Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Weekend Contributor
Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher and scofflaw, was hailed by some people as a folk hero and patriot recently when he—and his followers–engaged in a standoff with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Caty Enders (Esquire) described the scene in Bunkerville, Nevada, as pundits and politicians descended on the Bundy camp last week “to throw in their American flag hats with the BLM protestors.” She said that a FOX News van had been parked by the side of the road for days—and that “militia snipers kept a trained watch” up on a ridge “as Bundy held court.” She added that disciples of Bundy came from far and wide “to share their personal theories as to why the government was enforcing a court order.”
Bundy has had a number of advocates who have spoken in support of his militant stance against the BLM. Those advocates included some prominent politicians and members of the media. Sean Hannity was one of Bundy’s biggest boosters and helped to make him into a folk hero. Hannity talked with Bundy on a number of occasions on his Fox News show. Joan Walsh (Salon) asked a pertinent question about Bundy on Friday: “How does a guy who declared early on ‘I don’t recognize the United States government as even existing’ become a folk hero in the first place?” She said that both Hannity and Fox News should have realized that the Nevada rancher was “too toxic” prior to his “ongoing self-exposure as a racist.” She added that the extremism of Bundy’s statement about the US government “should have been warning enough that Bundy was not only crazy but dangerous…”
Enders posed a question that was in the same vein as Walsh’s: “Exactly how difficult was it, though, to determine pretty early on that Bundy and his followers were using the threat of force to back up some terrifyingly misguided beliefs?” Enders provided some insight into the thinking and beliefs of Bundy and disciples of his with whom she talked.
Members of the Bundy Brigade Speak Out
Enders spoke to a militia member named Mark who was affiliated with the Oath Keepers group. Mark explained to her “the truth behind public land management.” He said, “The assumption is that the BLM is part of the federal government. But we need to check the facts on that one. The BLM doesn’t work for the government: they work for the United Nations. They might as well be wearing blue helmets. If we find out there’s money being exchanged between Harry Reid and the Chinese government, no one should be surprised.”
Another Bundy disciple told Enders that “Bar-certified lawyers, like the ones who prosecuted Bundy, have sworn loyalty to the British government, whose statutes encourage sex with clients. ‘That’s what they do with all their clients.’”
Enders spent time talking to a former cop who chuckled as he related a story about one of his buddies who once worked as a sheriff in New Mexico. He said his buddy got into some trouble after he pulled over a group of illegals one night. He said his pal “didn’t have room to haul ‘em all, so he put a chain around their neck and put a padlock through it, went to the next one, then he chained ‘em to a tree!” Enders said that the former cop then buckled with laughter as he told her how his friend “left ‘em and went to town to get his pickup to haul ‘em all back in. So, you might imagine, that didn’t play well — ha! You’re a young’un, but everything wasn’t against the law, way back when.” The former cop also told Enders that it was now being proved that the Bureau of Land management was acting on orders “from Troy and Harry Reid, who want to build a solar farm on the land — or a wind farm.”
One of Bundy’s disciples drove a beige sedan covered with the following message:
IF YOU WERE BORN IN 1980 AND AFTER. YOU MAY BE IMPLANTED WITH A GOVERNMENT MICROCHIP WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE: GOOGLE DOCTORS THAT REMOVE MICROCHIPS.
Cliven Bundy, God’s Messenger
During the time that Enders spent at the Bundy camp, she witnessed one of the public addresses the Nevada rancher made to his followers. She said that as Bundy—who had just been given a standing ovation—took the stage, he didn’t seem pleased. She said that Bundy reproached the crowd “for failing to follow the word of God – to the letter …”— which he claimed was being “delivered through him.” He wasn’t happy that his supporters failed “to follow his instructions to tear down the toll booths at Lake Mead and disarm the Park Service.” Bundy added, “The message I gave to you all was a revelation that I received. And yet not one of you can seem to even quote it.” He continued, “The records of our bible — how long have they been kept? Thousands of years. They’ve been turned over generation after generation, buried, and all kinds of things happen to ‘em. And yet, here, something I felt was inspired [by God] and yet we haven’t even carried it forth for even a couple of days. Shame on us.”
Bundy expressed frustration because his followers hadn’t been able to deter the BLM “within an hour”—“as the revelation had prophesied.” When an hour had passed, Bundy reportedly got into his bulldozer and decided to march on the BLM himself. His dozer got stuck in the mud—and that led to Bundy’s receiving yet another revelation: “It come to my mind real plain — the good Lord said, ‘Bundy, it’s not your job, it’s THEIR job.’” Bundy reiterated that revelation a little differently in an effort to ensure that his followers understood what he had just told them, “This is not my job, it’s YOUR job.”
Bundy said that he received a message that morning after he prayed. He claimed that he heard a voice say, “Sheriff Gillespie, your work is not done. Every sheriff across the United States, take the guns away from the United States bureaucrats.”
