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Haraz N. Ghanbari / AP
President Barack Obama and Orlando, Fla. Mayor Buddy Dyer, right, walk over to greet onlookers after arriving at Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Fla., Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012.
Updated at 1:55p.m. ET
Targeting prize electoral territory, President Barack Obama called Thursday for America to become the world's top travel destination, making an economic pitch to Florida voters from the Magic Kingdom ahead of an upcoming Republican presidential primary.
"America is open for business," Obama declared in his talk in front of the sun-splashed Cinderella Castle in the heart of Disney World. "We want to welcome you," he said.
Obama issued an executive order seeking to boost tourist visa processing in China and Brazil and took additional steps including promoting national parks and adding business executives to a tourism advisory board.
The goal is to significantly increase travel and tourism in the United States. The White House said that more than 1 million U.S. jobs could be created over the next decade, according to industry projections, if the U.S. increases its share of the international travel market.
"The more folks who visit America, the more Americans we get back to work. It's that simple," Obama said.
Trumpeting America's attractions, Obama rattled off a list of can't-miss tourist sites from Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks to the Golden Gate Bridge and the skyline of his native Chicago.
"We've got the best product to sell. I mean, look at where we are. We've got the most entertaining destinations in the world. This is the land of extraordinary natural wonders," he said.
Beyond the economic case, Obama's trip to the tourist mecca was the latest bid by the White House and his campaign to steal a share of the spotlight from Republicans vying for the GOP presidential nomination. Obama held a live video conference with Iowa voters during the Republican caucus, Vice President Joe Biden held a similar event with voters in New Hampshire on the night of the state's first-in-the-nation primary, and next week Obama will travel to Nevada, which follows Florida on the primary calendar.
Obama's high-profile trip to Florida could help him counter attacks on his record lobbed by Republican presidential candidates during stops across the state, where tough television ads are already airing. And it allows Obama to lay the groundwork for the general election campaign in Florida, a key political battleground he carried in 2008.
The state holds 29 electoral votes, making it a top target for both Obama and his Republican rivals. Florida twice backed Republican George W. Bush, providing the decisive electoral votes in the cliffhanger 2000 election that was decided after a 36-day recount.
Republican front-runner Mitt Romney greeted Obama with an open letter to the president running as an ad in Thursday's editions of the Tampa Bay Times. "Welcome to Florida," Romney says in the ad. "I have a simple question for you: Where are the jobs?"
"Perhaps there's some poetic justice in the president speaking from Fantasyland," Romney added in a conference call with reporters. "Because, I'm afraid, he's been speaking from Fantasyland for some time now."
A recent Quinnipiac University poll showed the president in a near-statistical tie with Romney in Florida in a head-to-head matchup.
Tourism is a key component of the economy in Florida, which is burdened by 10 percent unemployment and rampant home foreclosures. Thursday's tourism and travel announcement was part of the president's "We Can't Wait" initiative aimed at promoting executive actions Obama can take without congressional approval.
The White House said the travel and tourism industry represent 2.7 percent of gross domestic product and 7.5 million jobs in 2010. But the U.S. share of spending by international travelers fell from 17 percent to 11 percent between 2000 and 2010, due to increased competition and changes in global development, as well as security measures imposed after Sept. 11, 2001, according to the White House.
Obama's executive order aims to: boost non-immigrant visa processing capacity in China and Brazil by 40 percent this year; expand a Visa Waiver Program that allows participating nationals to travel to the U.S. for stays of 90 days or less without a visa; appoint a new group of chief executives to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, and direct an interagency task force to develop recommendations for a National Travel and Tourism Strategy, including promoting national parks and other sites.
That was good news to Brazilian visitors Lilian Lara and Lindbergh Souza, who welcomed the change in visa procedures as they shopped along the resort's streets hours before the president's speech.
"It will make things a whole lot better," said Lara, a 22-year-old student from Sao Paolo, who is working as a summer intern at the theme park resort.
