Trey Gowdy Blasts National Parks Director Over Barrycades

And well he should have

(The Blaze) During a U.S. House hearing concerning the closure of national parks and monuments during the partial government shutdown, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) scolded the director of the National Park Service for treating “pot-smoking” demonstrators in the Occupy movement with more respect than the nation’s war veterans.

Gowdy relentlessly challenged National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis to cite the federal regulation that prompted his department to put up barricades to keep veterans out of war memorials on the first day of the shutdown. He also pointed out that the Park Service failed to issue a single citation when Occupiers camped out at D.C.’s McPherson Square for 100 days – 100 days in “non-compliance” with federal regulations.

“That was two years ago,” Jarvis explained.

“Well, I can cite you the regulation that you did not follow two years ago. Can you cite me the regulation that required you to erect barricades from accessing a monument that they built?” Gowdy pressed.

“On the very first day of the closure, I implemented a closure order for all 401 national parks in compliance with the Anti-Deficiency Act,” Jarvis replied. “And immediately, that day, also included, as a part of that order, that First Amendment activities would be permitted on the National Mall.”

Unimpressed, Gowdy snapped back: “Do you consider it First Amendment activity to walk to a monument that you helped build, or is it only just smoking pot at McPherson Square?”

Of course, Gowdy shouldn’t have just been blasting Director Jarvis: he should have been blasting (NMP) Obama, the person ultimately in charge, who could have stopped this. Republicans should have been blasting Obama left and right during the shutdown over this. Whenever they came on TV or radio they should have been using harsh language, the same type of harsh language Obama and the Democrats have used. They should have been making sure every Low Information Voter knew what was going on, and how despicable it was. Instead, they continued with their measures, reasonable talking points. Thomas Sowell calls them the “inarticulate Republicans“.

Republicans were never going to defund Obamacare. The Senate would never sign off. Nor would Obama. They might have gotten a one year waiver on the individual mandate. Probably not. But they could have emphasized all the temporary breaks and waivers Team Obama has given out like candy. They didn’t. Not in language that resonates. As Phineas tweeted

Republicans pretty much obtained zip. Not even the messaging battle.

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach.

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