Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The Chamber of Commerce Debacle

President Obama has hit America where it hurts this time. We all know about the many good works and local development efforts undertaken by the Chambers of Commerce all over the United States. We know the Chamber supports the thousands of small and large businesses that make America tick. Even my Swiss husband, who's never been to the United States, knows about the Chamber of Commerce. He belonged to a local Chamber in Switzerland when he was active in his business. 
To suggest that somehow the Chamber of Commerce is subversive or bent on overthrowing our country, or even insinuating that it may be in cahoots with sinister foreign interests, is really the last straw for me. And, to add to the insult, Obama and his press secretary finally had to admit that they have absolutely no evidence for their outlandish accusations.
Perhaps if the President had more practical political experience, he would have anticipated the backlash that his comments provoked. Perhaps if he had advisers who actually believe in the integrity of the American people and their institutions, they would have foreseen the political suicide they were letting him engage in. Perhaps if he and they were more in tune with America, they would quit bashing it and all of us Americans, we who disagree with their out-of-step opinions.
But, the truth is that Mr. Obama does not understand us or care about our opinions. He's like the doctor who says, "Take this. It's good for you," when the patient has taken the medicine before and knows it will make him even more ill.
We Americans know we're ill. We know we need to get our arms around the problems we've collectvely created. We know the task will be long and difficult. But, telling us that we're following politicians who are being financed by occult foreign interests will not cure anything. It will only make us more determined to get back to our roots, to re-establish our traditional values and to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
The work will not be started by Mr. Obama, because he doesn't see the real problem or any of the jobs needing to be done.
And, he certainly took a step in being left behind last weekend when he attacked the Chamber of Commerce.

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