Politics aside, the recent scofflaw Cliven Bundy and his standoff with Federal agents was really about land patents, not his supposed violation of grazing rights, of which he must have been in violation of the previous 15 years...
The reason was Harry Reid's son, Rory represents a massive Chinese energy firm and they planned to lease the BLM (public) land to the Chinese. Local appraisals valued the land at between $29.6 million and $38.6 million, the local commission (no doubt influenced by Reid and his son) were offering it to the Chinese for a cool $4.5 million. Lots of 'extra' millions floating around to hand out so everyone is happy right, the only problem is this old man and his cattle are already using the land.
WHENEVER we allow politicians to trade public goods for private gains be they land leases, land patents, easements, or adverse possessions just look for a connected private benefactor and a politician with dollar signs in their eyes.
The saddest part is since both parties are complicit in this behavior the 4th estate fails once again and reports the information in a way to distract instead of highlight and disinfect.
-Ian