As of last night at midnight in Washington, D.C., Congress had failed to pass a budget and the government shut down. This in the face of polls that show that only 10% of those surveyed approve of Congress. Locally, the shutdown means job furloughs without pay for federal employees and closure of national parks.
Inyo National Forest Supervisor Ed Armenta said yesterday that since last week he and others have participated in daily conference calls with the regional forest office and other forests to try to anticipate a shutdown. As of yesterday afternoon, Armenta said only that protection of life and property is the first priority of the Forest, but he said other tasks are also important.
Public Information Officer for the Bureau of Land Management, David Christy, said that under a shutdown, the Bishop BLM office would keep law enforcement personnel working and operate a reduced fire crew – roughly 8 or 9 employees. He said the rest of the BLM staff would be furloughed.
All national parks close under the shutdown. It is believed Manzanar Historic Site would undergo restricted operations as will Yosemite. Death Valley National Park is mostly closed under the shutdown. Abby Wines, Acting Public Information Officer at Death Valley Park said that Highway 190 through the Park would remain open as would Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch and Panamint Springs Resort.
Stove Pipe Wells Hotel was expected to close. Ms. Wines said the majority of employees would be furloughed. Law enforcement rangers would continue to work as well as employees maintaining water systems. Wines estimated that 20 employees would continue to work and around 80 workers would go off the job on furlough.
Nationwide, some 800,000 federal workers were expected to be without paychecks. Many federal programs that provide food and care to Americans were set to be shut down. Continuing are the U.S. Postal Service, Social Security, Medicare and federal courts. To the dismay of Americans, Congress, the source of the government failure, will continue to get its paychecks.
In these (unnecessarily) polarized times it behooves us all to take a break from the nonsense every now and then and entertain something other than the customary non-stop, force-fed politics.
If you like graduation speeches you might like this one:
http://www.upworthy.com/this-is-the-most-inspiring-yet-depressing-yet-hilarious-yet-horrifying-yet-heartwarming-grad-speech?g=2&c=ufb1
I refuse to sink into partisan rhetoric over this shut down of the federal government. It is only right and just to praise and give credit to both sides equally.
I just heard an interview with Yosemite that says the major park roads (what become 120, 41, 140) will be open for through travel (thankfully), but that people cannot stop to recreate while passing through. Really? Why do I need park personnel around in order to stop and take pictures… Read more »
Wonder if USFS is shutting down logging operations on national forest that is “closed” to public.
I understand that no services can be provided by DVNP and Yosemite, however, it’s public land, I don’t understand how or why they would block access to public land that should be accessible to the public. Sign the park ‘proceed at your own risk, no services are available’ and let… Read more »
Lets review: 2008: “In 2008 you might remember then-candidate Barack Obama defending the rights of hard-working people so they would not be forced to buy health insurance. At a debate in South Carolina, Edwards said Obama’s plan really wasn’t universal health care, since it didn’t have a mandate to ensure… Read more »
ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz!
“I call on Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. David Vitter and others to cease and desist from misusing our constructive comments in their destructive campaign to hobble the president and the nation,” Hoffa said.
It would be refreshing to have seen a debate about how to improve the law to make it work better rather than repeated attempts to sabotage the law to ensure it would not work, with no alternative suggested. Of course, it would be difficult to suggest a conservative alternative to… Read more »
ACA isn’t even implimented in any meaningful way, the nation is just now signing people up for health insurance exchanges, yet it is claimed to be a failure before it even starts. That is just one of the lies the Republican Party tries to pass off as “fact” to the… Read more »
The process for the enactment of the Affordable Care Act ,Obamacare, whatever is the American way. Ideas ,objections , compromise , committees,and debate. Votes, that’s what makes us the land of the free. Holding the economy hostage , endangering livelihoods , having our enemies in the world seeing our houses… Read more »
And yet the sun still came up this morning.
And so goes the lunatics’ war on America.
Don’t think for a moment how powerful the Tea Party movement has become.
Even at the demise of the GOP.
Who’s,
Don’t blame the maggots for the gangrene.
You can blame it on those millions of freeloaders who think they are entitled to healthcare. If you don’t have healthcare — don’t get sick.
A quick study of what was going on just prior to The Great Depression I, will show that while people were starving in America – millionaires were being made by the sackful. The growing amount of impoverished amongst us could hardly be called “freeloaders” and today, there are more millionaires… Read more »
Either this was intended as sarcasm, or I have a hard time believing this is actually Ken Warner…
Sounds like something Rush Limbaugh might say.
Ken….”If you don’t have healthcare-don’t get sick……With a comment like that,maybe you should run for the Republican ticket in 2016.
Love your sense of compassion, Ken Warner.
There have been 17 Government shutdowns since 1976, I don’t think we should be at all worried about this one either. So far this shutdown seems more like a slimdown anyway.
Give me a break “we the people”, nothing to worry about? -Like the growing income inequality? -Or the growing unemployment of graduates and people in general? -Or the under-Employed -Or the ridiculous low minimum wage? -Or climate destabilization that will effect us all? -Or the new bubble being created and… Read more »
There is a lunatic faction out there today that hates all government so much that their ideology promotes the firing of everybody on any government payroll. I have friends and neighbors in this town and county who work very hard at their government jobs and the more I think of… Read more »
To the person of many names: You might have neighbors but it is very unlikely you have any friends due to your hateful and divisive monologues. Who the heck would want to hang with someone like that?
Dear Joe,
I have no hatred whatsoever for government employees and the government per se. Nor do I have any interest in the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Fox News and the Tea Party movement.
How about you?
Perhaps this is non-responsive to Joe’s comment.
BK
In today’s polarized political climate, when an extremist attempts to paint you into a corner realizing you espouse an equal an opposite political point of view and personalizes it – sometimes it does not require any response.
I have nothing but contempt for the gov and I support the Tea Party movement.
Do you really think we could all survive without mutual support for things like roads, medicare, social security and many other legitimately needs programs?
Benett Kessler
JJ: you’ve made all the important points that we all need to be aware of. Well done. BTW: here’s a brief book review that should be important for all of us to be aware of. http://townhall.com/columnists/michaelbarone/2013/10/08/tyler-cowens-future-shock-no-more-average-people-n1718877?utm_source=thdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl The big winners in the economy he foresees will be those who can work… Read more »
Our local economy is 85% tourism based. Business, local governments, visitors and our families are will be hurt by this reckless, irresponsible action of the U.S. House of Representatives. Our country flourishes when it is led by mature, reasonable leaders. The behavior of this House is harmful and an embarrassment… Read more »
FIFY – Our local economy is 85% tourism based on a invasive trout. government has been over spending for ever,, what did ya’ll think was going to happen? Shall we just print some more money making the money we have worth that much less? My kids are all furloughed today… Read more »
You’ve seen one president, you’ve seen them all.
use logical thinking much? I think we can all agree that our govt spends too much money, but it’s not the President that’s enacting all that legislation by himself. Both sides are willing to enact legislation that spends money, no-one can argue that fact. At this point in time, they… Read more »
Yeah exactly! what did you think was going to happen when we have sell outs leading this country with a wrong incentive structure in place ($). Oh but go on and tell me how the repubs are so much better then the dems…LOL! Don’t go and limit yourself by defending… Read more »
Will the Lone Pine Ranger station and Inyo forest be closed as well?
Mr. Armenta was unwilling to say any more than is in the story. I will be checking today for more information.
Benett Kessler