Santorum to end hunting on Public Lands in Idaho

[JoseCuervo]

Went to the Santorum rally/speech last night in Boise. Uncovered yet another "anti-hunting" threat to those of us who hunt on public lands in the West.

Unbelivabley, Santorum is willing to turn Idaho (and Montana, Nevada, etc...) into another Texas where we can all shoot dinky rat-deer next to corn flingers behind high fences.

Santorum supports sale of federal lands in Idaho and the West, citing profits, better management
Submitted by Dan Popkey on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 10:55am, updated on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 11:17am

GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum told a Boise audience Tuesday night that he would work with Congress to transfer federal lands to states and sell lands to the private sector.

Santorum said the federal government "doesn't care" about its western lands and could make money and improve management by shedding ownership, an idea reminiscent of the "Sagebrush Rebellion" of the 1970s and 1980s.

About one quarter of the U.S. land mass is owned by the U.S. government.

An audience member asked Santorum about his view of "turning land over to the states." He replied that the one national forest in Pennsylvania, a state he represented for 12 years in the U.S. Senate, was poorly run.

He said national parks like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon belong in federal hands, but that vast tracts of other lands would be appropriate for transfer or sale.

Pennsylvania's Allegheny National Forest has 513,000 acres, about one-fifth the size of the Boise National Forest. The federal government owns 33.7 million acres in Idaho, almost 64 percent of the land mass. Of that, national forests comprise 20.5 million acres and the Bureau of Land Management holds 11.9 million acres. The state owns another 5 percent, leaving 31 percent of Idaho privately owned.

About 2 percent of Pennsylvania is comprised of federal lands, including 18 national parks, seven national heritage areas, 27 national natural landmarks and 161 national historic landmarks.

I've asked the Mitt Romney campaign for comment, and solicited reaction from Idaho Gov. Butch Otter and Idaho's all-GOP congressional delegation. Otter and Sen. Jim Risch are Mitt Romney's Idaho co-chairs and Rep. Mike Simpson has endorsed Romney. Sen. Mike Crapo and Rep. Raul Labrador have yet to endorse a candidate.

Here's what Santorum, who served 12 years in the U.S. Senate representing Pennsylvania Santorum had to say:

"We've been very blessed in Pennsylvania. We don't have a lot of federal lands in Pennsylvania. We have one federal national forest and it's about as badly managed as you can possibly imagine. I had more fights over this little plot of land up here, the Allegheny National Forest, and so I can only imagine, as I did because I experienced it, what the problems (were) with BLM, the problems with the Forest Service and a whole host of other agencies that the states that are heavily populated with federal lands have to deal with.

"My feeling is there are obviously very important critical areas of our country that should be under the purview of the federal government. No one's trying to turn Yellowstone over to the private sector or the states, or the Grand Canyon or anything else.

"But there's a lot of land out there that is land that can and should be managed by stewards who care about that land. I believe the land is there to serve man, not man there to serve the land. If we turn that, obviously, BLM, they just don't — look, we're not going to have the resources to manage this land correctly. The federal government doesn't care about it, they don't care about his land. They don't live here, they don't care about it, we don't care about it in Washington. It's just flyover country for most of the bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.

"We need to get it back into the hands of the states and even to the private sector. And we can make money doing it, we can make money doing it by selling it. So I believe that this is critically important.

"We do not need this huge amount amount of federal land under federal purview and I would be happy to work with your senators and congressmen out here in the West to put a plan together that's going to have a much more responsible management of land in the West than we've had in the last many years, OK?"

This guy is as anti-Hunting as Romney.

 

[smarandr]

Come on, Jose. You aren't any better than Wayne LaPierre and his massive Obama administration conspiracy to erase the 2nd amendment. Who are you trying to drum up money for?

I don't read anywhere in the article where Santorum is anti hunting. I read that he doesn't thing the Federal Government should be in the land owning business and that States and the private sector should be. Whether it's the the Boise National Forest or the Boise State Forest, it's still public land.

Don't construe this to mean I back Santorum or Romney's position on western public lands. In fact I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with you to fight for the continued existence of our public lands. I'm just disappointed with the way you're framing the speech.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Come on, Jose. You aren't any better than Wayne LaPierre and his massive Obama administration conspiracy to erase the 2nd amendment. Who are you trying to drum up money for?

I don't read anywhere in the article where Santorum is anti hunting. I read that he doesn't thing the Federal Government should be in the land owning business and that States and the private sector should be. Whether it's the the Boise National Forest or the Boise State Forest, it's still public land.

Don't construe this to mean I back Santorum or Romney's position on western public lands. In fact I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with you to fight for the continued existence of our public lands. I'm just disappointed with the way you're framing the speech.

