Slate, I live in NV. The Feds "own" 87% of the state. So only 13% is in private hands. The deal between the feds and the ranchers at one time was a fair deal. In 1993, the feds changed the rules on the ranchers and it's been a war between them since. Bundy is not the only rancher like this...they all are. My wife dated a rancher's son once. Same exact story. Now remember, the BLM's the ones who decided to show up armed for war. This was before the militias and whatnot showed up. Bundy does not recognize the feds as having any power over him. I agree with him 100%. The original western treaties promised that the states would have control over their land, not the feds. But every year, the federal government gets bigger and bigger. Believe me, you don't want that. Do me a favor Slate, and look up the history of the Soviet Union and read about communism. That's your assignment for the weekend. Now you may be a democrat or whatever. I myself could be called a right-wing extremist. I don't care about that. I'm for freedom first and foremost. I don't know what person in his right mind wouldn't be for that. I wish we had some leaders that had a hair on their ass and would speak out against this ever-growing threat. A big, intrusive government is never a good thing.