How phony is our Federal Government?

Here is an illustration.

Deep in the Gila National Forest of western New Mexico, is a place where some ancient people, perhaps the Mogollons, found some caves high up the side of a mountain, laboriously carried stones up the slope, and improved the caves to create inhabitable living spaces.

Stone is (almost) everlasting, so the efforts of these ancient people have remained, largely intact. This is such an interesting place that it has been designated a National Monument, known as the Gila Cliff Dwellings, to ensure its preservation. The National Park Service built a nice visitor's center, and employs a single person to oversee the operation.

Then, interested, civic-minded persons educated themselves in the history of the place and  regularly volunteer to act as guides. They help visitors understand the dwellings, and further protect the site from vandalism - or simply from over-enthusiastic visitors who want to take home a rock as a souvenir.

With the government shut down, the Monument is closed. The single paid employee is still on the job, still paid their salary, to keep the gate shut, the Visitor's Center shuttered, and advise visitors that they cannot enter the area. The unpaid volunteers are also forbidden to enter the Monument.

October is, perhaps, the most beautiful month in New Mexico. It is a wonderful time to explore our "Land of Enchantment". But, you can forget seeing the Gila Cliff Dwellings. They are 'shut down'.

The paid employee is still paid. The volunteers cannot volunteer. The visitors cannot visit. All because the Administration wants the public to 'feel the pain' of an affront to their policy.