Gloom And Doom Hits Home.

[jdmidwest]

The Sequester. Government spending having to return to 2011 budgets. Let me see, I think that was the year before last, if I recall. Who would have thought there should have been much difference, but they seem to make a big deal of it.

I am currently making what I did in 1996 and my budget is based on that income. Many costs have increased, gas, utilities, housing, food, clothing, transportation. But I still adjust my budget to my income and manage to show a small profit above my costs. This poor economy has forced me to adapt.

But now we should be upset that the Ozark Scenic Riverways will cut out Heritage Day, Alley Spring Independence Day Celebration, Ozark Dinner Theater, and Haunting in the Hills just to make ends meet. Boo HOO.

Some people seem to have a different set of values when they are spending someone else's monies.

I say, where can we start trimming some more and get it back to a 2000 budget figure.

http://rhtrav.com/wordpress/shutdowns-planned-on-riverways-due-to-federal-budget-austerity/#more-12306

[Wayne SW/MO]

Yup, the gubmit needs their credit cards cut up.

[Al Agnew]

It ain't that simple, guys. Those Scenic Riverways celebrations bring in people who might not otherwise visit the area. Meaning that businesses in Eminence and Van Buren get less business. Cutting spending has a ripple effect on the economy, and that's just one very small example of it. So while everybody knows that cutting spending is necessary, there are going to be a lot of losers and sufferers. It would have made a LOT more sense to have everybody working to figure out how to cut spending and reduce the deficit intelligently, instead of everybody refusing to work with anybody else.

I'm telling you, I'm ready to start a movement to vote out EVERY incumbent in the federal government and start all over with a clean slate.

[gotmuddy]

term limits for everyone.

[Gavin]

Not the end of anything....but not good for jobs in MO....Thinking that the toddler in chief has finally publically crapped in his play pen.

[Feathers and Fins]

We all live on a budget, Goverment needs to do it as well! But this aint nothing and certainly will not stop the spending one bit, its just a smoke and mirror dog and pony show. Heck Ive seen flea shows I believe more than our goverment.

[Quillback]

Gotta cut spending, we can't continue to rack up an additional 1 trillion in debt every year. Sequester ain't the smart way to do it, but since we can't get agreement in DC, then this is the way it will have to be done. Any budget cuts are going to cause pain somewhere, but we will suffer much more pain if we don't rein in the spending.

And there's no way federal money should be spent on local celebrations.

[Feathers and Fins]

Heck Quill, If they charged $10.00 entry fee to the ACE Parks and $100.00 for a yearly pass and ran it like a business ( money raised stays to that park ) I would bet they wouldnt need goverment funding on the parks. Heck charge a additional 100$ a year per boat house per slip.

As far as other events Charge for them, You cant just go walk on a golf course for free or go to a Concert fo free. Our Goverment doesnt need to be paying for our recreation and we all know we will pay to play. Argue away now lol

[Outside Bend]

It ain't that simple, guys. Those Scenic Riverways celebrations bring in people who might not otherwise visit the area. Meaning that businesses in Eminence and Van Buren get less business. Cutting spending has a ripple effect on the economy, and that's just one very small example of it. So while everybody knows that cutting spending is necessary, there are going to be a lot of losers and sufferers. It would have made a LOT more sense to have everybody working to figure out how to cut spending and reduce the deficit intelligently, instead of everybody refusing to work with anybody else.

And it goes beyond the educational programs- we're talking reducing or eliminating trash and restroom cleanup, closing campgrounds during the off-season, reducing the presence and effectiveness of rangers. That'll effect a whole lot of outdoor enthusiasts.

Heck Quill, If they charged $10.00 entry fee to the ACE Parks and $100.00 for a yearly pass and ran it like a business ( money raised stays to that park ) I would bet they wouldnt need goverment funding on the parks. Heck charge a additional 100$ a year per boat house per slip.

As far as other events Charge for them, You cant just go walk on a golf course for free or go to a Concert fo free. Our Goverment doesnt need to be paying for our recreation and we all know we will pay to play. Argue away now lol

In part I agree- we practically give away much of our public wealth in the form of mineral, oil, and gas leases. We're giving up those assets for pennies on the dollar, and I'd like to see the market (as opposed to politics) have a much greater role in how those leases are allocated, and how much is paid for them.

But there are free public golf courses, and there are free public concerts. IMO it's just the government providing a societal benefit (like roads or schools or scientific research or museums), and I'm not sure why the public should have to pay substantial sums from their own pocket to access property and assets they already own. And many public lands serve a primary role of protecting habitat and biodiversity- public recreation is only a tangential benefit.

And I guess I'm just knee-jerk leery of public goods public lands and assets falling into private hands- say what you want about the government, the private sector hasn't done a great job protecting resources, either. Example- I used to love visiting Marble Creek Campground, a Forest Service property between Ironton and Fredericktown. Out of the way, some really scenic granite shut-ins, and some pretty good fishing for black bass and panfish. Funding was eliminated for the campground, and the Forest Service was forced to close the facility- reducing access to the stream. The property was subsequently sold to a group of private investors who set about doing some remodeling- namely eliminating most of the brush and riparian vegetation- preferring to give picnicers an uninterrupted view of the creek and denuded streambank as opposed to protecting the resources of the park. That's just one example of the issues we face when we discuss privatizing public lands- often the interests of making money don't mesh well with the interests of protecting our natural heritage. It's something all anglers, sportsmen, and outdoor enthusiasts need to be aware of, and need to pay attention to.

I'm off to go work my second job now- I guess I realized if you cut so much from your budget it's negatively impacting your quality of life, you're not having any fun, you need to figure out a new strategy.

[Anything that swims]

O