Souza said the visa process was expensive, at $500, and also time consuming, especially for Brazilians who don't live close to consuls in Rio de Janiero and Sao Paulo.
"The whole process took me six months," said Souza, who welcomed the president's efforts to speed up the visa process especially for visitors from Brazil and China.
The White House insisted the president's trip to Florida was not purely political, dismissing suggestions that his itinerary was connected to a slate of upcoming Republican primaries. Obama spokesman Jay Carney said there were few tourist destinations "as iconic as Disney World" and the tourist attractions surrounding Orlando represented a fitting place to talk about the president's initiatives.
From Florida, Obama was to fly to New York City for four glitzy campaign fundraisers, including an event at the famed Apollo Theater featuring performances by Al Green and India.Arie. Tickets to that fundraiser start at $100.
The president also was to attend a $35,800 per ticket fundraiser at the home of director Spike Lee, and two small fundraisers at Daniel, an exclusive Manhattan restaurant. Tickets start at $5,000 for the first restaurant fundraiser and $15,000 for the second.
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How about lifting the embargo on Cuba? I heard the Cold War ended over 20 years ago.
That makes a lot of sense, combat communism by spreading capitalism. It has worked elsewhere.
Unfortunately since it is a good idea that makes a lot of sense it won't happen.
Eh, the whole communism thing is sorta last millennium. One would hope increased trade would help our economy and theirs, and we'd appear to be more tolerant of those in our own hemisphere. I really don't see a detracting argument on why lifting the embargo is a bad thing.
Ruken, I've been saying that for 10 years. If nothing else, we could make a fortune selling parts for all the '50s cars they still have.
Born and raised in Miami-Dade and still here, I have been with Detroit for over 20 years.
The problem is the hatred the Cuban-American's have for Castro, rightfully so, keeps rational thought from this.
If we lift the embargo, it would leave Iran and venezuela with one less friend. This is significant since they don't have that many to begin with. It would be a real game changer in world politics, and good for us. Finally a foreign policy decision where the best course of action is not going to cost us anything.
Really??? Go home, no one can visit Florida with you there, too many secret service people. Your job is not to promote tourism you job is to get the country out of debt and not get it any further in debt.
As a matter of fact tourism will increase significantly when the Failed President leaves the state.
....another nonsensical comment from the right.
What planet are you from....certainly not Earth.
Your comment of "Failed President" is a joke....who killed Bin Laden? Who has deported more illegal aliens in his brief time in office than the ENTIRE BUSH/CHENEY ERA...???
If you are not from Mars....then you certainly have severe MYOPIA or you are a PAID POSTER FROM THE RNCC....I have a feeling it's the latter.
The Navy Seals killed Bin Laden based on intelligence gained through waterboarding.
More illegal aliens are being deported because many, many more have been allowed to come in. Who let guns go over to the Mexican cartels and has tried to cover it up ?? That would be Obama's appointee Eric Holder .... the same guy who refused to go after black panther voter intimidation.
Who promised to keep unemployment below 8% if we agreed to borrow trillions? Who promised to close GITMO? Who promised to clear out the lobbyists? Who is continuing the Patriot Act?
Who uses the US military without Congressional approval? Who assassinates US citizens overseas?
Whose crony capitalism gave millions to the failed Solyndra? Who gave money to Brazil for off-shore drilling?
You want me to cite more Obama failures??
Geesh jim, if this water boarding worked so well, why didn't Bush get Osama? And the gun deal started with Bush:
Jo-An
The Wide Receiver program was STOPPED when the weapons were lost in Mexico. Obama's DOJ RESTARTED a failed program and continued it even after they knew the weapons "walked across the border" The Obama BATFE lost over 2000 weapons Wide Receiver lost a couple hundred. So saying "Bush did it first" doesn't make the program right now does it? Don't forget the Fast and Furious weapons are implicated in the death of a Border Patrol Agent and hundreds if not thousands of Mexican Nationals. I don't remember any of the Wide Receiver weapons being used to kill a Border Patrol Agent do you?
