Guest Op-Ed by Marti Oakley (c)copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved
A big Stinkfly award goes to Ken Salazar!
Ken Salazar, quite possibly one of the most insidious characters to occupy an appointed federal office since maybe, Donald Rumsfeld, has just topped his own high measure of malfeasance. Heading up what has become notorious for being one of the most grossly mismanaged agencies of the federal government, the Department of the Interior (DoI), Salazar has set into motion some of the worst plans and policies ever implemented by the DoI. Among these policies is the eradication and zeroing out of herds of wild horses and burros all supposedly protected under the 1971 Wild Horse & Burro act.
Its unfortunate that the 1971 Act contained no provisions allowing for the protection of the herds from the BLM, itself. The BLM represents the most formidable threat not only to the wild herds, but also to the environment and biodiversity as well.
Salazar, in an attempt to stifle public comments objecting to the felonious actions of his agencies’ personnel, and even in spite of at least three court rulings finding the BLM at fault, and orders for them to cease and desist in their rounding up and terrorizing, even to the point of death in some cases, the wild horses, has now refused to accept emails or faxes on the federal register or at his agency that oppose his policies.
The only thing King Salazar will accept now for commenting is either snail mail…..which is immediately put into file 13 (trash), or the use of what has been intentionally rigged to be a non-functioning in-house system for commenting on his government site. Emails are a no-no.
Faxes are off limits now for one very important reason; faxes must be kept on file for at least seven years for public viewing. Because they are a traceable and identifiable, time-stamped and recorded communication, they cannot be destroyed and neither can the recipient claim they were not received. Can’t have that. That would actually provide a record of the opposition to King Salazar’s big plans.
Salazar, a man who evidently suffers from some form of megalomania doesn’t give a rats hiney what we think regardless of whether we support or don’t support his policies. But! He doesn’t want to be bothered with what we think either; that’s beneath him and his high royal office.
The BS coming out of the BLM regarding the wild horse and why they have to be zeroed out has been non-stop and now now has been kicked into high fear with the hiring of the Kearns & West PR firm notorious for its promotion of Enron. Their function? To sway public opinion. They have absolutely no interest in the right or wrong of that swaying…just a big interest in making lots of $$. And who pays better than the fed? No body we know of.
In what has to be a very clever and somewhat successful co-opting of cattle ranchers (many of whom believe they will benefit from the extermination of the horses) Salazar has them convinced the horses must be “disappeared” so the cattle ranchers have water; or is it more water? Or maybe it was more cheap grazing permits? I don’t remember. Anyway, it has been a good propaganda campaign and has to some degree pitted the ranchers against the horse advocates. The problem is, many ranchers are catching on to the fact that once the horses are out of the way, they could be next as leases for all kinds of money making ventures through the BLM, courtesy of the DoI, are underway and most of these leave little room for cattle.
Kind of makes a person feel sorry for the cattle ranchers who seem to have no idea Salazar is plotting their demise as well, in favor of bigger and more profitable ventures. And, if the Ruby Pipeline would be threatened by wild horse herds, won’t cattle also be seen as an even bigger threat? After all, cattle outnumber horses 10-1 on these same public lands.
Salazar, along with other high officials in the Bureau of Land Management have crafted several private contracts with corporations both domestic and multi-national to not only take ownership of, but also the rights to, water supplies in several states. In addition, multiple mining, timber and gas and oil drilling contracts have been awarded to Salazar’s good friends and new acquaintances, all of whom are pillaging and plundering so-called public lands, for profit.
If it isn’t the Ruby Pipeline or the Vidler Water Company, its tellurium mines, silver mines, gold mines, gas and oil interests, many of whom get their foot in the door by obtaining “grazing permits”. Not only that, but as of the end of 2007, the last year we could find statistics for who got the permits; 40% of those permits on all public lands went to only three (3) individual cattle operations. Now add in the permits for grazing for companies who had no intention to graze anything, unless strip mining or drilling equipment can be counted, and it doesn’t leave much for the small guys, does it?
