Latest news with #NationalParkSystem
Washington Post
7 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Public broadcasting is for MAGA, too
Congress approved President Donald Trump's request to cancel $1.1 billion in government funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Trump's executive order Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media said that neither PBS nor NPR 'presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens.' As a former PBS producer, I take exception to his claim. Like my colleagues at PBS stations nationwide, I covered controversial stories from a wide variety of perspectives, including interviews with subjects of opposing political viewpoints, with respect and empathy. Public broadcasting is for MAGA, too. To illustrate: PBS put my documentary, 'Battle at Weber Creek,' on YouTube. It focuses on the dispute between Alaskan gold miner Joe Vogler and the National Park Service over transport of heavy mining equipment along a historic trail through the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve. Vogler had used the trail for years before the preserve was established in 1978 as part of the National Park System. His armed confrontation with the preserve's superintendent at remote Weber Creek raised serious issues for environmentalists, gold miners, National Park Service officials, elected representatives and local landowners, all of whom expressed diverse opinions to inform a national audience. The documentary was balanced to appeal to local as well as national viewers, and the response was overwhelmingly positive from a wide and highly diverse audience, including Alaska's gold-mining community. To present contrasting viewpoints on issues of interest to broad audiences around the United States is what public broadcasting does best. Its funding must be restored. Robert A. Hooper, San Diego The writer is a former producer at PBS member station KUAC in Fairbanks, Alaska. The Post's July 16 interview with PBS president and chief executive Paula Kerger, 'PBS faces 'existential' threat, its chief says,' missed an opportunity to press for facts about the impact of funding reductions to public broadcasting. The questions focused almost exclusively on the politics of the proposed cuts. Kerger characterized PBS as 'an aggregation of local stations,' to which most of the organization's funding is directed. She cited the Smoky Hills, Kansas, station, which airs 'a call-in medical show' and gets 54 percent of its money from the federal government. The Post's follow-up question: 'Will rural stations be hit hardest?' Kerger responded by mentioning PBS's 'great stations everywhere' — in D.C., New York and Boston, as well as in the small towns of Cookeville, Tennessee, and Granite Falls, Minnesota. The interviewer should have pressed Kerger on the number of viewers in rural markets; on the federal dollars spent per viewer; on whether PBS could redirect dollars from richer, big-city markets with more broadband options; whether state governments could kick in some money; or even the basic policy question of whether the federal government should be helping fund this service at all given the plethora of sources of information. Instead, the interviewer focused on whether the proposed budget cuts are 'specific to PBS and NPR and the CPB' or 'part of a larger salvo from this administration against media.' The issue of federal funding for public broadcasting is much more complicated and nuanced than presented in this interview. Taxpayers have been bombarded with 'the sky is falling' arguments over nearly every aspect of the federal budget process. Journalists can help by giving us facts instead of amplifying rhetoric. Joseph A. Capone, Oakton In 1993, a group of people, some of them refugees from countries with authoritarian regimes, were in my apartment watching David Letterman. Letterman was making various hard-hitting jokes about 'Tubby.' We were all laughing until one person in the group asked, 'Who is Tubby?' I told them it was a reference to President Bill Clinton. Suddenly, I saw shock on the faces of my guests. They thought Letterman would be off the air in minutes and dead by the next day. I explained to them that this is America. Some people are well paid for making fun of the president. Letterman went on to make fun of America and other presidents for decades to come. Today I wonder if the refugees were onto something. Charles Plushnick, New York What do good companies do when faced with declining audiences and revenue? They analyze options and make adjustments. CBS has said it was losing money on 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.' Is CBS different from any other company? Sometimes the simplest answer is the truth. Steve Henry, Springfield When CBS chief executive George Cheeks announced the cancellation of 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,' he