Then, on Feb. 6, we learned that the Trump administration had rescinded even more job offers—this time for seasonal law enforcement rangers, wildland firefighters, and EMTs. These are roles directly tied to public safety, supposedly exempt from Trump’s Jan. 20 hiring freeze.
But now, critical emergency response positions are being cut, leaving both staff and visitors at risk.
We take pride in protecting and maintaining these parks, but we are being set up to fail. The people who love and rely on these public lands deserve better.
Devastating. My husband and I were climbing Cadillac Mtn and my husband pulled a muscle and couldn’t continue. The park’s rescue team got him up to the top from the steepest part. He and I will never forget it. Absolute professionals. And they dealt with many other people with issues that day.
The point is to make public land unusable so they can sell it off to developers, petrochemical companies, mineral conglomerates, lumber companies, etc. Resources not in private hands are anathema to the oligarchy.
There are natural resources in the parks, right? Well if the parks aren't "functioning", someone could open up to sell out the land. Pretty sure this someone has a rich buddy or two...
Being set up to fail is the point. All an excuse to say that government doesn’t work, private companies should take over. Fascist shit to make rich people richer.
Yep. All this nonsense, across all departments, is ultimately designed to cripple the federal government's ability to provide key public services so they can be divvied up and handed over to the private sector since they can "do a better job."
How can citizens help the NPS and other agencies fill the gaps? Is there a way to volunteer to work in the parks through the various non-profits? Even if it’s just doing litter patrols or similar?
We have some planned trips to GTNP and Yellowstone this summer and we’ll be sure to hike with more first aid than usual and bags and grabbers for litter. But I wish we could do more.
I feel like their plan is to reduce staff for federal services people are used to having, causing a manufactured problem which will cause people to think the government doesn’t “do anything” and allowing private companies to take over the duties. Forcing everything to be more costly & only useable
Yep. Same with all of these. For example, there is no need for a Department of Education when we can instead funnel those taxes into private schools through vouchers and such. FDA regulations? Get rid of those and let the industries 'self regulate.'
And let the states pay for their own disaster relief. This is going to hurt mostly the states that overwhelmingly voted for this administration and they just don’t know it yet.
Instead, we ought to be like Germans who shame others for misbehaving. Stick up for our parks and monuments by speaking up when people are abusing our lands.
By those with money. Want to visit a park? $100/person. Want to have clean water, skyrocketed utility prices, mail? Forget about it. Only private mail services.
I had stopped using them for 4-5 years before 2019, then had to do an emergency purchase from them for family (poor planning on my part led to that). Now my clock is back at 5 years. So effectively, they've not seen my the insides of my wallet for over a decade.
I hate Amazon and I believe they are terrible. However, attacking Amazon is almost a scapegoat - we need to consider and attack the system that practically mandates the creation of corporations like Amazon. Bezos isn't the final boss - capitalism is. Otherwise, we'll just get more Amazons.
Living in poverty many people are trapped into using Amazon. I was/am one of them. Now I'm going to have to spend 50-100$ more each month to get necessities bc I just can't keep buying from them. They sided with someone that stole MY art. I have no proof for them. I hate this current world.
Not true. Many people in poverty need it to survive for necessities like food and medical supplies. It takes a lot of privilege to believe in your comment.
It’s true! While I wouldn’t consider myself in poverty, I can’t buy my husband’s medical “equipment” from anywhere but Amazon. They’ve completely monopolized that space.
You all are amazing. As demoralizing as it is for you, and I'm so sorry that it is, please stay in the fight. Your service to all of us means more than you know.
This makes me beyond angry. The damage to these sacred and beautiful places is incomprehensible and unforgivable. They are for EVERYONE to enjoy. I think Mother Earth will simply shake us off like a wet dog one of these days, and those that condone these acts of terrorism on the environment 👇
What can the average citizen do to help? Could people who live near NPs volunteer their time to help in ways that don’t require specific expertise? Wondering if college environmental studies programs might be able to help fill gaps, like unpaid (course credit) internships.
I'm not surprised, considering what he did to USPS his last time around, but that doesn't mean I'm not kinda horrified, and heartbroken
The people stand with you, but I know it's hard when the pressure is top down
STAND UP!
WE'RE HERE FOR THE RUMBLE.
It's a time for fierce compassion. Be fierce, do an activity everyday. It's self care. Be the rain, the howling wind, and the mountainous wave. Be the storm. Be the broken record. Pass it on.
I could envision these monsters destroying national parks to exploit them for land, oil, and whatever else they can get their grubby paws on…. Trump thinks everything is a business opportunity. I really hope it doesn’t come to that.
agree and don't want to be the bearer of bad tidings but isn't his plan to take the national parks and sell/lease/give them to large companies to drill/chop/mill/mine ect?
💯 they want the parks to become a disaster so no one will complain when they sell them off to the billionaire who will extract resources and build their little wealth utopias.
Always the same intentions : stop people from traveling as travelling means meeting people and meeting people means spreading the resistance.... They way Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union have shown
Public safety is very low on the ladder of priorities. Firing infectious disease inspectors, prohibiting heath dept from public communications - like status of bird flu. Sounding a lot like Trump 1…and covid. Don’t monitor covid and it becomes invisible - &/or we can tell lies.
So now our Western states are completely vulnerable to another bad wildfire season, and the slimy orange turd will watch us all burn with glee. He forgets that he needs our tax payments, jobs, and products for the US to survive. Oh, right: THAT'S THE POINT: DESTROY THESE STATES.
People will die on their vacations. More than ever before. It’s the Golden Age of Vacation Deaths. I’m sorry you all will have to deal with these crises. So proud of our National Parks and their fabulous employees.
I just read an article in SF Chronicle about the absolute chaos expected in Yosemite this coming summer without full seasonal staffing. I think you’re right, people will die and most likely start a wildfire.
It's going to be horrible. People are going to try to pet buffalos, moose, squirrels, bears, etc. They will go into the ocean without knowing how to swim. (Seen it happen often, ask a lifeguard). I've seen people walk off boardwalks into near boiling water or to be covered in thousands of ticks
Comments
"Valuable resources" can't be acquired as long as the National Park system exists.
We take pride in protecting and maintaining these parks, but we are being set up to fail. The people who love and rely on these public lands deserve better.
Grow a spine and resist !!
I am surprised Ammon Bundy and his vandals weren’t put in charge of park land. Gotta graze his cattle.
I choose to give it nothing voluntarily
“A republic, if you can take it back”
MAGA - Making Another Gilded Age
The people stand with you, but I know it's hard when the pressure is top down
STAND UP!
WE'RE HERE FOR THE RUMBLE.
It's a time for fierce compassion. Be fierce, do an activity everyday. It's self care. Be the rain, the howling wind, and the mountainous wave. Be the storm. Be the broken record. Pass it on.
Dem Josh Weil running in District 1 FL April 1
Dem Gay Valimont running in District 6 FL April 1
Dem Blake Gendebien running in District 21 in NY in May
Please let everyone know.