by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow
As appearing in the Daily Sentinel
The headline has become so familiar that few people even notice anymore: Washington Monument Closed Again. The most recognizable structure in the nation’s capital, which attracts more than 600,000 visitors annually, has also become a symbol of government arrogance. That’s because it is closed so frequently it is a laughingstock among tour guides. “Why have they closed the Washington Monument? Because they can.”
Closing the landmark to visitors has long been a favorite strategy for administrations to pressure Congress into providing more money. It is so common that it has a name in the dictionary: The “Washington Monument Syndrome.” Wikipedia defines it as “a political tactic used … by government agencies when faced with budget cuts … cutting the most visible or appreciated service provided by the government, from popular services such as national parks …”
It started in 1969 when a Park Service director named George Hartzog closed both the Washington Monument and the Grand Canyon for two days a week. The public was outraged and Hartzog was fired, though his strategy worked. Congress restored funding, and closing the Washington Monument has been a tried-and-proven tactic ever since…
