By Rick Manning
Fairfax, Virginia-based, free enterprise education foundation, Americans for Limited Government (ALG) Foundation released a report titled “Obama’s World v. Real World” today to commemorate President Obama’s returning from what seemed like an endless summer of vacations.
The report features a cover photo of a golf-shirt clad President with putter in hand, kicking his cleated foot in the air in exuberance after apparently sinking a putt — or Obama is auditioning for a Karate Kid 2 remake.
The report itself is serious. Detailing date after date when the President or the First Lady were engaged in recreational, vacation or fundraising activities while at the same time, Americans were dying in combat, losing jobs and going into bankruptcy.
One example from the report shows that on June 5, 2009, in Obama’s world, the President and First Lady enjoyed a date night in Paris, France, and managed to snub the French President in the process. On that same day, the U.S. Department of Labor released data showing that 345,000 Americans lost their jobs the prior month and the unemployment rate jumped to 9.4 percent.
Bill Wilson, president of ALG explained, “This report shows just how out of touch the Obama’s are from the real problems facing the rest of America, and should be taken to heart when the President embarks on a compassion offensive in 2011.”
The report spans from February 11, 2009, when the Obama’s made a highly publicized visit to Ford’s Theater just a few days into his presidency to August 28, 2010, his most recent late-August family vacation to Martha’s Vineyard. The report also includes the First Lady’s controversial vacation to Spain, and the 27-hour Gulf of Mexico frolic in Panama City, Florida.
A few of the examples of recreational activities listed include the following.
On June 29, 2009, when on the same day that Obama had a reception for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transsexual Pride month, five American soldiers died in warzones.
On March 10, 2010, while the President was raising money for the Democrats in St. Louis, Missouri, the Treasury Department released budget data showing that our nation fell $220.9 billion more in debt.
On May 3, 2010, while Obama entertained the Business Council for dinner, the American Bankruptcy Institute released data showing that personal bankruptcies in April had increased 15 percent from the year before.
Wilson concluded, “This President seems to be more interested in lowering his handicap than with the damage that his policies have done to the American people. His callousness is in direct contrast to the economic pain that people are suffering.”
The full report can be read at Americans for Limited Government’s website – www.getliberty.org.
Rick Manning is the Director of Communications for Americans for Limited Government.
