A smug, biting, and sarcastic roster of Republicans bashed National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis during a hearing Wednesday into how the Park Service handled the closure of the park system in the wake of the federal government's partial shutdown.
The joint hearing by the House Oversight and Natural Resources committees offered harsh criticism, and even condemnation, from many of the GOP committee members, alternating with praise and support from Democratic members.
Director Jarvis was forced to sit and listen to his critics, as the committees subpoeaned him to appear after he initially demurred from their request that he testify.
At one point Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado, pointedly called the director "a liability to the National Park Service."
That attack was quickly rebutted by Rep. Gerald Connolly, a Virginia Democrat, who defended Director Jarvis and praised his service to the Park Service.
The hearing offered stark contrasts over whose fault the closure of the National Park System was, with Republicans blaming the Senate for not voting on a measure that would have provided funding to open the parks and charging the Obama administration with making the parks' closure inconvenient and harsher than it might have been, while Democrats saddled the blame on the Republicans in the House for refusing to approve the Senate's Continuing Resolution to fund government.
Rep. Pete Defazio, D-Oregon, at one point held up a mirror to the Republicans on the two committees and remarked, "Here's who is responsible for shutting down the national parks."
In response to a question from Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Virginia, the director acknowledged the closure of the park system didn't go as smoothly as it might have.
"We haven't done this in 20 years. Shutting down is hard and complicated. There were some lessons learned here," said Director Jarvis.
Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, said he was disgusted by this "sham of a hearing," calling it a "kangaroo court" and pointless other than to give some an opportunity to offer soundbites and toss about reckless claims.
In sum, he said, the hearing "makes the McCarthy era look like the Enlightenment."
Comments
It is a term used by those who think the Red Queen's management style - "Off with her head!!" - is a norm.
You know what it means, its anyone that still would be delusional enough to support this administration and think the NPS does no wrong...
I can certainly see the irony in one's use of the term.
Another 4 months before we start playing out the same exact game...
The solution is well known (reduce spending across the board, increase taxes, as highlighted by Simpson Bowles) but it pleases no one, so it won't happen. So, we're going to stumble from one fake crisis into another, until we actually reach a real one, that is when investors start asking for higher rates on the money they're lending us.
The good news is that the tea party and their ilk will be thrown out on their posteriors in the next election.
The bad news is that there will still be time for them to do damage before they slink out of town.
Zeb, we need to increase tax receipts. Raising tax rates wont get us there.
Ec, while I'm certainly no high tax apologist, it'll be hard to raise revenues without raising rates (either through higher rates, or through removing deductions).
I just watched an interview with our newest U.S. Senator -- Cory Booker of New Jersey who was just elected last night -- defeating a Tea Party type.
I was struck by how refreshing it was to hear a Senator (even though he hasn't taken office yet) who actually spoke with intelligence, good common sense, and hope. No vomiting of party demagoguery, no regurgitation of tired talking points. Just good sensible sense.
Where can we find 49 more just like him?