Oh No, The New Awesome Primary Thread

Some news reports in the past week have described people stopping by with supplies and more guns. The reinforcing militia men were told their help wasn't needed.There does not yet appear to be a cordon sanitaire.

Here's an article written by an Oregon rancher. No, it does not explain why a bunch of loons from Nevada should go to Oregon against the wishes of the locals to take up arms against America and seize a bird sanctuary in support of correctly-convicted arsonists, so it's not really something "on the Bundy side". But it does show that ranchers have some grievances that are more legitimate than that.https://www.washingtonpost.com/...d-about-the-bundy-standoff

Law enforcement is trying a hands-off policy. Way off. The Bundy Bunch come and go.

ThinkProgress offers the most detailed examination of the conflict's recent and historical roots that I've seen. The area is ripe for conflict in part because it is so poorly suited to ranching. How The Bundy Standoff Could Screw Over RanchersOf particular interest, they note that stakeholders in and around the refuge had reached a sort of detent prior to the occupation:

quote:

---

Just a few years ago, however, stakeholders including ranchers, environmentalists, and federal agents unveiled an agreed-upon conservation plan for the wildlife refuge sitting in the heart of the basin. It had taken three years to negotiate, but the result which took into consideration ranchers’ livelihoods, ecological concerns, and local economic sustainability became a beacon of hope in the region, as well as in other rural communities wrought with similar conflict.

​

Now, Ammon Bundy’s headline-grabbing occupation is imperiling that accord.

---

Also, the Hammonds, the cause celebre of the occupiers, were water thieves before they were arsonists.

That is an interesting article. Ranching is definitely on of the riskier business to be in and it would not be possible in many cases without the government subsidizing it.When I follow the link in this sentence "The siege on our industry has only increased under the Obama administration. Officials are effectively regulating us out of business by enforcing a string of unprecedented environmental restrictions." I did not find a single regulation listed. Instead, I found a list of grievances about the federal government ignoring laws passed by states ordering the Federal government to hand over all federal land to the state. So basically they are all pissed that they couldn't use conservative controlled state government to confiscate U.S. public land.This was the only link I followed in his article but I think it pretty much shows this rancher's agenda. It is ok to have an agenda but don't give us a sob story about how tough it is to be a rancher and then ask for free stuff at the expense of the rest of us. This guy's dream was to become a rancher. These are the same guys who are pissed about hungry children getting food stamps.

Plus, they illegally grazed on public land where no grazing was allowed. This happened numerous times at Page Springs campground, damaging sensitive habitat.It is really amazing how much damage a herd of cows can do to springs, streams and riparian zones. Sometimes it takes generations to recover and then only if effort is made to restore it and the cattle are kept out.

There is something in the hearts of some of the folks who think all environmentalists are radicals that yearns to desecrate the natural world in order to wound their political opponents.This occurred to me some years ago when I read a news report of a man who paddled a small boat to an island off the west coast with the express purpose of girdling an ancient, well-loved tree. It wasn't in the way of any development or industry, as I recall--he simply wanted to kill it because of what it meant to others.Since then, I've seen and heard this wanton impulse in many guises, from Congress to conversation, all frighteningly ugly, more akin to war-time raping and pillaging than a political dispute with fellow citizens.

I am always puzzled by them. It is as if they cannot see any beauty in the world and feel the need destroy or dominate nature as affirmation of the superiority of their species.I am slowly becoming convinced that there may be 2 species of humans on this planet.

Like Donald Trump?

quote:

---

Republican front-runner Donald Trump directed security to kick out Bernie Sanders supporters from his Vermont rally and to confiscate their coats.

​

"Throw them out into the cold," Trump ordered security, as protesters shouted "Bernie! Bernie!" during his rally Thursday night in Burlington, Vt.

​

"Don't give them their coats," Trump added. "No coats! Confiscate their coats."

​

"It's about 10 degrees below zero outside. ... You can keep his coat; tell him we'll send it to him in a couple of weeks,"

---

What rational person could ever vote for such a vile person?

As a young sci-fi fan, I used to fantasize that I was an alien orphan: if I thought hard enough, they'd come back for me.My favorite visualization was a tractor beam lifting me right out of my 4th grade seat and through the windows of Daniel Webster Elementary, to the consternation of Miss Morton The Terrible.Eventually, I decided I was a native, but lots of other people...

I am the very model of a modern mad militiaman:
if ducks should be defeated then I'm sure that my militia can;
when mallards take your freedoms we'll be there to save your liberties
we'd hang 'em in a gibbet if we knew just what a gibbet is;
if pochards cause you problems then I've got the right solution; I'll
dispatch a private army and I'll claim it's constitutional;
equipped with proper weaponry you'll see how very well I can
defend this free republic when it's threatened by a pelican.Confronting grebes is something that I've surely got your backing on
so kindly send us Cheez-its and Doritos to be snacking on;
you'll sleep much sounder knowing that in us the People have a set
of patriotic heroes who'll defend you from an avocet.
We'll stand up to a gosling, all my brave militiamen agree,
and run like hell if ever we should meet an actual enemy:
I'd lead my legions backwards quick as ever a militia ran;
I am the very model of a modern mad militiaman.

I can guarantee that no rational person will vote for him.

quote:

---

The Hunter

​

The hunter crouches in his blind
'Neath camouflage of every kind
And conjures up a quacking noise
To lend allure to his decoys
This grown-up man, with pluck and luck
is hoping to outwit a duck

​

-Ogden Nash

---

Couldn't resist--intended as applause.

There are increasingly strident calls for the disarming and arrest of these criminals, coming from individuals and many organizations that are involved with, or support Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.I have visited Malheur a couple hundred time in my life. Most of the very best time I spent with my father was at Malheur. Oregon Judge Plans to Bill the Bundy Militia $70,000 a Day to Cover County Security Costs

I've been wondering, since these are public lands, does a private citizen have legal standing to litigate againt the Bundy Bunch?Or how about litigation to press the Federal government on the issue? I know the SCOTUS only really likes the Equal Protection Clause when protecting Republican presidential candidates, but still.Senior Bundy (right turn, Clive) continues to graze his cattle without paying the rent, threatens to shoot anyone who trespasses on "his" land, and he and his militia compatriots remain untouched after an armed insurrection and threatening of Federal agents.That first "hands-off Bundys" policy was a dangerous mistake.