{"article":{"id":14963,"heading":"Bush\"s budget amendment privatizes Public land","author":"L. Zack","created":"2002-02-17 05:18:53","modified":"2002-02-17 05:35:33","last_modified":"Sun, 17 Feb 2002 12:35:33","article":"

BUSH'S BUDGET AMENDMENT PRIVATIZES ALL

PUBLIC LAND

take action and boycott

In a swindle bigger than the savings and loan or enron

scandle, bushes budget amendment will make permanent the

privatization of more than 530 MILLION ACRES of BLM,

National wilderness , national forest land by charging

fees to the public to use their OWN LAND. This is part of

a strategy by corporate america not only to privatize and

commercialize all recreation and access to that land but a

corporate pillage of timber, oil, mining and other resources.

These corporate interests are heavily subsidized by hundreds

of millions of taxpayers dollars. These lands are NOT a

commodity to profit off the people while companies make billions

The forest service threatens to close off large portions of

land to the people. We already pay taxes to manage our land

and should not be charged twice. Businesses that sell the passes

profit by getting them cheaper. Bush's forest service wants

\" private investment in government facilities and land \" for

example if a RV park company developes a camp ground they would

be able to charge anything for rent and profit off the passes

to the forest. the government is also attempting to trade high

pay government jobs to private contractors paying minumum wage.

The fees starting at 5 dollars a day, 30 for a full year will

probably rise (national parks doubled in one year) making it a

burden for poor people who can not afford it. it is similiar to

the privatization of prisons where they said they will save

money but do not and the companies reap huge profits. congress

historicly reduced appropriations contingent upon reciepts so

improvements seem unlikely. Demonstrations have been going on

and have only recovered the cost of collecting and enforcing

the fees.The forest service says they are \"creating partnerships

for quality of service delivery\" and \"fostering partnerships

with private entities to optimize resources\". their propaganda

elicited some support from both parties. It is important to take

ACTION by communicating with your representatives in congress

by phone, letter (refer to public law 104-134.) BOYCOTT and

put pressure on the AMERICAN RECREATION COALITION members who

claimed to initiate this program and want to hold our land

HOSTAGE!! They are

THE WALT DISNEY CORPORATION TIMES MIRROR MAGAZINES REI co.

the coleman company LL BEAN HARLEY KAMPGROUNDS OF AMERICA

B.A.S.S OUTDOOR RESORTS OF AMERICA WESTREC MARINAS JAYCO

JOHNSON WORLDWIDE ASSOCIATES MARATHON COACH GRADY-WHITE BOATS

OUTBOARD MARINE CORPORATION BOATS\/US DELAWARE NORTH COMPANIES

(facts footnoted upon request)<\/p>\n","contact":"lakegull@msn.com","link":"","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"Permanently privatizes public land","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2002\/02\/14963.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}