People always remember the famous declaration, "No taxation without representation" and the Boston Tea Party, but people forget the anger aroused in the colonies by the Royal Proclamation of 1763 wherein the king forbade the colonies, thus the colonists, from using land west of the Appalachian Mountains. "Some historians have argued that colonial resentment of the proclamation contributed to the growing divide between the colonies and the mother country" and ultimately to war.
It appears Bundy paid the necessary grazing fees until the BLM directed him to cut the size of his herd. Bundy viewed the BLM decision regarding land his family had been using since the 1870s to be bureaucratic and arbitrary (RE: "No taxation without representation"), and Bundy refused to cut his herd, evidently, because it would hurt his earnings. At that point, the BLM began imposing fines; whereupon, Bundy quit paying the grazing fees. Meanwhile, while Bundy and other ranchers are being driven off the land by the BLM, Reid, et al, were seeking to profit by developing and exploiting the land in other ways.
Originally Posted by I B Hankering
The phrase "bureaucratic and arbitrary" is NOT synonymous with "no taxation without representation".
Bundy has had congressional representation his entire life - Congressman and Senators.
The mere fact that you have representation does NOT guarantee you pleasing results. If you don't like the way the BLM manages land, then vote for congressman who will pass laws to force BLM to operate differently.
On the other hand, if other voters keep returning to office Congressman who WON'T change the way the BLM operates, that should tell you that most people are satisfied with the way the BLM operates even if you are not.
Contrary to popular belief, it is perfectly within the power of Congress and the states to put people out of business. No one has the right to continue to operate a business a certain way forever.
If Congress finally got around to eliminating ethanol subsidies, a whole LOT of Iowa corn farmers will go out of business. Tough shit.
The same thing is true of sugar subsidies.
If Congress closed off all federal lands to coal mining (thereby increasing prices) or greatly increased fees (also resulting in higher prices) in order to force industry to move away from coal, there is NOTHING coal producers can do about it except try to elect Congressmen who will reverse the decision.
And, of course, we all know the power to tax is the power to destroy.
And the Congress and the BLM do not need to protect the tortoise in order to justify moving ranchers off the Nevada land. Practically ANY reason will do, no matter how small.
They can simple say they are trying to improve America's diet and reduce greenhouse gases. Cattle produce far more greenhouse gas per acre than food crops. And too much beef is bad for your health. If Congress makes beef much more expensive, they can kill two birds with one stone. People will eat less beef, thereby improving their health, reducing herd size, and reducing grazing land.
You many not LIKE that policy, but Congress that that power - like it or not.
Your only remedy is to replace Congress and make them change the policy back in favor of more beef.