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[ElectricBlanketFire]

Details on each in the article.

President Obama will announce on Friday that he is designating new national monuments covering more than a million acres in California, Texas and Nevada, his latest use of executive power to preserve public land.

Mr. Obama plans to designate Berryessa Snow Mountain in California; a paleontological site in Texas known as Waco Mammoth; and the Basin and Range in Nevada, which includes rock art dating back 4,000 years, the White House said in a statement.

The designations, made under the Antiquities Act of 1906, bring to 19 the number of national monuments that Mr. Obama has established or expanded. They cover more than 260 million acres of public lands and waters. Republicans have criticized Mr. Obama, who has turned to that law more than any other president, for his expansive use of his authority to preserve sites of ecological, historical or cultural significance.

Pretty happy about this. Berryessa Snow Mountain is beautiful.

And yes:

Republicans have criticized Mr. Obama, who has turned to that law more than any other president, for his expansive use of his authority to preserve sites of ecological, historical or cultural significance.

is lol indeed.

 

[Chariot]

Republicans have criticized Mr. Obama, who has turned to that law more than any other president, for his expansive use of his authority to preserve sites of ecological, historical or cultural significance.

No~ someone please stop this maniac~

 

[sketchsanchez]

The perfect place for a god king Obama statue, any one of these.

 

[XenodudeX]

Republicans have criticized Mr. Obama, who has turned to that law more than any other president, for his expansive use of his authority to preserve sites of ecological, historical or cultural significance.

I feel like I have to ask why, but honestly I already know the answer.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

I feel like I have to ask why, but honestly I already know the answer.

Drill baby drill?

 

[Blader]

Pretty happy about this. Berryessa Snow Mountain is beautiful.

My god...all that delicious oil, out of reach. What a waste.

 

[Africanus]

No~ someone please stop this maniac~

I was waiting for the criticism.

There are no downsides to President Obama's decision.

 

[aeolist]

I feel like I have to ask why, but honestly I already know the answer.

well in this case it might not entirely be about being contrary

there might be oil under one of these places that exxon-mobil can't get to now

 

[Squalor]

Republicans have criticized Mr. Obama, who has turned to that law more than any other president, for his expansive use of his authority to preserve sites of ecological, historical or cultural significance.

No~ someone please stop this maniac~

He must be establishing these monuments on Republican salt mines.

 

[swoon]

the nevada site includes "the city" which is amazing

 

[kickpuncher]

He must be establishing these monuments on Republican salt mines.

Wonderful. Simply wonderful.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

Republicans against the preservation of national monuments are an embarrassment to Teddy Roosevelt.

 

[Lunar15]

Republicans against the preservation of national monuments are an embarrassment to Teddy Roosevelt.

Agreed, but I'd say that the terms "republican" and "democrat" have changed significantly over time.

Also, Teddy didn't give a fuck, really.

 

[Squall5042]

the nevada site includes "the city" which is amazing

Care to elaborate?

 

[Maridia]

there might be oil under one of these places that exxon-mobil can't get to now

I'm pretty sure they can still get to it if their straw reaches all the way acroooooooooooss the room

 

[idlewild_]

Care to elaborate?

Ongoing earth art work

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_(artwork)

 

[Montresor]

Republicans have criticized Mr. Obama, who has turned to that law more than any other president, for his expansive use of his authority to preserve sites of ecological, historical or cultural significance.

Republicans have criticized Mr. Obama, who has turned to that law more than any other president, for <insert awesome thing here>.

 

[Kinyou]

I was hoping for something more grand

 

[Nelo Ice]

I've never been to Berryesa and I live in California. Guess I need to fix that.

 

[swoon]

Ongoing earth art work

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_(artwork)

yea - http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/06/magazine/arts-last-lonely-cowboy.html

http://doublenegative.tarasen.net/city.html

you can't visit it, so it's unclear of the details, but the scale of what he is doing is really unbelievable.

 

[Ignacious]

Republicans have criticized Mr. Obama, who has turned to that law more than any other president, for his expansive use of his authority to preserve sites of ecological, historical or cultural significance.

 

[Paskil]

Emperor Obama doth decree.

 

[DrROBschiz]

These seem like really awesome and solid choices

We should appreciate the land we live in

 

[sangreal]

the republican movement to eliminate federal protected lands is truly disheartening

 

[T'Zariah]

 

[sangreal]

the nevada site includes "the city" which is amazing

and here is the story on how Reid got him to do this, specifically for that reason: http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...31bd88-1e75-11e5-aeb9-a411a84c9d55_story.html

Reid asked Obama if he would be willing to designate a huge swath of desert in central Nevada as a national monument, in part to protect a mammoth, unconventional art installation constructed over the past half a century by one man.

&#8220;Explain it to me,&#8221; Obama said, Reid recalled.

&#8220;I can&#8217;t,&#8221; Reid replied.

...

Reid was asking for a measure that would infuriate conservatives in a state where rancher Cliven Bundy won acclaim for refusing to pay federal grazing fees, and another set of ranchers defied grazing restrictions that the Bureau of Land Management imposed because of a recent drought.

As soon as Friday, according to people briefed on the decision, about 704,000 acres in central Nevada will receive federal protection, in no small part because Harry Reid loves the desert, thinks it&#8217;s beautiful and pictures it in his mind when he&#8217;s trying to fall asleep at night. It also demonstrates the political power Reid has amassed over more than three decades in office and the important relationship he has with a president whose legacy he has helped to build.

