Pisgah Inn
A recap of where we seem to be today from the “You Can’t Make This Up Department.”
And it just keeps getting better.
Mallory Micetich, spokeswoman for the House Natural Resources Committee provided an example of where the privately owned Pisgah Inn located on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina had its parking lot blocked by park rangers. The government was shut down, and so was the Inn until 5 p.m. yesterday.
So much for privately owned property in a Federal Park area.
When the owner confronted the rangers he was told, “Sorry, we’re following orders,” describing it as a “24/7 blockade.” The owner has hired an attorney and is seeking a temporary restraining order in federal court.
The Claude Moore Colonial Farm said the National Park Service ordered it to close until “Congress agrees to a deal to fund the federal government.” It too sits on federal land, but the government provides no funds for its maintenance or operation.
“You do have to wonder about the wisdom of an organization that would use staff they don’t have the money to pay to evict visitors from a park site that operates without costing them anything,” said Anna Eberly, managing director of the farm
Following last Tuesday’s example set by a group of veterans from Mississippi, World War II “honor flight” veterans from Missouri, Illinois and Michigan entered the closed World War II memorial and bypassed a blockade erected because of the government shutdown.
An open air park with no assistance or supervision required on a normal basis.
In a desperate act to save face – even though the problem is of their own making – several members of Congress were on hand to open barricades, allowing the veterans access to the memorial.
John Bell, a marathoner who trains regularly in Valley Forge National Historical Park is headed to Federal Court to fight his battle. The 56-year-old man parked his car in a lot there Sunday before going for a run.
“When he returned to his car, Bell’s attorney, Jeremy Ibrahim, says, his client found himself confronted by two armed park rangers with their cruiser lights flashing.”
“They told him, ‘Don’t you know the park is closed?’ Whereupon Bell told them, ‘Well, look around, there are people walking their dogs, riding bikes, running.’ They said, ‘Well, the park’s closed’ and wrote him a $100 ticket for violating an administrative closure, even though there was no sign saying the park was closed.
Then on Wednesday, came the big enchilada; The Camino Americano: Concert and March for Immigrant Dignity and Respect, hosted by national Latino groups, the Service Employees International Union and the AFL-CIO.
SEIU; ever heard of them?
With 20,000 plus in attendance, 200 people – including some Congressmen – were arrested for blocking the steps to the Capital.
In an exhibit of rather poor taste, one Republican member of Congress was reported as tweeting, “Obama closed the National Mall to WWII vets. You can visit it tomorrow, but only if you’re in the illegal alien rally”.
This is all such ridiculous posturing.
The National Park Service has furloughed about 300 employees who work on the mall but it’s the U.S. Park Police responsible for policing events and visits; they’re working “at full capacity…to protect life and property.”
As these examples mount, how much more foolishness can congress and one administration take?
As if to make matters worse, in the midst of all this, the President decided to add his two cents about the name of a sports team – the Washington Redskins – and it’s racially offensive mascot, on the heels of an immigration reform rally taking place where veterans were barely able to get in to see their own memorial.
WWII veterans, many coming in wheel chairs, to represent their fallen heroes who died for this country, threatened that they may not get in to see their own memorial. And yet 20,000 people, largely undocumented immigrants who violate the laws of this country by being here, seemingly have instant, unrestricted access to assemble.
Republican and Democrat; both sides are guilty, both sides are wrong.
When is the posturing going to stop and who’s going to have the testicular fortitude to make the first move in the right direction?
this shutdown will only hasten the demise of the republican party.
60 house members caused this because they hate the democratic process
that’s been part of the constitutional law in this nation forever.
They hate the nation. ….all because they hate the way things work
in ademocracy and they didn’t get their way.
Out they go….some may be gerrymandered in but even boner knows if
he putsthe cr on the floor it passes…but he can’t….personal saving of
his own a$$ to destroy the nation.
Those vets at the memorial could have shown the republicans what
these programs mean…VA/medicare/Medicaid/unemployment/disability
insurance/social security….the only and probably single financial
way the veterans to survive financially….every program fought by
the republicans in every way they know how over the last 80 years. And
in every case proven wrong…just like the republicans who support this shutdown.
The republicans are losing their base..losing their national
message….this entire mess over the fact that they know the cr would
pass in 10 minutes.
I and other sane americans love it….a civil war in the republican party.
I hae received messages/phonecalls from conservative republicans who
are so sick of what the right nut fruit cakes are doing.
13 million americans nowhave insurance because of the aca…the
number will triple before jan. 1… what doe these republican
terrorirsts want…the entire financial collapse of the nation for the
sake of their own egos.
you’re wrong again Wilson…this is just a stunt by the spineless
boner nad the few tparty terrorists who want this shutdown.
they have no exit strategy…they don’t even know what they’re
trying to accomplish with this shutdown….nothing wiol come
of it except the rest of us will see our financial futures further
hurt because of these terrorist hostage takers.
If I was Obama..i’d open the book on every one of these
t part terrorists……lets see what they got……take them down…
they don’t care about this nation…the people….
sorry….it will “speed up” the demise of the republican party!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dems and repubs both need a damn good whacking.
Vote’em all out.
Lib, you are correct. Regardless of low information comments, it truly is a two sided problem, one no better than the other. Its too late to pick sides, there are no good guys, each and every one is waist deep in the muck.
I’m real tired of people who have so little integrity to say “Its YOU guys, MY guys are just trying to do the right thing!” NO ONE is trying to do the right thing, other than for themselves, period, end of story.
Thanks Paul; You took a highly partisan issue and did not take a side. I’m far more partisan than most but you and lib are correct in my view. Both sides need to do their job for those of us outside the beltway. I grew up thinking that politics was an honored and principled calling. I’m not so naive to think that all politicians have and had the highest ethics and morals, even dating back to our founding fathers, but in the almost 50 years that I have been addicted to it, it has never been more partisan and petty. Compromise is not a bad word. I appreciate you taking the high road and trashing both sides. They both deserve it.
Thanks Stomper, I try to be an equal opportunity offender.
At the same time, you always have a fair assessment of what’s going on, opposed to some comments that, no matter what you write, begin with, “you’re WRONG!”
I’m not sure some even read for content; they just want to get off the short bus and head straight to the “hatin” side of the tracks!
Thanks again, always enjoy what you have to say, even if I don’t always agree 100%.
I appreciate the sentiment but I will confess that I have started out with ” You’re wrong” a few times. Occasionally Dwight will cross my line and I was a bit short with Mr. Whinery recently. Even Hearne pisses me off every now and then but how can you dislike him? That’s a rhetorical question for sure.
Stomper, Hearne pisses me off daily!
I’m going back for a Master’s to properly digest Dwight’s writings. He never fails to challenge me and I love that.
And I’m sure, a time or two, if you’ve started out with “You’re wrong…”, you were likely “right!”
Unlike some, I don’t claim to be always right, all the time, I express my opinion; sometimes only to be a contrarian. It’s most fun, however, when the low information commenters don’t know the difference.
paul…when you need my comments to
come up with stories…when you’re wrong
on almost every basic issue that you
try to “preach ” about…when your facts are
so inaccurate that even the republicans are
calling them b.s……that’s hwne you need
to shut up.