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Welcome to THFF.com! Kick your wading boots off and stick around for a while. You'll find content ranging from NC fishing reports, videos, pictures, fly fishing news from around the state/country/world, humor, and even some irrelevant, yet interesting posts.
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Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Slowly learning and absorbing information on the potential "closing" of Great Smoky Mountains Nat'l Park (along with possibly many other Parks). When I say closed I mean facilities, restrooms, campgrounds, services, and the such. The reason behind the possible closure is the fact that the US government may shut down Friday. Republicans and Democrats of course don't see eye to eye and are trying to work up an agreement. If they can't, they'll turn the proverbial water cannon of spending off. Parks, including GSMNP would be affected by this battle between the parties. From the information I can muster up, we will still be able to access the Park, but most amenities will be nonexistent. In November of 1995, the Park closed all facilities, campgrounds, and halted all services within the Park. We could be looking at a repeat. Check out the article here.
So, if you are planning on camping in the Park, keep a close eye on things. Don't want anyone to drive all the way to the Smokies to find that the campgrounds have closed.
I'm not into politics. You can probably tell. I leave it to the politicians. If I'm missing something or have something backwards, feel free to chime in. Still slowly gaining more knowledge on this issue.
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2011
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April
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- Working On An Article...
- Fishing Commercials...
- Fishing the Parkway... Day 2
- Warmwater Sunfish on a Foggy Day...
- Changeable Weather Makes For Some Changeable Fishi...
- Not again...
- Wally World Gives Us Some Fishing Humor..
- Good News and Bad News In the Weather Department...
- Grim News Coming From Wilson Creek...
- Inchworms... From the fish's perspective, it's wha...
- Cabelas TQR Review
- Before the Storm(s)
- Go Fish! You Know You Want To!
- Update on GSMNP Potential Closing
- Say It Ain't So...
- Rough Weather Gives Way To Some Fantastic Conditions
- The Fishing Is Going To Get Better...
- Shutting the Doors On April 25th.
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April
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4 comments:
Tyler, if you leave it to the politicians they'll screw you every time. Both sides, any issue and especially one where funding and/or spending is concerned. I'm curious as to the reasons for the clousure in '95 - was that a budget stalemate, too? It's hard to see how Congress shutting down for a few weeks would affect the local parks ability to function. They might not be able to buy paper towels, but it's not like everyone is laid off right away. Or is it?
I am into politics and this ( not your post) seems like it might be a bit of "the sky is falling" rhetoric aimed at creating an unnecessary uproar. If it does happen, luckily free market capitalism has provided the areas around the Park with dozens of hotels, campgrounds and RV parks.
I'm afraid a shutdown would lead to a furlough of employees in most cases.
I guess to clarify a little more, essential operations would continue like the military, medical care, law enforcement, social security payments, and tax collection of course. Non-essential operations like your Nat'l Park campgrounds and other amenities, and federal museums like the Smithsonian would likely be closed. The '95 shutdown saw 800,000 federal employees furloughed.
...for a month. If it means we get an end to the funding of useless programs and the government out of the radio business it would be worth it.....yes, even if I was the one being laid off. 800,000 is a drop in the proverbial bucket compared to how many Americans are already out of a job. (including me)