THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume VII, Issue # 136, June 22, 2005
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Government Committed to & Acting in Accord with Conservative Principles
Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity
A CALL FOR REPEAL OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT:
THE AMERICAN POLICY CENTER CALLS FOR
AN END TO THE ESA'S "REIGN OF TERROR"
By J. Peyton Knight
THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT & ITS IMPLEMENTATION BY THE U.S. NATIONAL GOVERNMENT: POISONOUS FRUIT FROM
THE TREE OF POLITICAL ENVIRONMENTALISM -- WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT? ALLOWS
GOVERNMENT ALMOST UNCHECKED POWER TO COERCE LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS, CONFISCATE THEIR PROPERTY, & THEREBY
VIOLATE PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS PROTECTIONS PROVIDED IN THE FIFTH AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION
-- THE AMERICAN POLICY CENTER & OVER FIFTY OTHER PUBLIC POLICY GROUPS CALL FOR ENDING THE ESA'S "REIGN OF TERROR"
FULL STORY:
In a letter to U.S. House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (R-CA), the American Policy Center (APC) and over 50 other public
policy groups called for an end to the federal government's unconstitutional practice of taking privately owned land under the
Endangered Species Act (ESA) and thereby violating private property rights. Chairman Pombo plans to make reauthorizing the ESA
a priority of the current Congress.
"There are some who claim that the Act needs to be 'strengthened,' 'updated,' or 'modernized,'" said APC President Tom DeWeese.
"How absurd. For three decades this law has done nothing but steal property, destroy economies, shatter livelihoods, cost billions
of dollars, and even take lives. The ESA needs to be repealed, not "modernized."
The letter APC signed notes that "the ESA is a direct affront to the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment," and warns: "Those who
don't understand what's wrong with the ESA -- its almost unchecked power to coerce law-abiding citizens, regardless of the
consequences -- will never know how to fix the law."
The Endangered Species Act has been a remarkable failure since its inception in 1973. According to the House Resources Committee,
the Act, in its 32-year existence, has failed to recover over 99% of the roughly 1,300 species it lists as threatened or endangered.
The cost of this failure to Americans has been enormous. For example, when the Spotted Owl was dubiously listed under the ESA in
1990, tens of thousands of Americans lost their jobs and their livelihoods. In 2001, four firefighters in the state of Washington lost
their lives due to bureaucratic fumbling over the Act. And all across America, countless property owners have fallen victim to the
menace of radical environmentalists who use the ESA to pillage property.
"How many more lives must be ruined before Congress finally stops cowering before the radical Green lobby?" asked DeWeese.
"Congress should not reauthorize the ESA, unless complete and total property rights protections for landowners are clearly and
unambiguously spelled our in the wording of the law."
In a 2003 critique of the ESA, Congressman Pombo wrote: "It is no secret the ESA has been used by environmental extremists to
restrict, seize and devalue property rights, as well as halt important government projects. In fact, this is what most Green
obstructionist groups relish most about the Act."
DeWeese charged that the Endangered Species Act has nothing to do with saving species and everything to do with indiscriminately
stealing property and ruining the lives of countless Americans.
"The ESA was bad legislation in 1973 and it's been a bad law for over 30 years," said DeWeese. "It is far past time for Congress to end
the ESA's reign of terror and restore the Fifth Amendment."
LINKS TO RELATED TOPICS:
Policy Issues Relating to Energy, Environment,
& Natural Resources
The American Policy Center is a grassroots think tank located in Warrenton, Virginia. J Peyton Knight is Executive Director of the
American Policy Center. He can be contacted by calling the following telephone number: 540-341-8911
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