Government Shutdown of Outdoor Public Monuments Cartoon

10 8 13 Bearman Cartoons Government Shutdown National Monument RangersSo it seems that there have been some tensions lately at United States National Monuments.   On one hand you have the government closing down monuments that are outdoors, like the World War II Memorial in Washington DC.   At the same time many rangers who worked those sites have been furloughed along with other government employees.  HOWEVER, at the same time they are using rangers at these monuments to put up barricades and block the public from accessing the sites.

I can understand the need to protect the monuments from vandalism, however how many rangers beyond those already there to prevent access are needed to allow visitors in even on a limited basis?

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69 Responses to “Government Shutdown of Outdoor Public Monuments Cartoon”

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  1. George Ford says:

    I’ve been asking myself the same question. None of this makes any sense to me. All I understand is that you made a great cartoon covering this topic, though.

  2. Scott Worthington says:

    Been wondering that myself, Bearman.

  3. Nef says:

    I work for the Federal Government so here it is in a non-partisan way: Essential employees (those required to protect life and property and those who support them) are working, although not going to get paid until congress passes a budget. Being on minimal staffing, agencies cannot provide their usual range of services, hence, they can’t provide full security to an open park, cleaning services, guides, maintenance, etcetera. The few rangers that they have working are barely enough to keep the area secure (and are not getting paid right now, so there is no money moving).

    If operating a park and safeguarding it while non-operational demanded the same amount of resources, then it would not make sense to close them, but the truth is that many resources go into operating our National Parks, so they are kept close.

    In my agency, we are working at half staffing, cannot get equipment or supplies (including gasoline for our vehicles, which we filled on September 30) If the shutdown extended past a certain time, we would run out of things like paper, toner, gas, toilet paper, and things of that nature, in addition to our employees not being paid.

    Sorry for the long post, and now, back to more fun stuff!

    • Nef I get it though I read an article about many federal employees looking at this as a deferred paid holiday. What about all the private sector jobs that have been affected where they won’t see a dime?

      Regarding national military monuments, I guarantee if the government said they can stay open with the limited rangers and a continuous planned source of veterans who will volunteer to provide security, pick up trash etc, they would have more than enough to keep it open at least several hours each day.

  4. Tim Green says:

    Personally, I don’t want to see our government get any bigger than it already is. It has to stop somewhere, how long can people expect a minority of the people to support the majority? Maybe I’m wrong, that’s just my opinion.

    • Personally I don’t mind a wealthy minority supporting a poorer majority. HOWEVER, I can’t stand wastefullness. The tax burden wouldn’t be so large if pet projects were removed from the budget. There is so much that shouldn’t be government run.

  5. Julian says:

    This seems like a bunch of rich buttheads who would rather stick strongly to some theories and principles than help the people who they represent. I find it really sad that they have to use such drastic measures to bully others into getting their way.

    I kinda think we should take a mulligan and reelect everyone.

  6. Bill Murphy says:

    Good one Bearman! I was wondering how much those people were being paid to put up the barriers.

  7. jande says:

    Government politics has always been beyond me. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that all parties have conspired to shut the gov’t down so they can earn more interest for the gov’t bank account. I’m assuming the gov’t HAS a bank account.

    Love the ranger guy! Dunno who the other guy is. :`)

  8. Bo Lumpkin says:

    If millions of American businesses would just say, “Okay…The government is closed so I won’t send them any taxes this Month”. It might get their attention.
    There are some great Civil Servants who will be hurt by this short term but I am still concerned that the Governement even has 800,000 non-essential employees.
    Anyone can say what they want to but the Political Bozos are playing games with the American people.

  9. Comedy Plus says:

    The illegals are having a rally today in the national mall and it’s closed too. Funny how the veterans couldn’t go to the war memorial, but the illegals have the run of the place. Oh wait, it’s the democrats voter base. Politics makes me very sick.

    Have a terrific day. 🙂

  10. Bo Lumpkin says:

    I put an extra e in government but I guess that is okay. I have raised the vowel ceiling on words I want to spell.

  11. David Hurley says:

    Dropping death benefits to the families was one of the worst.

  12. benzeknees says:

    Why can’t these politicians act like the adults they supposedly are (instead of 2 yr. olds)?

  13. Binky says:

    Governments make no sense. We pay, they take, and we’d better like it, or else.

  14. You just described most government logic!

  15. frigginloon says:

    Your government sucks 🙂 Fortunately our government has privatized everything so we get double screwed 🙂

    • Yes our damn city is privatizing the parking meters. One area that I think DOES NOT need privatization. The purpose of meters is to keep people from hogging parking spaces in a business district, not to be a huge money maker.

    • Tony McGurk says:

      I would rephrase Loon’s comment to “Your government sucks & so does ours”
      But at least we are rid of Julia!!!

      • For now, politicians always seem to pop back up.

        • Tony McGurk says:

          True. She may come back again as the Zombie Prime Minister. She who never dies or gives in on the carbon tax issue

          • Ugh..still waiting for the carbon tax issue to heat up here

          • frigginloon says:

            Carbon tax ….egads!!! What our government failed to tell the public was the money raised through taxes is/was being sent to some overseas organisation that distributes the money to third world countries. In other words, into the pockets of dictators and criminals. Enormous SCAM!!!! If the government were serious about carbon emmissions they should have given coal/electricity companies 10 years to clean up their methods or be closed down, Hello, we have an abundance of natural gas. It should also be complusory for modern homes to have solar panels and excess to be placed back in the grid to lower costs. Sheez!!!!

          • hahah she said “we have an abundance of natural gas” WE KNOW!!!

  16. G.B. Miller says:

    Ahhhh Democrats…gotta love them. They’ll find a way to spend money needlessly even during a so-called guv’ment shutdown.

  17. Tony McGurk says:

    Seems crazy to me. But when Governments are involved anything no matter how crazy can happen.

  18. Tony McGurk says:

    Democracy = Government of the people, by the people, for the people.
    That’s what they taught me at school. We grow up to realise that Teachers are Liars.

  19. DadaHyena says:

    You tell him, old soldier!

  20. Tom Falco says:

    I thought they were working for free. Seriously.

  21. Dave says:

    All I know is that our Dollar stinks. Today it is $1.35 for every 1 Euro. My income has to be converted each month and that extra .35 cents per Dollar hurts.

    I wish our government would get their crap together and fix our economy.

    In the past I’ve have voted for both parties but I’ve given up on them.

  22. Even not spending money is expensive these days.
    🙂

  23. Joseph says:

    I think none of the congressmen should get paid until they figure this out.

  24. Gruhn says:

    Wow – lots of good discussion. But back to the cartoon……….good point!



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