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PaperclipPerfector  2mo ago (text post)   33936 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of February 10, 2025

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To open federal lands or not?

Most people in the US are unaware that the Federal government owns like half of the land in the western states. In states like Utah and Nevada, the ratio is even higher. Some people, mostly on the right, have proposed opening up this land for settlement and development. I'm of two minds but mostly against. Here's some arguments I see against and for.

Against:

  1. Development is permanent. Once land is developed, it is almost never returned to its natural state.

  2. Development is ugly. I love the beautiful wide open spaces in the west. In the east, there is very little true wilderness. Everything is someone's private property, with the associated buildings, trailers, junky cars, trash, etc...

  3. Development turns public spaces into private property denying citizens of their birthright to enjoy the open spaces

For:

  1. Development is pro-natal. Cities are fertility and IQ shredders. Density increases prices and decreases fertility, especially among high IQ people. If we want people having 3, 4, 5 kids, we need cheap housing with lots of space. But states like Utah, Colorado, and Nevada have relatively expensive housing despite lots of open space.

  2. Development is good for the economy.

Should we open the public lands?

Don't open it. There is enough land to build houses already.

What about ranches? What about farms? What about self-sustaining homesteads?

What about terraforming Deseret with ruminants until it sprouts green?

Did you ever read Red Mars, and agree with the Reds?

The BLM leases out land for ranching, oil, and mines.

A lease is not a homestead.

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