Hail, Hail the Public Lands Pass

Hail, hail the federal land managers for introducing the new America the Beautiful Pass (ATB), for recognizing that in the 'land of the free' we needed more restrictive access to our public lands.

Hail, hail the ATB managers for recognizing that when compared to a Disneyland day pass, the $50 for a National Parks Pass was a bargain and that there was room to raise the price of admission to $80.

Hail, hail the National Park Service for recognizing that the burden of an inadequate federal NPS budget should be borne by those who wish to visit their national heritage. "Philosophically, Americans are happy to support the national parks out of their income taxes," says Park Service spokesperson David Barna. "But people who use more, should chip in more."

Hail, hail the ATB managers for recognizing that a graduated income tax is unfair to the wealthiest Americans who have to pay more than their poor peers, and that imposing a secondary static tax on federal lands would be more fair to everyone at all levels of income.

Hail, hail the ATB managers for offering a free ATB pass to public land volunteers that give 500 hours or more a year, for recognizing that 16 cents on the hour is hardly a pittance when compared to the value the ATB pass represents.

Hail, hail the ATB managers for recognizing that the new pass should be used to admit families of 4 or fewer people into the park. Families that do not conform to this ideal -- including some Catholic, Mormon, and Latino families which choose to have more children -- should be asked to pay more for the extra burden they represent to their public lands.

Hail, hail the ATB managers for recognizing that in this time of increased national security, we can never be too careful about who we let into our public lands. The magnetic strip and bar code on the new pass, combined with a photo id check to track our visits will ensure that Al-Qaeda find no quarter among our national treasures.

Long live the America the Beautiful Pass. Long live entrance fees. Long live the idea that public lands do not belong to the tax paying public, but to those willing to fork out more income on a secondary visitation tax.