President Biden's Bold Move: Designating Dolores Canyons as a National Monument

Dolores Canyons, Cawright2007

In a recent development that has stirred excitement and controversy, President Biden has announced plans to designate approximately 400,000 acres of land around the Dolores Canyons in Colorado as a national monument. This decision marks a significant step in preserving this iconic landscape's natural beauty and cultural heritage while igniting debates surrounding land use and conservation policies.

The Antiquities Act: Empowering Presidential Action

To understand the significance of President Biden's move, it's essential to delve into the history of the Antiquities Act of 1906. Enacted by President Theodore Roosevelt, this landmark legislation grants the President the authority to establish national monuments to protect significant natural, cultural, or scientific features on federal lands. Over the years, presidents from both parties have utilized this power to safeguard precious landscapes and historical sites nationwide.

Dolores Canyons: A Long Journey to Preservation

The journey to establish a national monument at Dolores Canyons has been years in the making. This breathtaking region in southwestern Colorado boasts rugged canyons, pristine wilderness, and rich archaeological sites, including ancient Puebloan dwellings. Efforts to protect this area have been driven by a coalition of conservationists, Indigenous communities, outdoor enthusiasts, and local residents who recognize its ecological and cultural significance.

Dispelling Myths: Debunking Misconceptions About National Monuments

President Biden's decision to designate Dolores Canyons as a national monument has reignited debates and myths surrounding the Antiquities Act and federal land management. Let's debunk some of the common misconceptions:

Myth: The Federal Government Cannot or Does Not Own Land, nor can it set rules for that Land.

Reality: The federal government owns vast tracts of land across the United States, including national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and monuments. The Supreme Court has, on multiple occasions, upheld the federal government's authority to permanently reserve portions of the public domain as national parks, forests, and refuges and to manage those lands. As such, federal lands are held in trust for the American people and managed by federal agencies such as the National Park Service for conservation, recreation, and other purposes.

Myth: Designating a National Monument Steals Land from Locals. 

Reality: Designating a national monument does not entail seizing private property. Instead, it involves protecting federal lands already owned and managed by the government, ensuring their preservation for future generations.

Myth: National Monuments Impede Economic Development

Reality: Studies have shown that national monuments can boost local economies through increased tourism, outdoor recreation, and job creation. Protected areas attract visitors who contribute to the economy by spending on accommodations, dining, and recreational activities.

Looking Ahead: Balancing Conservation and Access

As the debate over Dolores Canyons unfolds, balancing conservation efforts and public access is essential. Collaborative management approaches involving local communities, Indigenous stakeholders, government agencies, conservation organizations, and the general public can ensure that the land is preserved while facilitating responsible recreational opportunities and cultural heritage appreciation. To add your support for this designation, please visit: Take Action — Protect the Dolores

In conclusion, President Biden's decision to designate Dolores Canyons as a national monument underscores the importance of preserving our natural and cultural treasures for future generations. While challenges and debates may arise, informed dialogue and collaborative efforts can achieve a sustainable balance between conservation and access to our public lands.

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Meet Sean Smith, the master of conservation, adventure, and storytelling! This award-winning conservationist and former National Park Ranger has trekked through the wilderness of Yellowstone, Glacier, and the North Cascades, keeping nature safe with his trusty ranger hat and boots. But Sean's talents don't stop there. He's a TEDx speaker and even a private pilot, soaring through the skies like a bald eagle on a mission.

But amidst all these adventures, Sean's heart beats for storytelling. He's been spinning tales since childhood, and now he writes thrilling national park novels that'll have you hooked from the first page. Imagine the drama and mystery of the mountains combined with the adrenaline of a rollercoaster ride. That's what you'll find in Sean's books, set against the majestic backdrop of Yellowstone, Gettysburg, and Mount Rainier. His most recent thriller is set in Glacier and will drop later this year.

