Of interest to anybody boating in or near a national park:

Last year, the Bush Administration appointed a Deputy Assistant
Interior Secretary (Paul Hoffman)
to compile a list of changes desired in the operation of our national
parks. When Hoffman finished his list, it called for increased
commercialization and privitization of national park resources, a
relaxation of restrictions against placing religious symbols and
messages on park property, and an easing of regulations banning or
restricting motor bikes, snowmobiles, and (of interest to this group)
motorized water craft from the majority of National Parks.

However.............

45,000 Americans "commented" on the proposed changes to National Park
management, and the reaction from congress was almost universally
negative.

As a result........

Yesterday the Bush Adminsitration cancelled the wish list of changes.
Interior Secretary Dick Kempthorne instead announced a new policy (or a
return to previous policy) that prioritizes preservation over any other
activity in national parks. Park managers are being specifically
instructed to promote clean air, clean water, and "natural sounds"
within park boundaries.

In my opinion, it's pretty much OK to have certain areas set aside for
preservation. A lot of folks would enjoy being able to trailer a boat
to some of the areas currently off limits to motorboats in national
parks, or ride dirt bikes and snow mobiles through the forests and it
is regrettable that they cannot.....still there are places for those
activities and not many places set aside to preserve that tiny
percentage of the country still in a wilderness state.

Thank God common sense ruled the day. Too many yahoos ripping around
the woods on ATVs & snowmobiles could wreck havoc with the wildlife
and the eco system.
We see it up here with only a small fraction of the population

wrote in message
oups.com...
Of interest to anybody boating in or near a national park:

Last year, the Bush Administration appointed a Deputy Assistant
Interior Secretary (Paul Hoffman)
to compile a list of changes desired in the operation of our national
parks. When Hoffman finished his list, it called for increased
commercialization and privitization of national park resources, a
relaxation of restrictions against placing religious symbols and
messages on park property, and an easing of regulations banning or
restricting motor bikes, snowmobiles, and (of interest to this group)
motorized water craft from the majority of National Parks.

However.............

45,000 Americans "commented" on the proposed changes to National Park
management, and the reaction from congress was almost universally
negative.

As a result........

Yesterday the Bush Adminsitration cancelled the wish list of changes.
Interior Secretary Dick Kempthorne instead announced a new policy (or a
return to previous policy) that prioritizes preservation over any other
activity in national parks. Park managers are being specifically
instructed to promote clean air, clean water, and "natural sounds"
within park boundaries.

In my opinion, it's pretty much OK to have certain areas set aside for
preservation. A lot of folks would enjoy being able to trailer a boat
to some of the areas currently off limits to motorboats in national
parks, or ride dirt bikes and snow mobiles through the forests and it
is regrettable that they cannot.....still there are places for those
activities and not many places set aside to preserve that tiny
percentage of the country still in a wilderness state.



I'm sitting here shaking my head, wondering about "placing religious symbols
and messages on park property". This reinforces my belief that if I were
president and politicians suggested this sort of thing, I would have a small
gang of dubious characters ready to take those idiots out behind the White
House dumpsters for a tuneup involving a baseball bat, resulting in a long
future in a wheelchair.

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 01:50:45 GMT, JoeSpareBedroom penned the following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:


I'm sitting here shaking my head, wondering about "placing religious
symbols
and messages on park property". This reinforces my belief that if I
were
president and politicians suggested this sort of thing, I would have a
small
gang of dubious characters ready to take those idiots out behind the
White
House dumpsters for a tuneup involving a baseball bat, resulting in a
long
future in a wheelchair.


You and I are, apparently, of similar temperament and conviction......
thus, I pose this rhetorical question:

What is your course of action when the president's moral convictions
drives the imperative to "place religious symbols and messages on park
property?"

--

Does that include the National Mall and Memorial Parks?
http://www.nps.gov/nama/

And I can't wait for the motor wars to erupt over Voyageur's National
Park. The greens are itching to ban them, along with the evil
snowmobiles regardless of the promises made to the locals back in the
day.

del cecchi

wrote:
Of interest to anybody boating in or near a national park:

Last year, the Bush Administration appointed a Deputy Assistant
Interior Secretary (Paul Hoffman)
to compile a list of changes desired in the operation of our national
parks. When Hoffman finished his list, it called for increased
commercialization and privitization of national park resources, a
relaxation of restrictions against placing religious symbols and
messages on park property, and an easing of regulations banning or
restricting motor bikes, snowmobiles, and (of interest to this group)
motorized water craft from the majority of National Parks.

However.............

45,000 Americans "commented" on the proposed changes to National Park
management, and the reaction from congress was almost universally
negative.

As a result........

Yesterday the Bush Adminsitration cancelled the wish list of changes.
Interior Secretary Dick Kempthorne instead announced a new policy (or a
return to previous policy) that prioritizes preservation over any other
activity in national parks. Park managers are being specifically
instructed to promote clean air, clean water, and "natural sounds"
within park boundaries.

In my opinion, it's pretty much OK to have certain areas set aside for
preservation. A lot of folks would enjoy being able to trailer a boat
to some of the areas currently off limits to motorboats in national
parks, or ride dirt bikes and snow mobiles through the forests and it
is regrettable that they cannot.....still there are places for those
activities and not many places set aside to preserve that tiny
percentage of the country still in a wilderness state.

