Closed for the duration

I posted this earlier in the SENP forum, but I believe it worth broader attention. Whatever your political choices, this should not be happening!

"Everyone probably knows of the National Park closures. Unfortunately, All National Wildlife Refuges are closed for the duration as well. Locally, that is the Savannah NWR and Harris Neck NWR. Others would be:

Wolf Island National Wildlife Refuge
Tybee National Wildlife Refuge
Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge
Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge
Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge

It is a crying shame that 535 idiots in Washington can have such an impact."

"It is a crying shame that 535 idiots in Washington can have such an impact.

Make that 637 idiots to include 100 in the Senate and 1 in the Executive branch.

Disgusting display of political idiocy. Do these idiots realize they are also pissing off world wide travelers and causing havoc on local economies too? Maine (especially Acadia area) and New Hampshire are suffering in the peak foliage season. I am sure many others are too like the Grand Canyon, Rainier, Zion, Bryce,are also .... including MANY OTHERS. ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING! What about all the people put on furlough? Vote those bastards out of office next round is all I can say.

idiots they may be, but who put them there? if we're counting the idiots, we may need to count in the 300 millions, not the mere hundreds.

Hear Hear Brian. But remember my representatives are only working fork the people's best interests. It's the other ones that are idiots. Not just idiots, self serving arrogant idiots.

Make that 637 idiots to include 100 in the Senate and 1 in the Executive branch.

Before using the term "idiots" it might be better to actually check the numbers.

Phil is correct: Congress has a total of 535 voting members: 435 members in the House of Representatives and 100 members in the Senate.

My bad. Make that '536' idiots. I've been out of work for a week now, so I too have a dog in this fight.

In the White Mountain National forest you can get any where to photograph but all the Rest Rooms are boarded up

I rarely photo in those kinds of places so no impact at all on me. It's a non-event. OTOH, the new healthcare law seems to be pinching off full time jobs in my area in a big way. That could eventually affect me.


Kent in SD

I thought this site did not allow political comments? However, I can understand concerns about the closed natural areas. Does this allow poachers and others with an anti wolf, bison, whatever free reign in these areas.

IMHO blackmail by a minority is wrong whatever the reason.

The bigger topic is the coming collapse of the dollar. Right now, the only group making money is the 'investor' class.
The hard working middle class is eating it.
My concerns are so many people in Washington D.C. go there because they're good at politics, BUT they're not actually good at implementing policy, and good ideas..

It is a crying shame that 535 idiots in Washington can have such an impact."

Phil, you are insulting idiots everywhere!!

I think if we keep this thread civil, and comment only on the effects closures are having on specific parks, monuments, refuges, etc. this thread will stand.

I know we are all frustrated, but we should rise above that and be respectful.

Thanks,

--P

I call upon every voting American to vote their representative, their senator, and the president out of office the next time there is an election for them. And, continue to do so for the next 3 election cycles to send a message that We want our nation back!

Here is what George Washington had to say on political parties in his farewell address:

"I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.

It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.

There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government and serve to keep alive the spirit of liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in governments of a monarchical cast, patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume."

Thank you George for your foresight and warning, and thank you Morris for posting his timely words.

If change is really needed IMHO it is past time for term limits on congress. Without term limits a senator or representative from a low population base thanks to seniority can become too powerful as we have all seen. Personally I have always thought the congress should be moved to western Kansas, meet during the summer with no air conditioning. Although I would not want to wish congress on my home state. Term limits is the first step IMHO.

Thanx for posting the words of GW Morris..
Yes, what have now are two 'gangs', and it's not working.
It would be much better if people had to vote for the person, not just check Republican or Democrat..
Term limits yes John, but they'll never do it to themselves.
The people (voters) will first have to scream & yell with a very large megaphone

Anyhow, to return to the original topic, yes, it's a shame that this includes the NWRs as well as the National Parks. On my (adopted) turf, that's the 5 or 6 in Rhode Island, including Sachuest, one of my all-time favorite places.
Having just returned from five days in the Adirondacks, I thank God that a proposal to make the ADKs a national park never went anywhere!

I don't think that term limits would have much effect...we'd only get new idiots controlled by special interests every couple of elections. I think that gerrymandered districts are a much bigger problem, especially since many primary voters tend to be the dedicated extremists (do you vote in primaries?? ) After the 2010 election Maryland created a new district to get rid of a long time republican congressman and the new district has at least 2 unconnected parts. I'm sure in other states both democratic and republican legislators have worked the same magic. Getting rid of gerrymandered districts would make general elections much more competitive (think of the senate, where all senators are elected state wide) and reduce the tendency of the House to be very polarized.

Well said Harley!!

Mark, how about drawing names out of a phone book. If a name drawn doesn't want the job another name is drawn. That way a good random cross section of individuals are selected that are not beholding to any party or interest group.

What has been happening is that politicians have been using public money to buy votes with for years. On top of that, they have dramatically decreased the share of taxes that the average person has to shell out to pay for it all. Politicians keep promising "free stuff" and tell us "someone else" will pay for it. (Something like 10% of citizens are paying 71% of the tax burden, half of citizens pay no income tax at all!) What we've ended up with is `~half the population on some sort of "welfare" and the other ~half paying most of the bill. The big chunk not paid is borrowed. What we hear from the media is there'll be a "disaster" if we don't pay the bill. What we don't hear is that the bill will be paid with yet more borrowed money, which makes the overall problem even bigger and impossible to resolve in positive way. It's a classic case of short term thinking vs. long term thinking. The Congress is divided because the people who elect them are divided. If you're in the half that gets a "free" check, you pick one side. If you're in the half that is paying the bill or has assets to lose when the country goes bankrupt, you pick the other side. Thus, only half of Congress is populated by "idiots," depending on your POV. Meanwhile, to demonstrate how vital government is to our daily lives, they have shut down the Panda Cam.

The obvious sustainable solution is to raise taxes on EVERYBODY so we're all giving up 45--50% of our income, as they do in Iceland, OR quit promising money we will never have. Obviously neither political party has the stomach to do either, so we are locked in stalemate and slide further down the toilet.



Kent in SD

it's a tidy analysis, Kent, but I don't think it totally fits. take a look at which states receive more federal dollars than they put in, and you'll see many of them are very red states.

"take a look at which states receive more federal dollars than they put in, and you'll see many of them are very red states.

Apropos of nothing, really. Many of them are blue states, as well. Military installations, federal labs, federal lands and Indian reservations play a part in the inequities. For sure, nothing to do with this topic.

it's a direct response to the post immediately above. if it has nothing to do with the topic, then neither did that one.

l problem even bigger and impossible to resolve in positive way. It's a classic case of short term thinking vs. long term thinking. The Congress is divided because the people who elect them are divided. If you're in the half that gets a "free" check, you pick one side. If you're in the half that is paying the bill or has assets to lose when the country goes bankrupt, you pick the other side.