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ORIGINAL RESEARCHBill Berkowitz Rep. Pombo steers public lands to private handsDeLay clone sponsors legislation putting America's public lands up for grabsRep. Richard Pombo, a California Republican who represents the state's 11th District and who is the chair of the House Resources Committee is making a name for himself these days by offering up a series controversial bills relating to land use in America's national parks and other critical environmental issues. In a recent iteration of the House budget bill (Deficit Reduction Act of 2005), Pombo authored a proposal that would have opened up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling (that provision was removed from the budget reconciliation bill but it could still be re-inserted). Pombo also made headlines when he recently proposed privatizing 15 of America's national parks. He later claimed to be only joking! Now it appears that Pombo is no longer joking. The former real estate salesman now in his seventh term in Congress came up with another doozy of a proposal that was tucked deep into the same 187-page House budget bill in a section called "Miscellaneous Amendments Related to Mining." On Friday, November 18, the House approved legislation that would change "current mining law to allow the federal government to sell off some public lands in the West," the Helena, Montana -based newspaper, the Independent Record reported. "The measure would lift a 10-year-old moratorium on the federal government processing applications by mining companies and individuals to ‘patent,' or purchase, a mining claim on public land. "It would also change the 1872 mining law by raising the selling price for the land to $1,000 per acre or market value, whichever is higher, from the current price of either $2.50 or $5 an acre. But the price would not include the value of the minerals." Land Grab of Historic ProportionsHow much land is at stake? Environmentalists maintain that the legislation could affect all 5.7 million acres currently under claim, while Rep. Pombo says that only 360,000 acres of land would qualify. According to an Environmental Working Group (EWG) press release dated November 10, Pombo's proposal would allow "foreign mining companies, real estate speculators, oil and mining conglomerates, or anyone else purchase up to 350 million acres of American taxpayers' lands." If passed by Congress and signed into law the EWG said, it could affect nearly 6 million acres including land in or near Yosemite, Yellowstone, Death Valley and Grand Canyon national parks. Amending the 1872 mining law "would bring back the very worst of the Wild, Wild West and pretend that the enlightenment of the conservation movement never happened," The Salt Lake Tribune editorialized before the House vote. In the late 19th century, lawmakers thought it was a good idea to open up public land in the West to the "private exploitation of mineral wealth," and "mineral rights" were sold for next to nothing. When "it became increasingly obvious that developers were buying billions of dollars worth of mining rights and giving the taxpayers virtually nothing in return Congress put a moratorium on new leases," the editorial pointed out. "Pombo's measure would not only end that moratorium, it would also use the mining law as a cover for sales and developments that have nothing to do with mining." In an editorial headlined "Public Land Giveaway: Mining law changes mask a horrible idea," the newspaper said: "At risk would be not only pristine wilderness, but also hunting and fishing lands, suburban open space, even ski resorts." An editorial in the Louisville, Kentucky-based Courier-Journal called Pombo's proposal "inflammatory" and one that is not worth it regardless of how much money is raised by the sales. A Denver Post editorial pointed out that Pombo's "amendments really aren't about mining; they're about real estate speculation," and it concluded that, "the House should erase them from the budget reconciliation bill." Environmental activists that have over the past decade monitored the growing trend toward the privatization of America's public lands were not surprised by Rep. Pombo's proposals. "The Bush administration, with Congressman Richard Pombo leading the charge, has worked tirelessly to limit the public's use of public lands through user fees and it has attempted to sell off National Parks and monuments that the congressman argues don't pay for themselves," Denise Boggs told Inter Press Service. "In addition, the Forest Service is selling off sites around the country it claims it no longer has use for or can't fund -- the latest being the Superior National Forest," said Boggs, the founder and former Executive Director of the Utah Environmental Congress in Salt Lake City, and currently the Executive Director of the Lewistown, Montana-based Conservation Congress. "Currently, mining companies have permits to mine the minerals beneath public lands [subsurface rights] but the surface rights remain in public land ownership," Boggs pointed out. "Pombo wants to allow the mining companies to purchase these lands outright. Hard rock mining companies do not pay any royalties to the treasury on the resources it mines from public lands. If the 1872 mining law was changed to force these companies to pay royalties, the Treasury would make far more than selling off these lands." When IPS asked Boggs about future privatization initiatives she said: "I think that privatization is moving along very quickly and the American people aren't paying attention. Apathy is rampant and it is difficult to get Americans to respond to conservation issues until it becomes a NIMBY [Not in my Backyard] issue. "Americans love their National Parks and public lands and I don't believe they would knowingly approve of the efforts to privatize their public lands hence the stealth tactics of Pombo attaching his efforts as riders to other bills (the mining example above was attached to the budget bill). "With the war in Iraq, the soaring federal deficit, the loss of jobs and lack of health care, the growing price of prescription drugs, fear or terrorism, etc. it is all people can do to breathe some days. But people need to realize that they must be vigilant to maintain what they value or they will lose it. The same argument could made about the US Constitution