Uncivil Disobedience
Even The Weekly Standard–as well as Glenn Beck–has been critical of Cliven Bundy. The magazine’s Scrapbook explained the whole Bundy situation with regard to grazing fees and court rulings. The Scrapbook said that what had transpired over the years didn’t sound “like the dread hand of tyranny, in Nevada or Washington, oppressing an innocent farmer, or pushing some law-abiding citizen around.” It said it sounded, instead, “like a rancher gaming the system to his own financial advantage, and disguising his scheme in populist rhetoric: refusing to pay a tax which others must pay, and ‘tying up the courts’—for two decades!—as he continues to ignore the law.”
The Weekly Standard:
Far from acting in an arbitrary or capricious manner, the federal government has shown patience and forbearance in the face of lawlessness that customarily lands people in jail. It is worth noting that Bundy’s rancher-neighbors and the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association, who contend with the same federal policies, offer him little support.
Apocalypse Cow – Welfare Rancher, Part 1 (The Daily Show)
Apocalypse Cow – Welfare Rancher, Part 2 (The Daily Show)
SOURCES
Fox News’ new laughingstock: Cliven Bundy — and Stephen Colbert — will destroy Sean Hannity (Salon)
Uncivil Disobedience (The Weekly Standard)
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These elderly workers are not filing fraudulent claims. Where they used to get sedentary jobs, they no longer do. We don’t abandon our elderly and disabled…yet.
Gene, I would think that being so cold would preserve Pluto in it’s youthful state.
Dr. Stanley,
Many thanks! The question is settled. See page 9 of the report. A screen shot would be great. Can you do that?
Great information from the World Bank Chuck.
Nick: “And, when people continue to insist that a poor economy CREATES more disabled people, they make my point that there are too many scofflaws.”
Annie: “Point out who stated that a poor economy creates more disabled people.”
Nick: “I said a poor economy SHOULD NOT create more disabled.”
See what you did there, Nick? No one insisted that a poor economy (which you were trying to blame on Obama) creates more disabled people. I specifically said it creates a woodwork effect where people who were already disabled, then lose their job in the Little Bush Depression, decide that getting a measly little SSD check is better than unemployment.
And you’ve continued to ignore the real reason behind the rise in SSD, Reagan’s 1984 law that made it easier to get.
“You need to ask your questions to people up thread who state the reason disabled numbers are skyrocketing is BECAUSE of the poor economy. ”
Who did that, Nick? I have consistently said that the reason for the increase is mostly Reagan. I offered proof. You ignored it. And you continue to claim the opposite of what is true.
“It is strange when people focus on just one thread and still have a difficult time following it.”
Looks like you focus on multiple threads and have trouble following them.
“But, being a half full person, what I will take away from this little exchange is that you folks, who agree w/ nothing I say, do agree it is ludicrous to contend that a poor economy would LEGITIMATELY create disabled claims.”
AGAIN! You are persistent. Let’s make this perfectly clear.
NO ONE has suggested that a bad economy legitimately creates disability claims.
“Now, please direct your questions to the proper person. Thank you.”
And again you want us to do your homework. What person are you talking about. Please reference these things better so we can know who and what you’re talking about.
Nick, I think we covered the growth issue. More elderly, more vets, more disabled, etc. See upstream.
No supporting evidence that fraud accounts for some large portion of the growth of the program.
This is a presentation prepared by Dr. Dan Mont, Senior Poverty Specialist for The World Bank. With trillions of dollars at stake, The World Bank must have accurate information, and the best analysts.
Pay particular attention to Page 9, although it is all good information. PDF warning, it may load slow.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/lc-ccr/seminars/resources/Dan_Mont_-_Perspectives_from_the_World_Bank.pdf
Didn’t shrub start the recession? Could that be where the ten year period could be?
Elaine, well said. My mistake for going back to the whole CNN Money report.
SWM, I don’t doubt that is part of the problem. But there has been a 47% increase over the past decade! Come on.
Nick, A poor economy has actually created a situation in which more older disabled workers that have been laid off and unable to find work file for disability. This happened during the economic meltdown and is continuing to happen as healthier younger workers are preferred although the economy has improved somewhat.
Feynman, I watched the CPS interview and found the CPS workers to be overly aggressive and condescending.
Thank you all, I said a poor economy SHOULD NOT create more disabled. You need to ask your questions to people up thread who state the reason disabled numbers are skyrocketing is BECAUSE of the poor economy. It is strange when people focus on just one thread and still have a difficult time following it. But, being a half full person, what I will take away from this little exchange is that you folks, who agree w/ nothing I say, do agree it is ludicrous to contend that a poor economy would LEGITIMATELY create disabled claims. Now, please direct your questions to the proper person. Thank you.
Annie,
Ones grabbing at straws with that statement.