Our National Parks wouldn't be worth a hoot within a decade if some
folks got to use them as a sandbox.

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 01:50:45 GMT, JoeSpareBedroom penned the following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:


I'm sitting here shaking my head, wondering about "placing religious
symbols
and messages on park property". This reinforces my belief that if I were
president and politicians suggested this sort of thing, I would have a
small
gang of dubious characters ready to take those idiots out behind the White
House dumpsters for a tuneup involving a baseball bat, resulting in a long
future in a wheelchair.


You and I are, apparently, of similar temperament and conviction......
thus, I pose this rhetorical question:

It's about time you realized it was best to be just like me. I never lie
and I'm always right. :-) :-)



What is your course of action when the president's moral convictions
drives the imperative to "place religious symbols and messages on park
property?"


Hard to say. My intuition reinforces something I heard many years ago:
Instead of looking to the top, where the buck theoretically stops, look down
the chain of command to the smallest of peons, even if that means you send
obnoxious letters to county supervisors, and next, to congressmen &
senators. These people actually have more pull in local party organizations,
and from what I've observed, that actually does filter up to the idiot in
the White House, who really doesn't give a damn about the people, as long as
he has a job and book contracts waiting when his term's over.

***Possible*** proof of this is illustrated by two issues: gun control and
gay marriage. We haven't heard a peep out of Nookular Boy about gun control
since his last election campaign, when he promised to do this, that & the
other thing, but in fact, has done nothing. And, the gay marriage thing just
surface again (briefly) because the party told him to raise the issue in an
election year. If we want him to shut his trap with regard to religious
symbols in national parks, the best thing to do is complain locally, and let
the Republican party convey the message that he needs to shut the phuque up.

"Del Cecchi" wrote in message
...

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 01:50:45 GMT, JoeSpareBedroom penned the following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:


I'm sitting here shaking my head, wondering about "placing religious
symbols
and messages on park property". This reinforces my belief that if I were
president and politicians suggested this sort of thing, I would have a
small
gang of dubious characters ready to take those idiots out behind the
White
House dumpsters for a tuneup involving a baseball bat, resulting in a
long
future in a wheelchair.


You and I are, apparently, of similar temperament and conviction......
thus, I pose this rhetorical question:

What is your course of action when the president's moral convictions
drives the imperative to "place religious symbols and messages on park
property?"

--

Does that include the National Mall and Memorial Parks?
http://www.nps.gov/nama/

And I can't wait for the motor wars to erupt over Voyageur's National
Park. The greens are itching to ban them, along with the evil snowmobiles
regardless of the promises made to the locals back in the day.

del cecchi


Who made those promises?

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

I'm sitting here shaking my head, wondering about "placing religious symbols
and messages on park property". This reinforces my belief that if I were
president and politicians suggested this sort of thing, I would have a small
gang of dubious characters ready to take those idiots out behind the White
House dumpsters for a tuneup involving a baseball bat, resulting in a long
future in a wheelchair.

No point worrying too much about what *didn't* happen.

We almost had the right to go motor boating in more National Parks. Now
of course the number of people who would *want* to motor boat in a park
would be significantly reduced under certain conditions. Can you
imagine a billboard along side the road, with a white bearded prophet
and a halo replacing Smokey the Bear and his hat? "Only YOU can avoid
hell fires!" :-)

Then there's Yellowstone, of course. Under "commercialization and
privitization." On mega-loud speakers blaring in all directions: "The
last eruption of Old Faithful was brought to you by Viagara. Want to
get it up and spout like a geyser? Want to be able to perform every 60
minutes? Ask your doctor about Viagara today."

The good news is that our political system worked, and the
Administration responded to a widespread public concern when formatting
the final policy. Although we can't operate motor boats in most of the
national parks, we are probably better off as a result.

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
...

"Del Cecchi" wrote in message
...

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 01:50:45 GMT, JoeSpareBedroom penned the
following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:


I'm sitting here shaking my head, wondering about "placing religious
symbols
and messages on park property". This reinforces my belief that if I
were
president and politicians suggested this sort of thing, I would have
a small
gang of dubious characters ready to take those idiots out behind the
White
House dumpsters for a tuneup involving a baseball bat, resulting in a
long
future in a wheelchair.


You and I are, apparently, of similar temperament and
conviction......
thus, I pose this rhetorical question:

What is your course of action when the president's moral convictions
drives the imperative to "place religious symbols and messages on
park
property?"

--

Does that include the National Mall and Memorial Parks?
http://www.nps.gov/nama/

And I can't wait for the motor wars to erupt over Voyageur's National
Park. The greens are itching to ban them, along with the evil
snowmobiles regardless of the promises made to the locals back in the
day.

del cecchi


Who made those promises?

National Park Service and the park promoters. "you will be able to fish
and hunt and use your boats just like before there was a park"

wrote:
The good news is that our political system worked, and the
Administration responded to a widespread public concern when formatting
the final policy. Although we can't operate motor boats in most of the
national parks, we are probably better off as a result.

Not wanting to opine the matter, but unless I'm missing something,
45000 people isn't really a great lobby barometer , let alone force
that I would say could promote "a widespread public concern" ,
especially on a federal level.

Or is it?