National Parks

1999-2022 | 23 years

In this episode of The West Wing, one of President Bartlet’s Bills has a land use rider, which would allow strip mining in Montana, attached to it. Throughout the President’s staff look for a way to pass the bill without a land use rider. Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman suggests that the President uses the antiquities act to make “Big Sky National Park”, which would protect the land from being strip-mined.

Throughout the episode National Parks are a recurring theme, with the President, a self-proclaimed “National Park Buff”, constantly educating his staff about different national parks. The President, who loves national parks, is very excited to be able to save a piece of land and create a national park all at the same time.

In today’s world, there have been some struggles for national parks. In June Yellowstone National Park had all entrances closed due to flooding. Not to mention the fact that Yosemite National Park is currently being threatened by the Oak Fire in California.

President Bartlet did not want Big Sky to be ruined, but also didn’t want to have to veto a bill that would save people money. Luckily he was kept from having to decide between the environment and money.

Both Yellowstone’s flooding and the Oak Fire have had their severity blamed on climate change/global warming. One of the reasons that the US and other more developed countries find it so hard to give up things like fossil fuels, which exacerbate global warming/climate change, is that they save people money compared to cleaner energy alternatives. So far we haven’t found a solution that is good for the environment and saves people money. We may have to make the decision President Bartlet was saved from making between environmental versus economic realities.