I work for the National Park Service. I eat, sleep, and dream national parks. I put in my 40 hours a week, and happily keep on working into evenings and days off. And so do many of my colleagues. Because we believe in what we are doing, and we are deeply, deeply passionate about our work.
And so today I was livid when I read the latest atrocity. The National Park Service, as well as the United States Forest Service, are proposing to "outsource" the jobs of our public information officers.
A link to the story about the USFS side is here.
More below...
Think about it. Instead of a professional employee of the agency delivering you the news about your favorite national park or forest, you will instead hear from a contractor bought and paid for by the administration.
What do think the odds are that there might be a little spin thrown in?
I'm already grieving for the professional mouthpieces of these agencies, who every day must swallow their pride and spew administration filth. But at least they try to put the best possible face on their stories, and they at least try to portray their beloved agencies as positively as they can.
What incentive will the contractors have? Their only incentive will be to win the next story, by portraying the administration in the absolutely, positively best possible light.
If this happens, don't believe a damned thing you hear about these agencies, which exist solely for the public good. Just know that there are many, many people that are working night and day to keep your faith in our missions, even while we are cursing under our breath.