Now lets add in the Kiri trees slated to be planted in the northern Nevada desert area, (3 million trees…listed on the global invasive species list) right over the top of the aquifer that Vidler is draining and piping into northern California. Looks like Nevada could see some real water problems in the next ten years.
These are just a few of the planned ventures for these areas occupied by the wild horses and cattle grazing operations. Neither equine nor bovine will be allowed to exist in areas where huge profits can be made plundering the land for other purposes.
So does Ken Salazar care what your comments are? Do you work for a gas company? Drilling company? How about a water privatizer? No? Are you going to plant trees that will spread like wildfire and can be harvested for a quick profit while using up a large portion of the available water? Then; no he does not! You don’t count and he shouldn’t have to be bothered with you and with this in mind he has rigged the commenting on his activities to make sure you can’t voice your opinion.
Salazar should have just done what Vilsack and the USDA did when so much opposition was coming in regarding the National Animal Identification Scam: Just waited til the middle of the night and took and estimated 50,000 comments down that opposed the USDA regarding NAIS.
Keep in mind this is your government: this is your government working against you.
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1. Tellurium, gold and rare minerals mining….Nevada
MEXIVADA MINING CORP. controls Gold-Silver and Hi-Tech Rare Metal properties with World-Class Potential. Mexivada is a junior mining and exploration company that went public on the TSX Venture Exchange in 2005, and trades under the symbol “MNV.” We are interested in securing Joint Venture partners for our properties. Mexivada controls gold-silver, Tellurium (photovoltaics), Indium (LCD Panels), lead, diamond, tantalum, uranium and molybdenum prospects in Nevada, Mexico, and the “ROC” Republic of Congo (Brazzaville).
2. Feds Fight to Keep Names of Ranchers With Grazing Permits Secret
In 2005, in fact, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that 10 federal agencies spent $144 million managing such grazing programs, yet collected only $21 million in grazing fees.
3. Kiri trees—global invasive species list
4. ECO2 Forests announce Sustainable Forests project on US soil
ECO2 Forests Inc. (US Stock Symbol: ECOF) has announced its first Global Forestry Plan project on US soil will be a planned 14,000 acre Kiri Tree forest program in Washoe County, Nevada.
5. Vidler Water and assorted other invested “stakeholders” (research provided by Debbie Coffey)
Pony up! Cattlemen! By Debbie Coffey
http://www.nlrc.com/index.html
http://investors.picoholdings.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=112782&p=irol-irhome
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9NDk4NjR8Q2hpbGRJRD0tMXxUeXBlPTM=&t=1
http://www.waterchat.com/News/Indian/07/Q2/ind_070605-01.htm
http://www.nevadalivestock.us/pdf/20100519.pdf
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/Jun-18-Tue-2002/news/18996206.html
It might not be Christmas but this video by John Holland really tells it all!
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- BP and Ruby Pipeline Connection Raises Questions About Removal of Calico Wild Horses from Northwestern Nevada (ppjg.wordpress.com)
Categories: Horse News, The Force of the Horse, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
The Department of the Interior has just wrapped Nevada up in a nice little package, put a bow on it and given to the Robber Barrons–courtesy of the American taxpayers.
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Appoint him King of Russia and he can help Tony Hayward. They’ll love him and he’ll love them. They’re made for each other.
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I THINK SALAZAR SHOULD BE IMPEACHED. AFTER GOING TO D.C LAST WEEK WITH SEVERAL OTHER HORSES LOVERS AND EQUINE RESCUE GROUPS, SUCH AS RESPECT 4 HORSES, IPSWICH EQUINE RESCUE FEDERAL 501C3 NON PROFIT AND MEETING ALL OF THE POLITICAL BABBOONS, DOESNT MATTER REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT THEY ALL CONFABULATE AND ONLY CARE ABOUT THE ‘RUBY PIPELINE’ EL PASO CO TO RUN THROUGH OUR NATIONAL HERTIGAGES, THE SPANISH MUSTANG DECENDENTS GRAZZING FIELD S AND PRECIOUS LAND. SALAZAR IS BARBARIC AND MONEY HUNGRY LIKE ALL UP ON CAPITOL HILL. WE MUT PASS HR 503 NOW SOON. WE ALSO NEED MORE COURAGOUS WOMAN LIKE MADELINE PAULSON PICKENS TO LEAD THE PACK TO TAKE DOWN THE BRUTAL HORSE KILLERS OF THE HEINOUS BLM. THIS IS A NATIONAL TRAVESTY. SAY NO TO EQUINE SLAUGHTER NOW. STOP KILLING OUR COUNTRYS WILD MUSTANGS. KATHLEEN P. HOFFERTY,RN..B,S,A,S PREVET,HORSEMANSHIP IPSWICH EQUINE RESCUE CORP PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.SAVE OUR MUSTANGS AND ALL AMERICAN HORSES FROM THE KILLING FIELDS BLOODY WITH THE INNOCENT MUSTANGS AND BUROS SPIRITS.
