It's one thing for American's to disagree with policies but it's a completely different matter to see so many who are unwilling to address the critical obstacles to keeping America free and safe. How about that domestic energy plan? The president elect is too busy setting the state to ram through U.S. taxpayers funding worldwide abortion (Freedom of Choice Act). I for one am unwilling to fund giving government the power over the beginning and end of life. That is above my paygrade!

One of our major problems is that we've never had a truly viable and comprehensive national energy plan. I'm not interested in which label is attached to the party currently in power, nor in the personalities, but I am interested in the results. I can only hope that the incoming administration will do a better job than previous ones of both parties in establishing some serious national energy goals and a strategy to reach them. What we've seen in recent years isn't a strategy - it's a give-away of valuable public resources.

An effective energy policy can certainly recognize that some places are better suited to active oil, gas and other energy development than others. As discussed in other threads on this site, there's no logical reason to rush to lease areas in or next to sensitive sites for oil and gas - there are large areas of public lands already under lease that won't be developed for years.

One reason development of existing leases is moving slowly is economics - now that prices for oil and gas have dropped, some large companies are scaling back on development of leases they already hold. An example is the huge natural gas field near Dallas-Ft. Worth called the Barnett Shale. A major player in that project has announced recently that it's scaling back purchase of leases. This is in a area of huge, proven gas reserves. If the companies aren't expanding leases in such areas, it's hard to defend tying up areas such as Utah with new leases on unproven terrain.

I wish I could agree with Cookie that drilling rigs are "unobtrusive." However, I live in the middle of the East Texas oil patch, and have had rigs working within a couple of miles of my house for the past year. They are definitely intrusive, in terms of noise, dust, nighttime light and smell - but that goes with the territory here, and I'd much rather have them here than next to a national park, where the chance to escape from those intrusions is much more important.

This refers to use of BLM land, not National Parks land. In my area (Nevada) BLM land is being taken constantly for housing, retail and manufacturing. Is drilling more obtrusive (noisy, smelly, brightly lit) than that?

I am a lover and user of our National Parks. So many people with opinions about the use of it NEVER use it! In my travels I have seen we have saved these beautiful areas mostly for foreign travelers. And ME!

Cookie--

I volunteered as a museum host for two weeks this summer at Yellowstone's Museum of the National Park Ranger. I, too, was impressed by the number of foreign visitors, although most of them attributed their excursion to the States to the favorable exchange rates since the dollar was in the toilet during that time. But, and this is a big but, I met hundreds of American visitors, also, people doing the kinds of vacations that are traditional--doing the western parks with the family. I was surprised at how popular the junior ranger program is with US kids. Each night at the evening campfire program at Norris, there were a line of kids seeking the signature of the ranger who had presented the program to prove that they had satisfied one of the requirements--attend an evening ranger program--for getting their junior ranger shoulder patch. Many of them came into the museum with their patches already attached to their shirts with safety pins. They were really proud of completing the program. It was really heart-warming to see how excited they were.

So, US people still use the parks, but the families are there only in the summer when school is out. I can remember several times in the winter when I was the only English-speaker at Mather Point in Grand Canyon or at the old Flamingo Motel during the summer in Everglades when only Europeans were willing to brave the mosquitos or didn't know about them.

Rick Smith

In the past I've made mention of my interactions with the various manner of person who choose to "indulge" themselves on the road less traveled, such as those I frequent. I find it amusing (and rather sad to say the least) that in my personal experience, the ratio of "foreign" to "domestic" visitors is easily 8-9:1 in favoring the wide diversity of foreign visitors, with representatives from most other continents. The sad feeling that I find myself wrestling with is that it appears from my most unscientific statistical gathering that our own American people are those most guilty of the "quick hitter" visit; drive in, park the car, run here and there, race back to the car and get the hell out of Dodge post-haste. Maybe the American tourist thinks that he'll be back soon enough to truly indulge him/herself in the cathedrals we call our National Parks, but rather I get the sick feeling that we've grown accustomed to taking these places for granted, or just plain "don't have the time", or most likely, "don't want to / physically can't expend the effort" to truly enjoy and discover all that comprise our precious NPS units. "Those damn foreigners" to which you refer are here to see the America that initially appeared to them via old movie sets, paintings, documentaries, and inferred frames drawn from their imaginations after reading various printed media, and they have both the time and the energy to make the most of what is most commonly a once-in-a-lifetime excursion to a place they thought only existed on celluloid or parchment. They're here to get the full experience, not some fly-by-night version that our own people call "seeing it all". For what it's worth, these are not my personal editorialized interpretations of someone's intentions; rather, I'm relating as verbatim as I can the substance of many conversations that I've had with hundreds of tourists from literally dozens of countries over the years. It hurts to hear them say that I'm one a precious few "locals" they've encountered in the backcountry, as they were sure Americans only existed near the lodges.

In short Cookie, let's not bemoan the foreign tourists who "invade the sanctity" of our parks. I, for one, enjoy the hell out of these people, who for the most part, observe the highest levels of etiquette on the trails, are extremely polite and well spoken (save a certain group from the far East who shall remain nameless), and generally exhibit a high level of respect for their fellow travelers and their environment, which sadly to say is quite a juxtaposition to the average "local". I find not one iota of "fault" or "blame" with these visitors. Quite the opposite, the fault for our own people's attitudes, behaviors, lack of manners and most of all, lack of interest, is all OURS.

Lone Hiker: Good points and I myself enjoy the camaraderie of those hearty foreign visitors. Wow, those Germans and Swiss sure love our mountains and endless miles of hiking trails through our National Parks. I love there energy and robust attitude towards the great outdoors. The more the better attitude! While us lazy Americans would rather tip-toe through the parks without a feeling of it's pulse or existence...dash in and dash out, but forgetting why we were there in the first place. I met a young German man hiking up Mt. Whitney some years ago and I was surprised by his attempt to scale it in one day and back. Here he was with his day pack, German leather shorts and one good parka and all GO. I told him it was a mean hike to the top of old Mt. Whitney (14,400') and with his broken German accent replies in English: We Germans do this all the time in the Bavarian Mts. Long story short, he makes it to the top and back in less then half of a day. I just love this guys spirit of adventure which was filled with zest and zeal of great physical stamina. The fact is, most foreign visitors that I have met in the past, have taken a great interests in our National Parks. There's a deep sense of curiosity and awe written on their faces when coming upon the many beautiful splendors in which the National Parks were created for. Something which us Americans take for granted and with less appreciation...and it does show!

I fully agree with the insights of Rick and Lone Hiker, and the full respect to all visitors. There is also a lift you can get from the thrill you can see in foreign travelers; they seem to be energized by a freshness in how American the parks are.

There is a tendency for any people to take for granted their own area, but it does not mean it is a fatal or permanent condition. People may come back and experience it again, when they are ready, and have a deeper time of it. We do seem as a people right now to be enthralled in Media, not experience.

I think Lone Hiker is right about the value of deeper immersion in the resource. It changes you. I do think when you plan to travel to a foreign country you are more likely to plan an event, and not just experience the visitor center or the park road.

Maybe during this time of economic downturn it would be good to conceive of new programs to bring young people to the parks. Or, make sure that parks are part of any 'national service' opportunity for young people. I still believe Americans can and do appreciate their parks when they are provoked into a real experience in a park.

I did not intend to imply I "bemoan" foreign travelers. I am just amazed that there are so many more of them than US travelers. We like to camp in or near the parks and have truly enjoyed sharing them with people from all countries.