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House votes to make oak the national tree
AP ^ | Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Posted on 09/29/2004 6:56:21 AM PDT by presidio9

The national bird, the bald eagle, will have a national tree, the oak, to alight on if legislation passed Tuesday by the House makes its way through Congress and is signed by the president.

The oak tree, said Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Virginia, is present in all 50 states and "represents the fundamental characteristics of this great nation: strength, endurance and beauty."

Goodlatte, in a statement, said the oak, in addition to being a highly prized material for furniture and flooring, has played a vital role in the nation's history.

He recalled how Andrew Jackson took shelter under Louisiana's Sunnybrook Oaks on his way to the Battle of New Orleans and how the USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," repelled British cannonballs with its oak hull.

He also cited a 2001 online survey taken by the National Arbor Day Foundation, which the oak won over 20 other national tree candidates. The oak was the favorite among some 100,000 of the 444,000 votes cast. In second place was the redwood with 80,000 votes, followed by the dogwood, maple and pine.

The United States already has a national flower, the rose. The bald eagle was officially adopted as the emblem of the United States in 1787 despite the opposition of Ben Franklin, who preferred the turkey.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Politics/Elections; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: andnowthelarch; goodlatte; meaninglesstripe; moneywasting; oak; thelarch; timewasting; weepingchestnut
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To: presidio9
Making the Oak Tree the National Tree is a great idea. It is strong and beautiful (most of the time - except when the leaves start falling - i just wish all the leaves would fall off when they turned brown).
41 posted on 09/29/2004 8:21:25 AM PDT by Core_Conservative (The Democratic Party is the Fraternal Order of Excretory Sphincters.)
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To: Red Badger

AlGore invented the idea of having a national tree, didn't he?


42 posted on 09/29/2004 8:25:30 AM PDT by PreviouslyA-Lurker (al-Qa'ida terrorists are cowards who hide behind masks and decapitate helpless victims.)
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To: mallardx

I understand, there is a satire similar to this about school children in California...

If the ballerina dances too well she is forced to wear shackles...

If the runner runs too well he must carry weights...

Libs do all of this in the name of "fairness".

I cant remember the title but if I do, I'll mail it to you.

Cheers


43 posted on 09/29/2004 9:00:09 AM PDT by Chewbacco (Well, if ribbons and medals are identical, then by his own admission he did throw away his medals!!)
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To: presidio9
"represents the fundamental characteristics of this great nation: strength, endurance and beauty."

Yeah...but it's got small nuts that fall off and get eaten by rodents. Where's the strength in that? I want a tree with some real cajones.

44 posted on 09/29/2004 10:10:19 AM PDT by Fredgoblu
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To: Sacajaweau
If you have an oak tree that you're thinking of getting rid of, I suggest you do it now!!

Hehe...this sentiment would be funny, if it weren't true.

Our business is located in a city that's got a "woodlands preservation ordinance" that says you need a vote of the city council if you want to cut down a "protected" tree bigger than 6" dbh (that's diameter at breast height if you wondered). The only trees that aren't "protected" are willows and poplars.

I told the planning administrator that their rules would force us to adopt one of two new landscaping strategies: plant 2" trees and then make sure to cut them down when they got to 5"; or, plant only willows or poplars, so that we could remove them whenever we wanted. She thought I was joking.

45 posted on 09/29/2004 10:20:51 AM PDT by Fredgoblu
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To: Mamzelle
I vote for Quercus alba (White Oak). Strong, sturdy, provides food and cover for wildlife ... and provides a damn fine, durable and beautiful material for woodworking.
46 posted on 09/29/2004 10:42:07 AM PDT by NewJerseyJoe (Rat mantra: "Facts are meaningless! You can use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!")
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To: NewJerseyJoe

I think the White Oak, too.


47 posted on 09/29/2004 10:54:08 AM PDT by Mamzelle (Pajamamama)
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To: presidio9

I feel much safer already knowing Congress is on the job.....


48 posted on 09/29/2004 11:05:06 AM PDT by NRA1995 (John Kerry goes for a tan and comes out as Agent Orange)
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To: presidio9
The oak tree, said Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Virginia, is present in all 50 states...

I didn't know we had oak trees in Hawaii. Someone needs to point them out to me...

49 posted on 09/29/2004 11:06:16 AM PDT by etcetera (All men are endowed by their creator with the inalienable right to shoot back.)
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To: presidio9

Ahhhh,
Southern Live Oaks,
Ancient, strong, covered in spanish moss...

The most beautiful trees on earth.


50 posted on 09/29/2004 11:08:28 AM PDT by najida (Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I am.)
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To: presidio9
This is gonna confuse the dems.

They already penned in Gore as their national tree.

51 posted on 09/29/2004 11:10:37 AM PDT by SGCOS
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To: presidio9

Red oak, white oak, and blue oak - All American oaks.


52 posted on 09/29/2004 11:16:16 AM PDT by azhenfud ("He who is always looking up seldom finds others' lost change...")
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To: presidio9

How about the state tree of Wyoming? The telegraph pole!


53 posted on 09/29/2004 3:46:31 PM PDT by mallardx
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To: presidio9
THE ONLY TREE IS THE LIBERTY TREE... THESE IGNORANT UNEDUCATED BUNCH OF HACKS>.

American Liberty Elm!!!!!!!!!!!


54 posted on 09/29/2004 3:49:40 PM PDT by Porterville (Men have learned to shoot without missing ...and I have learned to fly without perching on a twig)
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"THESE IGNORANT ">>>>>>>>>>politicians.


55 posted on 09/29/2004 3:50:41 PM PDT by Porterville (Men have learned to shoot without missing ...and I have learned to fly without perching on a twig)
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To: presidio9

I thought AlGore was the national tree.


56 posted on 09/29/2004 3:52:11 PM PDT by meyer (Proud member of the Pajamarazzi!)
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To: presidio9

There are larch here. Strange tree like it's from another planet. Not good for anything but to make you wonder what it's good for.


57 posted on 09/29/2004 3:54:58 PM PDT by RightWhale (Withdraw from the 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty and establish property rights)
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To: presidio9

Former Vice President congratulates our new national tree, before rescinding
his congratulations and challenging the oak for the title in court.

58 posted on 09/29/2004 3:56:12 PM PDT by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: Porterville


59 posted on 09/29/2004 3:58:29 PM PDT by Porterville (Men have learned to shoot without missing ...and I have learned to fly without perching on a twig)
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To: presidio9
Actually, the American chestnut would be a greatly more suitable choice for national tree. The American chestnut practically built this country (structurally, that is). Unfortunately, most of the chestnuts were wiped out by the blight. Some researchers are working to strengthen the resistance of the remaining trees and, perhaps, reintroduce this great tree into its former range.

Read more about the American chestnut:
The American Chestnut Story
American Chestnut History

60 posted on 09/29/2004 8:49:37 PM PDT by NewJerseyJoe (Rat mantra: "Facts are meaningless! You can use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!")
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