Two observations—first, since January 2025, the National Park Service has lost approximately 24% of its permanent workforce, which translates to around 1,000 employees. Additionally, about 5,500 positions were proposed to be cut under the Trump administration's budget request for Fiscal 2026. All of those cuts have impacted the National Park Service ability to both serve and protect our National Parks. As the article notes, Mount Rushmore generates a significant amount of jobs and revenue for South Dakota—this is true of the NPS overall.
Our National Parks make money—even with no cuts in personnel, they make money. Cutting the NPS is not about efficiency or trimming fat from government. It’s foolish and short sighted and motivated primarily by those who seek to make our parks vulnerable to private exploitation. Consider President Trump has approved the Ambler Road project, a 211-mile road that will run through Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska, allowing access for mining operations. This decision imperils the environment and threatens wildlife, particularly caribou migrations. It’s all about the money for our Grifter in Chief.
Second observation, lighting this monument at a cost of $39 a night is some nice “we’ll never let the light of freedom go out in SD” theatre, but that’s all it is. When Rhoden and Republican leadership are ready to reverse these fiscally irresponsible cuts to the NPS, that will be worth praising, but I’m not holding my breath as long as there is money to be made by exploiting our national parks resources.
As one of the Presidents carved into Mount Rushmore said, "...the time has come to inquire seriously what will happen when our forests are gone, when the coal, the iron, the oil, and the gas are exhausted, when the soils shall have been still further impoverished and washed into the streams, polluting the rivers, denuding the fields, and obstructing navigation.” Looks like this administration intends to find out.
Thirty bucks a night to keep the lights on? Wow, those nine Republican legislators must have some really deep pockets to make their pledges. Now if Noem hadn't wasted $230,000 of state money on her asinine fireworks litigation a few years ago, SD could have paid to keep the lights on for 21 frigging years. Do the math. God this is all such stupid political posing. "Look at me, I'm a patriot." There are so many more important things to worry about than lighting up a bunch of stone.
Interesting article...but I'm pretty sure the four great men carved in the mountain are stressing in their graves over the behavior of republican "leaders" all across this nation! But one angle not mentioned enough...our "supreme" court has been politicized and corrupted to ALSO bend their majority knees to the White House desires! It is fact that several justices are bought and paid for by right wing big money. WHERE does BIG MONEY end with their growing control of every aspect of American freedom? These wealthy 'people' are the current kings of America. Trump is simply the enforcing court jester in charge. TRUE freedom offers CHOICE as our Constitution details. The current GOP and right wing worshipers only wish to IMPOSE their chosen beliefs on all people. THAT is not the America I know...or, knew. The Supreme Court, and the way it has been stacked, is dangerous concern NUMBER ONE!
Two observations—first, since January 2025, the National Park Service has lost approximately 24% of its permanent workforce, which translates to around 1,000 employees. Additionally, about 5,500 positions were proposed to be cut under the Trump administration's budget request for Fiscal 2026. All of those cuts have impacted the National Park Service ability to both serve and protect our National Parks. As the article notes, Mount Rushmore generates a significant amount of jobs and revenue for South Dakota—this is true of the NPS overall.
Our National Parks make money—even with no cuts in personnel, they make money. Cutting the NPS is not about efficiency or trimming fat from government. It’s foolish and short sighted and motivated primarily by those who seek to make our parks vulnerable to private exploitation. Consider President Trump has approved the Ambler Road project, a 211-mile road that will run through Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska, allowing access for mining operations. This decision imperils the environment and threatens wildlife, particularly caribou migrations. It’s all about the money for our Grifter in Chief.
Second observation, lighting this monument at a cost of $39 a night is some nice “we’ll never let the light of freedom go out in SD” theatre, but that’s all it is. When Rhoden and Republican leadership are ready to reverse these fiscally irresponsible cuts to the NPS, that will be worth praising, but I’m not holding my breath as long as there is money to be made by exploiting our national parks resources.
As one of the Presidents carved into Mount Rushmore said, "...the time has come to inquire seriously what will happen when our forests are gone, when the coal, the iron, the oil, and the gas are exhausted, when the soils shall have been still further impoverished and washed into the streams, polluting the rivers, denuding the fields, and obstructing navigation.” Looks like this administration intends to find out.
Thirty bucks a night to keep the lights on? Wow, those nine Republican legislators must have some really deep pockets to make their pledges. Now if Noem hadn't wasted $230,000 of state money on her asinine fireworks litigation a few years ago, SD could have paid to keep the lights on for 21 frigging years. Do the math. God this is all such stupid political posing. "Look at me, I'm a patriot." There are so many more important things to worry about than lighting up a bunch of stone.
Interesting article...but I'm pretty sure the four great men carved in the mountain are stressing in their graves over the behavior of republican "leaders" all across this nation! But one angle not mentioned enough...our "supreme" court has been politicized and corrupted to ALSO bend their majority knees to the White House desires! It is fact that several justices are bought and paid for by right wing big money. WHERE does BIG MONEY end with their growing control of every aspect of American freedom? These wealthy 'people' are the current kings of America. Trump is simply the enforcing court jester in charge. TRUE freedom offers CHOICE as our Constitution details. The current GOP and right wing worshipers only wish to IMPOSE their chosen beliefs on all people. THAT is not the America I know...or, knew. The Supreme Court, and the way it has been stacked, is dangerous concern NUMBER ONE!