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I’d like to nominate Marti Oakley for Deputy Communications Director for Everyone NOT Associated With The Federal Government.
Marti, you got the Touch. Spot on the Nose, Bullseye, Exact-a-mundo.
Maybe we could launch a midnight raid on salazar’s dumpster. Only save me his hat; I’m gonna mount it on a pole and use it as an umbrella on my back porch.
And: Is it just me or do salazar, cheney & rumsfeld look suspiciously related to each other? Maybe a facial-recognition registry for Environmental Rapists?
I’m not hatin’. I’m just tossin’ it out there.
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First our emails don’t count or matter. Now we can’t send them. The kiri trees are killer, too. This is America? mar
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Salazar is required to solicit comments…he is NOT required to read them or employ the recommendations found in those comments.
Hell, he doesn’t read or follow the law or his own agency’s regs….AND CONGRESS AND THE WHITE HOUSE LET HIME DO IT!!!!!!!
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Probably the dummy can’t read. The $ in his eyes get in the way of print.
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You hit the nail on the head once again, RT!
Maybe though, it should be Czar Salazar since he is more like a Russian dictator, but really more than that, he has, as has been noted before, the persona of a Nazi war criminal.
God, please help us!
Maybe copies of letters should be sent to a mediator for documentation, like George Knapp, who has the power to make these letters public.
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Thanks for the compliment but this is vintage Marti Oakley, Jill. A woman of a few words!
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I consider myself a relatively intelligent and “computer savvy” person. I tried for nearly an hour to make the BLM comment system functional. It’s not! Nor was it ever intended to be. It’s a ridiculous farce – an insult to tax payers and a tragedy for the horses. I just don’t know how in the world the American public can allow itself to be so duped and swindled!
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Did not President Obama say the the BUCK stops with him. Where is his concern and leadership? I agree with what this author wrote about the actions and integrity of Salazar…but isn’t he just following the LEADER???
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Obama is the “supposed” leader, but continues to turn a deaf ear to issues that concern a lot of his constituents. He is ALL about energy. If we had even an inkling of what’s REALLY going on, we would all run screaming into the night.
And Madeline Pickens?????? she wants to be paid by the govt just like the rest of the LTH facility owners. People with MUCH less resources than she has actually have already been running wild horse sanctuaries for years, on a shoestring budget. Why, with the money and backing at her disposal, her “sanctuary” is not a reality, is beyond me.
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I so wish by now Pickens would get on with HELPING a FAMILY of the wild horses.
The BLM is running horses with aircraft for 20 plus miles and then SHOOTING some of the wild horses- because they are older and tired out from the helicopter cruelty!
please buy some of the last large american acres and gift it to mustang avocates!! so we can save these last great wild horses before the BLM finishes their plan of horses stuck in tiny pastures!
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I agree, Laura, about MP. there are rances for sale out there, with acreage to support 500-600 horses; why she doesn’t get on with this is beyond me. Her first plan was to get the 33,000 out of LTH, that’s gone by the wayside, it seems. NOW the plan is 10,000 in short-term holding. JUST DO SOMETHING!!!! to save some of these horses and allow them to be free.
