White House Inflicts Pain

The government shutdown is on-going. Maybe it's a good thing. Looking at a graphic representation of "non-essential" furloughed and "essential" non-furloughed workers, one might see it as a step towards trimming the budget!


Furloughed (orange) and Non-Furloughed (blue) Workers

See link for interactive graphic and details

Before any compromise is reached, however, the White House seems to want to play partisan politics for as long as it can. The closing of services that actually provide revenues rather than cost money is one of the games being played.

According to Warren Meyer, owner and president of Recreation Resource Management, Inc.,

My company, based in North Phoenix, operates nearly over 100 US Forest Service campgrounds and day use areas under concession contract. Yesterday, as in all past government shutdowns, the Department of Agriculture and US Forest Service confirmed we would stay open during the government shutdown. This makes total sense, since our operations are self-sufficient (we are fully funded by user fees at the gate), we get no federal funds, we employ no government workers on these sites, and we actually pay rent into the Treasury.

But the Department of Agriculture didn't have the last word. Mr. Meyer received notice straight from the White House requiring closure of the Forest Service campgrounds ASAP.

Not only is his business being forced to take losses for the closures, but in some cases the government is making him and the other park management companies buy the barricades that will be used to shut the parks.

Intentional and unnecessary infliction of pain on Americans for political gain is not honorable.

Posted by Note Taker