So, if you're craving an escape into the wild, look no further. Grab a copy of Sean's novels and prepare for an unforgettable adventure. These stories will transport you to the heart of the national parks, where danger lurks and heroes rise. Don't miss out! Find all his captivating novels right here and at the included QR code. 

Honoring Presidential Legacy: Top 10 National Parks and Monuments to Visit on President's Day

Mount Rushmore ~ NPS

As President's Day approaches on February 19th, it's the perfect time to reflect on the remarkable
legacies of past U.S. presidents and their enduring impact on the nation. What better way to celebrate this holiday than by exploring the national parks and monuments that honor their contributions? Here are the top ten destinations that offer a captivating journey through presidential history:

Mount Rushmore National Memorial (South Dakota):

Mount Rushmore features the monumental faces of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln carved into the granite cliffs of the Black Hills. This iconic memorial symbolizes the ideals of democracy and leadership that these presidents embodied.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota):

Named in honor of the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt National Park preserves the rugged beauty of the North Dakota Badlands, a landscape that profoundly influenced Roosevelt's conservation efforts. Visitors can explore the landscape that inspired Roosevelt's love for nature and conservation.

Eisenhower National Historic Site (Pennsylvania):

 Located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, this site preserves the farm that was the beloved retreat of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Visitors can tour his restored home, gaining insight into his leadership during World War II and beyond, as well as his enduring commitment to public service.

The White House (Washington, D.C.):

The White House serves as the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States. Visiting this iconic building offers a glimpse into the presidency and the history of American leadership.

The Lincoln Memorial (Washington, D.C.):

The Lincoln Memorial pays tribute to the 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, who led the nation through the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This majestic monument features a larger-than-life statue of Lincoln and the inscriptions of his most famous speeches.

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial (Washington, D.C.):

Situated on the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., the Thomas Jefferson Memorial honors the third president of the United States and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. The memorial's neoclassical design reflects Jefferson's architectural tastes and enduring contributions to American democracy.

Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site (Missouri):

This site preserves the historic home of Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States and the commanding general of the Union Army during the Civil War. Visitors can explore the Grant family's home and gain insight into his life and legacy.

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Site (Texas):

Located in Stonewall, Texas, this site preserves the birthplace, childhood home, and ranch of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Visitors can tour the LBJ Ranch, where Johnson spent much of his presidency, and learn about his efforts to advance civil rights and social justice.

George Washington Birthplace National Monument (Virginia):

This monument commemorates the birthplace of George Washington, the first president of the United States and the "Father of His Country." Visitors can explore the colonial-era plantation and learn about Washington's early years and his enduring impact on American history.

Harry S. Truman National Historic Site (Missouri):

Situated in Independence, Missouri, this site preserves the home where Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States, lived for most of his life. Visitors can tour the Truman Home and gain insight into Truman's presidency, including his decision to drop the atomic bomb and his role in shaping the post-war world.

This President's Day, immerse yourself in the rich history and presidential legacy of the United States by visiting these remarkable national parks and monuments. Whether marveling at the grandeur of Mount Rushmore or reflecting on the leadership of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial, each destination offers a unique opportunity to honor the presidents who have shaped the course of American history.

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Meet Sean Smith, the master of conservation, adventure, and storytelling! This award-winning author and former National Park Ranger has trekked through the wilderness of Yellowstone, Glacier, and the North Cascades, keeping nature safe with his trusty ranger hat and boots. But Sean's talents don't stop there. He's a TEDx speaker and even a private pilot, soaring through the skies like a bald eagle on a mission.

But amidst all these adventures, Sean's heart beats for storytelling. He's been spinning tales since childhood, and now he writes thrilling national park novels that'll have you hooked from the first page. Imagine the drama and mystery of the mountains combined with the adrenaline of a rollercoaster ride. That's what you'll find in Sean's books, set against the majestic backdrop of Yellowstone, Gettysburg, and Mount Rainier. His most recent thriller is set in Glacier and will drop later this year.

