Viro "Endangeres Species" ideology used to block border protection
From RJ Smith:
"The House Natural Resources Committee hearing TODAY [4/28/16] at 2:30 p.m., ET.
"The hearing is on The Consequences of Federal Land Management Policies Along the U.S. Border to Rural Communities and National Security.
"The star witness will be Sue Chilton. Jim and Sue Chilton are longtime ranchers from s.e. Arizona and run a 50,000 acre ranch in Arivaca, which is south of Tucson and west of Nogales. They have extensive grazing allotments in the Coronado National Forest extending right to the Mexican border.
"The border there is nothing more that a few sagging rusty strands of barbed wire, stretching for mile after mile. Not only to people cross the border with complete ease, but even Mexican cattle from adjacent ranches south of the border. There is a continuous flood of illegal aliens, drug runners, and almost certainly potential terrorists. The drug runners are armed with AK-47s. The Chilton's land is criss-crossed with trails made by the constant and repeated flow of humans. Abandoned belongings, sometimes including drugs, and garbage are piled everywhere. Arabic papers have been found in some of these sites. And ranch homes have been burglarized and at least two ranchers have moved because of the danger.
"When Chilton is riding his land either by horse or wherever a pickup can go he always carries at least two guns, a pistol and a rifle, and may keep a shotgun in his truck.
"The Feds know about this but are making no effort to halt it. The nearest Border Patrol site is some 20 miles north of the border. There is no one and nothing at the border. The Chiltons have even offered to lease 20 acres next to the border to the Border Patrol for $1 a year so they can build an outpost. But they have not responded.
"And the Greens and Feds continue to make it even more difficult to do anything about halting the flow by listing endangered species in the area and designating critical habitat. Thereby preventing any possible efforts to seal the border or even patrol it. They are now planning to designate much of the land as critical habitat for the Jaguar. That's right. The Jaguar. They also argue that fences prevent wildlife from crossing the border and have actually argued that a fence prevents birds from crossing the border. Perhaps they have seen too many roadrunner cartoons and don't realize that most birds have wings.
"So next time you hear a government official say the border is secure and there are no problems or dangers involving people and drugs and possible terrorists crossing the border you will know the truth.
"P.S. The Department of Homeland Security refused to testify at this afternoon's hearing. Does that make you feel safer? Seems like they are more concerned with frisking 80 year-old folks trying to get on a plane."
* And if you can't watch it live this afternoon, you can watch it later from the achieved hearings.
"The House Natural Resources Committee hearing TODAY [4/28/16] at 2:30 p.m., ET.
"The hearing is on The Consequences of Federal Land Management Policies Along the U.S. Border to Rural Communities and National Security.
"The star witness will be Sue Chilton. Jim and Sue Chilton are longtime ranchers from s.e. Arizona and run a 50,000 acre ranch in Arivaca, which is south of Tucson and west of Nogales. They have extensive grazing allotments in the Coronado National Forest extending right to the Mexican border.
"The border there is nothing more that a few sagging rusty strands of barbed wire, stretching for mile after mile. Not only to people cross the border with complete ease, but even Mexican cattle from adjacent ranches south of the border. There is a continuous flood of illegal aliens, drug runners, and almost certainly potential terrorists. The drug runners are armed with AK-47s. The Chilton's land is criss-crossed with trails made by the constant and repeated flow of humans. Abandoned belongings, sometimes including drugs, and garbage are piled everywhere. Arabic papers have been found in some of these sites. And ranch homes have been burglarized and at least two ranchers have moved because of the danger.
"When Chilton is riding his land either by horse or wherever a pickup can go he always carries at least two guns, a pistol and a rifle, and may keep a shotgun in his truck.
"The Feds know about this but are making no effort to halt it. The nearest Border Patrol site is some 20 miles north of the border. There is no one and nothing at the border. The Chiltons have even offered to lease 20 acres next to the border to the Border Patrol for $1 a year so they can build an outpost. But they have not responded.
"And the Greens and Feds continue to make it even more difficult to do anything about halting the flow by listing endangered species in the area and designating critical habitat. Thereby preventing any possible efforts to seal the border or even patrol it. They are now planning to designate much of the land as critical habitat for the Jaguar. That's right. The Jaguar. They also argue that fences prevent wildlife from crossing the border and have actually argued that a fence prevents birds from crossing the border. Perhaps they have seen too many roadrunner cartoons and don't realize that most birds have wings.
"So next time you hear a government official say the border is secure and there are no problems or dangers involving people and drugs and possible terrorists crossing the border you will know the truth.
"P.S. The Department of Homeland Security refused to testify at this afternoon's hearing. Does that make you feel safer? Seems like they are more concerned with frisking 80 year-old folks trying to get on a plane."
* And if you can't watch it live this afternoon, you can watch it later from the achieved hearings.
If you want an interim step, I would suggest that we remove from the agency the right to declare species endanger and have congress specifically list the species that will be protected. That would take away their favored examples when they are fighting it and make them defend rats and other vermin.
They reject requirements for Congressional approval of listings for the same reason they reject Congressional approval of anything: they won't give up the power and call it "political interference with science".