called it 'purely a financial decision.' Cheeks has built his career on being genial, nonconfrontational and operationally smooth. But leadership isn't about being agreeable in times of turbulence. It's about taking a stand when the stakes are cultural, not just financial. Colbert wasn't just a talk show host. He was, for millions, a moral compass cloaked in comedy. And that's the real reason he's gone. There were other options. Cheeks could've shortened the production week, trimmed the budget or renegotiated Colbert's contract. George Cheeks didn't make a tough call. He made a weak one. Jeffrey Barge, Cleveland Ryan Zickgraf's July 18 Friday Opinion essay, 'The scroll never stops. Will we?,' captures Neil Postman's prescient warning that democracy is being overentertained rather than overthrown. But although the argument about tech's grip on our attention is right, it misses the deeper issue: We are not just distracted; we are reprogramming our very understanding of truth. Zickgraf points to Gen Z's retreat into more 'analog' pursuits as a sign of hope, but this is a passive rebellion, walking away from problems instead of confronting them. This opt-out mentality isn't enough. The real crisis is a society that no longer demands critical thought. Instead, we have substituted spectacle for reason, performance for debate and outrage for reflection. If democracy is to survive this digital haze, it's not enough to just delete apps or 'go back to basics.' We need a resurgence of reasoned, intentional discourse — something that challenges the very algorithms shaping our worldview. If Zickgraf's two tribes of Gen Z offer a glimpse of a future, it's one where we'll need to do more than retreat: We'll need to actively reclaim the spaces where thought can flourish, beyond the scroll. Regina Nappo, Triangle, Virginia Issues such as the Jeffrey Epstein case, though of ethical, moral and perhaps legal concern, are no more than distractions and deflections. They won't motivate people to vote in 2026 or beyond. Though titillating and potentially capable of increasing the audience share for news networks, at the end of the day, they likely will not significantly impact the outcome of the election. Notes Dan Rather: 'It is easy to stay swept up in the Epstein tsunami. … If the story is having an effect on Trump's political viability, then it is worth reporting on and reading about. But not at the expense of life-and-death stories with global consequences.' As someone who studied political communication for 45 years, I am convinced that the Epstein case is essentially a 'not Trump' message and therefore will remain rhetorically ineffective. So, let me say it again: While talking about this issue is fair game, Democrats must offer vivid and compelling reasons why their vision and concrete plans for America are in the best interests of voters. After that, they can contrast their message to the policies of President Donald Trump and his Republican acolytes. Democrats must be disciplined and their messages tightly focused. Richard Cherwitz, Carmas, Washington Hunter Biden's claim that George Clooney and other high-profile Democrats undermined his father's bid for reelection does not hold up to scrutiny. On the contrary, President Joe Biden and his enablers undermined their own campaign by attempting to conceal Joe Biden's diminished mental acuity from voters. Voters deserve to know the truth about their leaders so they can make informed decisions. When George Clooney spoke the truth about Biden's mental capabilities, he was speaking truth to power. If only more high-profile Democrats had done the same. A few months ago, Joe Biden went on 'The View' to claim he would have beaten Donald Trump. Polls show otherwise. Now, Hunter is peddling his father's same misguided blustery machismo. If they would take the advice, please, of the legendary 'Mini-Me' character of Austin Powers movie fame, this Democrat and so many other Democrats would be happy. 'Zip it.' Bruce Kirby, Rockville Post Opinions wants to know: What would you add to a time capsule to represent America today? Share your response, and it might be published as a letter to the editor.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nick Offerman Was So Upset About This "Huge Mistake" Trump Made That He Stopped By "The Daily Show" To Give An Emotional Speech
