President to Declare the San Gabriel Mountains as a National Monument (Los Angeles: calculation, live)

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally Posted by genjy

Mostly conservatives and republicans who hate Judy Chu and Obama.

Their paranoia about the Feds land and water grabbing is just their excuse to protest against SOMETHING... and they are showing no class at all.

Pretty obvious you are not someone who likes outdoor activities or you'd know what happens to public lands when they become "national monuments" and they start shutting down any activities in public spaces. It isn't just off road vehicles, but horseback riding, camping, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, rafting and more.

This means less local control and control from an agency that has proved to be incapable of managing what they have already.

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally Posted by genjy

Judy Chu asked for it. She had been working on it for over 10 years... it's nothing new.

Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) put the bill, H.R. 4858, before Congress in June. That is four months ago. There have not even been any hearings on it and ZERO input was solicited from the various interested parties, which are legion.

[genjy]

Official White House release:

President Obama Designates San Gabriel Mountains National Monument | The White House

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally Posted by genjy

Official White House release:

President Obama Designates San Gabriel Mountains National Monument | The White House

What does the white house propaganda have to do with the price of tea in China? They also told us Benghazi was about a video, we could keep our doctors, Al-quaeda was dead and ISIS was the "JV team."

The bill was put before Congress four months ago and there was zero input from the public on this.

[genjy]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

Pretty obvious you are not someone who likes outdoor activities or you'd know what happens to public lands when they become "national monuments" and they start shutting down any activities in public spaces. It isn't just off road vehicles, but horseback riding, camping, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, rafting and more.

This means less local control and control from an agency that has proved to be incapable of managing what they have already.

I live literally a few miles from the mountains. I can walk there. That's how much I care about these mountains.

Maybe you are someone who doesn't even go to these mountains. These mountains are in a state of despair, being overrun and over-trashed. The U.S. Forest Service isn't equipped nor trained to handle all the visitors and recreation areas. The Forest Service is really there to take care of the natural environment and prevent fires.

Judy Chu has been trying to make the mountains a National Recreation Area so the Feds could bring in the U.S. National Park Service, which IS equipped and trained to handle visitors, parks, and recreations.

However, her NRA plan has been stuck in Congress for years, and the only way to enable any changes is go for a national monument status, which the president has the legal authority to designate all by himself, without votes.

Why now? Because Obama will be leaving office soon, and this was to be his last national monument declaration. Judy Chu simply just seized the opportunity so she wouldn't have to wait years and years again.

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally Posted by genjy

I live literally a few miles from the mountains. I can walk there. That's how much I care about these mountains.

Maybe you are someone who doesn't even go to these mountains. These mountains are in a state of despair, being overrun and over-trashed. The U.S. Forest Service aren't equipped nor trained to handle all the visitors and recreation areas. The Forest Service is really there to take care of the natural environment and prevent fires.

Judy Chu has been trying to make the mountains a National Recreation Area so the Feds could bring in the U.S. National Park Service, which IS equipped and trained to handling visitors, parks, and recreations.

However, her NRA plan has been stuck in Congress for years, and the only way to enable any changes is go for a national monument status, which the president has the legal authority to designate all by himself, without votes.

Chu introduced her bill in June.

We have had a cabin in the SG Mountains since the 1930's.

There was no discussion in Congress.

There was no input from asked for from local governments or interests groups.

It was not the "only" way. It was the Obama way of doing what he wants, anyone else be damned.

[genjy]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

It was not the "only" way. It was the Obama way of doing what he wants, anyone else be damned.

It's under the President's authority and power. Any president can do it.

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally Posted by genjy

It's under the President's authority and power. Any president can do it.

Good presidents don't exercise power just because they can or have the authority. Good presidents seek feedback and counsel before making decisions. Good presidents let the process work before they exercise power.

[genjy]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

Good presidents don't exercise power just because they can or have the authority. Good presidents seek feedback and counsel before making decisions. Good presidents let the process work before they exercise power.

Plenty of presidents have done it. One main purpose of the Antiquities Act is to quickly protect a landmark without grinding through the various levels of the government. I think your beef is with the Antiquities Act itself, not Obama...

List of National Monuments of the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by genjy

Why now? Because Obama will be leaving office soon, and this was to be his last national monument declaration. Judy Chu simply just seized the opportunity so she wouldn't have to wait years and years again.

Agreed. (Should have been done back in 1930, when this was originally considered.)

"In 1930, two of the country's most esteemed landscape and planning firms presented a blueprint for what would have created, in the words of this newspaper, "the finest outdoor recreation system in America." The plan — a necklace of parks, parkways, playgrounds and public beaches — would have stretched nearly 440 miles from Malibu to Long Beach, from the Angeles National Forest to Bolsa Chica, and pushed back the momentum of development that was quickly transforming this flood plain by the sea. Critics paled at its cost. They declaimed its broad and excessive reach, and the proposal was soon buried and ignored. What Los Angeles failed to do in 1930, President Obama will do Friday.
Past and present meet in L.A.'s uncertain wilderness - LA Times