Rand Paul jabs BLM in Nevada, prefers state or private ownership

Rand Paul argued Monday that public lands run by the federal government should be handed over to state or local control, making a crowd-pleasing rally cry in Nevada where 67% of the state is overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. "I'd either sell or turn over all the land management to the states," Paul, a Republican presidential candidate and senator from Kentucky, said, landing him big applause at a campaign event. "I don't think the federal government needs to be involved." Paul said Washington has become a "bully" that often goes too far in the regulation of both public and private land. "You run into problems now with the federal government being, you know, this bully — this big huge government bully," he continued. "You would have less of that if you had more local ownership of the land. State ownership would be better, but even better would be private ownership." Paul, in his speech Monday in Mesquite, railed against government regulations of private property as well and listed anecdotal stories of what he considered extensive federal overreach. The senator urged the audience to fight back — but made sure to note that it should be done legally. "It is time that we stand up -- in a legal fashion — but stand up and let's say 'enough is enough' and let's elect people who will get the government off our back," he said...more