I would have to agree with Javablack here.

The problem you have in the US is that you keep selling public lands. It would be easier if you just kept more of your land public in the first place. Canada still has 88% of land in public hands. We obviously have a smaller population which helps, but half our land would be owned by US companies by now if we didn't have a strict sales policy. It makes it very convenient to regulate use of this land, including any/all natural resources on it. Its common to require permits, usage fees, leases, etc. to use this land, and this generates tons of revenue. Plus there are conditions in many cases where the land has to be returned to good condition after its used.

It would be hard to do what you suggest Javablack because property rights have a long tradition in the US, and your country is afraid of taxes.

As a society we must become stewards of the land, not just owners and users of it. I think this is what you are trying to get at.

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"Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives." — John Stuart Mill

You got that backwards - the state of california keeps seizing more and more land. Then, instead of being productively used, it's kept "pristine" so that it looks wonderful for the rich who afford to go out in the middle of nowhere and sit in it.

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Blade: "more educated and literate people than Justabubba"

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http://politicalforum.com/showthread.php?t=27847

There should be huge areas of public land, or else you lose traditions like hunting, fishing, boating, camping, hiking, etc...

The land doesn't need to be productive to be useful

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"Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives." — John Stuart Mill

It's not quite the same as making land into public land. Land would still be used as if private. The only difference is that the people who profit from this private use pay "rents" instead of income tax, sales tax, property tax (which would include values of buildings and machinery and other things), capital gains tax, etc.

From what I understand, Hong Kong uses (either that or used until China took it back- not sure) this tax system and it has been pretty successful.

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