Who Really Pays for the Ranchers' Profits?

Big ranchers are making huge profits, but who's really footing the bill? It's not just the ranchers. The government is giving them a massive discount to graze their cattle on public lands. This discount is so big that it's like paying only 15% of what they would on private land. And guess who pays for this discount? The taxpayers. The government started this program in the 1930s to prevent overgrazing and the Dust Bowl. But now, it's become a way for big ranchers to make even more money. The Trump administration wants to make it even easier for ranchers to use public lands. They say it will help the economy and reduce the national debt. But will it really? The government is spending billions of dollars on subsidies for ranchers. This includes help with droughts, floods, and even money for fences and watering holes. But most of this money goes to a small group of big ranchers. In fact, just 10% of ranchers control two-thirds of the grazing on public lands. And what about the environment? The government is supposed to make sure that grazing doesn't harm the land. But they're not doing a good job. They don't have enough people to check on the land, and they're letting ranchers renew their permits even when the land is in bad shape. Some ranchers say that grazing on public lands helps the environment. They say it prevents private land from being sold and paved over. But others say that the government is just throwing money away. They say that the subsidies are helping the rich get richer, while the taxpayers are left to pick up the tab.