So, if you're craving an escape into the wild, look no further. Grab a copy of Sean's novels and prepare for an unforgettable adventure. These stories will transport you to the heart of the national parks, where danger lurks and heroes rise. Don't miss out! Find all his captivating novels right here and at the included QR code. 

Books Read for 2017

Since 2003, I've read more than 200 books totaling a little more 50,000 pages. This year I read ten
titles totaling more than 3500 pages. The majority of the titles were non-fiction focusing on world and US history.  One was on the 2016 presidential election, another on arson forensics, a third on how to write a murder mystery, a handful on the civil war, and the last a bubblegum spy thriller.

These books covered diverse subjects, yet there were a couple common themes throughout them: conflict, warfare, science, and politics.  Most notably, whether its ancient Rome or modern south east Asia, human's political ambitions come in contact with others.  But despite the passage of two millennium humans have progressed toward resolving problems without open warfare.  

Here's the 2017 book list.

The Decline and Fall of Rome

Rebel Yell

Arson

How to write a damn good Mystery

Asia's Cauldron

Last Full Measure

Terrible Swift Sword

Shattered

Sherman's March

Point of Contact

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Sean Smith is an award winning conservationist and author. He is a former National Park Ranger at Yellowstone, Glacier, and the North Cascades. He is a TEDx speaker, and private pilot. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1989 with a degree in Political Science. He got his master's in Natural Resources Management from Central Washington University in 1996. He currently runs Washington State's efforts to reduce and eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products and serves as the Mayor Pro Tem of Covington.

He has been writing stories and books since he was a child and currently writes national park thrillers from the shadow of Mount Rainier.

All his novels can be found here: Mr. Sean D Smith

More than 350 Current and Former Rangers Express Support for National Monuments

Bears Ears National Monument ~ US Forest Service

I am proud to add my name to more than 350 national park service professionals who sent a letter to Department of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke supporting America's national monuments.  These current and former park rangers also expressed their disappointment over the Secretaries call to review recent monument designations.

Under the Antiquities Act, the president has the authority to designate national monuments out of lands and resources owned by the federal government.  Many of America's national parks like the Grand Canyon were first set aside for protection by the presidents under the Antiquities Act.

One of the Trump administration's first action was to order a review of 22 national monuments established since 1996, despite apparently no public demand for a review, nor any evidence to support it.

The park professionals are asking the Department of Interior to support our national monuments and reconsider the review.

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Sean Smith is an award winning conservationist and author. He is a former National Park Ranger at Yellowstone, Glacier, and the North Cascades. He is a TEDx speaker, and private pilot. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1989 with a degree in Political Science. He got his master's in Natural Resources Management from Central Washington University in 1996. He currently runs Washington State's efforts to reduce and eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products and serves as the Mayor Pro Tem of Covington.

He has been writing stories and books since he was a child and currently writes national park thrillers from the shadow of Mount Rainier.

All his novels can be found here: Mr. Sean D Smith

National Parks need you! Time to Take Action!

In the first few weeks of the new Trump
administration, the National Parks have been on the front page more times than one can count.  On the day of the inauguration, the National Park Service (NPS) twitter account was suspend for re-tweeting an image comparing the Obama 2009 inauguration crowd with the 2017 one.  Nearly, the next day the new President personally called the Acting Director of the Park Service to get additional pictures of the swearing in an apparent attempt to disprove the low turnout.

Just as the president was being sworn in, park fans and others noticed mentions of climate change began disappearing from the NPS and other federal websites. It was an apparent attempt to silence the Park Service on the matter.

Later Badlands National Park, despite the President's apparent denial of climate change, tweeted out about the phenomenon, landing the park in hot water. But rather than rolling over Alt national park twitter accounts began to pop up all over the Internet including Alt Acadia, Alt Badlands, Alt NPS and many others. This was an obvious effort by park rangers to spread the truth about our parks and the natural world. In a short period of time, park service rangers, people known for their flats hats and knowledge obscure facts had become leaders of the resistance.