There is a good post on the Pryor Wild Horse Center about Stiles, one of the older Forest Service Stallions roundedup last fall. He is at the Monero horse sanctuary in NM, and has found himself a little herd of his own. Point being that horses are very adaptable, they will find ways to make families again, if given the chance. Why won’t she give SOME of them the chance? She has the resources to do it.
RIght now all it seems to be from her is a lot of talk.
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“refused to accept emails or faxes on the federal register or at his agency that oppose his policies.”
Is there a link to their website where the Gov dept is refusing to accept communication from Americans?
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It’s probably obvious if you are not already saying it in your letters and phone calls to Washington, to let the White House and Congress know you see them both and DOI as failed leadership, and they lose your vote, unless they overhaul Salazar’s DOI, especially the BLM.
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I am telling the Obama admin they failed us, everytime they send a request for donations from the change.org group.
Problem is I want to vote and I’m not voting for the ‘Bush-gang’ or Obama if he doesn’t fire salazar.
Will you run for Pres? I’d vote for you!
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You Betcha….!!!
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RT,
Thanks for this information. I especially like the way you provide ‘proof’ of all that is written. I’ve been ‘hearing’ so much of that lately, this post nips all that in the bud!
I may have missed it, but if snail mail letters will end up in ‘file 13’, what SHOULD we do to submit our comments, ensuring that they are indeed documented and considered real!
I’ve been ready to roll with submission now for 3 weeks, and only confused about the means or whereabouts. I too had a look at the BLM site for public comment, and YES, it is set up for failure….
So frustrating….
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I have my snail mail ready to send…today. If anyone can think of a way to account for these letters, let me know. Thanks,
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I’m going to send my comments registered mail and I am going to cc them to my Senators and the White House with a letter explaining that since the DOI will most likely destroy or not read my comments I wished to get notice somewhere. I agree with MP. Her plan for a sterile population of horses has never been to my liking. There is this huge bird sitting on my shoulder ever since she came into the picture that says don’t trust her and I’m not even sure why. I don’t cross that bird–it’s always been right. I’m also going to write everyone that I can think of including the newspapers and let them know how I feel about the DOI and the way they are treating the public esp regarding commenting. I am definitely going to raise a stink about this. I need to go by me a GPS system and check my position–I could have sworn I was in America but now I’m not so sure.
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And another thing!! If the cattlemen were wise they would become our best friends and help us keep the horses and the cattle on the range–as many horses and cattle as we can. In fact we should give them all aphrodisiacs to make certain they reproduce. If they only saw the handwriting on the wall they’d be calling us up asking how we can join together. Instead I’d like to see the look on their faces when they find it has happened to them too. Of course the big corporate ranches will just turn to energy corporations and join in the pillaging, it’s the small farmers and ranchers that will lose their last hope and their last lands. Change is a comin and it ain’t gonna be pretty. Well O did promise us change.
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We could all send candy-grams with a little message.
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There is a petition to sign
In Defense of Animals [takeaction@idausa.org]
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I, myself, have lost faith in our so-called “leader”, Pres. Obama, since he’s really NOT “in charge”(seems Congress over-rules & gets the final say, so, why bother electing a President??), &, in Madeleine Pickens. She HAS the wealth & the celebrity status to get the job done, but all there seems to be is talk & NO action!? I applaud ALL those REAL wild horse sanctuaries, that actually DO something(as much as they possibly can), to save & protect these awesome, beautiful animals! I only wish we could afford to donate to & support ALL of them. My family & I just returned home from the 2010 annual “Breyerfest”, held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. While there, we were honored to meet Neda DeMayo, founder of Return To Freedom,American Wild Horse Sanctuary, &, her absolutely breathtakingly beautiful Spanish mustangs, Isadora-Cruce & her sister, Inez-Cruce. The most intelligent, gentle, affectionate horses I’ve EVER seen or been around! We also saw some Nakota mustangs.How anyone in their right mind, or not, could not love these gorgeous horses, is beyond me, beyond words!! I pray again, that our IGNORANT government/BLM, does NOT destroy these wild horses, nor remove them from THEIR wild homes! I hope, someday, to take a family vacation out west, to actually SEE the horses running free, where they belong.
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