Wahoo! The recent credit card bill will make it harder for companies to shift rates arbitrarily or use other sleight-of-hand tricks to squeeze more “earnings” out of cardholders. This is a long overdue and welcome development. But also tucked into the bill protecting consumers is a measure allowing visitors to carry loaded concealed weapons in National Parks.

What? Is that where the Wall Street crooks are hiding now?

This is how legislating is often done. A special interest group with a pack of pliable/scared representatives eying future contributions takes a “must pass” bill and inserts an entirely unrelated measure into the legislation, thereby taking it hostage. It’s like a marriage partner withholding sex until the other agrees to buy that expensive new SUV. This is how an education bill ends up containing tax breaks for hog farms whose waste ponds sicken schoolchildren. 

Those of us who don’t visit parks (including, now, me) probably have more pressing things to worry about, but the people who spend their days in the parks aren’t elated by the news. The Association of National Park Rangers opposes the change and, though no one ever asks them what they think, I imagine the animals dwelling peacefully in the parks also oppose it. Consider these April 2008 comments from Michael D. Snyder, the National Park Service's Denver regional director:

“Untrained visitors with firearms will be tempted to use firearms when they feel threatened.” Such shootings “could result in injury and death to employees and visitors, not to mention wounding of animals.” “The danger of wounded animals would immediately apply to other visitors.” 

source: (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a69BuzdsGj8k)

Bet you’re gonna see park employees lining up to get the 4^th of July off.  It’s the same tired old fight we have wherever guns and public spaces intersect – gun owners rave about their right to bear arms, but never consider the rights of potential bullet recipients to remain free of harm, be it accidental or intentional.

But, there is a bright side to all this. When some guy mistakes your hairy chest for a bear coming down the trail, you’ll have more room on the Mastercard to pay for the Life Flight to the hospital.