Sunday, November 07, 2010

True leadership in Congress arrives with Speaker of the House John Boehner

In recent opinion piece on Catholic Online, President Obama's failure in leadership was decried. A leader must, first of all, provide an example for all to follow. Character is what distinguishes a leader from a demagogue,  a leader is one to be admired and emulated,  not a hypocrite whose example belies his words.
Look at the Obama Indian junket, where it is alleged that 200 MILLION daily is being blown in renting the Taj Mahal hotel for a huge entourage of over 600 guests according to some sources.


More info on Obama’s trip to India from The Hindu:
Mr. Obama will be coming with three Boeing 747 jumbo jets and two others will be coming before him with equipment. An advance team of U.S. officials is set to arrive here on Wednesday. The U.S. is spending about $200 million a day towards Mr. Obama’s visit, the official said on Tuesday.
More details from the Daily Mail:
Forty aircraft – including the Air Force One military plane – and six heavily armoured cars will follow the president around the country.
The huge security operation comes days after a suspected bomb was found on a cargo plane at East Midlands Airport.
The entourage will be the biggest ever in terms of logistics and manpower for any US president.
The president himself will be ferried around in a black Cadillac – dubbed ‘Barack Mobile’ – which has its own built in communications centre – to enable Obama to be in touch with the White House, US vice president and the US strategic command.

 I saw evidence of this reckless overspending when I protested the President's health care plan on Martha's Vineyard, and saw the tiny island overwhelmed by cars bearing DC plates. That was a vacation? For whom, the entire government?
Congressman John Boehner recommends beginning his term of leadership by a cut in pay. For himself, and his colleagues in Congress. In tough times when people are losing hope that there will ever be jobs, this action would send a strong signal to the American public; "we understand how you have to tighten your belt, and we are doing the same". I am tired of buying Walmart brand products and wearing five year old clothing, while Obama travels more than any President in history, and the First Lady splurges on shopping sprees.
Well done, Speaker Boehner! I will be watching who opposes and who supports your efforts to lead by example. This will separate the hypocrite big spenders from the true leaders.

“It’s pretty clear that the American people want a smaller, less costly, more accountable government here in Washington,” Boehner said to reporters the day after Election Day. 
Tom Schatz, the president of Citizens Against Government Waste, said that by cutting the paychecks of members, Boehner would send the right message to voters.
Schatz explained that Republican lawmakers coming into Congress for their first term would likely support the move.
“[A salary cut] would at least indicate some greater level of understanding of the suffering that people have been subject to during this recession,” said Schatz. 

Read the entire story at The Hill. 
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