Unnecessary shutdowns

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

The federal government is shutting down a lot of things that are either don't need to be shut down (because they cost no money to operate) or actually cost more to shut down than they do to keep operating. These include both national parks and government agency websites.

http://www.ijreview.com/2013/10/84362-13-national-parks-impacted-government-shutdown/
http://reason.com/blog/2013/10/02/government-will-shut-down-websites-even

We're at the point where the government is just being petty and working on zooming well past that point.

For those who think it's justified because the Republicans won't budge on Obamacare, that just doesn't fit the facts.



As a libertarian, I'm fine with permanently cutting 800,000 federal workers and I think it's nice that they've identified the agencies we can do without, but I'd rather it happen with at least the standard 2-week warning for people. Pretty much all politicians in office right now are acting like children, but that's what happens when the electorate is also.

Comments

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

You've worked in Yellowstone sometime in the past therefore I'm wrong about what exactly? That it's not closed? That's the only thing the article says about it. If you're saying I'm wrong about something else, how does you working at Yellowstone matter to that?

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

Your comment: they cost no money to operate...

That's dead wrong.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

That's not what I said though.

[cheezyfish.livejournal.com]

How about Mount Vernon that is privately owned, but the parking lots are maintained by NPS? They barricaded the parking. How often do parking lots need maintenance? The rest of Mount Vernon is maintained with private funds. Is it irresponsible to let people use parking lots during the shut down? Why pay park rangers to barricade open-air monuments that don't close, nor are guarded. Now they are. How can you justify spending more money closing the park and keeping people out than you would keeping it open? I can understand closing many monuments and parks, like the Arizona memorial for instance, where a ferry needs to actually take you to the memorial. I can't understand the NPS trying to get state parks to close because they get a grant from the federal government that pays for non-essential employees.

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

" How can you justify spending more money closing the park and keeping people out than you would keeping it open?"

This must be the new right-wing talking point.

Show us the numbers.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

This must be the new right-wing talking point.

Yeah, it's like the GUYS! HOW MUCH DO TEACHERS AND FIRE REALLY NEED TO BE PAID?

[cheezyfish.livejournal.com]

How much does it cost to barricade a open 24/7, open air monument and then pay park rangers to guard it? More than zero dollars. How much does it cost to do nothing? Zero dollars. How much does it cost to barricade a parking lot? More than zero dollars. How much does it cost to do nothing and let people park there? Zero. It isn't rocket science.

[cheezyfish.livejournal.com]

“What if the cost of shutting down a website exceeds the cost of maintaining services?” the memo asks, in a Q&A section.

Answer: “The determination of which services continue during an appropriations lapse is not affected by whether the costs of shutdown exceed the costs of maintaining services.”

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/oct/03/watchdog-shutdown-government-websites/ (http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/oct/03/watchdog-shutdown-government-websites/)

Sure, this is talking about websites, but I see no reason why the policy wouldn't extend to parks.