Bad luck for Some...

[Pottercounty]

Hopefully it won't happen however, I feel sorry for the Campers that go to the National Parks to camp...

Read: http://walking.about.com/b/2011/04/08/u ... utdown.htm

[JuneBug]

Not again! I recall going to visit (I think) El Morro National Monument in northern new Mexico during a gov shut down in the early 1980s. This was pretty remote at the time, and the gate into the area was locked with a note that the government had shut down and the monument was closed. At the time they didn't charge an entry fee (some National Monuments are still free) and there was no ranger presence, but they still locked it up. Quite annoying.
Finally made it back there years later and was captivated by how beautiful it is.

[Pottercounty]

Yeah..it just stinks that something as stupid as Planned Parenthood funding is holding up the works. We can eleviate the dead & useless in the next few elections...

[Corwin C]

Ahem ... touched a nerve ... I'll try to be good ...
This nonsense hurts everyone in the US, some directly, others indirectly. Congress passing a budget a year ago when it was due would have avoided all of this.

First point: There are still lots of places in this great nation of ours to go camping. State, community, and private parks/campgrounds are still open and want your business. Those of you who had plans and reservations or your livelihood is dependent upon the parks in some way ... become educated as to the why's and wherefore's and remember this next time you vote.

Second point: In my opinion, ALL parks/campgrounds (National, state, community, and private) should be self-sufficient. Funding collected at a park should stay in that park. The park should be managed locally, not from DC. If their "income" is less than their operating costs, then changes need to be made. This would eliminate the possibility of someone sitting behind a desk, thousands of miles away, messing with your life with the stroke of a pen.

Third point: All of us need to do all we can to make the operation of these parks as easy and inexpensive as we can. Clean up after yourself, take care of your trash, stay on trails and walkways, recognize the money, sacrifices and effort it takes to have nice facilities. Most on this forum already do this, but there are all too many who do not.

Fourth point: For the parks/campgrounds that you personally appreciate and are inspired by ... donate generously. Be it money, time, labor, or just doing that little bit extra, it all helps and someone out there appreciates it.

These places are truly national treasures ... they belong to all of us. How does the government dare lock us out of what is essentially ours because of political nonsense? In my opinion, other than the recognition of the value of our treasures, the government should have very little other involvement. I get frustrated because they are literally stepping over hundreds to pick up pennies while the fifties, twenties, tens, fives, and ones are blowing away in the wind. Somewhere every day we hear about the millions and billions and trillions that are being squandered over nonsense. If a program has value, lets find a way to pay for it ... if it doesn't have value, get rid of it. Everyone's opinions will be different. That is the strength of this nation. We all need to be willing to constructively discuss our options and make the difficult decisions that are ahead of us. Otherwise we will not survive.

[parnold]

It would be interesting to see the relationship between what a National Park collects, and how much they actually cost to run. I'm thinking there is a lot of extra money thrown at them to keep them open, and affordable.

[Pottercounty]

I agree with Paul....

[robfisher]

I visited Grand Canyon National Park during the 1995 gov. shutdown. I found ALL concessions, mule trips, lodges, stores on the north rim were business as usual. The only thing missing was rangers on the trails and the entrance gates had nobody taking an entrance fee. For the first time in my life the park was free for all Americans and anybody else too. For those two days it truly was the peoples park.

[Redgloves]

Regardless of each person beliefs of right to life issues, a goverment shutdown doesn't save much money, if any.

The cost of preparing for a shutdown and reopening is expensive and not cost effective.

Federal employees will most likely receive back wages for work not done. How is that cost effective?

To withhold pay for service members is one item that should not happen. Wonder if elected representatives pay is withheld?

IMO, the shutdown is political playing cards aimed at controversial social/political issues. Now I better shut up before breaking forum rules.

In the long run, no body wins.

[mikeschn]

Congress will get paid during the shutdown...

http://www.wqow.com/Global/story.asp?S=14411037

Mike...

[eamarquardt]

Here is how much it costs to operate the park system and the revenue it generates:

http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/budget.htm

Eye opening!

Simply put, our elected officials, IMHO, are pathetic, self serving, SOBs and not too many of them deserve to be reelected. Now, I'll tell you how I really feel. How can they pay themselves and not pay our service members. Unfortunately I think I know the answer to that question. #2 son's USMC(R) session for this weekend was cancelled but he only learned that AFTER driving nearly 200 miles to get to it.

Cheers,

Gus

[Woodbutcher]

Calling it a shut down is kind of a joke. A report I saw showed 80% of the government employees were essential. So only those things that we the public use are closed. The cuts they are arguing about are ridiculous. We go about 6 billion into debt each day and they are only able to cut about 6-7 days debt over the rest of the year. That does nothing to reduce the deficit. If we the public performed our jobs like Congress does we would all be fired!

[Ratkity]

Calling it a shut down is kind of a joke. A report I saw showed 80% of the government employees were essential. So only those things that we the public use are closed. The cuts they are arguing about are ridiculous. We go about 6 billion into debt each day and they are only able to cut about 6-7 days debt over the rest of the year. That does nothing to reduce the deficit. If we the public performed our jobs like Congress does we would all be fired!

Sorry, not true. FDA and USDA are shut down. I work for one of them. Anything that requires a permit is shut down.

This furlough thing has hit a major nerve and I'm very angry about it.

Military is guaranteed pay, albeit slow getting to them. The rest of us don't necessarily get paid unless congress passes a bill to do that. Morale of all gov't workers is at an all time low due to hiring freezes, making less pay to do more, raising the cost of benefits and not getting the pitance they call a cost of living raise. Now they get to take our paychecks.

Sorry for the rant. Probably should delete this thread.

Hugs,
Ratkity

[doitright]

Well that will be bad for campers and the people that make there living at the parks but the great tea party will also make it so the Armed Forces will not get checks. My God these men and women are protecting our interest for the government at orders of the government. When is our government going to wake up and learn to play well together in the sand box?
doitright

[eamarquardt]

Well that will be bad for campers and the people that make there living at the parks but the great tea party will also make it so the Armed Forces will not get checks. My God these men and women are protecting our interest for the government at orders of the government. When is our government going to wake up and learn to play well together in the sand box?
doitright

All our service people will be paid in full, eventually. This is still a pathetic performance by our elected officials.

Cheers,

Gus

[DrCrash]

Uhmmm I just got to say it ....









Guns