@Missy: c
Thanks, Missy. I definitely couldn’t have said it better myself!

@Johnny From SC:
Johnny, felt I was a little hard on you, so I’ll be a little more diplomatic hopefully.

Yes SoCal Boy, I did vote for Mr. Obama and I am very proud that I made that decision. Where I’m sure that in your state you voted for the Terminator. Only to watch him terminate California’s economy. Which I’m sure you’re not proud of. So I don’t think that you’re in a position to question my judgement. I think that yours the one that should be questioned.

Inre to Gov. Schwarzenegger, I did believe he was a much better choice than Gray Davis, who was recalled by Californians. Currently, though, I don’t agree with many of his decisions, so would hope another would challenge him in the next election. The jury is still out for me on Meg Whitman, as I don’t know much about her, but she may be an option. Gov. Schwarzenegger did have a lot on his platter to start with, and dealing with state unions as well wasn’t helpful at all. But, he definitely chose the path of a moderate-to-left Republican on some social as well as fiscal issues, which is his downfall in my opinion.

If you believe in your own statement. Then in order to fix the CURRENT problems. How is bashing the President for trying to help bring the Olympics to Chicago going to FIX anything. Nobody seems to care about the athletes that would have loved to have a home field advantage, would have liked for the travel expenses for their families to be affordable, that would have preferred to show their talents in front of their fans. Well I guess that doesn’t matter to you. I assume that you will be screaming for Brazil in 2016. Congratulation’s I’m glad you’re happy.

First of all, I really don’t have a dog in the fight with regards to the Olympics, yet do feel a sense of loss that the U.S. lost the bid. Do I think it would have been good for the athletes and their families to have hosted it in the U.S. per your reasons above? Probably so. What I and others do take issue with is the motive behind Mr. Obama’s seeming compulsion to bring the Olympics to his home town, and his seeming not so humble attitude of thinking he had it in the bag. If it had truly been for altruistic reasons, then great. The city still would have suffered financially, though, as Missy stated earlier, so people there should be thanking their lucky stars it’s not going to be there.

As far as Brazil goes, and me screaming for Brazil, probably not since I don’t watch the Olympics much. But, I do notice how humbly appreciative they are, and that makes me very happy for them, yes. They at least give credit to Christ, as on the huge banner of the ‘Christ the Redeemer’ statue they displayed after news of their victory, which I think says a lot.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

@Johnny From SC:

helps the economy

Actually, it does not help the economy by going in the hole. Chicago is broke, they have laid off police to funnel money into the bid, they cut corners on snow removal and street repairs which resulted in more traffic accidents and funneled that money to the Olympic bid. They have scheduled three city government shut downs through December 2009 because they don’t have the money to pay city workers.

Another thing, being from the Chicago area I was able to listen to a local radio discussion. For some reason some of the games were to take place in Madison, WI, that’s a crazy bit of drive time to get from one game to another. That couldn’t have been attractive to the Olympic Committee judges.

Also, recent history has shown that the games do not show a profit, they in fact cost more than what is bid and a number of cities spend years paying off the debt, I read where it took one host city 30 years to pay off their debt.

London bid $4 billion, look what happened, following excerpts are from Sunday’s Washington Post:

Myths About Landing the Olympics
By Stefan Szymanski

In 2007 the U.K. government announced that the real cost of the Games would be closer to $15 billion than the $4 billion they had initially promised. Olympic accounting is shrouded in mystery, but since Los Angeles in 1984, there have been no cases where the Games can show a net profit.

Oh, but the tourists will boost the economy:

3. The Olympics will boost local tourism.

True, many foreigners and Olympics die-hards will come, but far more of the attendees will be locals taking the chance of a lifetime. And of those who do travel from abroad, many will be what’s known as “time-switchers”: people who would have come anyway but plan their trip to coincide with the Games. Tourist arrivals usually fall after the Olympic circus leaves town

Kind of like “Cash for Clunkers,” get the drift.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But; it also allows the US to provide jobs for builders,

Remember all the angst about Halliburton? One of the few large outfits with the ability to do the work necessary under harsh conditions. The company that already had won the contract bidding under the Clinton Administration and was given the bridge contract to do…………what they were supposed to do, example being, repairing oil wells they helped build in the first place? Bet steam is coming out of your ears at this point, Halliburton has a way of tripping some triggers.

