Unpaid Federal Loan

[BushMasterBoy]

My instincts tell me the reason for the occupation of the wildlife refuge are because of an unpaid federal loan. The occupation has nothing to do with the Hammonds' imprisonment. This is some sort of ploy to raise funds. Usually two prime motivators in the USA, sex & money. This is about money!


http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/05/us/oregon-wildlife-refuge-armed-protest/

[Gman]

In Oregon, frustration over federal land rights has been building for years (http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/in-oregon-frustration-over-federal-land-rights-has-been-building-for-years/ar-AAgm8bg?li=BBnb7Kz)

“The federal government has done a gross injustice to the Hammonds, which has severely damaged the long-term trust and cooperation that ranchers and foresters and recreationists have had with BLM,” the Oregon Farm Bureau, a nonprofit representing the state’s farmers and ranchers, said in a statement. “However, the illegal activity of so-called militia groups only harms the Hammonds and the rest of the community because it diverts public attention and scrutiny away from the injustice that the federal government perpetrated on this Oregon family.

”Vohs also said the occupiers, few if any of whom are from Burns, do not speak for the town.

“The majority of us support the Hammonds, but we don’t need outsiders telling us what to do,” Vohs said.

Vohs said that during his mayoral term, he was proud of the consensus he built among local residents, commercial interests and government agencies to try to resurrect the community’s failing economy. Now, he said, he hears frustration that such cooperation has all but vanished.

Glen Williams, known as “The Boss” to many locals, sees government increasingly as standing in his way of putting more food in people’s mouths. He owns Central Pastime, the only bar in town, and, as he views it, federal mandates have chipped away at the ability of locals to do business, work the land and manufacture.

“The town sticks together,” he said. “We take care of each other. But there’s getting to be less and less of us to take care of.”

Williams has lived in Burns on and off since 1974 and remembers when six or seven bars served patrons. His bar weathered a mill shutdown, the demise of a motor home manufacturing plant and the struggles of ranchers trying to scratch out a living.

Williams blames the sagging economy, in part, on ever-increasing federal mandates and environmental regulations that have restricted timber harvests, limited grazing and toughened emissions standards. That made it hard for the mobile home manufacturing plant to compete.

“If everyone was happy with the government, you wouldn’t have seen the rally,” he said.

Soper also said he disagreed with an armed takeover of federal property, but he said the government had invited it with excessive regulations that are hurting people economically.

“The frustration of the people built up to cause this,” Soper said. “It’s really no different than the Occupy Movement or a sit-in at a college.”

He said rural Oregonians view the government’s policies as blocking working people from earning a living.

“True wealth comes from the land. If they can’t feed their cows, there’s not going to be beef in the supermarket,” he said. “People are no longer [able] to make a living.”

Federal agencies, he said, “are taking food out of people’s mouths.”

[davsel]

Where does it say he isn't paying it off? What is the problem with taking out a small business loan? I don't see a connection.

[cfortune]

Where does it say he isn't paying it off? What is the problem with taking out a small business loan? I don't see a connection.


My thoughts. I saw some meme earlier that called them welfare queens for taking out a business loan.

[Irving]

Does anyone else think it is ironic that the media keeps quoting members of the town saying they don't appreciate outside influence in a conversion about local vs. Federal government?

Maybe it's not so much ironic as it is consistent.

[davsel]

They took over the BLM buildings that are in the middle of nowhere, 30 miles outside of town, not the local Courthouse. Still don't know why they closed the schools over this.
Seems to me the local Sheriff has been in bed with the Feds for awhile and the local small town residents know it.
Some dogs bite when you beat them, others just roll over on their backs.

[clodhopper]

Reading through different stories about historical relations between the feds and locals, looking at how the sheriff has regularly supported the feds, I don't understand how he keeps getting elected. Unless this is one of those areas where the sheriff is appointed rather than elected. Anywhere else I have lived/worked, the sheriff was elected and always sided with the people who elected him.

[cstone]

Reading through different stories about historical relations between the feds and locals...

And now, you may have some new stories to read through. #BundyEroticFanFic

Broke Burn Oregon?

These are some strange times we live in.