Look at it this way. . . .
This is what happens when the Federal Government owns land.
First of all, US citizens put their necks on the line to throw off the British, and got the Northwest Territories ceded in the settlement, mostly lands the British had promised to the American native tribes who sided with the British. North of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi. The US Congress became the battle ground between States, former colonies, jealous for their respective interests, and the grandiose pompous windbags all knew ordinary American citizens wanted that land for themselves.
But well-meaning progressive politicians decided public education was a public interest, though the US Constitution was constructed to deny the Federal Government from becoming powerful enough to ever hold sway over anything the way the British oligarchs had done. But who the Hell cares what the Constitution says when there's votes to be won with power you can just pull out of thin air?
So they passed the law that required certain sections of every township, 6 of every 36 sections, a square miles of US territory not already in State hands to be deeded to local territorial governments (future States) to support public education. The law anticipated that the sections would be sold and the money used to build little schoolhouses all over the country, close enough to the people their children could walk to school. . .yah, within a couple of miles.
Great idea, right. See what it does to the map. That's all those little green squares.
It's also proof that according to the original intent of the Constitution, the government was not supposed to be a land holder.
You don't want people to own the land because "the people" would likely be corporate interests owned by the same kind of oligarchs our founders had to fight against for a the very idea of actual human liberties, and that would likely be the result if the we took the Feds out of their squatters rights today. There's no denying that of all the territory acquired by the US government was originally supposed to turned over to the states and then to the people. It's only in the arid areas that could not be successfully farmed by homesteaders using horse-powered equipment that any land remained in Federal hands. And there is no question but that the Federal government acted illegally and contrary to laws passed by the US Congress, to retain so-called ownership even there.
I like that land being open for use under good management, with it's scenic values and environmental values protected, and our right to go out there protected, and free.
I don't like it becoming a political sell out like the Sooners land rush where we sold off native American lands for a pittance, or for it to be handed over by the Feds to Harry Reid's son.
Probably we could get some laws passed which amount to a land use plan, imposing essentially some idea of zoning regulations, to protect a lot of it, but we should allow more private ownership of the Western States where the idea fits with long-term growth needs or resource utilization, and allow some to be converted to farm land where new technology and water conservation methods or public works would make it an economically successful venture.
I don't think we will ever solve this riddle, but we have really, really bad management as things stand.
The "progressive" Left has it's shorts in a bunch over all private property, and wants Government to run everything, and those ideas or ideals are the exact opposite of the basic founding ideals of this country. Whatever it takes to shoot those morons out of their saddle, we have to do it. Kicky and half of Jazzfanz forum are my little piece of that fight.
And my wife tells all her conservative friends I'm a socialist. LOL. No, but I believe people have the right to act as community to protect their basic interests and wishes, and needs, and that oligarchy or mob democracy and most other ideas of government generally break down, with the result that real power generally falls into the hands of the few who want it most, and care the least about the common good.
Even a utility coop will eventual be run that way. So if you want to make a difference, your best bet is to become a private landholder and hope your kids will follow your ideals somehow. . . .
Sad, but true.