Magazine
Taking Liberties

July 24, 2006

The Western states are home to a stealth campaign by libertarians who – under the guise of reforming eminent domain – are out to destroy all land-use planning through "takings" ballot initiatives. Also in this issue: Even as Western states debate the best way to look after their roadless areas, logging, drilling and mining are already happening on some formerly protected lands.

Feature

Taking Liberties
The Western states are home to a stealth campaign by libertarians who – under the guise of reforming eminent domain – are out to destroy all land-use planning through "takings" ballot initiatives
Ray Ring July 24, 2006 From the print edition

Sidebar

'I call (regulations) land stealing ...'
Dorothy English weighs in on the pros – and cons – of Oregon’s Measure 37
Ray Ring July 24, 2006 From the print edition
'It's clear out of control ...'
Bill Roses weigh in on the pros – and cons – of Oregon’s Measure 37
Ray Ring July 24, 2006 From the print edition
'I kick myself for being so naive...'
Ted Schroeder weighs in on the pros – and cons – of Oregon’s Measure 37
Ray Ring July 24, 2006 From the print edition
Takings campaigns around the West
A detailed graph sums up the status of the current "takings’ initiative campaigns in six Western states
Ray Ring July 24, 2006 From the print edition
'Great recreation value ... and great economic value...'
Jim Miller weighs in on the pros – and cons – of Oregon’s Measure 37
Ray Ring July 24, 2006 From the print edition
'I hope other states don't do this ...'
Renee Ross weighs in on the pros – and cons – of Oregon’s Measure 37
Ray Ring July 24, 2006 From the print edition

Editor's Note

November Surprise
Ray Ring’s cover story on the libertarian stealth campaign to put "takings" initiatives on Western ballots is the biggest untold political story of the year
Greg Hanscom Opinion July 24, 2006 From the print edition

Uncommon Westerners

Raul Grijalva relishes a good fight
Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva loves fighting for old-fashioned liberal causes like immigration rights, the environment, unions and strong social programs
Renee Guillory July 24, 2006 From the print edition

Essays

Prey at the waterhole
The experience of watching a mountain lion is utterly transformed when the watcher realizes he is the one being watched
Craig Childs Essay July 24, 2006 From the print edition

Book Reviews

The merry — and meditative — farmer
In Blithe Tomato, Mike Madison writes engagingly about working the land on a small farm in California’s Central Valley
Laura Paskus July 24, 2006 From the print edition
A world built on groundwater
In Ogallala Blue: Water and Life on the Great Plains, William Ashworth examines the effects of groundwater dependency in a dry land
Matt Jenkins July 24, 2006 From the print edition
Dust in the wind
In his new book, The Worst Hard Time, Tim Egan interviews survivors to tell the story of the great American Dust Bowl on the southern Great Plains in the 1930s
Gail Binkly July 24, 2006 From the print edition

Perspective

Dems contract case of self-delusion — or not
The Democratic bloggers on the netroots seem to be prone to wildly optimistic self-delusion – and then again, maybe they’re not so crazy after all
Jon Margolis Essay July 24, 2006 From the print edition

Heard Around the West

Heard around the West
"Pit bulls with flippers" in Newport Beach; mountain lion problems; Lewis the Cat; don’t try this on the highway; Fighting Sioux fight for sports team name
Betsy Marston July 24, 2006 From the print edition

Dear Friends

Dear friends
Summer editorial retreat, global warming booklet is here, lots of summer visitors
Jodi Peterson July 24, 2006 From the print edition

News

As states ponder protection, roadless forests unravel
Western states debate the best way to look after their roadless areas even as logging, drilling and mining move in on formerly protected lands
April Reese July 24, 2006 From the print edition
The Latest Bounce
New Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne junks Gale Norton’s controversial Park Service proposal; New Mexico’s Nantac Mexican wolf pack killed; Justice Department removes Judge Royce Lamberth from Indian trust case
Jodi Peterson July 24, 2006 From the print edition
Failing Bay-Delta may take a living fossil with it
Even as raising sturgeon for caviar takes off in the San Francisco Bay-Delta area, the region's wild sturgeon are in serious trouble, along with the rest of the Bay-Delta’s ecology
Jennie Lay July 24, 2006 From the print edition
Saving open land — a taxing problem
In Missoula, Mont., and other Western communities, activists search for the winning formula to pass new open-space bonds in November
Brianna Randall July 24, 2006 From the print edition
Falcon's future rests on a definition
Endangered aplomado falcons already in New Mexico may lose protection under a controversial Fish and Wildlife Service plan to release captive-bred birds as a "nonessential experimental population."
Stephanie Paige Ogburn July 24, 2006 From the print edition
Watch the river flow
Farmers and conservationists have reached a settlement that allows water to flow in California’s San Joaquin River, home to the Friant Dam
Allison Gerfin July 24, 2006 From the print edition

Letters

HCN: Not just for wackos
Ross B. Yingst July 24, 2006 From the print edition
Lunch with a blockhead
Steve Ware July 24, 2006 From the print edition
The not-so-green saints
Larry Glickfield July 24, 2006 From the print edition
New Mexico's greatest shame
Suzanne Koehler July 24, 2006 From the print edition
SUWA's on the right track
Kevin Walker July 24, 2006 From the print edition
Kempthorne: foot soldier
Bill Chisholm July 24, 2006 From the print edition
Che Guevara was no saint
Alberto Enriquez July 24, 2006 From the print edition
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