By now everyone knows a group of rightwing militants seized a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon, and want to turn that land over to private ranchers. So naturally, ranching is the lifeblood of these folks who are fighting against the federal government’s control over vast tracts of western lands, right? Not exactly:
“Finicum runs a cattle ranch in Arizona where he says he barely breaks even on the cattle and the loss of 50 extra foster ranch hands children is going to make it financially difficult on the Finicums:
“That represents an enormous loss of income for the Finicums. According to a 2010 tax filing, Catholic Charities paid the family $115,343 to foster children in 2009. That year, foster parents were compensated between $22.31 and $37.49 per child, per day, meaning if the Finicums were paid at the maximum rate, they cared for, on average, eight children per day in 2009. ‘That was my main source of income,’ Finicum said. ‘My ranch, well, the cows just cover the costs of the ranch.’”
(Read story here.) So, what it boils down to is, ranching is only a breakeven activity despite massive federal subsidies, and this guy makes his living raising kids, not cows. When he decided to bite the hand that feeds him, and became a lawbreaker, state social workers removed the children from his home because they don’t want them parented by a criminal. (Strangely, they didn’t revoke his foster care license, they’re just not placing kids with him.)
Gee, who could have foreseen this? He probably thinks it’s government harassment in retaliation for trespassing on government property and stealing government vehicles. More likely it’s a move by Child Protective Services to avoid getting sued for letting a criminal be a foster parent of troubled children. Maybe they’re afraid the kids will follow his example.
Photo: LaVoy Finicum