If Issa can't connect the dots it's because there aren't any dots to connect!
iheardthisbefore, keep it about the comment, not the commenter.
You're suspended for a day for violating #1 of the Code of Honor.
Keep on leftys, we have less patience daily with you scum bags.
"End of patience" day, gets a little closer every day.
The Military killed Bin Laden definately not Obama. He was not out there with gun in hand defending our country NEVER has he defended our country.
Romney - "Unlike you, I am not a career politician." Not for lack of trying!! LMFAO!
That is only because Obama won most of his elections, and Romney lost most of his. The only difference between a career politician and Mitt Romney is their Win/Loss record.
Why does Romney (and the press) think he will win this state in a general election? He is NOT a local (hasn't lived here since he was 12), his dear old dad was governor during the riots of '68, and he voted against the auto bailout. We do not like you, Mitt. You are a shyster, and we can smell it from here.
Two?
alberto_ny banned, re-reg of multiple accounter dontgivemethepenguin.
in obama's first election to the illinois house he had no opponent, he managed to dig up some bs on him at the last second and the opponent did not have enough time to refute it. oddly enough during his run for the us senate the same thing happened. his opponent was slammed with some bs about his marriage and did not have time to clear the record. so in reality obama only WON 1 election, that for president, and i cant attest to that, who knows what acorn pulled off. the other two were against no one. amazing how chicago politics works. Axelrod managed to pull both of these off.
Seems more of a compliment to me that it only took Obama two elections to become POTUS. I'd take that 2 out of 2 record over Romney's 1 any day of the week.
Let Americans visit Cuba - that will boost tourism in Florida
The only thing Obama can boost is the national debt.
That's because a narcissist always tries to make himself look good at whatever expenses is necessary.
That's our expense to pad his ego.
He just can't let that airplane cool off. Florida today, Arizona tomorrow. What a putz.
For God's sake, he was left with a trillion dollar deficit and a damaged economy!!! What the F*** do you think he should have done??? Cut spending from education and the Department of Transportation?? Take money out of entitlements?? Tax the bejesus out of us right in the middle of a near-depression???? Haven't you taken any economics classes?? I haven't but at least I know that doing either would have sent the stock market tumbling and we would still be in the muck by now. And what do you think would have happened to the debt with that deficit: just write it off and forget about it???? We were in a recession from late 2007 to late 2009 or early 2010. And what about how Bush traveled throughout our nation under taxpayer expense?? Or even your beloved Ron Paul, who did the same damn thing while protesting under massive spending???? Don't give me this spending BS, because EVERY FREAKIN' president did it. Read the history of presidents of the US. Or more importantly, read a book. Until you learn about federal budgets and economics, don't bother posting stupid comments like that.
Hey everyone hurry up and visit the U.S.
P.S. if you get called a "Terrorist" you could get detained indefinitely without due process of the law and never be charged with anything. Enjoy your stay!
While this can/should be seen as a good thing, a measure to boost tourism/jobs in Florida would have been seen as a genuine effort to help the economy, 3, 2 or even 1 year ago. Oh, election year is upon us,,, let's start to see how we can create some jobs in Florida. Please. True job creating measures should have been brought forth a long time ago; now, heading into the election year, it seems to be all for the publicity, and, to hopefully make everyone forget the first 3 years of this presidency. Again, while I believe this to be a good thing,,, it is too little, too late.
Why didnt he do this 3 years ago because he didnt need the votes then and if hes elected again he be like the last 3 years he wont do a thing for us for 4 years...can you take 4 more years of no work?
If President Obama stepped down tomorrow why would jobs come back Joe? What is your magical link?
I'm sorry Joe, I forgot, you are banking on Romney's magical underwear...the republican answer to everything.
"If President Obama stepped down tomorrow why would jobs come back Joe?"
