Do you love Acadia?

Of course you do! As do I. Who doesn’t?

The pink granite cliffs, the pounding ocean surf, the sand beaches and secluded coves. Mountains that rise tall from the sea, pocked with jack pines. The cool, dark black spruce forests and sparkling clear streams that run between them. The winding carriage roads, the narrow foot trails and the Park Loop Road that help us explore and see and touch and smell the natural beauty that is Acadia.

But did you know that in the last four years federal funding for parks has increased from $903 million to $1 billion annually?

Probably not.

And you probably never noticed any problem getting into the visitor center, or finding a roll of TP in the john, or finding a park ranger during your visit.

Nope.

Thought so.

But Acadia is in crisis, don't you know! Remember that annual $1 billion figure for parks? That funding level increase is less than the current annual 3% rate of inflation. So, some in our government call that a “cut” and cry foul.

Like our own seemingly math-challenged U.S. Congressman Tom Allen.

Allen continues to beat the steady drum about “tax cuts for wealthy” and “cost of war” and whatever other convenient but tired mantra as the reason for such an abominable “erosion of services” as is happening to Acadia.

Acadia gets a couple million $$$ a year more now than just a few of years ago, but it just can’t seem to get by, according to Allen’s line of thought.

Hmmm.

This is what I love about our government. There is never enough money for it to spend. It wants ever more. More of my tax dollars and yours. It never asks where you and I will get the money to pay for more fees and surcharges and revenue enhancements and other disguises for TAXES.

This current administration is no better. Fiscally conservative? Not a chance. It's spend, spend, spend.

Please tell me: What government agency, be it local, state or federal, couldn’t do with a flat line budget for awhile until we get our fiscal house in order?

You and I do it every day, every year. We make do with what we have. We have no choice.

So should the government. At all levels. Even our parks.

I’m weary of the-sky-is-falling alarmism. There simply isn’t enough money available to do all the things that we, the pampered, spoiled and lazy American people, now ask our government to do. There just isn’t.

Can’t we accept that? Shouldn't our leaders, regardless of party, be more responsible?

Our parks are wonderful, beautiful places. Acadia will survive on $6.5 mil a year. It's tough love, but I’m pretty confident.

But if the next time I visit I can’t find a ranger when I need to ask a question, I might consider figuring things out for myself. If the visitor center isn’t open late, I’ll pick up a brochure outside and show myself around. And if I can’t find an open outhouse, I’ll pee in the woods.

Beloved Acadia will still look the same. And I’ll enjoy it just as much.

Seawall in Acadia National Park.