National Park Service advisory panel resignations

What reason do you offer for Zinke's blind obedience to GOP orthodoxy?
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Zinke's stance opposing PLT during the convention, and positions regarding actions on the Upper Missouri NM and Two Medicine illustrate that he is not "blindly obedient" to "GOP orthodoxy". He seems to be sensitive to the need to attempt to keep Montanan's mostly supporting him. I think his assertion of embracing a "Teddy Roosevelt philosophy" was a ploy to garner support. It may be that rather than "blind obedience", it was a matter of his ideology always conforming to the GOP orthodoxy, but cloaking it for larger political support and gain. His decisions and actions are increasingly coloring him as the GOP politician he aspires to be.
 
dukes_daddy said:
Ben, My friend. I think we are under 50% so let me help correct you so we get back on track. This is just one example of NPS dysfunction. https://www.reviewjournal.com/life/travel/1m-gift-to-restore-long-closed-zion-national-park-trail/

The state of Utah through the Mighty 5 National Park campaign exponentially increased visitation and revenue to the NPS. Yet NPS can't open a trail until a Utah philanthropic foundation gave them $1M.

Fresh faces and ideas can be helpful for bureaucracies.
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Blame congress, and especially your elected representatives for this. They are the ones that allocate the funding for the NPS and they have consistently underfunded the department for over 20 years. If an agency has $0 for trails, what do you expect them to do in terms of re-opening stuff? Congress, led by the UT delegation, has undermined public land management to the point where we're strangling a 1/2 dead cat.

Almost all National Parks are seeing increased visitation. Utah isn't anything special in that regard, although I do love my parks in your state. ;)

NPS dysfunction is not related to the parks board. They have a different task than the NPS administrative staff who has dropped the ball on sexual assault, etc. When you combine devastated budgets, lack of enough personnel and an atmosphere of tolerance for abhorrent behavior, you end up with what we have now at NPS. Zinke has played lip service to sexual assault and fired a few people who going to be fired anyway. His advocacy for a budget that further weakens NPS is more important than his PR stunts.

We can agree that NPS needs new ideas and fresh advocates. We should also agree that this administration is not setting that up, but rather looking only at the vision presented by the people who see parks as an asset to be stripped for short term profits.
 
Ben Lamb said:
Blame congress, and especially your elected representatives for this. They are the ones that allocate the funding for the NPS and they have consistently underfunded the department for over 20 years. If an agency has $0 for trails, what do you expect them to do in terms of re-opening stuff? Congress, led by the UT delegation, has undermined public land management to the point where we're strangling a 1/2 dead cat.

Almost all National Parks are seeing increased visitation. Utah isn't anything special in that regard, although I do love my parks in your state. ;)

NPS dysfunction is not related to the parks board. They have a different task than the NPS administrative staff who has dropped the ball on sexual assault, etc. When you combine devastated budgets, lack of enough personnel and an atmosphere of tolerance for abhorrent behavior, you end up with what we have now at NPS. Zinke has played lip service to sexual assault and fired a few people who going to be fired anyway. His advocacy for a budget that further weakens NPS is more important than his PR stunts.

We can agree that NPS needs new ideas and fresh advocates. We should also agree that this administration is not setting that up, but rather looking only at the vision presented by the people who see parks as an asset to be stripped for short term profits.
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Amen.
 
Ben Lamb said:
We can agree that NPS needs new ideas and fresh advocates. We should also agree that this administration is not setting that up, but rather looking only at the vision presented by the people who see parks as an asset to be stripped for short term profits.
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Agreement. We are back above 50%. I also support Zinke position to increase entrance fees. Not popular in Utah or any area with parks but his statement the parks need to be financially viable to help pay for infrastructure, operations and the mission is correct.

The money generated should be kept in the NPS. The NPS system should also be right sized. To many special interest and politic favors to designate and maintain locations which could be handed over to state and/or local organizations. Ya ever heard of Steamtown in PA? Look it up.
 
