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Good idea? Bad idea? I am curious of the input of the intellectual city-data political forum poster.
In short, Senate Commerce Committee headed by Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) wants to consolidate the 122 National Weather Service offices into 6 regional offices to make operations more efficient and cost less.
In my opinion, the 1 billion dollar budget that produces forecasts throughout the United States should not be cut because of a high ROI. Energy companies, farms, and many other areas save money by accurate forecasts and I believe consolidating these offices will be detrimental to the science. Of all the things to cut, why on something that has such a high ROI?
Wasn't it a Republican who wanted to disband the NWS and turn over the reigns to Accuweather?
This is a terrible idea, I don't want someone from another state trying to give me up to date forecasts when severe weather is around.
Wasn't it a Republican who wanted to disband the NWS and turn over the reigns to Accuweather?
This is a terrible idea, I don't want someone from another state trying to give me up to date forecasts when severe weather is around.
Santorum put forth a bill to do so in 2005 while he was in the Senate
We dont pay now or do you think the government has its own money?
That cost is spread over many millions of taxpayers, making it of little cost per person. The private sector would charge not just the cost but the cost plus a profit. Weather forecasts are of too much importance to put in corporate hands alone. At just under 1 billion dollars, and with a population of around 318 million people, that works out to little over 3 dollars per person. Will a private service provide year-round access to that sort of data for $3?
That cost is spread over many millions of taxpayers, making it of little cost per person. The private sector would charge not just the cost but the cost plus a profit. Weather forecasts are of too much importance to put in corporate hands alone. At just under 1 billion dollars, and with a population of around 318 million people, that works out to little over 3 dollars per person. Will a private service provide year-round access to that sort of data for $3?
What other needs of yours would you like your neighbor to pay for?
If weather forcasts are so critical as you say, there will surely be many firms vying to give their paying customers the most accurate forcasts.
I'd argue that weather reports are too important to leave to bureaucrats and lying government agencies.
What other needs of yours would you like your neighbor to pay for?
If weather forcasts are so critical as you say, there will surely be many firms vying to give their paying customers the most accurate forcasts.
I'd argue that weather reports are too important to leave to bureaucrats and lying government agencies.
Actually everyone's safety depends on good weather forecasting. Tornadoes, ice storms, blizzards, hurricanes, and so forth would kill far more than they already do without forecasting. In the days before the NWS and good forecasting storms came with little warning and killed more people. In the private sector there'd be incentive to skimp on quality, to cut corners, to profit more. Weather forecasts are an area where government is the best way of providing the service. Maybe you'd also like to see the military cut, since the private sector can take care of that?
Many government agencies are consolidating, I don't know the value of having 122 NWS offices in this day and age but they do an excellent job. They own the entire network of weather feeds from Doppler radars and other measurement stations, I would not want to see them privatized.
This does not eliminate any positions at least not for now, just consolidation of locations and most of their weather products are available on the internet and other media.
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