A few days back, I wrote about the possible downstream effects of government policy owing to budget cuts. The key concern is the impact of budget cuts and layoffs on the efficacy and quality of services that government departments can provide to their citizens. This scathing opinion piece in the LA times now claims that the most recent budget cuts are severely going to impact how Americans spend their summer vacations.
“Trump & Musk are coming for your summer vacation”
This opinion piece in the LA times tears into some of the recent budget cuts and cites downstream effects and their negative impact on domestic travel. The key component here being the impact on National Parks in the US.
According to the author, the downstream effects of cuts done by Elon Musk’s DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) will have the following impact:
- Over 1,000 National Parks employees fired, leading to longer lines and wait times at National Parks
Considering a trip to a national park? Be advised that the firing of more than 1,000 national parks employees will inevitably lead to difficulty accessing some of the most beloved and iconic portions of this country — the lines at the Grand Canyon and the headache of campsite booking at Yosemite are sure to get a whole lot worse.
The author not only cites the impact of these job cuts on wait times, but also flags safety concerns owing to a lack of knowledgeable personnel on site.
Even so, the loss of so many full-time employees does not fill one with confidence. I love the national parks, but I am not about to venture into what can still be quite dangerous terrain without the reassuring presence of knowledgeable and highly skilled rangers. Not to mention my feelings about marauding bears.
The downstream effects of budget cuts and tightening immigration policies will also impact the restaurant industry adversely. Moreover, as per the author, recent aviation related incidents are bound to raise concerns amongst frequent travelers, especially during a time when even the FAA has not been spared from layoffs.
If you’re looking to do a road trip, then the author of the article cites how budget cuts could impact safety while you’re on the road.
If you’re thinking you can avoid the whole mess with a road trip, well, tariffs on Canada and Mexico are predicted to raise gas prices (already precipitously high in California) and Musk and his minions have not spared the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from their mass reductions. Nor railway and other transit safety agencies.
The Pundit’s Mantra
In my opinion, some of the concerns are genuine. I’ve already written about how tariffs are bound to result in higher airfares for customers, if they stick in the long run.
On one hand, the Trump administration is claiming that these cuts will only help Americans by reducing wasteful Government spending. Critics of the move slam these policies, citing how these budget cuts and layoffs will only hinder the way in which several Government departments are able to provide basic services efficiently to their citizens.
What do you think? Do you think the Trump administration is going too far with its budget cuts? Conversely, do you think that the administration is on the right track and things will settle down after some initial pain? Tell us in the comments section.
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