World War II Vets and Their Memorial, Obama and His Asia Trip

Obama isn't letting the government shutdown get in the way of his travel plans.

On Friday, he's going to Asia. Apparently, Obama's crew consists of nothing but "essential" employees.

He's not inconvenienced at all.

Supposedly, we're in a state of crisis, but Obama is hitting the road.

From CNSNews:

With a government shutdown just hours away on Monday, White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Obama still plans to go to Asia this weekend.

"We don't have any changes to announce. We plan to make this trip," Carney told reporters at the White House Monday. "The president, as president, looks forward to and believes it is important to travel to Asia in order to promote our economic interests in Asia and our strategic interests in Asia."

One of the Republicans' criticisms of Obama is his absolute refusal to negotiate on a stopgap funding bill and the debt limit, even when he's in Washington.

So, Obama will go about his business without interruption, spending millions of taxpayer dollars, but he expected World War II veterans, visiting D.C. on an Honor Flight, to be locked out of the open air memorial honoring them.

Terrible.

These vets didn't let a government shutdown stop them.

From the Washington Post:

The elderly veterans piled off their buses at the World War II Memorial a little after 11 on Tuesday morning. Some eased into wheelchairs. Others leaned on canes. All had come to pay homage to their famous crusade and fallen comrades of long ago.

Veterans of Omaha Beach, Okinawa and the Italian campaign, they arrived only to face metal barricades and signs announcing that the memorial was closed because of the federal shutdown.

Gentle men in blue baseball caps and red T-shirts, they said it was emotional just to be there — and a shame to have come all the way from their homes in Mississippi for this.

Suddenly, in the bright sunshine, cheers and applause erupted. The barricades had been moved — by whom it was not clear. And the column of veterans poured through the gap in the lines and into the memorial.

It was a chaotic scene from the first day of the shutdown: frail-looking men — at least one of whom hadn’t been to Washington since the war — led by jubilant Republican Congress members and television crews as a bagpiper played “Shenandoah.”

...“It’s the best civil disobedience we’ve seen in Washington for a long time,” Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) told part of the group inside the memorial.

“As the son of a World War II veteran, I just want to say, guys, forget about all this politics and all this junk,” he said. “This is about you today, and this is about us saying thank you to you and your service.”

Someone shouted: “Members of Congress here say America doesn’t shut down!”

And a group of people called out in unison: “We love our congressmen!”

Here's video:





Without question, it was right for the vets to access the World War II Memorial. The Democrats
and Obama failed in their attempt to ruin the vets' trip.

I don't see how Obama can trot off to Asia right now.

Perhaps he should talk to the Republicans, elected representatives of the American people, and compromise, before he jets to Asia and yaps with foreign leaders.

Obama has more pressing business here at home.

He's an awful president, just awful.
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UPDATE: Obama Administration Decided to Block Access to Memorials

New wave of WWII veterans move barricades to access DC memorial

AP video here.

I am so sick and tired of this BS being rammed down our throats - the posturing, the idiotic accusations, the outrageous statements, the finger-pointing. Enough already!

The Tea Party didn't choose to close the WWII memorial. The Tea Party didn't set up barricades. Obama's crew did.

The government works for us. We aren't slaves of the government. The government does not have the power to hold us hostage unless we allow it.