Greatest Land Grab in History

Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) is proposing a huge privatization of public land, exactly the sort of thing that really pisses off enviros and sportsmen and women. This is a great place for Democrats to drive a wedge into the middle of the Republican Party, especially since many Republicans, like my own Rep. Dennis Rehberg can't seem to figure out whether they side with the oil industry or with the hunting and fishing crowd.

Rehberg has taken over $120,000 in contributions from oil and gas companies, which may explain why even when saying that he opposes Pombo's measure, he hasn't committed to voting against the overall bill, even after given several days to make a commitment.

For Rehberg to be hedging, this must be a pretty important bill, right?

Well, for some people it is. It's the same budget reconciliation act that Republicans have been pitching as deficit reduction, but is actually a nasty slashing of social programs in an attempt to partially offset an additional $70 billion in tax cuts. That's the bill important enough that my Congressman is considering selling out public lands in Montana.

--Matt Singer

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