Ex-Park Service Workers Say Bush Reneges on Promises

[kskiska]

The Bush administration has failed to live up to its promises to protect America's national parks, says a group of former National Park Service employees from across the country.

In an Aug. 15 letter to President Bush and Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton, the 123 former employees contend that the administration has sacrificed preservation for profit in its policies on park maintenance, air pollution enforcement, road development and snowmobile use on federal lands and encouraged the movement of park service jobs to the private sector.

"ou are strangling the very core of park stewardship, sidestepping the important issues that are facing the parks and ignoring the operational budgets of the parks," wrote the former employees, including four past directors of the park service. "We are seeing evidence at every turn that when private for-profit interests vie with resources of the park, the private interests, and not principle, governs."

Bill Wade, a former superintendent of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, said the group wanted to call attention to such issues now because today marks the 87th anniversary of the law that created the National Park Service within the Interior Department.

"In the minds of many of us, this is probably the most dismal birthday that the National Park Service has ever had," said Wade, who retired from the park service in 1997 after 34 years.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39945-2003Aug24.html

[Cha]

1. I am sure it Is the most DISMAL!

"In the minds of many of us, this is probably the most dismal birthday that the National Park Service has ever had," said Wade, who retired from the park service in 1997 after 34 years"

And it's going to get more "dismal" until whistle ass bush gets out of Washington permenantly!

And we will Get Our Country Back! :kick:

[madrchsod]

2. pick up the sept. vanity fair

besides being their largest issue ever they have a lenghty article on the bush enviromental rape of our country and all the players involved. it`s a truly sicking article on these rapists. from the "editors letter" on it seems vanity fair is taking on bush..also there is a very interesting article on queen rani of jordan. god i wish we had a first lady as brilliant as she is..

[duid12]

3. park workers

>>The Bush administration has failed to live up to its promises to protect America's national parks

While this is probably a very true statement, I am sure what this really means to the average park worker is they didn't get a big enough raise this year....I live directly across from a gov't park and I got to tell you the taxpayer money they waste should be criminal...the average worker shows up about 9-9:30 (supposed to be there by 7:30 to 8) and takes a 2 hour lunch (driving off in their govt green truck) and very often they are all gone by about 3PM at the latest.

If their are ever any complaints about the conditions of the campgrounds, rest areas, beach etc, the very first thing out of their mouth is "budget cuts" and how they are understaffed....

Guess when your average staff member (who are being paid FULL TIME) actually only put in 2-3 hours per work per day, it is hard to get all your work done on time.

[GreenGreenLimaBean]

6. do you have any real evidence to back this up?

or is your anecdotal diatribe the last word on the parks service?

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Divernan]

8. Which "government park" are you talking about?

Our national parks are quite large, and have multiple access roads. I don't know of any with residences "directly across" from access points - because you're talking about some remote areas. But, for the sake of argument, you're saying that you live "directly across"
from them and spend your days from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. observing the comings and goings of park employees - and know who they are because they (all) drive green govt. trucks.

You say they are often all gone by 3 p.m. at the latest. How many of them are "they"? And how do you know the numbers of workers there. As I think about it, I would expect that most park employees bring their lunches with them to work. It would take two hours just to drive off the park from a main building and back again, especially with the summer crowds. When you have people who love the outdoors, why would they spend two hours in their car to go sit at some fast food place for lunch? Now, since the parks don't close for lunch and have to be open posted hours, early morning to sunset or so, I guess you're saying we could all sneak in for free if we go before 9 a.m., or at lunch time or after 3 p.m. Your whole post just doesn't hang together.

[draftee]

4. More . . .

Campaign to Protect America's Lands
http://www.rffund.org/project.cfm?ID=38

See the realplayer videos at end of article.

[newyawker99]

11. Hi draftee!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[ixion]

5. yet another group that BushCo has alienated

It grieves me to see the park system under threat (but what isn't under the BushCo rule these days?), yet I can't help but see this as another demographic that is finally waking up to what a disaster this maladministration is, and what damage they're doing to our country domestically and internationally.