Nick Offerman has called out President Donald Trump after his 'big, beautiful bill' — which he signed into law earlier this month — slashed hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to America's national parks. Related: 'Let me get this straight, Mr. President. You cut $267 million to get back $90 million. Now, I'm no mathematician but I believe that's called shitting the bed,' said Offerman in an appearance on Tuesday's episode of The Daily Show. 'But then again, I didn't go to Wharton Business College.' The Parks & Recreation star — who portrayed libertarian official Ron Swanson — turned to several news reports detailing how America's 'pastoral gifts' are 'under attack' as staffing levels have seen a notable dip across the National Park System since January, per the National Parks Conservation Association. One clip noted that park scientists, in some cases, have been forced to help clean toilets due to staffing shortages. Related: Offerman — who quipped that the situation is like "Good Will Hunting but in reverse" — stressed that the cuts are a 'huge mistake.' 'No scientist has the strength to clean the skid marks of a man who's been eating beans and campfire hot dogs for the past three days! They're weak,' he joked. Related: He went on to refer to Trump 'shaking down foreigners' after he issued an executive order earlier this month that calls for foreign tourists to face higher park entry fees, a move that the administration expects to generate more than $90 million annually. After highlighting how national parks contributed a record $55.6 billion to the U.S. economy and supported over 415,000 jobs just two years ago, Offerman explained why the parks are a 'true miracle.' 'It is an affordable vacation that everyone can take inside our own borders, whether you're traveling with your family or abandoning your constituents during a crisis,' quipped the actor as a photo of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) amid his Cancun controversy appeared on screen. Offerman, who recently revealed why Ron Swanson would've 'despised' Trump, then mocked the president for speaking so 'fondly' of national parks in years past. Related: He turned to a 2020 clip of Trump who, when referencing sequoia trees at Yosemite National Park, appeared to pronounce the park's name as 'yo-semites.' 'It's Yosemite,' Offerman remarked. ''Yo, Semites,' is what a bad undercover cop might say to a group of Hasidic Jews.' Watch Nick on The Daily Show below: This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in In the News: Also in In the News: Also in In the News:
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nick Offerman Was So Upset About This "Huge Mistake" Trump Made That He Stopped By "The Daily Show" To Give An Emotional Speech
Nick Offerman has called out President Donald Trump after his 'big, beautiful bill' — which he signed into law earlier this month — slashed hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to America's national parks. Related: 'Let me get this straight, Mr. President. You cut $267 million to get back $90 million. Now, I'm no mathematician but I believe that's called shitting the bed,' said Offerman in an appearance on Tuesday's episode of The Daily Show. 'But then again, I didn't go to Wharton Business College.' The Parks & Recreation star — who portrayed libertarian official Ron Swanson — turned to several news reports detailing how America's 'pastoral gifts' are 'under attack' as staffing levels have seen a notable dip across the National Park System since January, per the National Parks Conservation Association. One clip noted that park scientists, in some cases, have been forced to help clean toilets due to staffing shortages. Related: Offerman — who quipped that the situation is like "Good Will Hunting but in reverse" — stressed that the cuts are a 'huge mistake.' 'No scientist has the strength to clean the skid marks of a man who's been eating beans and campfire hot dogs for the past three days! They're weak,' he joked. Related: He went on to refer to Trump 'shaking down foreigners' after he issued an executive order earlier this month that calls for foreign tourists to face higher park entry fees, a move that the administration expects to generate more than $90 million annually. After highlighting how national parks contributed a record $55.6 billion to the U.S. economy and supported over 415,000 jobs just two years ago, Offerman explained why the parks are a 'true miracle.' 'It is an affordable vacation that everyone can take inside our own borders, whether you're traveling with your family or abandoning your constituents during a crisis,' quipped the actor as a photo of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) amid his Cancun controversy appeared on screen. Offerman, who recently revealed why Ron Swanson would've 'despised' Trump, then mocked the president for speaking so 'fondly' of national parks in years past. Related: He turned to a 2020 clip of Trump who, when referencing sequoia trees at Yosemite National Park, appeared to pronounce the park's name as 'yo-semites.' 'It's Yosemite,' Offerman remarked. ''Yo, Semites,' is what a bad undercover cop might say to a group of Hasidic Jews.' Watch Nick on The Daily Show below: This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in In the News: Also in In the News: Also in In the News:
