Liberty Matters News Service

January 30, 2001

It's Baaaack!

CARA’s two strongest promoters, Rep. Don Young, (R-AK) and John Dingel, (D-MI), have wasted no time getting their beloved Conservation and Reinvestment Act into the limelight.  In a letter to President Bush, the two congressmen strongly suggest the administration would benefit by “a common sense environmental bill as a key component of your first agenda” recommending the president help “move our nation’s conservation legacy forward.”   Young and Dingel were not satisfied with last year’s compromise “CARA Lite,” a version which provided a mere $12 billion for land acquisition and conservation over six years instead of their massive entitlement legislation of  $45 billion over fifteen years.  Young said that “CARA would be an excellent opportunity to pass a significant bipartisan bill during the first 100 days of the new Bush administration,” perhaps hinting that Congress would make things tough if he doesn’t cooperate.  Let the administration know that CARA would face extreme opposition if pushed this session. read more...

Cease and Desist

Within 90 minutes of taking office, President Bush issued orders to block President Clinton’s flurry of last-minute executive orders and rules.  The Government Printing Office was instructed to halt publication of new rules in the Federal Register to afford the new administration time to review “any new or pending regulations.”  A 60-day stay on published, but unimplemented, regulations was imposed as well.  The Democrats warned they would be watching carefully for any signs the administration intended to do anything “conservative” that would cast doubts Bush was really trying to mend “political wounds from the election.”  Senate Minority Leader, Daschle, (D-SD) added, … “there would be very serious repercussions were they [Clinton’s orders] to be terminated this quickly.” read more...

Don't Mean Nuthin'

Interior Department officials thumbed their noses at President Bush’s orders to refrain from publishing rules.  Two days after Bush’s orders were issued, final rules banning snowmobiles in Yellowstone Park appeared in the Federal Register.  Park Service spokesmen tried to explain the blatant disregard of orders by suggesting it was too late to stop publication.  Not only did Interior disobey the President’s order, the Department ignored thousands of comments pertaining to the snowmobile ban.  “The Clinton administration continues to appall us, said a spokesman for the Blue Ribbon Coalition,  “They’ve made a career of that over the last eight years, and they continued right up to the last minute.” read more...

Eco-Terrorism on Rise

The Earth Liberation Front has claimed responsibility for a $400,000 fire, which destroyed the offices of Superior Lumber Co. in Glendale, Oregon in early January.   In a message by its mouthpiece, Portland vegetarian Craig Rosebraugh, the group proclaimed  “This year, 2001, we hope to see an escalation in tactics against capitalism and industry.”

The terrorists target industries they think are pillaging the earth for “profit.”  In 1998 the group torched a Vail, Colorado ski resort, causing $12 million in damages and late last year, they set fire to new homes on Long Island, N.Y. to protest urban sprawl.  The FBI has been unable to find any of the members, who they believe operate from small, unorganized cells.  Ron Arnold, of the Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise believes the crimes are serious enough to warrant a full-scale investigation.  “I think the lack of arrests is indicative of a lack of determination,” he said.  read more...

Oregon Did it Right

In November, when most went to the polls to vote for the next president, voters in Oregon approved a constitutional amendment by 54% known as Measure 7.  The amendment says that if the state or a local government passes or enforces a regulation that restricts the use of private property, the owner shall be paid for any loss in value. Oregon, in the past, has lead the nation in environmental protections for salmon habitat, urban sprawl and setting aside land that used to be farms and productive forests.  So to pass Measure 7 was, to say the least, a surprise.  A court order has put the measure on hold while legal challenges work their way to the Oregon Supreme Court.