but that's another story," said Boggs. In the mold of DeLayRep. Pombo, whose tenure in the House predates the 1994 Newt Gingrich led "revolution" which gave Republicans control of the House for the first time in years, "is a Republican in the [Rep. Tom] DeLay mold," Kelpie Wilson, the environmental editor of Truthout, an online news magazine, recently wrote. "Oil and gas interests keep his campaign cash barrel topped up; he pays his relatives inflated salaries from those funds; he is deeply involved in the gambling-industry / Indian-casino money machine; he took thousands of dollars from DeLay's buddy, indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff." At the Congressman's website, the congressman points out that he was a co-founder of the San Joaquin County Citizen's Land Alliance, "a coalition of farmers and other property owners who advocate private property rights, and fight attempts by government to strip these rights away from citizens." He is also a member and former Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, an organization "work[ing] to form one voice on issues such as Endangered Species Act reform, water rights, private property rights and other issues affecting Congressional districts in the West." Congressman Pombo has been given a number of awards by conservative organizations including the United States Business and Industrial Council, the National Taxpayers Union, and right wing activist Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform. In September, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) named Pombo one of the "13 Most Corrupt Members in Congress." The accompanying essay discussed Pombo's:
According to “Pombo’s in their Pocket” a project of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, the congressman “has taken over $199,786 in campaign contributions from developers and real estate interests...and he is also one of the largest recipients of oil and gas cash in the entire Congress, taking in" more than $85,000 in his last campaign. OpenSecrets.org documented the "Top Industries Supporting Richard Pombo in 2004": Oil & Gas $85,693; Lobbyists $65,923; Crop Production & Basic Processing $54,200; Casinos/Gambling $51,000; Lawyers/Law Firms $43,050; Electric Utilities $40,450; Real Estate $36,750; Forestry & Forest Products $33,750; Agricultural Services/Products $31,000; Mining $24,659; Misc. Transport $20,900; and Livestock $19,181. Thus far, in the 2006 election cycle Pombo is the top recipient of Indian Gaming contributions at $ 74,647. (Indian Gaming money have been handsomely doled out to both Republicans and Democrats. In 2002, then-Senator Tom Daschle (D-N.D.) was the top Indian Gaming recipient with almost $157,000, and in 2000, Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) was tops with $ 72,650.) Back home in his district, Pombo is being challenged by Democrat Jerry McNerney. In a recent news release dated October 20, and posted at Yuba.net.com, the McNerney campaign linked the Congressman to a "story about how ... he ... may have violated tax laws in connection with two trips to New Zealand and Japan that cost more the $23,000," and called for a congressional investigation into his activities. Commenting on the two expensive trips, McNerney said: "The Congressman uses his chairmanship to help other Congressmen garner donations from those who want influence with the Resources Committee. That is why Tom DeLay appointed him chairman over more senior Republicans; DeLay knew Pombo was not only corrupt but that he would help DeLay corrupt others." The press release titled "McNerney calls for congressional investigation of Richard Pombo," charges the Congressman with receiving "campaign contributions from Indian casino interests with legislation before his committee. He used his official position to influence legislation directly benefiting campaign donors. In an event called ‘Pombo Palooza,' Abramoff offered $5,000 seats at last year's all-star baseball game to tribes that want power plants on their lands without any environmental oversight. Later the same week Pombo demanded that the House Senate Conference on the 2005 Energy Bill allow power plants without any environmental oversight on tribal lands." In an unrelated matter, at an event in San Francisco at the San Francisco Hilton on September 29, titled "God's Ideal family: The Model for World Peace," sponsored by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church (now called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification), an article about the event noted that the group received several letters of "commendation" including one from Rep. Pombo. The organization boasted that it had "secured" the letters "in one week, and also in the face of the great deal of controversy and criticism over the last year after the Crown of Peace ceremony on Capitol Hill." The article went on to claim that things had changed, "and the majority of leaders have come to understand that Father is a peace king, a spiritual leader that does not seek any secular power or authority but simply wants to give the inspiration from God that allows people to build true families and true nations." The outcome of Pombo's land grab legislation may not be known until December. Since the Senate version of the bill did not include the mining provisions, House-Senate negotiators must decide whether it will appear in the final version of the bill. sign in, or register to email stories or comment on them.
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MORE ORIGINAL RESEARCHBill Berkowitz PERC receives Templeton Freedom Award for promoting 'enviropreneurs'Right Wing foundation-funded anti-environmental think tank grabbing a wider audience for 'free market environmentalism' On the 15th anniversary of Terry Anderson and Donald Leal's book "Free Market Environmentalism" -- the seminal book on the subject -- Anderson, the Executive Director of the Bozeman, Montana-based Property and Environment Research Center (PERC - formerly known as the Political Economy Research Center) spoke in late-January at an event sponsored by Squaw Valley Institute at the Resort at Squaw Creek in California. While it may have been just another opportunity to speak on "free market environmentalism" and not the kickoff of a "victory tour," nevertheless it comes at a time when PERC's ideas are taking root.