You really think Santorum is going to make a "profit" by selling lands to the State of Idaho? Just exactly how much money is the Federal Government going to profit by selling land to the Sate of Idaho? To make a profit, he is selling them to private entities, thereby, ending your Public Land Hunting.

And, if you follow the actions of the Idaho Department of Lands, there is likely not a more inept group of land managers in the country. You will NEVER hear a decision from the State Land Board that is for hunting first. The State Land Board is in the pocket of Welfare Ranchers, Montana-based land barons, and, perhaps, the lowest IQ Governor in the US.

 

[mtlion]

Selling off as much federal land as you can to the highest biddder to make a few bucks seems as anti-coservation and anti-hunting as it gets. I do 90% of my hunting on federal land and it represents the only opportunity to hunt for many people. Screw Santorum.

 

[Big Fin]

Jose, thanks for posting that. I think it would have come in under the radar screen for most of us. At least it would have for me.

To hear these people continue to do promote this stupid idea, pisses me off to no end. It is this simple.

For many hunters, without public lands, there is no hunting. Without public lands, for many, there is no connection to their role in conservation.

It is almost like the hands of time have been turned back 110 years. It was at that time that Theodore Roosevelt was setting aside millions of acres of public land. He was a hunter. He understood the need for vast tracts of public land, and to paraphrase, "where all citizens can enjoy the sturdy pleasure of the chase, whether he is, or is not, a man of means."

His biggest detractors were those in his own party. A party I am registered to, but for the last ten years, have begun to wonder why I am registered to any party.

After the big drawn out battles during TR's presidency, the public estate that we all get to hunt today, increased by not just millions of acres, but HUNDREDS of millions of acres.

And, of all his detractors, how many of them have their face on Mt. Rushmore? None. And today, we hear politicians wanting to quote Roosevelt. For most of them, such recital of TR is an act of counterfeit.

Those of us who feel most alinged to conservative values bear more responsibility than any group to correct the Romneys and the Santorums about this stupid logic. If they are going to listen to anyone on the topic, it will be hunters who call them out.

Congress and the courts have made public land agencies all but nuetered. Yet, rather than correct that, these politcians have the bright idea of selling the corpus of the trust, rather than holding the trustee accountable for derliction of duty.

For politicians to spew this kind of crap is not something hunters should be silent on. Guys like Romney and Santorum take it for granted that hunters will vote for them due to the "Obama will take your guns" fears. I, for one, do not care to be taken for granted on a topic such as this.

 

[WV Hunter]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't this election boys.

 

[smarandr]

Of course Fin makes my point much more eloquently than I do. But I still want to know where Jose thinks I should send my money

 

[JoseCuervo]

Of course Fin makes my point much more eloquently than I do. But I still want to know where Jose thinks I should send my money

• Idaho Rivers United
• Advocates for the West
• Idaho Conservation League
• Western Watersheds Project

and about a dozen other entities that fight for Idaho's Public Lands, every day.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Fin,

I applaud your efforts of keeping your show on Public Lands. I know that you have to jump thru hoops to get your permits for your filming, but, I hope you continue to know the effort you put forth to be able to show the value of Public Lands to hunters across the country is needed.

The fact that you can put 13 (?) quality hunts together each year that almost all hunters would enjoy on land that they can access speaks to the value of the Public Lands.

The sad part of Santorum's comments last night about selling Public Lands is that a good chunk of the audience was in favour of it. And this was in "liberal" Boise, hardly out in "real" Idaho. I can only imagine how well this position would sell in Owyhee County, Grangeville, Orofino, and other areas.

Anyone supporting Santorum or Romeny obviously doesn't care about hunting and fishing.

 

[sreekers]

Fin,
I agree whole heartedly. I find myself baffled by what many "conservatives" think. I find myself less and less aligned with either party affiliation because of stupid stances like this one.

Thanks for voicing it as well as you do.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Jose, Regardless if they support Romney or Santorum the larger problem exists that we allow people who have or will have an influence on our Public lands to continue to think that way. We all know how easily today's Senator, Congressman or President is bought off on important issues. I suggest if the people running state the lack of understanding on the Public Lands Issue everyone should make sure they are sent a message of concern by the voters. Because it just might not be the fellow you want to get in there and at least we will have had a voice. John

 

[whyelkhunt]

If you give the federal government more money they just spend it,nevermind the massive debt built in the last six years.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Jose, Regardless if they support Romney or Santorum the larger problem exists that we allow people who have or will have an influence on our Public lands to continue to think that way. We all know how easily today's Senator, Congressman or President is bought off on important issues. I suggest if the people running state the lack of understanding on the Public Lands Issue everyone should make sure they are sent a message of concern by the voters. Because it just might not be the fellow you want to get in there and at least we will have had a voice. John

I can assure you Santorum left Boise in a good mood, because every time he said "God", he got a standing ovation. When he described the Declaration of Independence and rights from the "Creator", he got a standing ovation. When he grabbed his mini-version of the Constitution from his pocket, he got a standing ovation. When he said the federal government wants to force Catholics to hire non-Catholics as priests, he got a standing ovation. And, all those who stood and applauded him when he said Muslims want to kill us because we are Christians are the same ones who applauded when he said he wanted to sell Public Lands and end hunting in Idaho.

