Re: Red Tape
WDLanger@aol.com
Tue, 16 Sep 1997 14:31:09 -0400 (EDT)
Regarding the idea of no-cost loans to permit list hopefuls who are short of
money: if you guys think the bureaucracy is bad now, just try THAT little
jewel of an idea. What they maybe ought to do is let kids apply for a permit,
for free or at reduced cost, so they can grow into it.... however that may
well mean that there would be even more cancellations in the future.
As a self-employed carpenter with a flexible schedule, though not much
money, I am one who has benefitted from the cancellation of someone else's
permit (one time out of five trips). You think they should call the next
person on the list to ask if that person wants to go? You think that'll keep
down the number of GCNP employees? As far as I'm concerned, they ought to
just double the number of private launches to two private trips a day instead
of one, and clip the user days off the commercials' totals. If you or I can
go down the river for, say, $400 a head for a 20-day trip, by doing it
ourselves (food, boat, etc.), and a commercial trip costs half that PER DAY,
then it's not the rich who are abusing the cancellation process, they're only
taking advantage of a situation created by the commercials and maintained by
the Park Service.
In my opinion, there oughta be NO fat so-and-sos swilling beer on
motorboats down there: it should be harder than it is for commercial
customers to go down. What you get out of a Canyon experience depends on what
you put into it.
Well I've run my mouth off enough. Good luck with the permit.
Bill Langer
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