Bill Berkowitz Neil Bush of Saudi ArabiaDuring recent visit, President’s brother describes the country as a 'kind of tribal democracy' In late February, only a few days after Saudi Arabia beheaded four Sri Lankan robbers and then left their headless bodies on public display in the capital of Riyadh, Neil Bush, for the fourth time in the past six years, showed up for the country's Jeddah Economic Forum. The Guardian reported that Human Rights Watch "said the four men had no lawyers during their trial and sentencing, and were denied other basic legal rights." In an interview with Arab News, the Saudi English language paper, Bush described the country as "a kind of tribal democracy."
Bill Berkowitz Newt Gingrich's back door to the White HouseAmerican Enterprise Institute "Scholar" and former House Speaker blames media for poll showing 64 percent of the American people wouldn't vote for him under any circumstances Whatever it is that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has come to represent in American politics, the guy is nothing less than fascinating. One day he's espousing populist rhetoric about the need to cut the costs of college tuition and the next day he's talking World War III. One day he's claiming that the "war on terror" may force the abridgement of fundamental first amendment rights and the next he's advancing a twenty-first century version of his Contract with America. At the same time he's publicly proclaiming how "stupid" it is that the race for the presidency has already started you know that he's trying to figure out how to out finesse Rudy, McCain and Romney for the nomination. And last week, when Fox News' Chris Wallace cited a poll showing that 64 percent of the public would never vote for him, he was quick to blame those results on how unfairly he was treated by the mainstream media back in the day.
Bill Berkowitz American Enterprise Institute takes lead in agitating against IranDespite wrongheaded predictions about the war on Iraq, neocons are on the frontlines advocating military conflict with Iran After doing such a bang up job with their advice and predictions about the outcome of the war on Iraq, would it surprise you to learn that America's neoconservatives are still in business? While at this time we are not yet seeing the same intense neocon invasion of our living rooms -- via cable television's news networks -- that we saw during the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, nevertheless, a host of policy analysts at conservative think tanks -- most notably the American Enterprise Institute -- are being heeded on Iran by those who count - folks inside the Bush Administration.
Bill Berkowitz After six years, opposition gaining on George W. Bush's Faith Based InitiativeUnmentioned in the president's State of the Union speech, the program nevertheless continues to recruit religious participants and hand out taxpayer money to religious groups With several domestic policy proposals unceremoniously folded into President Bush's recent State of the Union address, two pretty significant items failed to make the cut. Despite the president's egregiously tardy response to the event itself, it was nevertheless surprising that he didn't even mention Hurricane Katrina: He didn't offer up a progress report, words of hope to the victims, or come up with a proposal for moving the sluggish rebuilding effort forward. There were no "armies of compassion" ready to be unleashed, although it should be said that many in the religious community responded to the disaster much quicker than the Bush Administration. In the State of the Union address, however, there was no "compassionate conservatism" for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Bill Berkowitz Frank Luntz calls Republican leadership in Washington 'One giant whining windbag'On the outs with the GOP, legendary degrader of discourse is moving to California He doesn't make great art; nothing he does elevates the human spirit; he doesn't illuminate, he bamboozles. He has become expert in subterfuge, hidden meanings, word play and manipulation. Frank Luntz has been so good at what he does that those paying close attention gave it its own name: "Luntzspeak."
Bill Berkowitz Spooked by MoveOn.org, conservative movement seeks to emulate liberal powerhouseFueled with Silicon Valley money, TheVanguard.org will have Richard Poe, former editor of David Horowitz's FrontPage magazine as its editorial and creative director As Paul Weyrich, a founding father of the modern conservative movement and still a prominent actor in it, likes to say, he learned a great deal about movement building by closely observing what liberals were up to in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Bill Berkowitz Ward Connerly's anti-affirmative action jihadFounder and Chair of the American Civil Rights Institute scouting five to nine states for new anti-affirmative action initiatives Fresh from his most recent victory -- in Michigan this past November -- Ward Connerly, the Black California-based maven of anti-affirmative action initiatives, appears to be preparing to take his jihad on the road. According to a mid-December report in the San Francisco Chronicle, Connerly said that he was "exploring moves into nine other states."
Bill Berkowitz Tom Tancredo's missionThe Republican congressman from Colorado will try to woo GOP voters with anti-immigration rhetoric and a boatload of Christian right politics These days, probably the most recognizable name in anti-immigration politics is Colorado Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo. Over the past year, Tancredo has gone from a little known congressman to a highly visible anti-immigration spokesperson. "Tancredo has thoroughly enmeshed himself in the anti-immigration movement and with the help of CNN talk show host Lou Dobbs, he has been given a national megaphone," Devin Burghart, the program director of the Building Democracy Initiative at the Center for New Community, a Chicago-based civil rights group, told Media Transparency.
Bill Berkowitz Institute on Religion and Democracy slams 'Leftist' National Council of ChurchesNew report from conservative foundation-funded IRD charges the NCC with being a political surrogate for MoveOn.org, People for the American Way and other liberal organizations If you prefer your religious battles sprinkled with demagoguery, sanctimoniousness, and simplistic attacks, the Institute on Religion and Democracy's (IRD) latest broadside against the National Council of Churches (NCC) certainly fits the bill.
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