Midweek Musings...Trust me, I'm a politician.

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From Nick Smith's daily news summary...

Utah Sen. Mike Lee announced changes to his controversial proposal that could trigger the sale of millions of acres of public lands. In a Monday night post on X, the Republican Senator revealed his plans to revise the proposal. They include taking the potential sale of all U.S. Forest Service land off the table and "significantly reducing" the Bureau of Land Management lands that could go up for sale. A previous draft of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee budget reconciliation bill ordered the sale of 3.3 million acres of public lands, including BLM and Forest Service lands. He defended the proposal as a means to create more affordable housing, despite criticism from those worried about the lack of clear requirements in the bill text.

Smoke and mirrors anyone?

This isn't a bill yet - it is a proposed bill - and there are no guarantees that it will look anything like what is proposed - nor is there confidence that it will be applied with the intention Lee claims.

Our system has demonstrated time and again that the middle class and the impoverished are only highlighted when it serves an agenda. This country - sadly - does not function to serve the least of us, the most needy, the most impoverished, the most compromised.

All that land for "affordable housing."

Come on...remember the Native Americans?

As a result of corruption in both parties, the American public has very little confidence in our decision makers. Even if it were to end up being affordable housing, where is the plan to maintain and steward the established ecosystems currently in place?

It could be done - mindfully - but there is no discussion of a mandated, mutually inclusive model.

And here is a question - Do we need more land to create affordable housing? Affordable housing is connected to the politics of economics - this proposed bill in no way addresses the underlying issues regarding affordable housing.

It is a band aid.
It doesn't change what the government is doing that is making hard for Americans to have affordable housing.

As for our public lands - it doesn't address the issues our forests have due to lack of good management and stewardship. In fact, it would - in many cases - put people in homes adjacent to forest lands that are not safe - and ready to burn.

Don't get distracted by generalities and nice ideas.
Demand specifics.

Find your state below to make a call:

IF LEAVING VOICEMAIL: Leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied.

☎️ U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 (You can ask to be connected to any Senator's office).

ALASKA • Sen. Lisa Murkowski: (202) 224-6665 • Sen. Dan Sullivan: (202) 224-3004

ARIZONA • Sen. Mark Kelly: (202) 224-2235 • Sen. Ruben Gallego: (202) 224-4521

CALIFORNIA • Sen. Alex Padilla: (202) 224-3553 • Sen. Adam Schiff: (202) 224-3841

COLORADO • Sen. Michael Bennet: (202) 224-5852 • Sen. John Hickenlooper: (202) 224-5941

IDAHO • Sen. Mike Crapo: (202) 224-6142 • Sen. Jim Risch: (202) 224-2752

NEVADA • Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto: (202) 224-3542 • Sen. Jacky Rosen: (202) 224-6244

NEW MEXICO • Sen. Martin Heinrich: (202) 224-5521 • Sen. Ben Ray Luján: (202) 224-6621

OREGON • Sen. Ron Wyden: (202) 224-5244 • Sen. Jeff Merkley: (202) 224-3753

UTAH • Sen. Mike Lee: (202) 224-5444 • Sen. Mitt Romney: (202) 224-5251

WASHINGTON • Sen. Maria Cantwell: (202) 224-3441 • Sen. Patty Murray: (202) 224-2621

WYOMING • Sen. John Barrasso: (202) 224-6441 • Sen. Cynthia Lummis: (202) 224-3424

MONTANA - Tim Sheehey: 202-224-2644 and Steve Daines: 202-224-2651" (though Montana is not on the list of state lands for sale)

IF YOU PREFER TO EMAIL USE THIS LINK TO FIND YOUR SENATOR:

U.S. Senate: Contacting U.S. Senators