Sad state of our National Parks-II

[Yosemite_Sam1]

Again, this is not political. It is to our interest as RVers and for Camping World business to have an outstanding national parks that usually provide the cheaper camping facilities and best places to visit and see.

Just recently been to one of the most popular national park and the results of funding cuts (7%), fund diversion ($22 million for the frivolous July 4 parade) and distorted priorities or even hostility towards the environment (area around Sequoia National Park are set to be opened for oil explorations).

The symptoms of these are all over. Campsites opening late, maintenance not being done, exodus of park rangers and unfilled positions. One very obvious situations on the two camps I've stayed are slots marked unavailable because it's inaccessible when a simple mini dozer could have graded the dirt road, closing of all toilets because of unapproved requisitions and requests for repairs of pipes for the water system...

I've written the top federal department responsible -- not even a form letter acknowledgement of my concerns.

Maybe if more of us...

[ppine]

They are loved to death and under funded.

[wanderingaimles]

ReneeG wrote:

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
I can tell you, It didn't go to Curtis Bay, The home of the Coast Guard Yard.
Coast Guard Yard

Even here we tried,,,,,

Not sure what this has to do with the topic. Seems like a well run outfit.

The comment before this was saying the millions that go to Baltimore are a waste, I was trying to say that not all was.

[ReneeG]

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
I can tell you, It didn't go to Curtis Bay, The home of the Coast Guard Yard.
Coast Guard Yard

Even here we tried,,,,,

Not sure what this has to do with the topic. Seems like a well run outfit.

[ReneeG]

DallasSteve wrote:
He starts "this is not political" and then quickly says "$22 million for the frivolous July 4 parade".

In what world is that not political?

Agree.

[ReneeG]

BillyBob Jim wrote:

Oh! Just got why you posted this pic.

[lots2seeinmyrv]

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:

ReneeG wrote:
Not meant to be political, yet the park you mention is in a state with a huge set of it's own problems. We visit Yellowstone, Grant Tetons, and Glacier often. They have a great system setup for camping, checking availability, and it seems to be working.

National parks are being managed by the federal government.

Be specific to the state problems and how are they related to the national park.

Here is an article "state specific" and DIRECTLY related to the state problems of the very park you are griping about:


What about the $61 MILLION in damages this cost the U.S. taxpayers?


How about track this person down and they pay it back.



Sequoia National Park Fire

[Tvov]

naturist wrote:
Is anybody here sick and tired of living in a country so obsessed with cutting taxes (and thus so impoverished) as to be unable to afford our own infrastructure?

I get that we all want to reduce fraud and waste in government. I don't want my tax dollars used to make some thief rich either. But the truth of the matter is that merely cutting a department budget will never reduce fraud and waste. The people committing those are not total idiots. They are going to get theirs out of the reduced budget anyway. The only way to stop fraud and waste is to do the hard work of investigating and going after the culprits specifically. Merely cutting the budget only cuts money for those the department is supposed to be serving.

So few of our elected representatives these days care a rats behind about our parks and forests. So it's easy to just cut and cut and cut until there isn't enough money to actually fix that broken bridge/toilet/roadway or repaint that building or replace that vandalized sign. And it's not going to change until enough of us start electing representation that cares about such things.

Now when that does happen, it also means taxes will go up. But you know what, I don't mind forking over the money necessary to support our police and fire and armed forces and even forest rangers in their work. I don't mind paying for a new sign or fixing a bridge. I read those signs and drive those bridges. I want them there.

So next time your congress critter wanders in off the street for a town hall, get your fanny down there and ask him/her/it to put money into the public coffers, not just take it out and take it out and take it out. And then go vote!

I am not sick and tired of "cutting" taxes. The ONLY way to get departments to cleanup their act is to reduce their budget. Plus, my taxes seem to go UP all the time - usually the "tax cut" is in a "proposed" budget, and rarely, if ever, is an actual reduction from the year before. So they call an increase a tax cut. Welcome to NewSpeak.

EVERYONE I've ever talked to who works for the town, state, and federal government talks about the waste and mismanagement.

From what I've heard, the National Park Service is actually one of the better run federal departments, due to dedicated people who actually want to do a good job at a job that they actually want to do, and so many volunteers, especially at historical sites.

What is the solution? I don't think there is one solution. One big thing that I rarely have heard of is actually asking the people "on the ground" and at the gates what they would suggest for running the park or department. All the parks have different needs, and the people who know those needs are the ones that actually work there.

lol, I'm sooo glad this thread is non-political! lol!

[GordonThree]

DFord wrote:
At the present rate, there won't be any public lands to worry about soon.

Opponent of Nation's Public Lands Is Picked to Oversee Them

Associated Press, Wire Service Content wrote:
WASHINGTON (AP) — An ardent critic of the federal government who has argued for selling off almost all public lands has been named the Trump administration's top steward over nearly a quarter-billion federally controlled acres, raising new questions about the administration's intentions for vast Western ranges and other lands roamed by hunters, hikers and wildlife.

That's horrifying

[BillyBob_Jim]

[DFord]

At the present rate, there won't be any public lands to worry about soon.

Opponent of Nation's Public Lands Is Picked to Oversee Them

Associated Press, Wire Service Content wrote:
WASHINGTON (AP) — An ardent critic of the federal government who has argued for selling off almost all public lands has been named the Trump administration's top steward over nearly a quarter-billion federally controlled acres, raising new questions about the administration's intentions for vast Western ranges and other lands roamed by hunters, hikers and wildlife.

[DallasSteve]

He starts "this is not political" and then quickly says "$22 million for the frivolous July 4 parade".

In what world is that not political?

[wanderingaimles]

I can tell you, It didn't go to Curtis Bay, The home of the Coast Guard Yard.
Coast Guard Yard

Even here we tried,,,,,

[agesilaus]

Or the $15,000,000,000 a year that goes to the rat infested, crime saturated Baltimore. Where did it go?

[lots2seeinmyrv]

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
YS1 is incapable of seeing the forest for the trees.
His preferred state is also the greatest user of Federal assistance with the use/abuse of medicare funds. story
It's way too easy to feel justified in an argument when you only use half the facts.
2007 data is a poor excuse, and the use of federal money for subsidizing people who should not even be here takes the other numbers over the line.

Lets take care of all Americans, and with many, lets have the ones who cant work otherwise, help with assistance programs, and then assist newcomers when we are in a position to be able to help them appropriately.

X1000 thumbs up.

$133 BILLION a year of OUR local, state and Federal tax dollars spent on foreigners who should not even be here.

What about the BILLIONS in foreign aid to countries who hate our guts!

LOL...a 4th of July parade...PEANUTS compared to the abuse of our tax dollars by the swamp.

What a disgrace and slap in the face to those who served...ALL of us, no matter the capacity have sacrificed.

YS1...go gripe about that!

Just THINK how much $133 BILLION a year, not a measly $22 million to honor our service members, could rebuild our park service, our inner cities, our water, our sewer, our electrical grids, our homeless, our Veterans, our seniors, our roads our bridges, build affordable housing.

Add the $50 BILLION sent out of the country and not spent on our economy.

Math and economics do not seem to be your strong qualities. Just hate for this country, our values, our traditions, and poor me entitlement attitude for your pleasure at the expense of others.

[agesilaus]

We are well past the point of "running out of other peoples money" so I hope that we do see bloated budgets drop. Of course you probably think we can just run the printing presses a few extra days. The current batch of politicians on both sides seem to agree with that, sadly

The parks waste money by the truck load so they should just fire some folks