Recent comments

Here is an article about the FAA exemption from this morning's newsletter from the Experimental Aircraft Association. Note that it explains that the FAA is being given special dispensation to transfer funds. I find myself wondering if it was the NPS that wanted to make all this as painful as possible or if it was actually Congress? Politicians are slippery and rather slimy, but that's intentional -- makes it harder to pin any of them down.

House, Senate Pass ATC Funding Bill

April 26, 2013 - The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed a bill earlier approved by the Senate that would fund air traffic operations throughout the country for the rest of the FAA's fiscal year and end the furloughs that had delayed significant numbers of flights over the past week.

The measure passed 361-41 in the House and moved to the White House for President Obama's expected signature today. The bill permits the FAA to transfer $253 million to air traffic controller salaries and expenses. It pays for this by reducing Airport Improvement Program grants by the same amount. While the bill is neutral in terms of budget authority, the 10-year bill score will show a slight $4 million increase in outlays due to the fact that salaries spend out at a significantly faster rate than construction grant programs.

"We hope this measure gives the FAA the flexibility to make operational decisions based on priorities of safety rather than hard budget mandates," said Sean Elliott, EAA's vice president of advocacy and safety.

The bill also contains language permitting Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to do additional transfers within FAA accounts. This may allow him to restore the FAA contract towers that were cut as part of the effort to reduce controller furloughs.

While the measure did not specifically detail any other air traffic operations, EAA continues to note that AirVenture air traffic operations will not be affected in any manner.

"We are confident that AirVenture will continue to have full air traffic operations and other essential safety support," Elliott said. "This measure solidifies the ability for FAA to provide its air traffic services on a daily basis as well as for unique air traffic environments such as those at AirVenture each year."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it pointed out somewhere recently on Traveler that the sequester law that was written and passed by Congress mandates that all cuts come equally from all parts of the budget and that nothing could be left untouched?

That's why the FAA had to lay off controllers rather than selecting cuts that would not compromise safety or cause traffic delays. Just yesterday, Congress passed a special exemption that will allow them to put controllers back on duty.

Can anyone out there find the actual memos that are referenced in this Fox News piece? I think I saw them here in another Traveler article, but don't have time to go searching right now. Rather than accepting any claims made by Faux News, someone needs to go to the original source.

Is no one going to respond to this NPS whistleblower?

http://video.foxnews.com/v/2213209993001/obama-resists-simple-fixes-in-sequester/

Yes this is Fox News, biased as heck. Address the claims, not the source.

Why did Obama cancel White House Tours but not cancel trips to Hawaii for shave ice?

Truth is most years the NPS buget has increased.

Why doesn't the NPS management cut funding to national and regional offices rather than visitor services?

Lee et al, from my conversations with Park Service personnel, they do have the option of billing for gross negligence, but it seldom seems to happen.

Lee, interesting post, I am certainly no expert on the issue of Social Security except to say how beneficial it has been to both my spouse and I as well as extended family members. Some stats show that sixty percent of Americans receive at least two thirds of their retirement income from social security, but the payments received replace less than 40% of their earning averages. Currently, only about 15% of employees have traditional defined-benefit pensions at their workplace and 55% have no retirement plan at all. As pointed out on nightline, many problems developing with 401 Ks, etc. There are those that are calling for adding a supplement to social security that would guarantee all retirees about 60% of their average wage in retirement (similar to that of most developed nations). This would be accomplished, not by increasing the payroll tax, but by raising the payroll tax cap and eliminating top end tax breaks now offered to private retirement plans that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest americans.

Rick - Do you expect to get everthing back that you paid into SS and Medicare/Medicaid with a reasonable return? If you are getting back your own money, why not abolish SS and keep the money to begin with? SS and Medicare/aid are nothing but a giant ponzi scheme with the government being the scamster.

{edit} And by the way Rick - I believe you are entitled to your SS payments. The govt made a promise and they should stick to it. But the system is not sustainable. No one of merit is suggest the current or soon to be retires have payments cut. What is being suggested is that the system be modified to ween the public of this addiction. The problem is that there are too many people that are net beneficiaries from the current system of others' expense.

That goes both ways, Owen.

Personally, I would like to see Platt National Park restored as a separate entity, a "full-fledged" national park. After all, there are quite a few national park unit "pairs" already, such as Yellowstone/John D. Rockefeller/Grand Teton; Sequioa/Kings Canyon; Lake Meredith/Alibates Flint Quarries and, the granddaddy of them all--Lake Mead/Grand Canyon/Glen Canyon/Rainbow Bridge/Capitol Reef. The former Platt National Park has its own, but distinct, qualities that set it apart from the lake-based national recreation area of which it is part. Also, what is the difference between Platt National Park, which protected mineral springs, and Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas? If one of them is unneccesary, so is the other and yet Hot Springs exists, even though it is only 5,000 acres, give or take.

Lee, thank you for all your posts on National Parks Traveler. I'm proud to have worked beside you during our stint in Yosemite.

I don't know about you guys but I paid my social security taxes and that's what it was and is a tax. Because I was self employed I paid 15% of my income to it.When I get that check each month I don't look at it as a gift from the government but something I earned after many years of long hours and hard work.I never felt that it was wrong that I was paying it because I would see the return down the road.

The problem is the goverment has spent that money like a drunken soldier.

Ah, ec, you are always quick to point out in your numerous posts what is "legal". Now, after reading Jim's post, you fall back on what is "right", a far more slippery slope. What is
"right" for me may not be "right" for you. I am sure you understand the difference.

Rick