Yes, a lot of them would. There are more than just a few employers deferring new hiring until Obama is out of office. It's just simply to risky to take on more employees with this much uncertainty as to what new rules, regulations, and mandates this administration will wake up one mourning and unilaterally impose.
McBean, that is nothing but a crock of crap. Any business person waiting to make a move until life is certain will never make a move. You republicans think any old made up garbage serves as an argument.
If a business person is not willing to take a risk, they don't deserve to be in business. And they will be replaced by someone who will.
@James Reynolds,
As an HR/Benefits consultant, I can only go by what a lot of my clients are telling me (they're still spooked about the fallout from health-care reform). And liberals need to understand that when a point is made that you can't or don't want to admit, putting your fingers in your ears and going LALALALALA, doesn't make it go away, or represent a coherent rebuttal.
McBean you are insisting upon lying but that is expected. Any good business man will move when the profit is before him. If he does not another will take his place.
Your argument is simply stupid and I listened with both ears open, both times.
Give me a coherent specific example if you have talked with so many minded "business men".
@Detroit-Storm,
Business people, or at least successfull business people take "calculated risks". Putting money and resources at risk in ventures when the risks are unknown is called speculation.
RJMcBean,
all risks are "calculated", you weigh the advantages versus costs and an X factor. You don't know squat about business. Did you google your response, seriously?
@ James Reynolds #10.2,
So, another day has passed and you are still focused on Mr. Romney's underwear ????? What is it with you libbies ?????
The article is about Obama trying to look good in Florida. He is trying to "sell" the U.S. citizens again on the vagueness of hope and change. Let's see Obama talk about his record deficits and unemployment.
Hey James!
If I buy lottery tickets, does that make me an investor?
"Give me a coherent specific example if you have talked with so many minded "business men".
Like I already mentioned, right now PPACA is the big concern. Employers are struggling with what the costs of bringing on a new hire will actually be. It seems every week or so, HHS comes out with a new edict, or interpretation. They even did away with an entire section (the CLASS Act) with a stroke of the pen. We know what the penalty is supposed to be for employers to not provide health coverage, but that could change on a whim. Same thing for minimum essential benefits, which can have a profound impact on employer costs. Then we've got the "Cadillac Tax" on employee health-care premium that's based a percentage of their household income. How in the world is the employer suppose to know what the employees spouse earns? Should they just drop their group plan, pay the fine, and push all their employees onto the exchanges? Right now, it looks like it's financially advantageous for them to do that, but what if they wake up one morning to find the fine is all of a sudden doubled? Unfortunately, the prudent thing for most businesses to do right now, is to take a wait and see approach.
The places where I do see hiring going on, is where they simply have to have someone to fill a role. I'm seeing business's being very cautious when contemplating new ventures or expanding. While, there is some expansion going on, it's nowhere near what it should be. The impression that I'm left with is, that unless it's a slam dunk, they'll wait.
@Detroit-Storm,
"Did you google your response, seriously?"
If you think for one moment, that any of my responses are plagiarised, feel free to copy & paste any part of them into a search engine and test that theory out.
So you really are that clueless about how business works? Glad I don't depend on your expertise.
Well said. James obviously has no business knowledge. My company,a large defense contractor is taking a wait and see approach. They could drop our health care in a minute because the fine is cheaper then what they pay now.
Liberal playbook rule 101
When liberal principals are challenged with facts, switch to personal attacks.
Fact is, I own my own business. Now is a great time to expand because prices are lower, wages are lower, interest rates are lower. Sure, I could take a "wait-and-see" attitude, but that really worked out for Eastman Kodak. The SAS have a motto, "Who Dares, Wins". If you want guaranteed income, stick with savings bonds and get out of the private sector.
All you people talking about how jobs would magically appear, if Obama would just disappear, are silly!
Eight years of Bush policies (tax cuts for the rich and deregulation) didn't work!! How are they going to "magically" start working now???
Please explain?