Well,

2. Winning the Games means a gold rush of jobs for the host city.

The truth is that the local economy doesn’t get much of a boost while those shiny new athletic venues are being built. Many of the jobs created are filled by specialists who come in from outside — to construct a BMX bicycle track, it helps to have built one before — and they take their pay home with them. To the extent that local labor is tapped, suppliers are taken away from other projects in the area, raising costs in the process. It would be nice to think you could create an Olympic city by hiring an army of the unemployed, but mega-projects like this do not work like that.

Raising costs…………ever need to buy plywood during hurricane season while living in areas not affected or live in a community when a nuke plant is being constructed? Whew! When our plant was constructed, it took all available trade members and then some to build that thing. It was great until completion, but then we had to suffer with the “then somes” high paid unskilled workers that were rubber stamped into the unions because they needed bodies. Our unions and union built facilities suffered from that for years until the “then somes” retired or were weeded out in other ways. Kind of thinking that may be why “mega-projects lik this do not work like that.”

That construction also boost the cost of construction for private individuals, corporations and government construction, costs passed onto to taxpayers.

source for above c&p:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/01/AR2009100103891.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

Like or Dislike: 0  0

USMSCDAUGHTER1,

I love America, therefore I must cheer this Obama defeat — and it was an Obama defeat.”

Do you even realize the contradiction in that statement. The Olympics is an event that not only gives our athletes a chance to display their talents to the world. But; it also allows the US to provide jobs for builders, helps the economy, and displays the beauty of the country we call home.

The last time I checked President Obama was not participating in the Games. So tell what did he lose. If you don’t know I’ll tell you. Nothing.
Chicago didn’t get the 2016 Games for more reason’s than Obama. The US is hated by most Countries through out the world. I’ve gone to many countries around the world and they will tell that they don’t like American’s and they don’t like America. If you don’t believe me leave Red State and go see for yourself.

The President of The United States is a tough job to have because no matter whose in office they are going to be hated by certain groups. But the thing that bothers me most is that he’s only been in office nine months and the hatred that is being expressed is a little over the top.

It took Bush /Cheny about 3-4 years to earn the disrepect and disdain that they had when the left office. Obama hasn’t even been given a chance. Instead of calling him outside of his name and bashing every idea or plan that he has listen with an open mind before you compare him to Hitler. Anything has to be better than where this country was this time last year. So to say that you want Our President to fail is basically saying that you want our country to fail. That just doesn’t sound very American to me. Well atleast to doesn’t from some one that says that they love America.But anyway, everybody’s intitaled to their opinion.

@SoCal Chris,
I’m sure can see that that is the intention here, but your comment is based on you not liking what you are reading because your sense of judgment comes into question in your own mind because I’m guessing you voted for Mr. Obama.

Yes SoCal Boy, I did vote for Mr. Obama and I am very proud that I made that decision. Where I’m sure that in your state you voted for the Terminator. Only to watch him terminate California’s economy. Which I’m sure you’re not proud of. So I don’t think that you’re in a postion to question my judgement. I think that your’s is the one that should be questioned.

@SoCal Chris,
And, your comment here [The U.S. is in mess and it was not created by President Obama.] tells me that if you, like the President, never get beyond your negative sentiments about the prior Administration and blaming GWB for the present situation (which I do disagree with the validity of your statement) then we cannot move on and fix the CURRENT problems as a country, do you agree?

If you believe in your own statement. Then in order to fix the CURRENT problems. How is bashing the President for trying to help bring the Olympics to Chicago going to FIX anything. Nobody seems to care about the athletes that would have loved to have a home field advantage, would have liked for the travel expenses for their families to be affordable, that would have prefered to show their talents in front of their fans. Well I guess that doesn’t matter to you. I assume that you will be screaming for Brazil in 2016. Congratulation’s I’m glad you’re happy.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

By the way, I don’t condone the lyrics in ‘Get Over It’ about killing lawyers…that part, not so good.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

You shouldn’t be at a loss for words Johnny. But someone else said it better than I did :

“For eight years we have witnessed the left cheer every defeat in war, say “screw them” about America deaths in Iraq, have elected Congressmen declare our soldiers war criminals, have an elected United States Senator compare our soldiers to Nazis, and now have the Chairman of the Democratic Party encouraging Virginia to deny our soldiers the right to vote and the President of the United States begin a systematic effort to undermine our successes in Afghanistan after embarking on a seven month long world tour to apologize for America.

