Monday, December 9, 2013

Obama splurges on trip

The United States is in a depression. Congress can't come up with a budget. Obamacare is a disaster.

So where does President Obama go? Off to Africa for tomorrow's memorial service for Nelson Mandela, who died last week at age 95.

What does a trip like that cost us? $5,000,000? $10,000,000? $20,000,000?

It's not like Barack and Michelle just get last-minute tickets on American Airlines in business class.

Why not send our envoy to that country to represent the United States? Or invite one of the past Presidents to represent the U.S. there?

But, no. Obama will blow millions of U.S. dollars and go himself. Maybe he could just stay.

Pickens County (S.C.) Sheriff Rick Clark refused to lower the U.S. Flag to honor Mandela. "The honor is reserved for Americans." Good for you, Sheriff Clark!

4 comments:

dave said...

**Pickens County (S.C.) Sheriff Rick Clark refused to lower the U.S. Flag to honor Mandela. "The honor is reserved for Americans." Good for you, Sheriff Clark!**

Yea! Good for you! Except he is wrong:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/7

"By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff ... n the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law."

In other words, the flag code explicitly states that the flag is to be displayed at half-staff at the President's instructions in the case of the death of foreign dignitaries. And there is a ton of precedent for it as well.

But hey... lets not let facts get in the way. Again. And again. And again.

dave said...

**Pickens County (S.C.) Sheriff Rick Clark refused to lower the U.S. Flag to honor Mandela. "The honor is reserved for Americans." Good for you, Sheriff Clark!**

Yea! Good for that Sheriff for disobeying a legal and legitimate order of the President! Wait... what?!?!

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/7

"By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law."

In other words, the flag code explicitly states that the flag should be at half-staff upon the President's instructions in the case of foreign dignitaries.

But hey, its just those pesky facts that always get in the way. Again. And again. And again.

Anonymous said...

Obama will send an emissary to your funeral. Doh.

Gus said...

Not any time soon, I hope.