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'S**ting The Bed!': Nick Offerman Says Trump Is Making A 'Huge Mistake' With This 1 Move
Nick Offerman has called out President Donald Trump after his 'big, beautiful bill' — which he signed into law earlier this month — slashed hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to America's national parks. 'Let me get this straight, Mr. President. You cut $267 million to get back $90 million. Now, I'm no mathematician but I believe that's called shitting the bed,' said Offerman in an appearance on Tuesday's episode of 'The Daily Show.' 'But then again, I didn't go to Wharton Business College.' The 'Parks & Recreation' star — who portrayed libertarian official Nick Swanson — turned to several news reports detailing how America's 'pastoral gifts' are 'under attack' as staffing levels have seen a notable dip across the National Park System since January, per the National Parks Conservation Association. One clip noted that park scientists, in some cases, have been forced to help clean toilets due to staffing shortages. Offerman — who quipped that the situation is like ''Good Will Hunting' but in reverse' — stressed that the cuts are a 'huge mistake.' 'No scientist has the strength to clean the skid marks of a man who's been eating beans and campfire hot dogs for the past three days! They're weak,' he joked. He went on to refer to Trump 'shaking down foreigners' after he issued an executive order earlier this month that calls for foreign tourists to face higher park entry fees, a move that the administration expects to generate more than $90 million annually. After highlighting how national parks contributed a record $55.6 billion to the U.S. economy and supported over 415,000 jobs just two years ago, Offerman explained why the parks are a 'true miracle.' 'It is an affordable vacation that everyone can take inside our own borders, whether you're traveling with your family or abandoning your constituents during a crisis,' quipped the actor as as a photo of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) amid his Cancun controversy appeared on screen. Offerman, who recently revealed why Ron Swanson would've 'despised' Trump, then mocked the president for speaking so 'fondly' of national parks in years past. He turned to a 2020 clip of Trump who, when referencing sequoia trees at Yosemite National Park, appeared to pronounce the park's name as 'yo-semites.' 'It's Yosemite,' Offerman remarked. ''Yo, Semites,' is what a bad undercover cop might say to a group of Hasidic Jews.' Related... Ex-RNC Spokesperson Says Trump Is In 'Deep Trouble' With This Key Group 'Blackmail': Rosie O'Donnell Rips CBS For Kissing 'Madman' Trump's Ring After Colbert News Trump Celebrates 'Late Show' Cancelation: 'I Absolutely Love That Colbert Got Fired'
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump proposes cutting funds for national parks, turning some over to states. See Florida sites
President Trump's budget blueprint calls for $163 billion in spending cuts to non-military programs, including $1.2 billion for national parks, monuments, historic sites, seashores and trails. That's about 25% of the park service's budget of $4.8 billion. The 2026 budget plan also proposes turning some national park sites over to states, removing them from the National Park System. The proposal quickly came under fire. 'This is the most extreme, unrealistic and destructive National Park Service budget a President has ever proposed in the agency's 109-year history," said Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association, a nonprofit advocacy group. A letter from the president's Office of Management and Budget to the Committee on Appropriations outlined Trump's recommendations on "discretionary funding levels" for fiscal year 2026. "The recommended funding levels result from a rigorous, line-by-line review of FY 2025 spending, which was found to be laden with spending contrary to the needs of ordinary working Americans and tilted toward funding niche non-governmental organizations and institutions of higher education committed to radical gender and climate ideologies antithetical to the American way of life. "We also considered, for each program, whether the governmental service provided could be provided better by State or local governments (if provided at all). Just as the Federal Government has intruded on matters best left to American families, it has intruded on matters best left to the levels of government closest to the people, who understand and respect the needs and desires of their communities far better than the Federal Government ever could." That was the case in the proposal when it came to the National Park Service. "The National Park Service responsibilities include a large number of sites that are not 'National Parks,' in the traditionally