exec order to release national monuments

[Just Bill]

Who knew federal land use could be so complicated?

Lol,

Anyone who understands "Federal?"

Trump said in regards to the recent healthcare reform attempts "Who knew health care reform could be so complicated?"

not picking on on you but I hate to see a nice joke go to waste.

[Another Kevin]

New York state lands enjoy stronger protection than federal lands - we have it in the state constitution. I've heard the frackers fantasize in public about seizing state forest preserve land by federal eminent domain so that it can be repurposed without needing a constitutional amendment. Sick.

[Traillium]

I'm looking forward to the day when I see many of the supposed "tramily" on facebook/WB or other places wake up and take the trail home with them.

Hiker who voted for Trump calling their fellow hikers libtards.
Hiker who voted for Hillary calling their fellow hikers deplorables.
Hiker who voted for Bernie dropped out of the process because he was out even though he lost a fight not a war.
Hiker who just hikes and is so proud they didn't vote.
Hiker who just hikes and hides from the real world out in "the real world".
Hiker who spends much of their free time walking the earth but fails to vote for it or understand our place in it.

We all find a way to get along on the trail... maybe because "hiker" is the only label we need... and often the only thing we truly identify with at our core.... the rest is semantics and details stripped away in the woods.
Or maybe that identity was only tied to a trail name and discarded when we leave... but for a time you were that person... and most of you were pretty happy being that person.
Many come to realize you'll get pretty heartsick and depressed when you try and throw that person away.

If you take that one step further and swap out the word hiker with outdoors person there are way more of us than many realize- more than enough if united under one common issue to remove and replace every politician in the country. I don't think we have the continued luxury of the other labels if we truly care about wearing any flavor or version of the label of "environmentalist or outdoor lover".

Swap that label out with "Earthling" and there is only one group to lump us in... but that's a few generations off.
Our job today is to keep the two legged on this rock around long enough to get there.

+1 for this, Just Bill! (says this Canuck hiker and earthling)

[Traillium]

It's about getting at the resources to exploit the land, water, oil, natural gas, mined elements, forests, etc through easing EPA and other regs to allow greater energy sector and development profitability. It's what the current Prez does. He goes in methodically lining up his troops as a bull. He is known for this. He's a billionaire BIG BIZ man known for "lawyering up." He is a pro fossil fuel President. He is a pro mining President. It's what he's said repeatedly. Look at who he has placed into key cabinet positions - Sec of State, Sec of Interior, EPA Commissioner, DOJ head, DOE head, ...

We're not pure up here north of the 49th parallel, but the egregiousness of Trump is breathtaking and short-sighted in an extreme.

… Damn — I'm going to have to get out and hike tomorrow …


"Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
'Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot"
Joni Mitchell (from Saskatchewan)

[TX Aggie]

Trump said in regards to the recent healthcare reform attempts "Who knew health care reform could be so complicated?"

not picking on on you but I hate to see a nice joke go to waste.

No worries, I can take a little ribbing. This group is mild compared to other forums I belong to. But I never knew just walking could be so complicated.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dogwood]

It's really nice to see polite input and civil discussion on an outdoors related issue that could have turned ugly if it was just arguing along partisan political lines. And, TU very much to the MODS who have allowed this discussion. I feel like I'm in a room with all of us behaving as adults willing to not just pontificate but consider points of view respectfully. WOW. TU to everyone for participating in such a way. Refreshing.

[BlackCloud]

I didn't intend to opine on the "land grab" issue, but to correct the oft stated misinformation that all national monuments are born from federal lands. The Antiquities Act permits a landowner (private, NGO, local gov't) to voluntarily relinquish land for monument designation.

I am uncomfortable with the growing trend of the Executive branch acting as the sole authority of government. If land is so precious, fine, designate it as a national monument; and then immediately propose legislation to make it a national park, national historical park, or whatever. Congress has abdicated its responsibilities here, in war making, and elsewhere. This is not how our Gov't was intended to function.

[Just Bill]

I didn't intend to opine on the "land grab" issue, but to correct the oft stated misinformation that all national monuments are born from federal lands. The Antiquities Act permits a landowner (private, NGO, local gov't) to voluntarily relinquish land for monument designation.

I am uncomfortable with the growing trend of the Executive branch acting as the sole authority of government. If land is so precious, fine, designate it as a national monument; and then immediately propose legislation to make it a national park, national historical park, or whatever. Congress has abdicated its responsibilities here, in war making, and elsewhere. This is not how our Gov't was intended to function.

Fair enough... from my limited knowledge of the process... I've seen it as the political version of the nature conservancy. A way to move quickly to preserve something of merit while bureaucracy eventually catches up.
in that context...a review of those rapid fire executive choices in every arena used makes sense. So I'm not opposed to the concept itself in anyway.

Unfortunately I tend to agree that a common sense review is not the objective or that an altruistic motive exists in this case. So I get the logic, but do not trust the fella employing it.

[handlebar]

I didn't intend to opine on the "land grab" issue, but to correct the oft stated misinformation that all national monuments are born from federal lands. The Antiquities Act permits a landowner (private, NGO, local gov't) to voluntarily relinquish land for monument designation.

I am uncomfortable with the growing trend of the Executive branch acting as the sole authority of government. If land is so precious, fine, designate it as a national monument; and then immediately propose legislation to make it a national park, national historical park, or whatever. Congress has abdicated its responsibilities here, in war making, and elsewhere. This is not how our Gov't was intended to function.

Two points: First, it sounds like you really do want to opine on these monuments being a "land grab" which they clearly are not. None of the previously non-federal lands you previously listed were "state lands", nor were they "federal lands" until the private owners of those lands decided to give ("relinquish") them to the federal government presumably on the condition they be declared national monuments. There is no federal land grab involved, plain and simple. The only land grab being proposed is private interests now seeking to exploit our common patrimony for personal/corporate gain by revoking national monument status. Second, I too am uncomfortable with Executive Orders being the sole means of exercising government authority, but that is the result of the political parties being hijacked by extreme right and left interests so that no legislators are willing to meet in the middle for the good of the country. It is a sad state of affairs.

[BlackCloud]

Thank you handlebar for clarifying for me what is happening in my own head.

[Dogwood]

Those 71 yrs and more than a few gray whiskers are showing - the Gray Fox.