Will Trump Sell off National Parks to His Cronies?

[MineralMan]

Sound far-fetched? Don't be so sure. Trump loves selling stuff, maybe even more than buying stuff. Will he direct the Department of the Interior to run an ad that looks something like this:

For Sale: Large Public Resort Property in California
The Department of the Interior is requesting bids for the exclusive purchase of Yosemite National Park, beginning on July 4, 2017. This is an excellent opportunity for resort developers and has a vast number of visitors annually, potentially leading to massive cash flow opportunities. Features of the park include majestic mountain, valley and river views. The park also includes multiple hospitality properties, with current occupancy rates close to 100%. Campgrounds, a snow skiiing resort and a forest of rare Sequoia redwood trees also are part of this popular resort property. In addition, huge tracts of vacant land are available withing the property for future luxury resort development. Served by two highways, Yosemite also includes campground facilities, many miles of hiking trails, and outdoor sports potential. Your resort company can now own one of the world's most beautiful properties, ready for development into a premier resort, convention and entertainment asset. Bid packets are available from the Department of the Interior. Bids from international resort developers are welcome. Bid opening will take place on December 25, 2017, in the fabulous Awahnee Resort Hotel. The highest bidder will own Yosemite in fee simple.

[unblock]

1. hell, he'll probably sell alaska back to russia.

[MineralMan]

3. He might just give it to them, in exchange

for a mansion overlooking the Crimean.

[unblock]

5. give it to them? don't be ridiculous!

i'm sure he'll charge a whole dollar!

and the mansion on the crimean sounds nice, but donnie needs to be in moscow, you know.

[SharonAnn]

2. Of course, if he can get away with it.

[bigtree]

4. for sale: Historic old house located on Penn. Ave., Washington, D.C.

...gated, close to Washington Monument and Capitol.

Best offer.

[KT2000]

6. Mining and clear cutting

this is the Koch request - they want federal lands for mining and timber. This is not a privatization scheme it is an exploitation scheme.
There will surely be opportunities for resorts and increased grazing fees etc. The Kochs will own the US.

[Xolodno]

16. That's the real danger.

Lets privatize Yosemite! Oh nobody likes that, ok, we'll just ease mining, grazing and clear cutting on government land and knock the fee's to nothing. Tax payers will pick up the clean up tab.

Privatize the profits, socialize the losses.

[doc03]

7. If it is up to the Republicans we will have mountain top removal at Pikes Peak and drilling in

the Grand Canyon.

[gratuitous]

8. Absolutely not

He'll give them away for nothing. It's not like he could pocket the proceeds of the sale. Of course, the buyers will have to stay in a Trump property when they come to DC to sign the papers (wink, wink).

[angrychair]

9. California may have an opinion on that

I think the fastest way to antagonize states like CA or OR or WA would be to play games with things like that.

Those type of moves will all but ensure the creation of Cascada or a Republic of California.

[Hekate]

11. Secession is science fiction, kind of like hoping for the Rapture & Apocalypse. However, Gov Brown

...has done something useful and immediate: he has hired Eric Holder to help California fight Trump.

[Hekate]

10. Trump will surely try. But here's something I find intriguing about Obama's final days in office....

He appears to be quietly, efficiently, about the people's business 24/7, especially as regards protecting whatever swathes of land and water are in his power without Congress. No photo ops, no signing ceremonies, just a sense of git 'er done. The invocation of a 1953 law regarding drilling leases on the Continental Shelf is a case in point.

Someday, maybe next year, I'd like to read the full list of Obama's actions between November 9, 2016 and January 19, 2017 -- what he did and what survived the depredations of the incoming Trump/GOP admin.

[kimbutgar]

12. If he tries that there will be thousands of Californians who will occupy Yosemite

And fight back.

[Angry Dragon]

13. yes

[KamaAina]

14. Jerry Brown would condemn it before he'd let that happen.

Yellowstone, on the other hand...

[Tommy_Carcetti]

15. Maybe he'll sell off Everglades National Park with the intent drain it.

And then shrug, saying, "What, I told you I was going to drain the swamp!"