That the left would call conservatives unpatriotic and un-American for cheering Obama’s defeat at the IOC means they have a bastardized idea of what patriotism means and does nothing to wash the blood of our nation’s freedoms and soldiers off their hands.

I love America, therefore I must cheer this Obama defeat — and it was an Obama defeat.”
H/T Erik Erickson, Red State.

That’s it in a nutshell.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

@Johnny From SC:

Whoa, there, Johnny boy!! No one here disrespects the “Office of the President”, and in fact, do respect it SO much that when it is going down the tubes, we want to fix it and restore it (and the country it represents) to honor. I’m sure can see that that is the intention here, but your comment is based on you not liking what you are reading because your sense of judgment comes into question in your own mind because I’m guessing you voted for Mr. Obama.

And, your comment here [The U.S. is in mess and it was not created by President Obama.] tells me that if you, like the President, never get beyond your negative sentiments about the prior Administration and blaming GWB for the present situation (which I do disagree with the validity of your statement) then we cannot move on and fix the CURRENT problems as a country, do you agree? It reminded me of the 12-step program (not from personal experience, btw), and I knew there was something there for you. I found it. It’s step #10:

Step 10 – Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

It probably wouldn’t hurt for Mr. Obama (as well as the Obama supporting, Bush Derangement Syndrome victims) to look at the rest of the 12 steps! I’m sure you’ve heard this great song by Mr. Don Henley, haven’t you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3ORwO5xDUE&feature=PlayList&p=18236567401648D2&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=27

LOL! Mr. Henley probably never expected a conservative to apply this to BDS victims…

Like or Dislike: 0  0

Wow!! For once I’m almost at a lose for word’s. I read many articles or post on this site and this has to be one of the most anti-american post I’ve read. This goes beyond politics. Barack Obama is “OUR” president regardless of wether you like it or not. I didn’t agree with the politics of G.W.B. but I did not hate the man nor did I want him to fail. I assume I’m the only one that has heard ( Together we stand divided we fall ). The U.S. is in mess and it was not created by President Obama.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

@Blast
…keep grinding those axes…
—-
We don’t need to grind our axes — your antique media/outspoken Lefties are slowly staring to grind theirs…all we have to do is ignore your (and like minded hard core lefties) continuous inconsistencies and cast our votes this Nov 2009 and in 2010, 2012…A voice heard and a ballot cast is stronger than any metaphorical axe.

The authors of Flopping Aces (and readers) offer outstanding, fact-based insights on issues — which I am sure you have read — so I offer this additional piece on the subject of this conversational thread…

http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/10/michelle_obamas_olympic_gimme.html

(you must be so proud of your fellow, anti-capitalism, lefty Micheal Moore..why would he charge normal price for his movie’s tickets…did I hear he wanted to make a profit?)

Like or Dislike: 0  0

Rides A Pale Horse, MA, American Voter,

Like I said… “We will see how this plays out in 2012, but I bet it won’t work.”

Keep grinding your axes and making noise.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

@Patvann:

Are you basing that on what Bill Kristol is predicting?

It makes sense. He can deflect from today’s ego-brusing, put Afghanistan back in the front of the news-cycle for the weekend, and bring the Good General back to the “office”.

Bringing Afghanistan back in the news cycle also brought “President dresses down his General” which seems to me will not be too popular among the people at a time when the military polls quite a few points higher to the question of who they trust to handle the Afghanistan war.

It was talking heads on FOX in early afternoon, I wasn’t in the room to see who it was but would have recognized Kristol’s voice, it wasn’t him. Was gardening that afternoon and happened to be indoors at that moment.

One good thing, our television is left on while I work outside as a comfort for our dog……Rio! I bet he thought everyone was talking about……. him. He’s been on an ego trip all weekend so perhaps I can understand how easily the White House whiz kid fell victim to his own press.

Like or Dislike: 0  0