thanks

[iain]

You guys ready to lay out $85-$100 annual for access to your national forests? Because that's what you'll be doing in 2005! Thanks Regula! Maybe I'll take my next vacation in Ohio, WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE FEES.

 

Thank Bush for signing that pork

[klenke]

I thought it was $25 for Forest Pass only (i.e., sans National Park pass). At $85-$100 there will surely be a backlash. People won't buy it. People will protest by not buying it.

[iain]

I don't know about that, but the national inter-agency pass ("America, the Beautiful" pass) they set forth in the rider is expected to cost at least $85. Who knows if the forest-pass-only concept will be around.

 

The rider also encourages contracting with private companies to manage public lands. This is a disaster in my opinion.

 

Actually I have not verified that Bush signed this yet, just heard that he had. I might be speaking way too soon. I should not have posted that yet.

[Ireneo_Funes]

Whether this bullshit pass costs $25, $85, $100, whatever is beside the point.

 

These are public lands, and we shouldn't need to pay a fee to access them. That's all there is to it.

 

Whether or not the money will end up going toward private companies contracted to "manage" our public lands is also beside the point, though it would add insult to injury.

[specialed]

So ... do timber companies have to buy an "America the Beautiful Pass" for their employees when they enter public land to cut timber for pennies on the dollar?

 

If I have to shell out to use my public land, I want some fucking timber profits bitch.

[klenke]

I agree the pass is bullshit whatever the cost. I'm just saying people who ordinarily would pay for a $25 pass won't (necessarily) pay for a $100 one. The government could charge whatever they wanted for the pass but if they don't make the price fair and reasonable to those who would pay it, they will instigate more rebellious problems than if they did.

 

Where the money collected goes is an accountability issue. It is not beside the point in my mind.

[specialed]

Its just bullshit that corporations who profit from extracting resources from the public land essestially get paid to use the land

 

But individuals have to pay (and not a nominal fee!) to USE public land in a sustainable way.

 

Fuck that.

[bigwalling]

shit, there goes the extra beer money

[Ireneo_Funes]

I agree the pass is bullshit whatever the cost. I'm just saying people who ordinarily would pay for a $25 pass won't (necessarily) pay for a $100 one. The government could charge whatever they wanted for the pass but if they don't make the price fair and reasonable to those who would pay it, they will instigate more rebellious problems than if they did.

 

Where the money collected goes is an accountability issue. It is not beside the point in my mind.

 

Where the money from the fees goes is important, but it's not the crux of the problem, which is that we're being charged fees to access land that should be open to everyone. I don't think any fee is "fair and reasonable." In fact, if there's going to be a fee, I think it'd be great if they did raise it to $100, or even better, $200. Make it a thousand bucks! Then folks who don't think a $25 fee is worth protesting would maybe get some backbone and take a stand against it.

[Alasdair]

For every dollar you spend on the pass spend an equal amound on unsubsidising the logging companies. Purchase tree spiking supplies for that sensitive salmon habitat that bush is going to open to logging.

[Alasdair]

John ashcroft disclaimer: Of course I was joking in the above post, I would never condone such actions. Such action is irresponsible and disagreements with the govenment should only be made using the court system.

[bunglehead]

 

I didn't think it was possible for our elected idiots to sink lower than they have, but they always manage to lower the bar impressively.

[specialed]

We should initiate a class action lawsuit and get a fucking injunction:

 

CC.com v. Ashcroft

[Camilo]

I've looked up the necessary zip codes to contact Mr. Regula. Zip 44691 will allow you to write him from here. If you didn't write anyone to fight this in the first place, don't worry. Bring on the hate mail! Write your own congressman while you're at it.

[klenke]

What does Asscroft have to do with this bill? He's the AG not a congressman.

[OnTop_of_Poo]

We should initiate a class action lawsuit and get a fucking injunction:

 

CC.com v. Ashcroft

 

Suing the outgoing attorney general will really teach those lawmakers a lesson.

[slothrop]

Where the money from the fees goes is important, but it's not the crux of the problem...

 

The new law stipulates that 80% of the money collected at a site goes to improving the site. This regulation, combined with the "spend it or lose it" budget mentality common throughout government, will ensure that public lands get overdeveloped. RV hookups at the Stuart Lake Trailhead, here we come.