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There are plenty of threads (or start a new one) to talk about any and all trip plans (definitely welcome conversation) but there is no need to flush this thread. It is one of the great priviledges of this country that we CAN talk about what we do not agree with regarding our government (especially when it DOES relate to the parks that we love so much), and in many cases, a movement is started and change follows. How convenient for all if we would just bag this insantiy, shut up, keep our heads down, and settle for whatever is handed down.


My comment about my trips was in direct response to something that was posted in regards to talking about hiking now that spring was here.

As I am certain you understand, the first amendment doesn't apply to a private forum such as this. It is Steve's site and he can say yea or nay on any topic he chooses. And he has obviously said that this one is ok. I think it's a bad idea. And until Steve says that I am not allowed to post that I think it is a bad idea, I have the right to do so.

But let's talk about sequestration and how it applies to the park system. I posted some numbers about the paltry amount of $85B. I posted that the whole budget of the department of the interior is about $11B. The department of health and human services has a budget of about $850B. Why aren't we hearing about a 10% cut in the department of HHS that would take care of that $85B and leave all other government services intact? Why is our government focusing on outward facing services which, in the whole grand scheme of things have meaningless budgets in the first place?

An $85B cut is meaningless and yet it is being touted as a national tragedy where white house tours are cancelled, yosemite is going to close and the lines at the airport are going to be longer. It boils down to a political stunt.

The reason that I think it is crazy to encourage political discussions in this forum is that one's own views tends to blind them from the insults that are being tossed about when the views match their own. So while there have been comments about how the we have kept the "discourse civil" and that we have been "respectful and on topic", you might keep in mind that there are "tea party" types here. And if you go back and read the thread again, you will see that there are quite a few insults thrown around (most of which are completely off base and inaccurate).

So let's talk about legitimate powers of the US Government as defined by the US Constitution.

And let's talk about the fact that the federal government is required to have a budget and yet hasn't done so for several years.

Let's get to the core problem of too damn many entitlement programs sapping the finances of our government while legitimate government services get dumped.

Let's talk about the fact that servicing the interest on our national debt is only behind the DoD and Health and Human Services in real costs to our country and we are adding to the debt with every day that we operate on deficit spending.

All of these thing tie into the cutting of the budget.