The DOGE-deranged media continue to plumb new lows in their collective attempt to instill fear and pessimism in a largely optimistic American public. The latest such effort by NBC revolves around DOGE cuts at the National Park Service.
Below is the report in its entirety, as aired on the NBC Nightly News on Thursday, February 20th, 2025:
LESTER HOLT: As the Trump administration pushes to overhaul federal agencies, roughly 1,000 workers have been fired at our national parks. Our Morgan Chesky has more on the impact ahead of the summer rush.
MORGAN CHESKY: Tonight, from Half Dome to Old Faithful and as far as Gettysburg, growing concerns at national parks, after roughly 1,000 federal park employees were laid off. In Yosemite, that means less staff to handle crowds who came to see the iconic firefall during a busy holiday week.
OLEG CHIMURA: I really felt like my world was taken out from underneath me.
CHESKY: Oleg Chimura blindsided by his termination letter Friday.
CHIMURA: I spent a lot of time squeegeeing the toilets and bathroom floors out. ASo after one day of me not being there, it's already pretty visually disgusting.
CHESKY: The abrupt dismissing of probationary park employees sending shock waves coast to coast. Stacey Ramsey lost her dream job as a ranger at Arkansas's Buffalo National River.
STACEY RAMSEY: It was so sudden and swift. Didn't have time to prepare myself at all for it. So that made it even more difficult.
CHESKY: Here in Yosemite, with uncertainty mounting over staffing levels, officials have already put summer reservations on pause for several popular campgrounds, putting the park's peak summer travel season in potential jeopardy. NBC News spoke with more than a dozen current and former Park Service employees, who warn visitors should expect significant impacts due to reduced staffing. From upkeep of trails,
ALEX WILD: I'm the only person available to rescue someone, to do CPR, to carry them out from a trail if they got injured.
CHESKY: Near Yosemite, Alex Wild was the only certified EMT ranger at Devil’s Post Pile National Monument.
If you're no longer at the park and an emergency happens, then what?
ALEX WILD: Maybe a local county fire department or search and rescue team could respond and it would take hours. I mean, it could mean life or death for someone who is having an emergency.
CHESKY: And tonight with appeals and a potential class action lawsuit in the works by terminated park employees, the Trump administration defending their actions. Saying in part that the president will continue to protect America's abundant natural resources, while streamlining federal agencies to better serve the American people. Lester.
HOLT: Quite a view there, Morgan. Thank you.
I have to say: Squeegee Toilet Guy might be a keeper. He has certainly shown that he provides more value to the American taxpayer than, say, Samantha Powers’ former speechwriter at USAID. Whereas she hid pride flags and subversive books from DOGE view, this guy is out there making sure vacationers don’t end up swimming in other peoples’ excrement.
The idea behind reports such as this one is to shamelessly fearmonger, and lead viewers to believe that federal job cuts will ruin every aspect of their lives. This is how we end up with Morgan Chasky hotfooting it to national parks and talking to former employees.
Other than Squeegee Guy not being around to ensure a pristine toileting experience, we can’t determine the net negative fallout from cutting these jobs. But we do know the net fallout from the economy potentially cratering under the crush of monstrous debt and deficits- something you never hear from the DOGE-deranged media when reporting on DOGE cuts.
