Montana resident and Heartland friend Rick Dow has a new piece in The Missoulian about a bipartisan effort by the state’s senators to exempt the Rocky Mountain gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act. As this piece from National Review (subscription required) noted a while back, that’s a move that is long past due.
Dow makes the argument that wildlife management decisions are best left to state and local government — which know much better how to manage land, fauna and flora. In short, he writes: The feds always screw the people who live in the American West, because they don’t listen to those who actually live there — but instead do the bidding of the environmental interest groups which all happen to be headquartered in big cities.
Let’s be candid and admit the Endangered Species Act has been a very lucrative way for environmental groups to fundraise profligate sums of money. Additionally, a strong case can be made against the entire Yellowstone wolf reintroduction program in the first place, because of the expense and inevitable but unintended consequences.
Dow extends this point to Obamacare — and it is germane.
Just as Montana and Idaho received an exemption from the Endangered Species Act, over 1,000 entities have received waivers or exemptions from Obamacare, including seven entire states. If it is such a good law, then why are we forced to buy it and, more perplexing, why are any waivers needed?
Well put. Read the whole thing for more insight on wildlife management, Obamacare and federalism.