't ended peacefully---would future historians talk about "a cow [you know] heard around the World"? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2014-04-13 14:40 |
| #8 Two things the Bundy's need straight away; a good legal team and a solid personal security detail. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-04-13 14:02 |
| #7 Bundy audited by IRS in? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2014-04-13 13:53 |
| #6 They said that "they won't enforce the court order". That means it remains in force. The next move would to either block larger access (to seal the area), or arrange a provocation, which would give them the excuse to go right for the jugular, i.e. shoot up the farm proper, and take every one into custody for resisting. The 'heavy' swat units don't like the notion that someone can say no. Expect to see unusual trucks and SUV's to continue to drive around the area, looking for an opening. Also expect, oh, USDA inspections, health inspections, EPA, etc. There'll be an 'accident'. (See Voltaire on 'shooting an Admiral now for the encouragement of the others.) |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2014-04-13 12:53 |
| #5 called in a team of armed rangers Sounds like China at Tianamen Square. Bring in the outsiders with no local connection to shoot the citizens. Does this count as revolution? Does Libya count as war? |
| Posted by: AlanC 2014-04-13 12:51 |
| #4 Pic # 1 is . . . . interesting. Wonder what the egress plan is? |
| Posted by: Canuckistan sniper 2014-04-13 12:29 |
| #3 So the BLM is basically 'All Hat and no cattle?" |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2014-04-13 11:52 |
| #2 Tragedy on the Commons averted for now. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2014-04-13 11:31 |
| #1 I would find the exercise even more worthwhile if the Reid/China connection does not go "poof" (thank you SoS Kerry) before a full and complete investigation has been conducted. |
| Posted by: Uncle Phester 2014-04-13 11:00 |
