While Congress continues snarky rhetoric along party lines over the debt limit, the American people fear how congressional indecision may impact their lives. In the Eastern Sierra, federal agencies have not yet begun to plan for a government shut-down, but they do believe it’s a possibility.
When asked about this issue, Forest Service Public Information Officer Nancy Upham said there is no real planning or talking about a government shut down at this time. Upham does believe that if Congress fails to act on the debt ceiling by August 2nd, impacts will hit government operations.
Even before this latest possible crisis, the federal government delivered mid-summer budget cuts to the Inyo National Forest. Upham said she hopes to release more information on that this week. She did describe the mid-June budget as “significantly lower”. Upham said this will mean closures and reductions in service. The San Francisco Chronicle had reported that as of July 18th the Forest Service stopped leading public tours of the Mono Lake South Tufa area, which is on USFS land.
Upham did say that the Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association wants to help with visitor centers under the cutback situation. Upham also said that the Inyo Forest has received no direction from Washington about a potential government shut down next week. Upham did refer us to a Washington, D.C. press contact.
An email from Matthew Herrick of the Department of Agriculture Office of Communications offered apparent rhetoric about the current situation. In response to Sierra Wave’s question about the debt limit vote and impact on government operations, Herrick said this in an email, “As the President has said repeatedly during the past 6 months, there is no alternative to raising the debt limit. The only way to prevent a default crisis and protect America’s creditworthiness is to enact a timely debt limit increase, which we remain confident Congress will do.” Herrick went on to say, “The President believes we will resolve this situation in a timely manner and avoid any disruption in government operations or payments.”
For those who find no comfort in the Department of Agriculture’s confidence in Congress, we placed a call to the Office of Management and Budget for their take on what may happen. We await their response.
Discover more from Sierra Wave: Eastern Sierra News - The Community's News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Here we go again with Govt,shutdown #2…….Grumpy old men,Let’s get together….again….and let’s all talk about how Bill O’reilly and Glenn Beck have proved Barrack Obama has ruined this Country…and if you don’t believe it,just watch FOX News ……after all,they couldn’t say it if it wasn’t true……right?
Don’t Worry Wayne You will still get your Gov. Pension Check
I wish………
time for a new date on this article
Shut down #2 coming soon
Shut her down…PLEASE
upthecreek – they’ll shut it down, send everyone home, then still pay everyone. We might as well have them work so we taxpayers get something from the taxeaters.
There ain’t gonna be no Government shut-down…All this talk about a Government shut-down,all it does ,in my town,is give all the grumpy old men ANOTHER reason to get together at the local liquor store at 5 A.M. and talk about,and complain that their social security is going to end,and how Barack Obama has “ruined” the Country.
I guess I’m missing something in my reading. Could someone please direct me to where the federal government has ANY authority in the forests? Please, I just can’t find it:
Article 1 Section 8:
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;–And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Sure lets do away with government – no schools, no law enforcement, no 395 or other infrastructure, no fire fighters, cell towers in Crowley where ever the cell company wants to put them, LADWP turns the whole Eastern Sierra into the Eastern Sierra dry lake/dust bowl, leach pit mining where ever the mining companies wants, clear cut the forest, drain Mono Lake, etc. What a great place to live with out government.
LADWP is government! I suppose you think there is nothing they can cut without all that stuff happening? Personally, I don’t need the USFS to “interpret” Mono Lake or the forest, or their toilets or other infrastructure. Not that I think the whole USFS should be shut down, but I’m sure they have their share of PORK going on.
Joann – LADWP is a monster that not even the L.A. City council or mayor can control. I’ve often wondered if the IBEW is the one running the LADWP show.
I sure don’t need the USFS to “interpret” anything for me either. However if they’re going to make improvements to an area like a vistor center I sure hope they put in a few toilets too. And before they make these improvements they need to be sure they have the money to support them in the future
Harry – don’t go off the deep end. That’s a bit extreme. The problem is our politicians take that approach when what we really need is someone who can make some tough decissions, and still keep government working for the people.
You lost all crediblity with me on that post.
Rob – Yeah a bit overboard but there are those in favor of each item mentioned and then you have to take into account the domino effect. All big avalanches begin small and there is no stopping them.
I support the USFS, however, I don’t fear a Forest shut down…ie. our forest will still be available to us, we just might not see any rangers….even our search and rescue folk aren’t funded through the USFS.. and they already contract out the campgrounds (unfortunately in general cause the for profit companies only want to be open during profit making times) so our campgrounds won’t close.
Hey Rob- ever hear of for the people by the people? Not for the corporations by the rich!
J.H. – We’re a long way from that aren’t we? Almost sounds like a fairy tale.
I’m a firm believer that when money gets tight government shuts down things that effect the people in hope to pressuring more tax dollars out of them.
I agree completely, Gov. only makes cuts to the things we use/care about. Why don’t the jerks cut their own salaries? Quit flying around on government jets paid for by our tax dollars.Costs way more than catching a commercial flight.
when the federal govt. goes away , can it please at least leave the bathroom unlocked at the death valley visitor center just off 395 ?
crisis? hec no I think it’s great. Live within your means.
@Ken Warner…I feel the same way that this is all a game to them and they won’t let it go over the edge. BUT, BUT, a lot of what I’m reading seems to indicate that much damage to the credit of the U.S. has already been done by letting it get this close to the wire.
I kind of almost think it’s designed to further the gap between the economic classes but I’m not a conspiracy theorist…much.
There will be no default. The Congress will raise the debt limit at the eleventh hour. This is all political theater.
Both parties are bought and paid for by big business and big business won’t tolerate the ramifications of a debt default. A debt default would have ripple effects through the World economy in the trillions of dollars. The plutocrats will not tolerate a reduction of their wealth.
100% correct Ken…pathetic political theater.