Yet despite this popular groundswell of opposition to the new president's agenda, efforts to undermine our parks and other public lands continue.  In the two weeks since Trump took over the White House, legislation has been introduced to sell off millions of acres of public land, strip land management agencies of their ability to enforce the law, permit oil and gas drilling in our national parks, and freeze the hiring of permanent rangers.

Thanks in large part to a public outcry some of these bad measures have been withdrawn. Yet many more bad bills remain and we can likely expect more.

Some might feel hopeless at this development, but there is much we can and must do. 

We must continue to write and call our elected officials.  Calls to the President and Republican offices are especially important.

However, more emphasis should be placed on contacting Democrats and environmental non-profits. This is where the true line of defense must be drawn. Democratic lawmakers, especially those in the Senate, and environmental organizations like the Wilderness Society, the National Parks Conservation Association, and the Sierra Club are going to be under extreme pressure to compromise on bills that will undermine our parks. Democratic Senators for example will be tempted with deals such as increased funds for highway maintenance, if they drop their opposition to park bills. Meanwhile, non-profits will be seduced by promises of access to power if they too compromise our parks. Mark my words, these political dealings are and will happen. We the public must not allow our champions' spines to weaken for too much is at stake.

In 2016 Americans and people around the world right celebrated a system that went from a single park in NW Wyoming to more than 400 parks today. It's a system that some have labeled America's best idea.  Twenty Seventeen marks the first year of our National Parks' second century. If that idea is going to see its bicentennial, all park defenders must take action now.

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Sean Smith is an award winning conservationist and author. He is a former National Park Ranger at Yellowstone, a TEDx speaker, and private pilot. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1989 with a degree in Political Science. He got his master's in Natural Resources Management from Central Washington University in 1996. He currently runs Washington State's efforts to reduce and eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products and serves as the Mayor Pro Tem of Covington.

He has been writing stories and books since he was a child and currently writes national park thrillers from the shadow of Mount Rainier.

All his novels can be found here: Mr. Sean D Smith

To the President: Set the Parks on the Correct Path

With the completion of the major political parties presidential campaigns, the country now heads to the homestretch in its election of commander-in-chief. As such, its never to early to get National Parks on the incoming president's agenda. Below is an open letter to the next President of the United States.

To the President:

Congratulations on your recent victory and becoming America's 45th chief executive.  The next four or possibly eight years will likely be quite challenging.  Managing the economy, foreign and domestic affairs, energy matters, and many more matters will place great demands upon your time. However, I write today to make sure that National Parks stay on the radar during your administration.

To some, National Parks aren't on the same level of importance as other issues like the economy or energy production.  However, I believe National Parks are equally important as these is
sues. National Parks are more than pretty places or dusty old buildings, rather they are the physical manifestation of all American's value and hold sacred. 

Americans today inherited the National Parks from our ancestors who set aside their short-term desires and wants so that we could enjoy parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite.  We can never repay our ancestors for this gift, however we can pay it forward to the next generation. In other words, we can leave the National Parks and the National Park System in better shape than what we were given.

To do this, I recommend the following things:

1. Fund the Parks
The National Parks are an incredible bargain. Congress allocates a little more than $3 billion to run the park system. For that amount, which is about half of what the United States spends on a single nuclear aircraft carrier, the American public gets more than 400 sites that preserve and protect some of America's most sacred ideas, hopes and places. It's an incredible bargain.

What's more, research shows that every dollar the country spends on national parks, it returns $4 to the national economy.  That's a great return on investment. 

The past several administrations have rightly recognized the value and importance of national parks and reflected this in a growing national park allocation. I encourage you to continue this trend.

2. Establish New Parks
Over the past several years, the Obama Administration has used the Antiquities Act to create 10 new National Park System monuments including Castle Mountains, Waco Mammoth, and Fort Monroe.  I encourage you to continue this trend as well.  However, the trend the past several years has been to add historical monuments to the park system, while adding monuments dedicated to protecting the environment to other agencies such as the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. The Park Service has a stronger conservation mandate than these other agencies and placing them in under other agencies reduces natural resources protection. I'd encourage you to reverse this trend.

