Gohmert to BLM: ‘Keep Up The Arrogance’ - We’ll Cut Your Budget

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) told two federal land officials, “I come bearing good news. I think if your employees keep up the arrogance, keep denying access to the land then very soon we’ll be able to dramatically cut your employees back and start turning those powers over to the states.”

Gohmert’s comments came during a Joint Legislative Hearing "To protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing, and shooting, and for other purposes” in late May.

Deputy Director of Operations for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Steve Ellis and Deputy Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, Leslie Weldon testified at the hearing and heard complaints about denial of access onto National Forest Service and BLM land from sportsmen and law enforcement.

“Today, I wanted to take advantage of your presence here by letting you know things I’ve been hearing,” Gohmert said. “About the arrogance of people on U.S. Forest Service land and (Dept. of) Interior land – national forests - even from law enforcement, they say it’s just gotten tougher and tougher to deal with arrogant people on the national forests. Not getting access when they need it, not working with local law enforcement. And that’s been really helpful to me.”

“Some of us have been pushing for a while- let’s just dramatically cut back the U.S. Forest Service, the BLM, the Department of Interior and let each state manage the federal land within it’s boundaries.”

Gohmert later added, “I guess maybe from your standpoint it might be seen as a warning, from my standpoint it’s really good news that the arrogance of both of your employees are ultimately going to allow us to get the next president, Republican or Democrat, to end up eventually signing legislation that lets our states  - they’ll do a much better job at managing your land then your departments have been doing.”

Via: CNS News

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Closed for the Busy Season

Northern New England is in its glory; now and for the next week or so.  The leaves are nearing peak color and until yesterday, there has been a big high pressure zone parked over the area so the weather has been what would once have been described as "heavenly." It has been raining now but in a few days, the sun will shine again and the leaves will still be there, in full.  And for that, Washington can take no credit.

However … it has done something that will cause some small business people, who depend on this season, to suffer.  According to the Caledonian Record, the U.S. Forest Service has closed 21 campgrounds and many more camp sites in the White Mountain National Forest and part of the government "shutdown."

What is called "leaf-peeping season" generally brings more than half a million visitors to New Hampshire, “pumping nearly $90 million into the economy.”

One campground owner who has had contracts with the government since 1992 estimates that he will:

… lose $50,000 from the fully booked campsites -- unless a deal is reached. 

The law is the law, of course.  And a shutdown is a shutdown. Partial or not.  But one wonders if a government less haughty and not so inclined to view citizens as subjects might not have lost the paperwork on this one.  

For just a couple of weeks, anyway. 

Via: Weekly Standard

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