Annie, I think Mr. Spinelli is referring to the CNN Money article. The link is somewhere around here. Want me to look?
BTW, did you see the video of the CPS interview on raff’s Communication post?
Scott,
Today was the first time I have read Jonathan stating that he knows in essence who the culprits are. I think he honestly believes in free speech. What he does not understand is that when he is not around that some use it as an opportunity to take subtle jabs personally and then sit back and say, why are you being defensive. This especially irks me when the guest bloggers are the victims of the abuse.
With that said, until he actually sets the law down with the offending parties and gives the guest bloggers a little more freedom, these kinda of antics will continue. Which is a sad day for this blog. It used to be like family. Everyone has that crazy aunt in the attic, it’s just how you deal with her.
Point out who stated that a poor economy creates more disabled people.
When Obama supporters start ranting about Romney, the guy he BEAT, well that is a classic distraction technique from a failed Presidency. And, when people continue to insist that a poor economy CREATES more disabled people, they make my point that there are too many scofflaws.
Nick writes:
“When Obama supporters start ranting about Romney, the guy he BEAT, well that is a classic distraction technique from a failed Presidency. And, when people continue to insist that a poor economy CREATES more disabled people, they make my point that there are too many scofflaws”.
Nick, sorry to disappoint you but I thought you were a thoughtful and a person whom one could reason with but after seeing your above post and others in different blogs for a long time,I must admit I was wrong in prejudging you and I apologise for that.
Let me be blunt here. You are nothing but a loud megaphone ala Sarah Palin and Senator Mitch McConnell ilk who do not know how to spell two words correctly. “Thought and Reason.” Talking about your neo-con darling Sarah Palin, she said this weekend,”Water boarding is the way we baptise the terrorists”. She brought religion into this and it seems by your posts you are OK with your group who hates President Obama (You didn’t even have the decency to call our President as President in your above post) which shows your so called American values and you are not alone in your ilk that shows hatred so gallantly in a disrespectful manner.
What did Senator Mitch McConnell say after the first day after OUR President (which includes you as well) took over Presidency? He said, and I am paraphrasing it, he wanted President Obama to be one term president. In “coded terms” it means, he wanted America to fail, us as Americans to fail so that they get angry at this Kenyan Born Muslim (Birthers in your ilk) so he can NOT be reelected which did not happen to be the case but your ilk tried its best.
Nick, please tell me how much does it cost to pass a bill in the House and how many times bills like to de-fund the ACA have been passed by this “obese” congress and how about the anti abortion bill and as you know, they are both the laws of the land.
I am a registered Independent and socially conservative. If you want to be conservative Nick, then conserve the falling roads and bridges which the obese congress refuses to do. If you want to be conservative, then conserve the dignity by not asking our President should show his birth certificate and to be called a liar at the SOTU address.
Talking about the bridges’ dire state, here is something for your pondering, :http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nation-and-world/63000-bridges-need-repairs-us-least-amount-nevada
It is a shame that the word Liberal which is derived from Freedom has become the N word of today with the shackles for your ilk. If you want to be a conservative, I am fine with it, but do not make yourself like a seal tight pickle jar. That is what TO CONSERVE has become which include, the denial of climate change, raise of the minimum salary, equal rights for women and the list go on and on.
Let me end with a quote as you mentioned about our govt. being obese, “People who live in the glass houses, should not change their clothes with the lights on”.:-)
Paul Schulte, with more conservative lack of self-awareness:
“Dredd – that is the challenge of liberal social science: inventing things to prove themselves right about how they think.”
Science doesn’t invent things. It studies the facts and then finds ways to explain them.
This is in direct conflict with conservative “science,” like “God did it.” Or, “CO2 will cause cooling” or “racism no longer exists” or “the earth is 6000 years old” or “Iraq has WMD” or “Iraq was in on 911” or “the Iraq war will pay for itself” or “simulating drowning is not torture” or “tax cuts for the rich will trickle down to workers” or any of the other gems from conservative “science.”
jonathanturley: “Both sides are posting insulting comments and then crying foul when there other side responds in kind.”
Somebody must’ve started it…
I’ve commented on this blog from time to time over the years, but was never personally attacked like I have been from Nick.
I have posted facts, coherent arguments, and gentle push backs at him for various offenses, like him calling me a Shiite Liberal, which you saw fit to let him get away with.
But mostly I have stuck to the facts.
He, on the other hand, has nothing more than personal insults and unsubstantiated rants.
I would think that a constitutional law professor would be able to see when one party is trying to argue facts, while the other is interested only in slander, that both parties are not equally guilty.
Further, it seems obvious from all the other people that Nick disparages, that ignoring him is quite difficult.
So, I find it interesting that it is the “new” people here who are at fault, while this person who has such a history of insulting people that many of the regulars are sick of him, again gets to float by.
Maybe he has more money than I, so he gets more speech?