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| Economy |
| Steyn:Obama's Declaration of Dependence |
| 2011-07-02 |
| Please, no snickering. The self-reliant citizen? In the damning formulation of contemporary American vernacular, he's history -- as in over and done with, fuhgeddabouttim. What's left of that founding vision on this less than Glorious Fourth of July 2011 in the Brokest Nation in History? "You go talk to your constituents," President Obama taunted Republicans on Wednesday, "and ask them, are they willing to compromise their kids' safety so that some corporate-jet owner continues to get a tax break?" In the Republic of Brokistan, that's the choice, is it? Give me safe kids or give me corporate jets! No corporate aviation without safe kiddification! In his bizarre press conference on Wednesday, Obama made no fewer than six references to corporate-jet owners. Just for the record, the tax break for corporate jets was part of the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009" -- i.e., the stimulus. The Obama stimulus. The Obama-Pelosi-Reid stimulus. The Obama-Pelosi-Reid-Democratic-party stimulus that every single Republican House member and all but three Republican senators voted against. The Obama--Corporate Jet stimulus that some guy called Obama ostentatiously signed into law in Denver after jetting in to host an "economic forum." Charles Krauthammer did the math. If you eliminate the Obama-Pelosi-Reid Corporate Jet Tax Break, you would save so much dough that, after 5,000 years, you would have clawed back enough money to cover one year of Obama's debt. Five thousand years is the year 7011. Boy, our kids'll really be safe by then. I see some leftie at MSNBC has just been suspended for characterizing the president's performance on Wednesday as that of a demotic synonym for the male reproductive organ. So I shall be more circumspect and say only that even being a hollow unprincipled demagogue requires a certain lightness of touch Obama can't seem to find. Speaking of corporate jets, did the president fly commercial to Denver? Oh, but that's different! He's in "public service." A couple of weeks before he flew Air Force One to Denver, he flew Air Force One to Williamsburg, Va. From the White House (well, via Andrews Air Force Base). That's 150 miles, a 30-minute flight. He took a 747, a wide-bodied jet designed to carry 500 people to the other side of the planet, for a puddle-jump across the Potomac. |
| Posted by:Beavis |
| #3 Obama taunted Republicans on Wednesday, "and ask them, are they willing to compromise their kids' safety so that some corporate-jet owner continues to get a tax break?" The usual politician's cry: It's for the kids! A restatement of what Mark Halperin said would be appropriate. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2011-07-02 18:23 |
| #2 Of course we are not just talking about a jet. We are talking about every dial, diode, seat cushion, tire, wire; everything then service. That's the same argument the White House advanced during the government takeover of the auto industry. Funny how it's okay for Detroit, but not for anyone else. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2011-07-02 17:36 |
| #1 What if I said non-public transportation: Peloski's private jet? The jaunts to South Africa and tourist jump through Central America? Puerto Rico for a fundraiser? Hawaii for a break? Corporations Does this include major airline corporations, or just the jets they make in places like Wichita KS (which are heavy union influenced)? Which, by the way, are one of the items the USA still exports. Or the small business corps who handle private transport for celebrities and VIPs? Of course we are not just talking about a jet. We are talking about every dial, diode, seat cushion, tire, wire; everything then service. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2011-07-02 16:34 |