National Park Service advisory panel resignations

[kansasdad]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...cbb62019393_story.html?utm_term=.c626f97950da



Washington Post story outlining today's resignation of 10 out of 12 members resigning from the panel. Complaints against Sec Zinke include not convening the panel (chartered to meet twice a year). The story outlines other that multiple other councils have not met, or postponed meetings due to out of date charters or awaiting Dept Interior approval.

The wide ranging article also states that the Secretary cannot establish new historical or natural landmarks without the boards approval, and mentions that the Secretary has yet to nominate a National Park Service director.

 

[BuzzH]

The work of Teddy Roosevelt reincarnated...

What a joke, don't convene the Park advisory panel, but claim to be a TR republican? Not seeing the connection there Zinke.

 

[mplane72]

I think it's exactly what Zinke, and more so the White house wanted. No matter how good a job any person, agency or even in this case a volunteer board may be doing if it has ties to the Obama Administration it is not wanted. Zinke's press release on the issue was quite pathetic.

 

[OriginalOscar]

Yet where the rubber hits the road he does the right thing. https://www.sltrib.com/news/politic...tment-is-telling-national-parks-to-stay-open/

Ironic; pontificating board members resign; and keeping the parks open retain jobs for the masses. MAGA!

 

[highplainshunter]

What we are seeing is a very strong GOP anti-federal land influence on the Trump administration. And since Trump doesn't have a strong outdoor background (probably can't tell the difference between an antelope and a mule deer), he is easily swayed by political insiders. So I think that's what's going on with Trump, but Zinke should know better. Nevertheless, he is allowing himself to be puppeted by his boss...not an uncommon trait for ex-military..."Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do and die."

 

[rammac]

What we are seeing is a very strong GOP anti-federal land influence on the Trump administration. And since Trump doesn't have a strong outdoor background (probably can't tell the difference between an antelope and a mule deer), he is easily swayed by political insiders. So I think that's what's going on with Trump, but Zinke should know better. Nevertheless, he is allowing himself to be puppeted by his boss...not an uncommon trait for ex-military..."Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do and die."

Truly offensive and ignorant reference to prior military personnel. You obviously never served or if you did then you didn't understand anything about the military culture, either way, to those of us who attained rank higher than E3, you are exceedingly ignorant.

 

[Straight Arrow]

...he is allowing himself to be puppeted by his boss...not an uncommon trait for ex-military...

highplainshunter, your perspective of the military is flawed by the perpetuation of the common myth regarding leadership, decision making process, and ensuing military conduct. You seem to have little or no military background. Perhaps you spend too much time on the screen.

 

[RobG]

This interview with Board member and former Alaska Governor is disturbing. https://www.npr.org/2018/01/17/5786...ional-park-system-advisory-board-has-resigned

The deflection about how they would expect that from people ignoring the sexual assault of women is really disturbing. There is something seriously wrong when our park system, lead by Zinke, resorts to such over the top rhetoric instead of addressing the issue.

 

[406LIFE]

What we are seeing is a very strong GOP anti-federal land influence on the Trump administration. And since Trump doesn't have a strong outdoor background (probably can't tell the difference between an antelope and a mule deer), he is easily swayed by political insiders. So I think that's what's going on with Trump, but Zinke should know better. Nevertheless, he is allowing himself to be puppeted by his boss...not an uncommon trait for ex-military..."Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do and die."

You shoudl retract this and apologize. If you think any SEAL can be pupppeted you truly have no idea who they are. If you think no military can think for themselves, you are obtuse and willfully obstructing true military character. Save your Zinke rant.

 

[Straight Arrow]

There is likely much more to the story of the National Parks Advisory Board resignations and issues leading up to that situation.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Yet where the rubber hits the road he does the right thing. https://www.sltrib.com/news/politic...tment-is-telling-national-parks-to-stay-open/

Ironic; pontificating board members resign; and keeping the parks open retain jobs for the masses. MAGA!

It is much more than a pontificating board. It is a board of people who until recently were helping make locally based decisions on places to protect as well as provide direction for the Park Service when it comes to amenities, etc. They were volunteers with long histories of public service and they were ignored because this administration isn't really interested in what anyone other than the Heritage Foundation and Rep. Bishop think.

Celebrate congress failing once again to do their job if you wish, but recognize that failure while celebrating Zinke's budget illiteracy in demanding people stay on the job without getting paid. But yeah, hot damn - the optics look great to the few!

