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You have to look at it in context. The government can do things that private landholders cannot - for instance a private owner doesn't own the subsurface by def

You have to look at it in context. The government can do things that private landholders cannot - for instance a private owner doesn't own the subsurface by default. In some places, private landholders can be forced to provide an easement across their property for certain types of activities, including railroads and mining claims. And if you want to protect a vast tract of wilderness, it costs money to monitor it for things like illegal hunting. The government has far more resources to use on enforcement actions to protect parkland.

thaumasiotes 8y ago
> In some places, private landholders can be forced to provide an easement across their property for certain types of activities, including railroads and mining claims. This isn't a point in favor of transferring ownership to the government; it's always easier to give yourself permission to run a railroad than to compel someone else to give you the same permission.