NBC:
The contingency plan says that about 64% of the National Park Service workforce is set to be furloughed and that those kept on would perform “excepted” activities, such as law enforcement or emergency response, border and coastal protection and surveillance, and fire suppression and monitoring.
If state governors, such as in California and Maskachusetts, were able to declare marijuana stores “essential” during coronapanic, and therefore legally allowed to continue operating, why can’t Donald Trump declare national parks to be “essential”? The hook could be that we have an obesity national public health emergency and the parks allow people to exercise more. The hook could be that we have a racial equity/equality emergency and the parks need to be open so that People of Color can get into them.
Separately, in the Department of Legacy Media Fighting Against Misinformation, the New York Times:
Without a compromise, hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be sent home without pay,
ChatGPT:
In January 2019, Congress enacted the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, which made retroactive pay automatic for any future shutdown. That law requires that all federal employees furloughed or working without pay during a lapse in appropriations must receive full back pay after the shutdown ends.
Federal workers fortunate enough to be declared “non-essential” are, in other words, on a guaranteed paid vacation, which is reported, as a fact by the New York Times, to be “without pay”. They can’t be 100 percent sure when their windfall vacation checks will arrive, but they can be 100 percent sure that they money will show up, maybe while they are traveling in Europe or enjoying Xbox.
From the Johnstown Flood National Memorial, our Science-following government reminds us that invasive plants are bad, unlike the invasive humans that Science assures us are at least good and probably great for all Americans:
Some more photos from this National Park Service site:
Related:
- What if our National Parks charged Navajo prices? (our parks could be massive profit centers for the federal government if we charged what Chile charges or what the Navajo charge here in the U.S.)
The real invasive species to the National Parks were the Millennials, with their loose dogs, litterbug issues, and complete lack of outdoors man/woman/curious skills. More than one wandering 5 feet off a major trail got “lost” and had to be helicoptered out, leading to all us volunteers having to have “rescue” training by the Red Cross.
One rescue of a couple who got stranded on a cliff cost upwards of $1M, and the girl said, “My rescue led me to learning how to rescue others.” I’m good honey, I’ll figure a way down without you saying “woopsie” as you knock me off the side.
On a side note, is the Federal government shutdown? I don’t know, and I don’t care.
The last shutdown was 35 days. Looks like the marine corps marathon won’t happen this year. Lions have been pondering what to do since their travel fees are not refundable. Maybe run the course alone & view closed museums from the ouside.
The government doesn’t to a whole lot when it’s not shut down either. All our roads are now manetained by HOA’s since the govenment is still broke at 11% sales tax.
Tour marijuana stores, talk to some of the federal employees on paid leave doing their shopping? (The Washington Monument is never open anyway.)
“In January 2019, Congress enacted the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, which made retroactive pay automatic for any future shutdown. That law requires that all federal employees furloughed or working without pay during a lapse in appropriations must receive full back pay after the shutdown ends.”
I am sure about half of those furloughed are Democrats. Couldn’t they just show up to work for the-good-of-the-country and the community? On top of that, by showing up, they could also stick it to Trump!
George:
> Couldn’t they just show up to work for the-good-of-the-country and the community?
Smashingly good idea, old chap. Now that you mention it, why not? The “fair treatment” should be reciprocal (think “Government/Employee” Fair Treatment)–the workers shouldn’t try to screw the taxpayers over by getting paid for nothing. Damn our laws are crazy.
If it were me, I’d probably show up 60 hours a week while it was quiet to get some work done, even if I had to tailgate off someone with a valid badge, then coast a little when the noisy hordes returned. It’s how I survived the Fortune 50.
George: Are you sure about the “half are Democrats” conjecture regarding federal employees? Here’s a study based on emails sent and the conclusion was the 95 percent were “liberal”: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/report-95-of-career-federal-employees-who-email-about-politics-at-work-express-liberal-views
The study is consistent with voting patterns in Washington, D.C., where 92.5% of residents preferred the Democrats’ candidate. https://www.politico.com/2024-election/results/washington-dc/ (results were similar in elections going back 40 years: 270towin.com/states/district-of-columbia )
George: I do like your idea of a federal worker sticking it to the would-be king by (a) showing up to work, and (b) taking Tylenol every 6 hours.