 

[RobG]

You shoudl retract this and apologize. If you think any SEAL can be pupppeted you truly have no idea who they are. If you think no military can think for themselves, you are obtuse and willfully obstructing true military character. Save your Zinke rant.

I don't agree with highplainshunter's blanket statement, but Zinke has historically done whatever it takes to get ahead. His positions drastically change depending on who he is trying to impress. In that sense he is just following orders, which is probably what hphunter was getting at. While Zinke can't be counted on to be consistent, the bigger problem is the people giving the orders.

 

[BigHornRam]

Zinke is busy looking for lost bison right now. Cut him some slack.

https://www.bozemandailychronicle.c...cle_50b2794e-a703-5b54-b6b7-a5e663bb5b9f.html

 

[Ben Lamb]

Zinke is busy looking for lost bison right now. Cut him some slack.

https://www.bozemandailychronicle.c...cle_50b2794e-a703-5b54-b6b7-a5e663bb5b9f.html

BTW - I can't wait for the photo-op of Secretary Buster riding around Yellowstone doing his best Dudley Do-right.

Also - they were months away from sending those bulls to Ft. Peck. Not days. Not sure if the SOI is just lying or so out of the loop he didn't know what was going on.

 

[mplane72]

Yet where the rubber hits the road he does the right thing. https://www.sltrib.com/news/politic...tment-is-telling-national-parks-to-stay-open/

Ironic; pontificating board members resign; and keeping the parks open retain jobs for the masses. MAGA!

Nothing but a pure PR stunt. Nothing open, I would actually like that. Most NPS employees still furloughed. But I bet he still has someone at the gate to collect his new entry rates.

 

[OriginalOscar]

It is much more than a pontificating board. It is a board of people who until recently were helping make locally based decisions on places to protect as well as provide direction for the Park Service when it comes to amenities, etc. They were volunteers with long histories of public service and they were ignored because this administration isn't really interested in what anyone other than the Heritage Foundation and Rep. Bishop think.

Celebrate congress failing once again to do their job if you wish, but recognize that failure while celebrating Zinke's budget illiteracy in demanding people stay on the job without getting paid. But yeah, hot damn - the optics look great to the few!

Ben, My friend. I think we are under 50% so let me help correct you so we get back on track. This is just one example of NPS dysfunction. https://www.reviewjournal.com/life/travel/1m-gift-to-restore-long-closed-zion-national-park-trail/

The state of Utah through the Mighty 5 National Park campaign exponentially increased visitation and revenue to the NPS. Yet NPS can't open a trail until a Utah philanthropic foundation gave them $1M.

Fresh faces and ideas can be helpful for bureaucracies.

 

[highplainshunter]

highplainshunter, your perspective of the military is flawed by the perpetuation of the common myth regarding leadership, decision making process, and ensuing military conduct. You seem to have little or no military background. Perhaps you spend too much time on the screen.

I am a Republican who spent six years in the military! What reason do you offer for Zinke's blind obedience to GOP orthodoxy?

 

[BigHornRam]

BTW - I can't wait for the photo-op of Secretary Buster riding around Yellowstone doing his best Dudley Do-right.

Also - they were months away from sending those bulls to Ft. Peck. Not days. Not sure if the SOI is just lying or so out of the loop he didn't know what was going on.

Pandering and photo-ops when it comes to our Park's is bi-partisan, Ben.


http://www.greatfallstribune.com/st...hristmas-tree-tester-says-lets-do/1013506001/

 

[Sytes]

This is more a symbolic resignation as ALL who resigned, "in protest" were out in a couple months. With that said, decent way to send a message. I'm surprised he did not meet with them when doing his Nat'l Park tour.

 

[highplainshunter]

You shoudl retract this and apologize. If you think any SEAL can be pupppeted you truly have no idea who they are. If you think no military can think for themselves, you are obtuse and willfully obstructing true military character. Save your Zinke rant.

Are you suggesting that soldiers are free thinkers? The military doesn't want soldiers to question whether the hill is worth taking, they just want you to take the hill when ordered to do so. It would be a disaster in a military situation to sit around and take a vote on each order that is given. So the military promotes strict obedience.

I am just saying that many years in the military may have created a mindset in Zinke not to question orders. Maybe I'm wrong, and he has some other reason for turning against the conservation community. Again, I ask: why else is he doing what he is doing on so many of these important conservation issues?

And by the way, I have the deepest respect for the military in a military situation.