Wyoming long has had an independent streak in its right-leaning politics, but a position on federal lands staked out by a Republican gubernatorial candidate still might cause some in the state to catch their breath: Taylor Haynes would open Yellowstone National Park to mining and grazing.
Mr. Haynes, whose diverse background includes degrees in urology and mechanical engineering and time spent ranching, said if elected one of his first tasks would be to send letters to the federal land-management agencies telling them to turn their lands over to the state and get their operations out of Wyoming.
“Then, in whichever county they attempt to have any official activity, they will be arrested for impersonating a law enforcement officer in Wyoming,” he told the Casper Star-Tribune last week.
The 68-year-old Republican bases his plan on the grounds that the U.S. Constitution allows the federal government to own just 10 miles of land, in Washington, D.C., for offices and operations, and that the state could do a much better job of managing the federal lands.
How successful would Mr. Haynes' proposal be in terms of the state's tourism industry? Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks likely would fare well for their iconic status. But other park units in the state? Do you remember Shoshone Cavern National Monument? The site outside Cody, Wyoming, was designated in 1909 by presidential proclamation, and given to Cody in 1954. Have you heard of it?
Before Mr. Haynes can put his plan to work, he has to win the GOP gubernatorial nomination next month (current Gov. Matt Mead, a Republican, is seeking re-election), and then the general election in November.
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Here is a link to the article. Read it please.
http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/if-elected-hay...
To make it a bit easier for you, here is the story's lead paragraph: "If elected Wyoming governor, Republican Taylor Haynes intends to take back federal lands and could open Yellowstone National Park to drilling, grazing and mining, he said."
The article states that but Haynes doesn't - at least not anywhere in that article. The article even corrected its own headline using the word "could" rather than "would" in the first sentence. In otherwords that is their conjecture not Haynes stated intention.
So by not declaring them off limits that automatically means he will open them up? In fact the article did indicate that the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality would set priorities to protect what Haynes described as the “personality of Wyoming,” such as beautiful forests. In otherwords, all previously federal lands would not be opened up.
Lee - to make it a bit easier for you, quote marks are used when citing something a person says. No quote marks, its not the speakers comment.
EC, you've got it wrong about quote marks. Sometimes comments are paraphrased but the intent is the same as if it came from a direct quote.
Beyond that, if Haynes objected to the article, published two days ago, he would have made it well known by now. Especially in a small state like Wyoming.
Regardless, the Sagebrush rebellion types have a long and distinquished past in Wyoming and for quite some time there has been a small movement there to put Yellowstone and Wilderness lands into their hands. Nothing new. Same fiddle tune, just a different day. If James Watt couldn't succeed as head of the DOI, then neither will a governor.
True. And that is legitimate issue to debate - state vs federal ownership. What is not legitimate is attributing statements of position to a person that never made those statements with the goal of creating hysteria or denegrating the debate.
And sometimes (perhaps more often than not) comments are twisted to try to create hysteria or support the reporter's bias. That is why I put far more weight on what someone actually says than on someone elses interpretation and reshaping.
BTW - here is what he actually says on his website:
The natural beauty and wide open spaces found in Wyoming draw millions of visitors annually.
Our rich Western and pioneer heritage are important factors as well.
Thus, this resource must be guarded jealously.
Doesn't sound to me like someone that is about to rape and pillage Yellowstone
So EC, you've gone from agreeing -- even citing the candidate's own words -- that Haynes would place Yellowstone "last on the list" for mineral leasing, but on the list nonetheless, to "attributing statements of position to a person that never made those statements..."
Which is it? By your own words, "quote marks are used when citing something a person says." Haynes didn't say Yellowstone was off the list. He said it was on the list.