You can write Santorum all the letters you want, send him checks with notes attached. Good luck, and I applaud your efforts.

I will take slightly more assertive and positive actions to protect My Public Lands so that YOU can come hunt on them.

 

[JoseCuervo]

If you give the federal government more money they just spend it,nevermind the massive debt built in the last six years.

The wars have been going on longer than the last 6 years. Bush was elected 12 years ago.

If you listen to Santorum, 3 months after he is inaugurated, we will be at war with Iran. Good luck paying for that.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Rick, You have stated in Idaho that it might be a good idea to Turnover or sell Public Lands that our American Heritage is based upon. That statement will lose you the votes of Millions of Public Land Hunter and those who enjoy them for what they are. An American legacy to our Children and Grandchildren. I look forward to hearing you say you will support the American Public Lands and that they are not for sale. Thank You
Jose, Thanks for watching MY public lands while I am away! I know my little message to Rick was not much, but I am not sitting on my thumb. John

 

[JoseCuervo]

And what someone deep in his campaign staff read....

Rick, You have stated in Idaho that it might be a good idea to Turnover or sell Public Lands that our American Heritage is based upon.........votes of Millions ......... An American legacy to our Children and Grandchildren. I look forward to .... you ....... American. Thank You John

I plan on going to the GOP caucus next month, and I will attempt to educate the God, Guns, and Glory crowd that will support him because Obama wants to confiscate all of our guns, murder all of our children, and provide nuclear weapons to Iran.

And then, I will attempt to educate the Romney supporters on the other side of the room that support him because Obama wants to end religious freedoms, because the 230k jobs created last month would have been much more if Romeny was in office, and, unlike Obama, Romney is not a Muslim.

 

[Big Fin]

Rick, You have stated in Idaho that it might be a good idea to Turnover or sell Public Lands that our American Heritage is based upon. That statement will lose you the votes of Millions of Public Land Hunter and those who enjoy them for what they are. An American legacy to our Children and Grandchildren. I look forward to hearing you say you will support the American Public Lands and that they are not for sale. Thank You
Jose, Thanks for watching MY public lands while I am away! I know my little message to Rick was not much, but I am not sitting on my thumb. John

Very cool, John. Can't wait until he shows up in Montana with that drivel. Wonder if I could convince any hunters to show up and voice their opinions.

 

[theat]

I have a strong feeling that the only hunters that these guys associate with spends thousands or tens of thousands of dollars for a hunt and most likely have never set foot on public lands. They either don't realize or don't care that the vast majority of us out west depend on federal lands for our hunting/recreation.

I used to consider myself a conservative but after the last MT legislative session and hearing what the candidates have been saying the last few months I thing the republican party has lost any connection to me or my values.

 

[Pagosa]

Much bigger issues in life than hunting. I enjoy elk hunting and running dogs, but life in America is about to dramatically change. We have 14 trillion in govt debt and 43 trillion in consumer debt. Foreign nations own us. Why do you think America is not mentioned in the Bible? It's ok to kill the unborn, promote gay sex, tax us greatly, give to others that don't work. But be sure to save the wolf and desert tortoise.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Much bigger issues in life than hunting. I enjoy elk hunting and running dogs, but life in America is about to dramatically change. We have 14 trillion in govt debt and 43 trillion in consumer debt. Foreign nations own us. Why do you think America is not mentioned in the Bible? It's ok to kill the unborn, promote gay sex, tax us greatly, give to others that don't work. But be sure to save the wolf and desert tortoise.

1.) Public lands supply much of the country with it's drinking water. You want to put that into private hands?

2.) 14 Trillion came from 2 wars on a credit card and profligate spending under a largely R administration and congress.

3.) America isn't mentioned in the Bible because we became a nation 1700 years after it was written.

4.) Nobody is promoting gay sex within the Gov't.

5.) Taxing us to death? Please. We have a lower tax rate today than we have in the last 50 years. The sad fact is, we're upside down on taxes. Cutting budgets won't get us where we need to go, increasing revenue along with strategic cuts will. Ask the House of Reps why the military cuts in the brokered Debt Super-Committee are being tossed aside.

Obama hasn't been at the helm for $43 trillion in consumer debt. The past Congresses (D and R) and the past Admin (R) has been the promoter of credit spending.