This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Part of being a good politician is condensing a complex issue into a sound bite that sounds like a good policy but can't hold up on further scrutiny.

Take, for example, one small aspect of President Donald Trump's freeze on the hiring of federal employees as it involves the National Park Service.

As is the case with many of the new president's proclamations, no one is quite sure exactly how the hiring freeze might work. But it could cause major problems for outdoor enthusiasts visiting national parks, a group that set records last year across the country.

In order to save money over the years, the Park Service keeps a fairly small cadre of permanent staffers and, instead, relies on seasonal employees to staff visitor centers, toll booths, search and rescue squads and interpreters who do things such as present evening programs.

This a good, money-saving system. Why, for example, would you want to have a full workforce at Yellowstone National Park in the middle of the winter when visitation is very low?

So how will this work if there is a federal hiring freeze? Will Trump's order apply to the seasonal workers who keep many of the most popular national parks up and running during their busy seasons?

If that is how it is applied, don't expect to see many of the same services at, say, Yellowstone, Zion or Bryce this year. The skeleton crews of full-time employees won't be able to help visitors, keep roads maintained, empty the garbage cans or perhaps even staff toll booths.

And does the policy apply to companies such as campground operators or shuttle bus outfits that contract with the Park Service to provide services?

How might this ruling also apply to the U.S. Forest Service?

It makes no sense to hire full-time wild land fire fighters, who may only be needed in the summer when fire season is at its height. Hiring part-time students or even teachers looking for a summer job to fight fires makes great economic sense.

The problem with blanket statements such as "putting a hiring freeze on federal employees" is that they sound good but, when the details are put under closer magnification, might not generate the cost savings or benefits they advertise.

That's what happens when you have government by sound bite. It is also what happens when you have a party in charge that has little respect for the outdoor recreation industry or the open spaces it relies on.

Twitter @tribtomwharton