A National Park, the Park Service Is Not Sure It Wants...
The Washington Post wrote recently "Hours before President Obama urged members of Congress to show spending restraint Wednesday, the House voted to authorize spending as much as $50 million to create a national historic site in the U.S. Virgin Islands on beachfront land the National Park Service isn't yet sure it wants.
Republicans had blocked the bill last week, saying it was a bad use of money for a government bleeding cash, but Democrats pushed it through this week, saying they didn't want to lose the chance to acquire the land."
The nation is broke. We are borrowing money from China to pay for daily operating expenses of the government and the Congress votes to spend $50 million on a park…that the Park Service has not indicated it wants.
I was Chairman of the National Park Subcommittee in Washington. The Park service is filled with dedicated professionals who love the parks and love their job. The Park Service is faced with a backlog of $9 billion in deferred maintenance. To take $50 million out of their budget and create a new park takes funds away from projects like the replacement of lighting in the Carlsbad Caverns National Park or a host of other projects. You can find the entire backlog of projects at this site.
I'm sharing a letter below from a residents of New Mexico’s 2ndDistrict that was forwarded to me. The writer expresses several key points:
- Anger with the Government over runaway spending.
- Anger with the Government for policies which kill main street America jobs while watching the same government give bailouts to billionaires on Wall Street.
- Anger over the enrichment of a few at the expense of the rest of us taxpayers.
- Anger over ever increasing taxes…to pay for projects like this.
Everybody has their own explanation about the Massachusetts vote. I believe the explanation resides in the comments made by the writer of this letter. She captures the emotion of the people quite well.
Every day I find these same emotions: frustration, anger, disbelief, fear. These powerful emotions are unleashing a torrent of actions across the country. Our Founding Fathers feared the exact things that are happening now in a government unable to restrain itself from taking your money and spending it in ways you do not approve. That is the reason they included the Bill of Rights when they wrote the Constitution, giving us our individual freedoms, including the Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Assembly.
The President will call for spending cuts, then quietly will sign legislation like this massive expenditure for a new park. The building of the park is only the beginning of the cost. Every year from now to eternity, the Congress will be forced to appropriate money for salaries, operations and upkeep.
The anger of the American public, fearful of the prospect of inflation and runaway debt, is continuing to build at a rapid pace. If Washington continues to ignore the warning signs, Massachusetts will play out across the country.
The voters are looking for leaders who will govern with the fiscal restraint, who will cut taxes, protect our retirements, create jobs and heal the economy. Everything else is secondary. America has the greatest economy in the world. If we begin to act in fiscally responsible ways we will continue to hold that position. If not, our economy and the dollar are doomed to failure.
Reprinted Letter to A Senator
I am voicing my disapproval to a bill to provide 50 million dollars to create a national park in the Virgin Islands turning the owner of this land into an instant millionaire at our expense. I see this as a move to launder money, by our government, to fund upcoming democratic elections that may be in trouble. I don't see this as restoring land but rather restoring deadbeats that are out to hurt this country in the next election rounds. I see the last stimulus bills as being used as money laundering schemes to get money into the pockets of those up for re-election. Chicago has truly come to Washington DC. Alot of us Americans are seeing through this administrations deceptions. NO MORE SPENDING Senator Bingaman. You want your job make sure your constituents are HEARD on this matter.
As a matter of interest to you I am a small business owner here in the US and am a born citizen. This month I have made a decision to close my business because I cannot secure a small business loan to keep it operating because of new policies enacted by this administration. According to Obama's own words I am not considered a viable business and needs to close. That is the message I got from my bank. I have worked hard in my business for 10 years, providing jobs and contributing to the tax base of my community, and now you people on the hill are about to make a non US citizen a millionaire at my expense. NO WAY. You won't help me so NO MORE SPENDING AND DEFINITELY NO NEW TAXES. I saw the results of a new poll. It states that 75% of Americans are angry with Washington DC. Guess what? I wasn't polled so I'm sure if all of America was polled that number would be higher. Finally, get Chicago style governing out of Washington and get back to common sense governing that truly helps America grow and prosper and remain a free nation for all who desire to be free.
Signed _______ A New MexicoTaxpayer (name omitted to protect the innocent)
