In February, 2009, in an attempt to be the blue collar POTUS, Barack Obama said:
You can’t get corporate jets. You can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayer’s dime
At the time, Obama was in the middle of justifying bailouts for Wall Street and Detroit. Numerous “tin ear” incidents by CEOs such as the infamous private jet transportation of Detroit CEOs to a DC hearing where they were asking for bailouts, had created a level of outrage amongst US taxpayers.
The result of Obama’s comments were to make an already challenging situation for the Las Vegas economy and make it impossible. As companies cancelled existing reservations and avoided new Vegas reservations, unemployment in Vegas grew to a point where it is amongst the worst hit of American cities.
That was so “yesterday!”
CBS Chicago is reporting that at least 14 Chicago public school employees went on an all expenses paid trip to a Las Vegas resort and spa. This while the school district is facing a $700M budget shortfall. Admittedly, the $15,000 spent on the trip won’t be a rounding error in the shortfall. However, the school at which the 14 employees are employed, is the same school that had sex acts being performed in class rooms!
“For the children” is the retort we hear from any teacher’s union when budget reductions are contemplated. I’m hard pressed to figure out how massages whether at a spa in Vegas or in the school classroom, benefit any children!
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