Jim Hightower: By Axing Public Parks, Politicos Are Stealing the People's Property

[marmar]

Published on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 by [font color="green"]Creators.com[/font]
By Axing Public Parks, Politicos Are Stealing the People's Property

by Jim Hightower


"Sorry, we're closed." In one of the saddest signs of the times, this message is popping up all across the country, as governors and legislators are cutting off funds (and shutting off access) to one of the finest, most popular assets owned by the people of our country: state parks.

More than 6,600 of these jewels draw some 700 million visitors a year to their grand vistas, historic sites, abundant wildlife, majestic forests, cascading waters, expansive beaches, nature trails, campgrounds, educational centers and lodges. Parks are a tangible expression of America's democratic ideals, literally a common ground for every man, woman and child to enjoy, learn, absorb ... or just be. Especially for the middle class and the poor — the great majority of our people who can't jet off to luxury resorts for a getaway for vacation — these spaces offer a form of real wealth, something of great value that each of us literally "owns," knitting us together as a community and nation.

Yet so many spiritually shriveled, small-minded and short-sighted state officials are snuffing out this invaluable, uniting social force. They are stupidly treating parks as nothing but a budget number or a piece of the "nanny state" to be axed in the name of ideological purity. Worse, they are sacrificing parks in order to keep the tax-dodging moneyed elites who pay for their campaigns from paying even a dime more in taxes.

The majority of states have been closing many of their parks, slashing hours and services at others or simply handing the public's asset to profiteering corporations. Idaho's governor has proposed eliminating the entire parks department; California shut the gates of a fourth of the state's parks last year; officials in Arizona and Florida intend to privatize their parks; Washington state has cut off most of its park funding; and Ohio has okayed oil drilling in its parks to replace state financing. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/01/25-4

[ananda]

1. You tell em, Jim!

nt

[dhill926]

2. Nails it, as usual....

A real shame here in Cali....and elsewhere of course.

[xchrom]

3. Du rec. Nt

[TwilightGardener]

4. Most of my camping is done at state parks. This is really sad.

[City Lights]

5. Heartbreaking and infuriating!

Spiritually shriveled, small-minded and short-sighted, indeed.

Thanks, Jim, for telling it like it is!

[bayareaboy]

6. From my experience... ...

I was a guest host at several California State Parks for the last ten years.

It was a great job as a volunteer and I savored the experiences, that I had with all campers.

Some day I might see Samuel P Taylor SP or Russian Gulch SP with nice summer homes, behind the fences and gates.

[limpyhobbler]

7. recommend. n/t

[GTurck]

8. Just read...

a piece about the sorry state and attendance at Texas State Parks. The drought, the wildfires and budget cutbacks are making them places people avoid - oh and the fact that without an income it is mighty hard to get away for a day. Our dear dear leader runs a lean ship and parks are not high on the list of state priorities; the oil business is however.