&#8220;It is only due to Harry Reid that this is getting done,&#8221; said a former Obama adviser who was close to the process.

I'm gonna miss Harry

 

[Gonzalez]

the nevada site includes "the city" which is amazing

It looks like an unfinished Kickstarter game.

 

[nel e nel]

Details on each in the article.



Pretty happy about this. Berryessa Snow Mountain is beautiful.

And yes:



is lol indeed.

Awesome! I grew up in Napa and went camping at Berryessa all the time.

 

[Future]

Republicans have criticized Mr. Obama, who has turned to that law more than any other president, for his expansive use of his authority to preserve sites of ecological, historical or cultural significance.

There has to be a point that it becomes rather comical... Even for republicans to hate on literally everything.

Preserving rich historic sights? I hate it!

Freedom for everyone to marry and have equal rights. No sir!

More affordable healthcare! Absolutely not!

Any attempts to curb gun usage to reduce gun violence? Not American!

Instead of pure hate at least provide alternative solutions... You know, assuming they'd like the same result and want to better the world. Ever. Instead it's like Elmer Fudd shooting at bugs bunny. Just gotta do it no matter what

 

[sestrugen]

SuperAllah Obama strikes again!

 

[entremet]

So weird how anti environment some Republicans are.

It's like they're Captain Planet evil villains.

 

[see5harp]

I've never been to Berryesa and I live in California. Guess I need to fix that.

Same. Those pictures look amazing.

 

[AntoneM]

Republicans have criticized Mr. Obama, who has turned to that law more than any other president, for his expansive use of his authority to preserve sites of ecological, historical or cultural significance.

Conservatives to Obama: "Stop literally conserving things!"

 

[Hari Seldon]

Why are they called monuments and not parks? When I think of a monument I think of a statue, not thousands of acres haha.

 

[sangreal]

Conservatives to Obama: "Stop literally conserving things!"

To be fair, that is a very reductionist take on their complaint. The federal government controls the vast majority of the land in Nevada already and conservatives think the States should control their own land and decide on conservation themselves (hint: they would not conserve it)

Why are they called monuments and not parks? When I think of a monument I think of a statue, not thousands of acres haha.

because of the law used

 

[thecouncil]

It looks like an unfinished Kickstarter game.

 

[aGuyInaBearSuit]

I only know Berryessa because that's where one of the Zodiac Killer murders happened.

Don't know what that says about me.

 

[Hari Seldon]

because of the law used

So is Yosemite a national park or a national monument in legal terms?

 

[cooljeanius]

Conservatives to Obama: "Stop literally conserving things!"

If "conservative" actually meant, "in favor of literally conserving things," I would call myself a "conservative" in a heartbeat. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case... so much of our political vocabulary is warped and twisted to mean the opposite of what it ought to...

 

[Euron]

I really want to hear the Republican side as to why this is a bad thing. Environmental preservation and the addition of new national monuments showcase the natural beauty of the United States and should be a welcome addition to what they refer to as "the greatest country on Earth"

Is it simply because Obama is doing it or do they want to just scalpel whatever resources they can find?

Also, Teddy didn't give a fuck, really.

Teddy was the most badass American Politician of all time (only one who could compete is the theoretical Senator Armstrong). Obama's too nice. Teddy would just plow through the opposition.

 

[RustyNails]

He has gone too far this time.

 

[idlewild_]

So is Yosemite a national park or a national monument in legal terms?

Yosemite predates the law being used here.

 

[Jack Random]

Nice to see Obama adopting Lewis Black's plan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oq_1KdZIsM

 

[Garlador]

So weird how anti environment some Republicans are.

It's like they're Captain Planet evil villains.

I Googled "Captain Planet villains" and one of the first images that popped up was THIS one:

... I'm baffled.

 

[DrArchon]

Man, republicans today are a far cry from someone like Teddy Roosevelt. Guess that's what happens you have big oil (or at least its money) running through your veins.

Good on Obama. America is blessed with so many natural wonders. We need to cherish them, not find ways to better exploit them.

 

[G.ZZZ]

Won't someone think of the deregulated construction industry?!!?!

 

[TheOctodad]

Obama's a power hungry ass. I asked my mammoth friend what he thought of this decision and he thought it was absurd as well.

 

[B-Dubs]

This shit is straight out of the West Wing.

 

[sangreal]

I really want to hear the Republican side as to why this is a bad thing. Environmental preservation and the addition of new national monuments showcase the natural beauty of the United States and should be a welcome addition to what they refer to as "the greatest country on Earth"

Is it simply because Obama is doing it or do they want to just scalpel whatever resources they can find?

They do want to develop the land, but their complaint is more about the federal government owning the land. It's the same shit cliven bundy was on about. Blah blah state rights unless the state wants to preserve it then blah blah county rights and on and on

Specifically in Nevada, where the federal government owns the vast majority of the state -- nevermind that they agreed to forever disown this land when they became state.

It's weird, because you'd think rural republicans would be the first to appreciate the national parks

 

[StayDead]

This is amazing. When he spoke to Sir David Attenborough he mentioned how much he loves nature, but unlike a lot of politicians Obama has actually done stuff to preserve our planet. I'm very, very happy that nature lovers like Obama can actually get into a position of power and do something to try and preserve the last remaining parts of nature left on the planet that gave us life.