understood sense, many of which receive small numbers of mostly local visitors, and are better categorized and managed as State-level parks. "The Budget would continue supporting many national treasures, but there is an urgent need to streamline staffing and transfer certain properties to State-level management to ensure the long-term health and sustainmentof the National Park system." The budget plan suggests a cut of $900 million in fiscal year 2026 for park operations. More cuts proposed by Trump: National Park Service's Historic The plan recommended a $158 million cut in the National Park Service's Historic Preservation Fund, saying, "Many historic preservation projects have matching funds from State, local, and private sources, rendering the Historic Preservation Fund highly duplicative. Further, the projects are often of local, rather than national, significance." National Park Service Construction: "The Biden Administration wasted Federal funding on construction projects at sites that are more appropriately managed at the local level. This reduction (of $73 million) complements the Administration's goals of federalism and transferring smaller, lesser visited parks to State and tribal governments. At the same time, the Budget allows NPS to prioritize larger projects at the Nation's crown jewel parks." National Park Service : "Many National Recreation and Preservation grants are already supported by State, local, and private sector efforts, including large amounts of mandatory funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund Stateside Grants. Further, these projects are not directly tied to maintaining national parks or public lands." The recommended cut was $77 million. "Cuts of this magnitude would devastate our national parks, further pushing them into a financial hole," the National Park and Conservation Association posted on its website. "For generations, Americans have believed that some places are so special that they should be protected for all time, and for all to experience. Any effort to hand many of these sites over to the states is a betrayal, and the American people won't stand for it," Pierno said. According to the National Park Service, there are 433 national park sites in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam. Sixty-three of the sites have national park as part of their name. According to the National Park Service, there are 11 national park sites in Florida: Big Cypress National Preserve Biscayne National Park Canaveral National Seashore Castillo de San Marcos National Monument De Soto National Memorial Dry Tortugas National Park Everglades National Park Fort Caroline National Memorial Fort Matanzas National Monument Gulf Islands National Seashore Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve ➤ See all 11 national park sites in Florida According to Smithsonian Magazine, two Florida parks made the list for the most and least visited in 2024. The top 10 most-visited National Park Service sites in 2024 were: Golden Gate National Recreation Area (17,187,508 visits) Blue Ridge Parkway (16,733,639 visits) Great Smoky Mountains National Park (12,191,834 visits) Gateway National Recreation Area (8,929,035 visits) The Lincoln Memorial (8,479,349 visits) Gulf Islands National Seashore (7,801,176 visits) Natchez Trace Parkway (7,364,833 visits) George Washington Memorial Parkway (6,782,717 visits) Lake Mead National Recreation Area (6,412,854 visits) Vietnam Veterans Memorial (5,295,711 visits) The 10 least-visited National Park Service sites in 2024 were: Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (11,907 visits) North Cascades National Park (16,485 visits) Kobuk Valley National Park (17,233 visits) Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (18,505 visits) National Park of American Samoa (22,567 visits) Isle Royale National Park (28,806 visits) Katmai National Park and Preserve (36,230 visits) Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (81,670 visits) Dry Tortugas National Park (84,873 visits) Great Basin National Park (152,068 visits) There are 20 different national park types that fall under the protection of the National Park Service. They are: National Monuments: 87 National Historical sites: 76 National Historical Parks: 63 National Parks: 63 National Memorials: 31 National Preserves: 19 National Recreation Areas: 18 National battlefields: 11 National Seashores: 10 National Wild and Scenic Rivers and Riverways: 10 Other designations: 10 National Military Parks: 9 National Scenic Trails: 6 National Battlefield Parks: 4 National Parkways: 4 National Rivers: 4 National Lakeshores: 3 National Reserves: 2 National Battlefield Site: 1 International Historic Sites: 1 Contributing: Dinah Volyes Pulver, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on Florida Today: National parks US, Florida. Trump plan cuts budget, state transfer
