The South Entrance at Grand Canyon National Park is open again, at least temporarily. NPS Photo by Michael Quinn.
The idea that national parks are being used by both political parties as "leverage," "tools," "political pawns" and similar terms to try to influence the resolution of the government shutdown has been voiced in recent Traveler stories and in readers' comments on this site.
If that's the case, how does the temporary reopening of several "high profile" parks, such Grand Canyon National Park, change the equation in that strategy by either—or both—political parties?
Do you think the shutdown stalemate is likely to be lengthened or shortened by the temporary reopening (using state funds) of a few "big name" parks?
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Comments
Great Smoky Mountains National Park will only be open for five days - From today (Wed) to Sunday. That's all that the Tennesssee legislatures, with some help with North Carolina, is funding. If I had to guess, I think that the stalemate might be shortened.
Once a right is given, it is difficult to take it away. Visitors are going to get confused about the five days and think that the park will be open permanently.
I'm also concerned about the smaller park units. They don't have the usual vocal constituencies that the "big name" parks have. Of course, they probably didn't get the vandalism that the Smokies endured.
It won't.
The only thing that will affect future idiocy like this will be vote every single incumbent idiot out of office as soon as possible. We need a completely clean start on Capitol Hill.
It's a shame we can't simply do as my German neighbor in a state park campground said last week when I asked what would happen in Germany if something like this came along. "We would very soon have a new government."
Let's hope that enough Americans will have attention spans and memories long enough to take appropriate action at the ballot boxes in future elections.
But truthfully, I'm not very optimistic. After all the really important questions in America are "What's on TV tonight?" and "What's in this for me?"
If Americans are kept entertained and paid off by their leaders -- whether in food stamps or massive subsidies for big businesses -- most will be happy.
My state's government (Washington) has decided not to fund our national parks.
It's unfair, but as my mother told me on a regular basis, "the world isn't fair."
I'm so tired of our government being stupid that I can't even begin to describe it. I'm equally tired of being the choir that's preached to by the media -- I don't know a single person outside of congress who doesn't want to strangle our government, and repeatedly pointing out how people's livelihoods are being ruined to the people who already know this is stupid, too. Someone needs to a) chain congress to their chairs, then b) force them to watch all the examples the media's been shoving in our faces 24/7 with no food, water, bathroom breaks, or pay (retroactive on the latter to the member's first day on the job) until they behave and quit screwing around. Then maybe they can get paid again. Maybe. But only till they quit cooperating again.