The Struggle Over Public Land an Emotional Issue For Some

Congressman Chris Stewart of Utah was a guest on Frank Gaffney’s radio show today. Stewart serves on the House Select Committee on Intelligence.

They began their discussion talking about the Zika Virus, which is spreading at an alarming rate, and segued into drug trafficking from Latin America, another rapidly growing problem.

Gaffney noted that one of the problems is widespread corruption among officials from Latin American countries, a direct result of threats from the violent criminals running the drug trade.

Gaffney then asked Stewart about the closure of Guantanamo Bay and if a hostile power could take over there if we surrender it. Stewart responded:

“It represents a significant national security problem, as Marco Rubio and some of the other presidential candidates have said, we should be filling Guantanamo, not emptying it because we have serious threats and that’s an appropriate place for them. But this president has made it clear that when he determines that he’s going to take a course of action, he doesn’t care what Congress thinks, he frankly doesn’t care what the law is, he just goes about doing and dares us to try to stop him.”

Obama has also been lawless in his dealings with the coal industry, Gaffney pointed out, bringing up Obama’s war on coal. Stewart agreed and suggested that it’s a major job’s issue but also a national security issue, as are all energy matters.

Finally, they spoke of the struggle in the west over public lands and the government’s role in that conflict. Stewart said:

“This is an emotional issue and I think it’s difficult for people who aren’t from the west to appreciate how deep this is in the western culture. Farming and ranching, and that’s not just a job, that’s a lifestyle. It’s a lifestyle that they want to protect and we want to help them protect and the resentment towards the federal agencies who with impunity and seeming just entirely uncaring will come in and reauthorize allotments for grazing and cut them in half… without any input from the local community, that’s where it starts.”

Stewart concluded by reminding people that if they are planning a protest, inviting others to show up armed is a bad idea and that no one wants anyone to get hurt.

“Amen” Gaffney responded.