3. Define and Enforce Appropriate Recreation
The National Park Service often argues that it has a duel mission that it must balance recreation with preservation. Yet, this is incorrect. The Organic Act of 1916 establishes for the  National Park Service a single mission which is to provide enjoyment of the national parks in such a way that will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. The law does preclude what we understand as modern recreation, nor does it mandate it however. Rather, the law clearly states the Park Service is only to allow those form of enjoyment that leave the resources unimpaired. Surprisingly, the Park Service has yet to complete neither a system wide recreation review nor even a single park review. There is no way for the NPS to know if its recreation is impairing the resources without this review. As President, I encourage you to conduct these reviews.

4. Get control of Visitation
National Parks are quite popular. In fact, 2015 set an all time visitation record at more than 305 million visitors. This smashed last year's record by more than 15 million! These incredible visitation numbers clearly show that the national parks are well loved, however the parks may soon become loved to death. Some are even calling upon the National Park Service to establish park carrying capacities.  In fact, Congress ordered the Park Service more than 40 years ago to come up with these capacities, yet the NPS has failed to do so.

Rather than recognize visitation limits, the Park Service has over the past several years actively promoted the national parks with programs like Find your Park. These programs have been so successful, pushing visitation to all time records.

It's time to recognize that national parks have limits on their ability to absorb visitors.

5. Recommit the Service to its Mission
Twenty Sixteen marks the 100th birthday of the national park system. It is a time to celebrate and look back upon the Park System's achievements the last century. However, it also provides an opportunity to look forward to set the tone for the Park System's next century. I'd encourage you to set the tone for the next 100 years by achieving the following before the end of your first term: fully fund the parks, establish new parks, define and enforce appropriate recreation, and establish need visitation controls. 

Doing these simple tasks will set the parks on a trajectory which will best insure they reach their bicentennial.


Sean Smith is a former Yellowstone Ranger, and an award winning conservationist, TEDx speaker, and author. He writes national park thrillers from his home in the shadow of Mount Rainier National Park. To learn more about his thrillers click here or follow him on twitter: @parkthrillers

The Presidency and National Parks: Two Great American Ideas

President Obama and family in  Acadia National Park.
White House Photo

February 15th is President's Day, the one day we honor all the people who served in America's highest office. At the time of the Constitution's ratification, a country's highest executive office serving as president was a unique and radical idea. Many founders, before adopting the idea of a president, flirted with a chief executive akin to a dictator or king. But having just fought a war to overthrow one king, the founding father's rightly rejected this idea.

A presidency is an idea that Americans have truly made their own. Another truly American idea is that of the national park. With President's Day fast approaching, here are my top five favorite presidential national parks.

5. Yellowstone: This park may surprise some for making this list.  However, given that it was the world's first national park, requiring congress and President U.S. Grant to set precedent makes a perfect candidate for a presidential national park.

4. Devils' Tower: Another park that wouldn't come to mind of most. Yet, Devil's Tower most definitely deserves to be on the list. In 1906, Teddy Roosevelt used presidential power to create the Devils' Tower national monument. This was the first time a precedent used executive power to expand federal protection to public lands.  Roosevelt went on to establish numerous monuments including the Grand Canyon national monuments. Many of these monuments later were elevated to national parks by Congress.

