Last week, the Lame Duck Congress voice voted a $119 million tax hike on... duck hunters. The House did this by passing the "Federal Duck Stamp Act of 2014" (H.R. 5069), which raised the "fee" hunters must pay to obtain a permit to hunt on federally owned land from $15 to $25. Of course, supporters of the bill, such as Representative Paul Ryan, denied it was a "tax," instead calling it a "user fee."
The new revenues from these "fees" will be used to purchase "easements for wetlands conversion," in other words to increase the amount of land owned by the federal government.
Instead of increasing "fees" in order to put more land under federal control, Congress should be working to reduce the amount of land owned by the federal government. As Campaign for Liberty Chairman Ron Paul has oftentimes pointed out, the most effective way to preserve and protect the environment is to rely on private property owners.
You can learn more about free-market environmentalism in Dr. Paul's Liberty Defined, available in the Campaign for Liberty store, along with Dr. Paul's other books. These would make excellent presents for those looking to give the gift of liberty.
(Hat tip: Michael Tennant at The New American).
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PDFTags: Ron Paul, Taxes, GOP Congress, enivironment