Ben Lamb said:
I think it's a PR stunt to be sure, but as far as PR stunts go, it has some cache to it. It's also sad that Zinke think we need to soundproof the Chalet in case someone hears people doing it.
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Well as long as it has some cache to it. IMO the Chalet has served its purpose, and there is no reason to rebuild it. I'm probably in the minority of opinion on this however. Carry on.
 
dukes_daddy said:
Agreement. We are back above 50%. I also support Zinke position to increase entrance fees. Not popular in Utah or any area with parks but his statement the parks need to be financially viable to help pay for infrastructure, operations and the mission is correct.

The money generated should be kept in the NPS. The NPS system should also be right sized. To many special interest and politic favors to designate and maintain locations which could be handed over to state and/or local organizations. Ya ever heard of Steamtown in PA? Look it up.
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I am opposed to the increase that has been floated although a smaller increase should be warranted. a week pass to Yellowstone, Zion or any other park is still a bargain at $50. No need to go from $35 to $80. That's the price of the America the Beautiful pass (If you don't get one, do it - it's a great deal and gives access to a lot of public land that requires a fee for parking, recreation, etc).

NPS's charter is to manage special areas. Steamtown is a bad example as it's small in comparison to a place like Gettysburg or a monument. Same thing with the Lewis & Clark Caverns in MT - former NPS site transferred to the state because it was cheaper to operate for the state and it made little sense for NPS to manage such a small area. In those instances, if the state has a long term commitment and funding source available, I'm not opposed to looking at strategic transfer of ownership but it has to make sense for all involved, meaning the public as well as the government. I don't think that's viable on any monument or current National Park or even small monuments that have national significance. One of the first things we saw cut in Montana due to budget issues was funding for the Historical Society. Most states cut things like that, state parks, etc before they increase revenue out of a ridiculous ideology that all government must be shrunk rather than have smart government that is efficient.
 
BigHornRam said:
Well as long as it has some cache to it. IMO the Chalet has served its purpose, and there is no reason to rebuild it. I'm probably in the minority of opinion on this however. Carry on.
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I don't necesarily disagree. Making the rebuild a priority is a PR stunt, and one that needs to go away so the NPS can honestly assess whether or not it should be rebuild rather than politicians with fond memories of high school neckings.

Dukes - over $11 billion in maintenence backlog for NPS. This is the fault of congress and no one else.
 
The prevailing opinion within the GOP is to cut funding for federal land management agencies. Then they turn around and complain they are poorly managed. This needs to change! It is incumbent upon Republicans who are also conservationists to change the GOP. Until we do this, it will be same old, same old.

Take a look at this article in the Sheridan Press about Liz Cheney when she was running for Congress. She comes right out and says she want to cut off funding for BLM.

https://thesheridanpress.com/48294/cheney-blm-devoted-eliminating-human-use-land/

As a Republican, I take partial responsibility for remaining silent. No more!! I plan to critically examine everything anyone does, whether they are Republican or Democrat.
 
highplainshunter said:
The prevailing opinion within the GOP is to cut funding for federal land management agencies. Then they turn around and complain they are poorly managed. This needs to change! It is incumbent upon Republicans who are also conservationists to change the GOP. Until we do this, it will be same old, same old.

Take a look at this article in the Sheridan Press about Liz Cheney when she was running for Congress. She comes right out and says she want to cut off funding for BLM.

https://thesheridanpress.com/48294/cheney-blm-devoted-eliminating-human-use-land/

As a Republican, I take partial responsibility for remaining silent. No more!! I plan to critically examine everything anyone does, whether they are Republican or Democrat.
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Cheney’s just another one of these dipshits you regurgitate the same old tired anti-government talking points. She doesn’t have a clue what the BLM does or what she’s talking about. What an idiot.
 
u1299 said:
Cheney’s just another one of these dipshits you regurgitate the same old tired anti-government talking points. She doesn’t have a clue what the BLM does or what she’s talking about. What an idiot.
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Unfortunately the GOP is full of them...and that is what we conservationist Republicans need to change!
 
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