Mainly overlooked, the mess of a budget released last week by President Bush included a proposal to sell off 300,000 acres of our national forests. In addition, the White House has given the Bureau of Land Management orders to sell another $350 million worth of our public lands.
This stuff would be gut-wrenchingly funny if it weren't true. What is the President's justification for this Bargain Basement Sale? To plug all the leaky holes in his federal budget!
That's right, the latest brain-child of this Administration is to sell off our public lands in order to raise money. What do we need the money for? Take your pick:
a) More tax cuts
b) Big breaks for Big Oil
c) Highway pork
d) All of the above
Of course, the President is proposing that the revenue be used to fund rural schools. Isn't that heartwarming!
It will be interesting to see who could benefit from this giveaway--other than all those unfortunate rural kids who had to wait while Bush prioritized the hurting oil companies.
If you want to see the list of parks that are on the short list to be auctioned off, you can go here.
If you want to help stop this thing in its tracks head here