In this post-truth era, the Congressional Western Caucus spins false narrative to con the public into giving away our recreation lands to extractive resources interests. 

In particular, the notion that National Monuments historically have been small, and should remain small, is false. One of the earliest national monuments was Grand Canyon National Monument, now Grand Canyon National Park. I wouldn’t call that a small monument, and who would now suggest that the Grand Canyon National Park is a bad thing. 

There are plenty of examples of large, old national monuments, including Grand Tetons, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and four of the five big national parks in Utah. In fact, Americans decided that these enormous areas were too good to just be national monuments and converted them to National Parks. 

Opponents to these old national monuments were vocal and powerful, but Americans relegated them to the dust bin of history. The same will happen this time. 

Jim Boone