3. Mount Rushmore is the first obvious choice. This massive granite edifice would likely make everyone's list of presidential national parks. The park memorializes some of America's greatest commanders in chief. Many however don't realize why the president who are carved in South Dakota's Black Hills were chosen for this honor, in short its because each in their time in office set a precedent that still impacts us today.  Washington was chosen for his example of stepping down from office and peacefully transferring governmental power after two terms. This peaceful power transfer is an example of good government that Americans can be rightly proud.  Jefferson was chosen for his negotiations with France to purchase the Louisiana territory. This like Washington was an example of the federal government's policy of using negotiation and compensation to expand its domain. Lincoln was obviously selected for his saving of the Union. Lincoln knew with great clarity and conviction that if the south was allowed to leave the Union, the United States would not long survive this cleavage. Rather, the previous United States would likely be cast into a Balkanized state that could be easily picked off by larger powers. Lincoln always realized the injustice and threat slavery represented to our national soul and rightly worked to abolish it.  Finally, Teddy Roosevelt was carved onto Mount Rushmore because of his desire to leave not just political goods but natural resources for future generations. Roosevelt was among the first to see the limits of our public domain and the need to conserve some it for Americans yet unborn.

Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C
National Archives

2. The Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, and Washington Monuments are the second obvious
choice. These Greek and Egyptian inspired monuments enshrine three of the presidents who help shape not only the nation but what it means to serve as president. Serving as the first Commander and Chief, everything George Washington did was precedent setting and is why he is rightly referred as the father of our country. Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence and set down for the entire world to see that America believes all are created equal.  Abraham Lincoln followed Jefferson's lead and committed America to the path that Jefferson's ideal extended to all Americans.  While are nation isn't perfect, no one can deny that progress has been made on nearly every front, and national parks such as the Lincoln Mermorial have been the setting for much of this progress.

White House and South Lawn
Daniel Schwen

1. The White House is my last choice as a presidential national park.  Unknown to many, the White House is part of the National Park System. The National Park Service is responsible for its upkeep and maintenance, as Barack Obama recently stated one of the perks of being president is getting to live in a national park. The White House serves not only as the focus of the federal government, but its fitting that the symbol of that power is part of the national park system which has a mission to preserve and protect America's most treasured ideas,hopes, and places for present and future generations.

Sean Smith is a former Yellowstone Ranger, and an award winning conservationist, TEDx speaker, and author. He writes national park thrillers from his home in the shadow of Mount Rainier National Park. To learn more about his thrillers click here or follow him on twitter: @parkthrillers

Dear Mr. President

Dear Mr. President:

It's 2016, and shortly you will deliver your final State of the Union. This speech provides an opportunity for you to set the tone and course for your last year in office.

Over the past seven years, under your leadership the country exited its worst economic recession since the great depression. It has seen expanded health care coverage for millions of Americans, and brought Osama Bin Laden to justice.

Yet, during your tenure the country has seen deep divisions. You ran on the hope that America is not separate states of blue and red, but rather one country of purple. It's a noble vision. However, it has yet been achieved.

Thankfully, there is still time to set the course toward unity. The answer lies in remembering our country's past and looking toward its future. In our past, the times of greatest unity occurred when the nation was confronted with significant challenge such as World War II or set a national purpose such as the Apollo Program.

Mr. President you have a similar opportunity before you to unite the American public.

The National Park System is described by some as America's best idea, its greatest gift to world culture. Each year, hundreds of millions of people flock to the national parks because they are responding to what national parks truly are, the physical manifestation of all that the country values and holds dear. They represent universal values of freedom, democracy, progress, and equality.  National Parks such as the Constitution Gardens  and Independence Hall physically embody our national goal to "form a more perfect union."

In August, the National Park Service will mark its 100th birthday.  Over the next several months the National Park Service will mark this anniversary with numerous celebrations, events, and parties. As President, this centennial presents numerous opportunities to articulate the truly American themes and values in a way that brings people together.

Specifically, I ask you to advocate for increased park funding, expanded resource protection, and the addition of new parks, especially large natural parks in the Western United States. I'd also encourage you to designate the Apollo landers as national monuments.

As a former park ranger, I saw first-hand the power national parks have to bring people together. At  evening programs, it was customary to ask people where they were from. Asking this question revealed the farther a person was from home the more people they were likely to identify with. For example, people from Boston would say they are from Massachusetts, while people from Dallas would claim Texas. Someday when people visit the lunar lander monuments and park rangers ask where they are from they will point to the earth and say "I'm from there." We need more reminders that we live on one planet, we share the same air and water. National Parks do just that. They reveal our shared humanity.

