Oh no. Bush to visit Shenandoah Valley to discuss "National Park's Centennial Initiative"

[Bluebear]

George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush are making a visit to the Valley, but don't count on catching a glimpse of the president. His visit Wednesday is not open to the public. Note: Color me shocked.

President Bush is scheduled to meet with the Shenandoah National Park Service Superintendent tomorrow to outline his new National Parks funding plan. The meeting will be at Big Meadows along Skyline Drive. The plan is called the National Park's Centennial Initiative. Which is a project leading up to the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

Bush's plan is to invest three billion dollars over 10 years in national parks. According to a spokesman for the National Park Service some of that money will go toward increasing the number of park rangers. Very few people have been invited to meet with the president.

Shenandoah National Park is closed right now because of icy road conditions. Park officials say even if the roads are clear in the park Wednesday, the public will still not be allowed into the area. Some Valley residents are happy the president is planning to come Wednesday and they are concerned that snow may affect his visit, while others aren't as supportive of Bush making an appearance. "I'm glad he's coming, I think he needs to get out and see the people more which he's trying to do," says Valley Resident Roy Bell. "I'm not worried about him showing up here. Like when I was in the military, they do things for show at times, and that's more like what I would be seeing it as, just something for show," says Page County Resident Stephen Noser.

http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/5599651.html

http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/5574771.html

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What can this "Centennial Initiative" possibly mean but something foreboding to our National Park system? I am imagining the 3 billion will go towards grading the land and improving it with utilities for some sell-off to Halliburton Heights Properties or some such project for his "base".

[cboy4]

1. There's no way he knows how to pronounce "Centennial" or

"Initiative" or "Shenandoah," for that matter.

This is a verbal train wreck waiting to happen!

[Bluebear]

2. Or "park". nt

[izzie]

3. I am so glad I have been there before Bush 'fixed it.'

My God he is like leaving a teen-ages in the living room while you run down to the store. Gulf Coast, Middle East, visits to Europe and Africa and now the US parks. Really scary as bad things seem to drop off him and things go and get broke around him. Is it 'Pigpen' that I am thinking of?

[wakeme2008]

4. Probably contracting with Blackwater for new Park Rangers

:grr:

[CrazyOrangeCat]

5. exactly.

[ClintonTyree]

6. Which means clear cutting and strip mining....

in our National Parks can't be far behind. Clear skies, healthy forests, clean water....Bush has done exactly the opposite of every one of his "initiatives".

[terrya]

7. Translation: Shenandoah National Park will be paved over.

Or maybe oil has been discovered in the park. Or something.

Just remember with Bush...anything that comes out of this administration regarding the environment is the exact opposite of what was stated. Remember the "Clean Skies Initiative"?

[tom_paine]

8. Yes, without a doubt his Centennial Initiative will be devastating

to our National Parks.

And of course, Little Boots Bushler is going to stay away from real Americans, as he mostly has. It's much worse lately. Did you see what happened to that piece of human garbage in Peoria?

I only wish someone had had the balls to stand up and give Chimpler a piece of their mind.

[zeemike]

9. What ever it is

I am sure it includes a privatization plan for the park system.

[A Simple Game]

10. "Centennial Initiative"

What a funny way to say "kiss of death".

[annabanana]

11. He'll be checking the bookstore to make sure there's not

too much "science" in there. (Let's see, on what day did God make trees?)

[TZ]

12. my stepbrother was a park ranger until recently..

and you should hear him scream about what has happened to the national park system. Between * and Gayle Norton (who really was much worse than James Watt) its amazing that the parks survive. There is no money for anything anymore even with the parts that are still protected.Even Park Security/law enforcement which is what he mostly did is very scarce. Now he is an agent for the TSA. Much better future in that he says:-(

[hatrack]

13. New privatization push, I'm sure - "Zion!" National Park - by Microsoft; Acadia/GE National Park

Besides, he's been blathering about fully funding the National Parks since he was running for president eight freaking years ago.

Why would anything change now except the slightly older and increasingly fragrant bouquet of his bullshit?

[Solly Mack]

14. recall how after a Bush visit, something always gets cut?

He was on a streak once where he visited several organizations - good ones - only to cut their funding soon after.

[hatrack]

15. Sometimes it even happens beforehand - as in the National Renewable Energy Lab

Its budget was cut three years straight, and then a week before President Pantload arrived, they had to lay off 32 staffers & researchers. This was hurriedly discovered to be a "mistake" and $5 million of $26 million cut was restored before the Chimp arrived.

The programs defunded beyond the $5 million budget patch remained defunded.



GOLDEN - President Bush on Tuesday blamed a budget mix-up for the layoffs at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory earlier this month. The jobs were reinstated by the federal government a day before his visit to the lab.

"I recognize that there has been some interesting - let me say - mixed signals when it comes to funding," Bush said during a speech Tuesday morning at NREL.

He said the issue is whether good intentions are met with actual dollars spent. "Part of the issue we face, unfortunately, is that there are sometimes decisions made, but as a result of the appropriations process, the money may not end up where it was supposed to have gone," he said.

EDIT

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4486447,00.html

[Solly Mack]

16. Love his explanation....sheesh

The damage to America caused by Bush - and those who have enabled him...will take generations to recover from...and some of it will forever stain America

[hatrack]

17. Those wacky budget mix-ups!

I just LOVE 'em - how about you?

:eyes:

[Pacifist Patriot]

18. When I was in college I used to drive up to the Skyline drive...

and park to study. (Oh shut up, I'm serious. I was studying) Beautiful, peaceful place to read. I shudder to think what Shrub will do to it.

[bluedog]

19. 2006.......Parks 80% Squeeze(*cut their budget)

.........hes just putting back what he cut in the 2006 budget........they are not getting an "increase"..........they are getting back what this ass cut before!!!!!



Parks Feel '80 Percent' Squeeze
Visitor Services Getting Pinched in Move to Cut Costs


By Matt Stearns
Knight Ridder
Monday, April 17, 2006; Page A11

The Bush administration has ordered America's national parks to show that they can function at 80 percent or less of their operating budgets, which is forcing some parks to cut services for visitors as summer approaches.

National Park Service officials said the initiative was an effort to cope with the rising costs of salaries, utilities and other management expenses without harming the parks' "core" missions of protecting the nation's natural treasures and enabling visitors to enjoy them. The Park Service has more than 270 million visitors annually.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/16/AR2006041600612.html

[hatrack]

20. A puke-drenched kick for President Pantload's Big Green Photo-op

:puke:

[Lisa]

21. as always, he struts around in fake work clothes playing "Ranger George"

How depressing for the employees.