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Oh, I almost forgot. The radicals and the Federal
bureaucrats have begun to "worry" that domestic sheep grazing in the
Sierras will "infect" the precious California bighorn sheep. So the
Federal government is using the bighorn as the reason they "have" to
shut down the sheep grazing allotments all over the Sierras. If this stands (as
it has) what about domestic dogs transmitting parvo or distemper to the precious
wolves? Dog owners (like every other animal user group) continue to look inward
and argue among themselves about shelters and rescue and some old lady found
with a bunch of dogs and the need for "more" laws while such
precedents are established and expanded. I was told once as a kid in Illinois
that when hogs were butchered "they use everything but the squeal".
Well those hogs' utility had nothing on these California bighorns. I wouldn't be
surprised if in the next 5 years they are the reason Californians shut down fast
food joints, outlaw SUV's, and sign the Kyoto Treaty on their own.
 STATUS OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES
ACT:
In
February of 2005 the status of the Endangered Species Act is problematic at
best. The Act has become a tool to implement the nightmares of radical
organizations and the dreams of federal bureaucrats. The previous President grew
the Act dramatically and hired activists throughout government to expand the
Federal authority for Federal benefit. State government authority and private
property owners have been greatly diminished. Citizens in practically every walk
of life (except bureaucrats, environmental extremists, and animal rights
radicals) are being hurt. The disruption of the natural environment of the
United States is extreme and damaging to plants and animals and their habitats.
The current President is more benign. His
appointees are a mix of persons in high places that talk a good game of helping
citizens but they are surrounded by a sea of activist Federal managers and
low-level appointees that are true "partners" with radical groups and
their agendas. While they work surreptitiously on creating a Federal Invasive
Species mandate, publicly their only suggestion for improving Endangered Species
Programs is more money and more power for themselves.
The Congress, for the first time since passage
of the Act, has a large number of members who are sensitive to the growing
Endangered Species complaints from constituents. The cries for
"reform" have attracted attention but the radical groups, radical
appointees, bureaucrats and press are out in force. What should be a rosy
picture for amending the Endangered Species Act or maybe even revoking the UN
Convention that underpins the Act is slowly turning a shiny brown.
First, and perhaps rightly, the perception here
at the center of the Universe is that the current Secretary of the Interior and
a few other appointees have been so "nice" lately. They won't
"List" the Preble's jumping mouse, they are letting certain ranchers
shoot a wolf, and they are giving lots of "support" to States that
play ball. The perception here in Washington is that there is no longer an army
of outraged citizens willing to back the politicians against the radicals and
all their allies. What everyone misses here is that EVERYTHING and I do mean
EVERYTHING the current appointees give you; the next appointees will have the
same power to take away. It is the power taken from State governments and
private citizens and given to Federal bureaucrats that MUST be returned or
things will only continue to get worse to the point of eventual collapse.
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