I encourage you Mr. President to make it a priority this last year in office to find and focus on unifying themes and efforts. America can be a country of purple, your last year in office can set us on a path to make this happen.

Sincerely,

Sean Smith

Sean Smith is a former Yellowstone Ranger, and an award winning conservationist, TEDx speaker, and author. He writes national park thrillers from his home in the shadow of Mount Rainier National Park. To learn more about his thrillers click here or follow him on twitter: @parkthrillers

My Favorite Presidents

February 17, 2014: In the White House cabinet room, it's tradition for the president to pick portraits of his/her presidential heroes.  Four paintings are selected and they normally represent the values, leadership style, and outlook the new president hopes to emulate.

It's likely, I will never get to be president but if I were elected commander-in-chief here are the four portraits I'd select.

Thomas Jefferson:  More than any other president, Thomas Jefferson articulated the values and ideas for which the country hopes to achieve.  When he penned the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson likely couldn't imagine how those words have come to embodied all peoples, all races, all genders, and sexual preferences. But it does not matter, for we are unlikely to imagine how far the value "created equal" will be extended in the future.  The point is that we do our part today to move the debate forward.
 
Theodore Roosevelt: Like Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt was always looking to the future.  How would the decisions we make today, affect those to follow?  Roosevelt set foreign and domestic policy that still impacts our lives today. However, its his views on conservation that have the most impact upon modern America.  Roosevelt lived at a time when the frontier was closing.  The belief that more resources could always be found over the next hill was coming to an end.  America, like every other country, would have to live within its means, use its limited resources more efficiency and effectively, and finally put some aside for future generations.  Under Roosevelt's leadership the national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges were created laying the foundation for a system of public lands and waters that are the envy of the world.

Harry Truman:  President Truman is the consummate every man. Even as commander in chief, Truman insisted on going on walks off the White House grounds, paying his own bills, and taking his own mail to the post office.  Truman understood the power of the White House and what it meant to be president, but never let that power go to his head.  He knew that while he occupied the oval office, he was president. As soon as his term was over, he would return to private life.  This understanding helped to keep Truman grounded and focused on what was important. 

William Clinton: It might seem strange to have Bill Clinton on this list.  Only the second president to ever be impeached. However, what set Clinton apart from other chief executives is that he both understood and enjoyed the game of politics.  Clinton excelled at knowing what his friends and enemies wanted. He then would do everything in his political power to grant or deny their desire. Clinton bucked conventional wisdom, and avoided compromise as much as possible.  Rather, he focused on moving his agenda forward, by nearly any means necessary.  He wasn't always successful, but he definitely won more battles than he lost.

Who are your favorite presidents?

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Writing Fiction? Doing things we can't do in reality

May 21, 2013: One of the fun things about fiction, is writing about things and events we are unlikely to do in reality.  For example in Unleashing Colter's Hell, I created a president and his administration.  In the novel, John Paine is the President of the United States.  He is required to deal with foreign and domestic terrorist threats, a possible volcanic eruption, and the pending death of his best friend and Vice President.  It's all in the life of a commander in chief.  One of the ways I attempt to make President Paine more real to the readers is to give him a history and hint of the values that guide his decisions.

Tradition holds that presidents decorate the cabinet room with four portraits of their favorite presidents from the national gallery of art.  Which portrait the president chooses to hang gives some indication of what values and leadership style his plans to emulate.

In Unleashing Colter's Hell, President Paine chose the portraits of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Truman, and Clinton.  Paine appreciates Lincoln's laser like focus on saving the Union, Roosevelt's attention to the future, Truman's remaining humble and an "every man" even while the White House, and Clinton's deft political skill.

Who would you pick for your cabinet room?

What are you prepared to do Mr. President?

May 2, 2013:  Mr. Obama's presidency is at a crossroads.  He must decide now what he is prepared to do in order to leave a positive legacy.