Kill Yr. Forests

Given the distinctly reptilian nature of every environmental initiative this administration puts forth - "Clear Skies", "Healthy Forests"(we don't use Orwellian here, because it's an insult to Orwell, and it's getting tiresome) - this article outlining the administration's environmental policy certainly begs us to ask a certain question. But I also wanted to point out that this is yet another round in the never ending class war being fought by this administration. Let's put aside the importance of environmental protection, and the damage this administration has done and intends to do to existing laws and our environment. The class war implications come specifically from this:

In addition, the administration intends to accelerate conservation efforts by distributing billions of dollars to private landowners for the preservation of wetlands and wildlife habitats.

I get it. The idea is to federally subsidize rich people so they preserve land they already own. ARE YOU EFFIN' KIDDING ME?

This is welfare for the rich under the guise of environmental protection. I assume the logic goes something like this: "Property rights must be protected. It is immoral to make laws limiting the use of personal property. Therefore, if we want to encourage people to preserve land they own, we need to offer financial incentives." But the argument that taxpayer money - my money, your money - should be given away as a bribe to make rich land owners preserve land they already own is ludicrous. They have enough incentive already. If the government wants to devote public money for public causes, perhaps it would be better to use that money to enforce already existing laws. Or better yet, enact public policy that makes all of us equal under environmental protection laws. Following laws passed in the public interest ought to be a cost of doing business in any democracy. But the administration has no interest in that, they just want to stick their hands in our pockets, take the money, and give it to their rich friends. In fact, if one views all of their policy initiatives in this light, the insanity inducing illogic melts away, and you finally see what they're really up to.