Jo-An
The Unemployment rate from Jan. 2001 to Jan. 2009 averaged about 5.25%. What has it been under Obama?
Here is the chart by the BLS you figure it out for yourself,if you dare.
http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/surveymost
Check Unemployment Rate (Seasonally Adjusted) - LNS14000000
Scroll down and click on Retrieve Data for Chart.
The first and foremost factor for any employer's decision for new hires is always "do I have enough orders/sales to justify putting on more people.....and will it be a sustained need." All other factors are simply added information. Until the economy turns around enough for the wholesale/retail industry to foresee steady quarterly growth, there will be little expansion of jobs. Just as the collapse did not happen overnight, the recovery won't either. In fact history has shown that recovery takes at least 2-5 times as long as the downturn, especially in a major downturn as we experienced in 2006-2008.
I work in the retail industry. I know what the market is like right now and how all of our suppliers have gone to JIT production....nothing more than one week of inventory is kept in stock any more. Whereas our distributor would have thousands of styles in stock in 2008, their selection has been drastically reduced. Manufacturers are being dropped because of delivery problems (due to the JIT production) and manufactures are reducing the styles of clothing they are offering because of lack of demand for them. As an example, Youth XS mesh shorts used to be available from several manufacturers. Now we are down to just ONE, and they are usually back0ordering them for as long as six months......try supplying schools with their needs when you can't get the merchandise.
As far as the president's visit to Orlando and promotion of US tourism, he is right. The US has some of the world's greatest tourist attractions. What we need to do is not only make it easier for tourists to get the required visas, but also to reduce the cost of people getting to our country. Of course that also means that we also need to figure out how to make it more affordable for our own citizens to enjoy those same tourist spots. Have you priced DW tickets lately? How is a family supposed to afford a vacation there? Or any other such attraction. National parks are a forgotten tourism attraction for many US citizens and they need to be promoted more. I would love to have more people visit the national parks in the USVI (and not just the St. John location, but also the Salt River and Buck Island National Parks in St. Croix.) There is much history for our youth to become engaged in at all of the various National Parks.
No time to study that pipeline. Gotta go to Disney World.
Community organizer leadership at its best.
He needs some advice from Dopey and the other dwarves.
My mistake! All this time I thought he was getting guidance from his namesake - Goofy.
If you want tourism just get people back to work and stop taking their incomes by making more debt. Best way to do this Obama is to resign the office.
I think he means foreign tourism not national.
That's right Geowil. He was pleading with foreigners to come spend their money in our country since we don't have any to spend ourselves. With the dollar as weak as it is, foreigners should maximize their travel budgets.
GTFO Obama you have already failed us.
If we cannot compete for the tradeable goods market because of slave wages in developing countries we had better, at least, try to boost our service sector. It is better to have a job making beds than none at all.
I personally would prefer slapping tariffs onto foreign products to equalize the wage difference and so bring manufacturing back. Of course that type of populous attitude is out of favor among the corporate sponsored government.
agreed
Slapping tariffs on goods from other countries would only start a trade war with them retaliating.
so we should let them manipulate their currency and dump inferior and dangerous products on our shores? They already put tariffs on our goods entering their country, so they won't mind some of their own medicine (unless it has lead and/or glycol in it).
For whom? If nobody is sleeping in those beds they don't need to be made.
FUNNY Disney is big liberal OBOMBO supporter! they even banned FOX news on tv
in hotel room! my family left! they tried to make us stay! F em! my kids can't watch
disney kid's channel anyway mostly mtv filth! doesn't he have a job? oh that's right
the liberal way is to let somebody else do it and the taxpayer pay for it! thanx OBOMBO!
good vs evil. i didnt realize that they were lefties, i wondered why all the left leaning channels were on the tv but no fox news. i just made my last trip to disney. i wonder what would happen if all the conservative people blackballed the left leaning businesses, do you think they would change. plus how do you get it to happen, most people are too lazy ot learn about who they patronize.
