Fiddling Around with the Olympics while America Burns
- Rick Scarborough
- Oct 5, 2009
H.A.L.T. Obama Newsletter
Vol. 1, Ed. 1 - Oct. 5, 2009
Fiddling Around with the Olympics while America Burns
When Barack Obama was a presidential candidate, there was concern that, given his lack of executive experience -- as well as his utopian vision -- if elected, he would be like a ship adrift on a troubled sea. Those concerns have proven well-founded. While America and the Middle East burn, our novice president fiddled around with the Olympics.
Off to Copenhagen to lobby for the Olympics
Last Thursday, the President flew to Copenhagen on Air Force One to promote his hometown's bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2016. Michelle Obama left on Tuesday for Denmark's capital in her own jumbo jet. (For the supposedly environmentally-conscious first family, apparently, there was no concern about sending two hugely-expensive-to-operate jumbo jets on the same overseas trip.) This was the first time a U.S. president has involved himself in promoting a site for a future Olympics.
Allegations of corruption and insider deals by Obama cronies and the Daly machine surrounded the Chicago bid, as detailed by Michelle Malkin on her September 29th blog posting.
Still, after all of the expense, grandstanding and neglect of duties by the commander-in-chief, Chicago didn't even make it past the first round of balloting. The International Olympic Committee chose Rio de Janeiro as the site of the 2016 Games.
Obama's involvement here was another substitute for policymaking by a president who seems best at making appearances on television talk shows. It's not as if he had nothing better to do. The crises are piling up so fast that you need a program to keep track of them all.
Unemployment and the deficit
In August, the unemployment rate rose to a staggering 9.7%. Shortly after Obama took office, it was 8.1%. In August, we lost 216,000 jobs. The administration considers it a major accomplishment that the rate of job-loss is declining.
What happened to the president's vaunted economic stimulus package? Not only has the economy failed to improve, it's getting worse. Other than more spending, does Obama have an answer to our deepening recession and the misery it brings to the unemployed?
Meanwhile back at the Treasury, the deficit hole continues to deepen. The National Debt is now $11.78 trillion – or $38,376.60 for every man, woman and child in the United States.
Based on Obama-level spending, the debt is expected to almost double – increasing by $9 trillion -- over the next 10 years. And that may be a modest projection. The deficit in Obama's first year alone is estimated at $1.85 trillion – four times larger than Bush's largest deficit. What's the Danish word for hyper-inflation?
Afghanistan is burning too
In September, fatalities for U.S.-led Coalition forces fighting terrorists in Afghanistan were 71, almost twice the total for September, 2008 (37). In the first nine months of this year, total Coalition deaths were 223, compared to 155 for all of 2008.
Our commander on the ground, General Stanley McChrystal, says we need an additional 30,000 to 40,000 troops as quickly as possible to avoid a military debacle of Vietnam-proportions. McChrystal warns, "Failure to gain the initiative and reverse insurgent momentum in the near-term (next 12 months) – while Afghan security capacity matures – risks an outcome where defeating the insurgency is no longer possible."
Although he's known the request was coming for some time, Obama can't make up his mind what to do about increasing America's commitment, to prevent another Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. In contrast to the president's involvement with the Olympics, Gen. McChrystal recently disclosed that in his first 70 days in the job, he had exactly one phone call from the commander-in-chief.
Iran more threatening every day
With the recent revelation that Iran has a second nuclear-enrichment facility, the situation in the Middle East becomes ever more ominous. According to the latest National Intelligence Estimate, Iran could begin manufacturing its first nuclear weapons as early as next year.
Late last month, Iranian TV announced that it had successfully launched its new Shahab-3 missile, capable of striking both Israel and U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf. Iran's ruler, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, regularly vows to wipe Israel off the map.
The president's response to the increasingly desperate situation is "tough" new sanctions, combined with unconditional negotiations with one of the most evil and intransigent regimes on earth.
With all of these storm clouds threatening to unleash a deluge, President Obama chooses to spend a few days in Copenhagen lobbying for Chicago as the site of the 2016 Summer Olympics. To call this a misplaced priority may be the understatement of the year.
Never was there more of a need for a seasoned professional with the right principles in the White House. And never has the nation been burdened by more of an amateur who would rather posture than confront reality.
Send Congress a pink slip
The "Send Congress a Pink Slip" campaign, conceived by STOP Obama Advisory Council member Janet Porter and conducted by WorldNetDaily, is proving wildly popular. To date, 1.5 million of the "pink slips" have been delivered to members of Congress, warning that they'll soon be out of a job if they support more spending, interference with personal freedom and programs like nationalized health-care. Select here to learn more about the campaign and how you can participate: http://www.sendcongressapinkslip.com/?ref=visionamerica
For more information, please visit our website: www.haltobama.com.
