Nearly all members of National Park Service advisory panel resign in frustration

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post



By Juliet Eilperin January 16 at 6:35 PM

Three-quarters of the members of a federally chartered board advising the National Park Service abruptly quit Monday night out of frustration that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke had refused to meet with them or convene a single meeting last year.

The resignation of nine out of 12 National Park System Advisory Board members leaves the federal government without a functioning body to designate national historic or natural landmarks. It also underscores the extent to which federal advisory bodies have become marginalized under the Trump administration. In May 2017, Zinke suspended all outside committees while his staff reviewed their composition and work.

In a letter to the secretary, departing board chairman Tony Knowles, a former Alaska governor, wrote that he and eight other members “have stood by waiting for the chance to meet and continue the partnership . . . as prescribed by law.” All of the signatories had terms set to expire in May.

“We understand the complexity of transition but our requests to engage have been ignored and the matters on which we wanted to brief the new Department team are clearly not part of its agenda,” Knowles wrote. “I wish the National Park System and Service well and will always be dedicated to their success.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nearly-all-members-of-national-park-service-advisory-panel-resign-in-frustration/2018/01/16/b322ef5e-fae3-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393_story.html?utm_term=.0b00eed7aa7b

[Fred Sanders]

1. "...as prescribed by law." We all know what budding racists think of the true rule of law.

Zinke, Pruitt etc...all Mini-Shitler's.

[BigmanPigman]

2. It will take a long, long time for this country to un-do the harm

that has been caused in a relatively short period of time. I applaud the members of the Park Service. They are true patriots.

[maxsolomon]

12. unless Zinke can get this BS passed by the Senate

and permanently disband this council, a Dem president can get it up and running again in a couple months.

the problem will be who he re-stocks the panel with, and what mischief they can get up to before 2021. or 2025.

[gademocrat7]

3. This is a travesty.

Chump and his cabal are destroying our country.

[onetexan]

11. everyday im afraid to read or watch the news because of this reason

[2naSalit]

14. It's

a big trigger for me.

[Wednesdays]

4. The cloud to that silver lining is that

they will all be replaced with tRump clones.

[UpInArms]

6. Nah ... he is shrinking the government and

“draining” the swamp

[LuckyLib]

23. And I maintain that one thing they are doing is having a little team of bean-counters

keeping track of the "savings" of every unfilled position, every resignation, every cancelling of budgeted national expenses and assault on regulations. At some point, Trumpy's band of thieves will tout the "millions, no billions saved" in their efforts to drain the swamp and strangle government, and have figures to show for it. The fallout and implications of all of this? They don't care.

[charliea]

10. Maybe not, he'd have to nominate new members

While he seems to be doing a bang up job on nominating judges (horrific though they may be). I think he's being advised to fill the courts to his benefit, the only valid Trump motivation, hundreds of other executive positions requiring Senate approval remain unfilled after year, many with no nominee proposed.

[bucolic_frolic]

5. Disengagement is a one time protest

with no further input. Bad choices were all they faced. At least they stood on principle.

[procon]

7. Trump said: "The one that matters is me. I am the only one that matters."

“So we don’t need all the people they want,” Trump said. “I’m a businessman, and I tell my people, ‘When you don’t need to fill slots, don’t fill them.’ But we have some people that I’m not happy with there. Lemme tell you, the one that matters is me. I’m the only one that matters, because when it comes to it, that’s what the policy is going to be.”

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/11/trump-on-unfilled-jobs-i-am-the-only-one-who-matters.html

After everyone has left, the only person remaining can declare himself, King.

[2naSalit]

15. honestly

it really seems as though he thinks he's playing a game of "Last Man Standing".

[riversedge]

8. Our Federal gov unravels before our eyes.

Link to tweet

[NCjack]

9. Please don't making it easy for Trumpster Zinke. Make him go on the

record for firing the board members.

[Glorfindel]

13. Their terms expire in May anyway. All Zinke had to do was sit and wait for them to be out of office

At least this way their protests are on record. For all the good that will do. What a sad place our poor country has arrived at.

[Ferrets are Cool]

16. Our country is crumbling apart piece by piece, right before our eyes...

and our elected officials, who have sworn to uphold the constitution, fill their pockets with money and laugh.

[benld74]

17. They gotta resist dammit

MAKE them fire you

Stay and cause shit to happen

Press reports
Emails
Anything

Resist dammit!!!

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

18. Profiles in spinelessness - a lot of that going around nt

[LanternWaste]

22. Our hero bravely alleged as he typed it comfortably from his warm chair...

"Profiles in spinelessness - a lot of that going around..."

"...our hero bravely alleged as he typed it comfortably from his warm chair, doing his best to deny context, nuance and his own lack of relevant knowledge."

A lot of that going around as well...

[mountain grammy]

19. I live at the west entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park

surrounded by trumpers.. wonder how they'll take the news. Our lifeliine, our bread and butter. Is America great yet?

[LuckyLib]

24. Report back what the responses are -- always interesting to hear

how the Trumpsters respond to threats to their own turf!

[mountain grammy]

25. Yes, I will.

Our former mayor was on the Advisory Board and resigned. I know she's Republican, but don't know if she's a trumper. Can't imagine, but nothing suprises me anymore.

[Fritz Walter]

20. Despite the cold weather, I may have to break out my t-shirt

...with this message.

[raven mad]

21. Tony Knowles was my governor. He is as green as an Alaskan is allowed to be.

I applaud him.