GOP Derp Shows Over National Park Service Closures

You know how all these Republicans are trying to say the WWII memorial was closed by the Obama Administration to make the shutdown worse? 

"Paul also accused Democrats of stopping funding and rejecting Republican proposals because “they think it’s a parlor game.” "

"“We’re trying to fund government and they’re trying to stop any funding because they think it’s a parlor game and they’ll win politically, but they’re not willing to negotiate and I think that’s an untenable position,” Paul said."

"Meanwhile, at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) also suggested that the closure of the memorial was a kind of theater aimed at dramatizing the shutdown for the public."

"“There were barricades around something that 24/7, 365 I could” visit on previous occasions, Grassley said. “The show of putting barriers around because of the shutdown and spending all the money to do it … causes me to be a little cynical.”"

One GOP Congressman even went so far as to harass park ranger for doing her job, a job she had to do because of his vote:

""How do you look at them and ... deny them access?" said Neugebauer. He, with most House Republicans, had voted early Sunday morning to pass a funding measure that would delay the Affordable Care Act, a vote that set up a showdown with the Senate and President Barack Obama. With the parties unable to agree on how to fund the federal government, non-essential government functions shut down Tuesday."

Well here is the context they won't mention:

"The federal government shutdown that began at midnight did not exempt the National Park Service. The National Mall and Memorial's 330 employees are furloughed. Only three employees are exempt: the chief of maintenance, the deputy superintendent and the project manager who is overseeing the repairs to the Washington Monument, Johnson said. The repairs we continue through the shutdown since Congress had already approved the money for it, she said."

"Park Service employees came to work Tuesday to erect the barriers and turn off the fountains. It will take them through tomorrow to fully close all the federal parks and sites under their jurisdiction, Johnson said. After that, no maintenance people or park rangers are permitted to work, she said. Johnson was working off the clock on Monday afternoon."

And yes, there is a reason why all National Park Service ites are closed:

"National parks exist because they are protecting irreplaceable resources," says Joan Anzelmo, a former national park superintendent and spokeswoman for the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees."

"Anzelmo says "extraordinary natural resources, priceless historic artifacts and archaeology" are threatened when left unattended during the shutdown."

""There would be vandalism and theft," she adds. "There would be destruction in some places. There would be animals that are poached.""

"At Zion, Batrus worries about the 10,000 American and foreign tourists in the park this time of year."

""Allowing 10,000 people to come in and do whatever they want in the park ... would really be risking the resources" and the safety of visitors."

"Many may not appreciate the dangers that some activities present in the park, such as the risk of flash floods in Zion's narrow and popular canyons."

""Without a budget we're not able to explain to people some of the dangers of going into certain areas so you don't have the safety messages," Batrus asserts."

"Backcountry camping and risky canyon hikes in Zion require permits and safety briefings that are not available during the shutdown."