Disney, which owns ESPN and ABC, and News Corporation, with its various Fox subsidiaries, compete directly in four key markets: film, cable sports, broadcast television, and Web offshoots of all three. The only key areas in television where Disney and News Corporation do not directly compete are cable children’s programming and cable news.
So, it's in Disney's business interests to not carry Fox and promote ABC instead. Sounds like good ol' American Capitalism to me.
Here is a little inside tip. He went to Disneyworld to see if Dumbo's ears really were bigger than his and to see if people really do name flying elephants after him.
What better place for him to go - a constantly flying jackass (dem icon) meeting a flying elephant (rep icon).
This way more people can legally enter the country without documentation and remain behind to await Obama to certify them as citizens.
Makes his speech on Main Street USA. Of course that means that Disney shut down Main Street to tourists to accommodate his Highness. If I'd laid out that kind of jack to visit Disney and then have them restrict me for this goof....I'd be getting some money back. Nothing like boosting the tourist trade by banning tourists into the busiest part of Disney! Brilliant!
Wonder if he'll play golf while he there???????
Mr. Obama's next stop will be Nevada where he will extoll the virtues of business conferences and vacations in Sin City. Oh wait. He already dissed Las Vegas on two or three prior and very public occasions didn't he. Never mind......
Wow, rightwingnuts surely are getting petty. wb52, streets, parks, museums, churches etc have been shut down to accommodate visiting sitting Presidents from both parties for decades.
....tired, old teabagging rhetoric.
I don't have to pay thousands of dollars to visit those places...The price to visit Disney isn't petty "cash". Get a clue.
And you were at Disney when that happened and they refused to refund your money? Didn't think so...
Yeah..you're probably right. I'm sure it's business as usual at Disney today so there shouldn't be any refunds coming. And since it's the Bamster we MUST make an exception for the King and Queen and their court.
wb52, yea, yea yea. Bash Disney. Bash the President. Cup always half empty?
The cup may be half empty in your opinion...but the suit being worn by this president is empty!
...another witty comeback from the right.
"The goal is to significantly increase travel and tourism in the U.S. The White House says that more than 1 million U.S. jobs could be created over the next decade, according to industry projections, if the U.S. increases its share of the international travel market."
I'm sure these are high tech...high pay jobs......Glad to see the Bamster is aiming high on the job scale like a laser....what's next? An all out effort to increase convenience store jobs? The man is clueless!
The republicans keep saying the manufacture jobs are not coming back and they claim the answer is the service sector...until the President steps up to stimulate thought about improving the service sector.
I think republican speak is about as ignorant as any item in the world.
I doubt very seriously that Republicans have appointed a libbie like yourself to be their spokesperson !!
Obama needs a break in Disney World. After-all he hasn't had a vacation in about 2 weeks.
Nice try common man, but once again Republicans miss the facts:
31 months into office:
President Obama has taken 61 vacation days
George W. Bush had spent 180 days at his ranch
Ronald Reagan had taken 112 vacation days at his ranch.
Bill Clinton took the least time off -- 28 days.
Hardworking Republicans, huh?
Of course he did. He didn't have to travel to enjoy himself - he just went down the hall to the broom closet for his R&R. Besides, would you want to travel with his wife - she dodged bullets. for more insight on bj billie, read Unlimited Access and you may learn why he didn't want to leave Washington.
Obama needs to hurry up and increase maternity tourism.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/us/29babies.html?pagewanted=all
Everyone just needs to chill out and go get a $28. "Obama Burger" at the place where Michelle celebrated her birthday with more dietary hypocrisy. This business of creating more tourism jobs will blow over. Just like virtually everything Mr. Obama has (unsuccessfully) attempted.
Like the 2.7 million jobs in the green energy sector, which is the fastest growing sector in the economy? Is that what you mean Rick?
Or perhaps you are speaking of the electric car market where all major automotive companies are seeking entry?
I think the trees in your forest are blocking your view of reality.
Yeah Rick just look how well that Solyndra thing worked out...and offering every Volt buyer a subsidy to buy one....That green thing is just great.
James> The Obama administration considers creating a job for a bus driver to be "green" - despite the fact the driver operates a diesel-powered bus. There is no sector of business failing faster than solar. None. Get a grip.
James,
First off, no one believes that 2,700,000 number, not even you. Then there is the question: If someone gets a 'green job' and the company closes, is it still a 'green job'?
And now the truly important part: Let's imagine your 2,700,000 number is correct, just for this discussion. And let's imagine all of these new workers get paid $25.00 per hour. They would pay, very roughly, about $10,000 per year in federal taxes. Wow! That's $27,000,000,000 a year! Yipee! Well Jim, it's not yipee. That's only 2% of the NEW deficit, this year.
James - Does that mean the Chevy Volt recall for the "green" battery power just became greener since it now involves more green dollars to keep the car green?
Romney doesn't believe that the government creates jobs? He should talk to GE, Textron, Raytheon, etc. And what make Willard believe that he would be any more successful than past business men who were president: George Bush, Jimmy Carter and Herbert Hoover.
Exactly.
Government doesn't create jobs? Hmmm, I guess the Hoover Dam built itself, and so did our nations highways. The space program hatched out of an egg, and the internet sprung from the sea. Now it all makes sense. Thanks for clearing that up, Willard.
Obama shut down the space administration. By your logic, he terminated jobs.
G.E. is sending jobs to China while Jeffrey Immelt's company pays no taxes.
Al Gore invented the Internet, or did you forget ?
Yes, its Obama's fault that the Space Shuttle is obsolete. If he shut down NASA we should send some cops in there to clear out all the guys that keep using their computers to do research. Al Gore, seriously? Thats all you got?
Gub'mint jobs are like cancer, if it can be controlled, it is tolerable. Gub'mint jobs, however, FEED entirely off taxes generated from ....GASP ! HORROR !! .... the private sector. The federal governmint is now the largest employer in the U.S. and has had cancerous growth under Obama ..... sucking the very life out of the private sector. Just wait until Obamacare kicks in with all the massive explosion of federal agencies, bureaus, IRS expansion ..... just to administer this monstrous legislation.
Destroy the private sector and where will all the tax revenues come from ???
Who in the hell other than Obama said the Space Shuttle was obsolete ? You still trap yourself in your own arguments and you totally ignore G.E. paying no taxes.
The Federal government has been the largest employer for a long, long time. Only Walmart has gotten close recently.
The Columbia Accident Investigation Board (2003, Bush Administration) came to the conclusion that because of the risks inherent in the original design of the Space Shuttle, because that design was based in many aspects on now-obsolete technologies, and because the Shuttle is now an aging system but still developmental in character, it is in the nation's interest to replace the Shuttle as soon as possible as the primary means for transporting humans to and from Earth orbit.
http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp
I'm sure Disney has an extra Goofy suit for Obama, That would be a good place to keep him. Burn some more jet fuel Moron
With ears like that I'd say Dumbo!
Good one
Hey, Mr. Campaigner, Lead, Follow or get out of the Way. Since you are a failure as a leader, won't follow those who actually know what they're doing, get the heck OUT OF THE WAY! Business and Tourism will once again flourish! Obama, One and Done!
Great post !
Well obama sure knows about vacationing anyway. Being a tour guide is something that fits his limited capabilities even with his lack of honesty and integrity . Apologies to tour guides everywhere. Of course, most people have to pay their own way unlike the chiseling president and his bride. ANYONE BUT obama IN 2012!
Which TeaPublican serial loser are you going to vote for??
The serial philanderer, resigned, fined, and disgraced??
The Mormon flip flopper on the "every side" of everything??
The serial loser Religious Zealot who wants to create the "bedroom police"??
Or are you going to do a "write in" for Mr.9,9,9???
ANYONE BUT obama! SIMPLE!