The Greatest Generation came through again.
Faced with a weak, childish and irresponsible tyranny, with some of them in wheelchairs, the old soldiers went over Obama’s Barrycades with the easy nonchalance of people who have been there before.
It was a group of Mississippi gulf-coast World War II veterans, outraged by administration contempt on closing the World War II monument, who were flown up via the Honor Flight Network, a private organization that they say was “created solely to honor America's veterans for all their sacrifices. We transport our heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect at their memorials.”
Their memorials, we should always emphasize.
It's something politicians in D.C. forgot too long ago, with the possible exception of Barack Obama, who never knew it to begin with.
Obama’s idea of sacrifice is sitting down with other duly-elected officials and hammering out a budget that works for everyone.
Or perhaps his idea of sacrifice is giving a speech about the shutdown without a teleprompter.
It certainly is a sacrifice for the rest of us, with or without a teleprompter.
“They fought a war and flew in at dawn from Mississippi,” writes the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, “so a few barricades provoked little more than shrugs from the 91 World War II veterans who crossed political lines Tuesday to walk and wheel around their memorial on the historic National Mall.”
The Republican National Committee offered to pay expenses to “keep the monument open.”
That offer was promptly rejected by the president.
If you’ve never been there, you might not know that the World War II Memorial stands on the National Mall, midway between the Lincoln Memorial and Congress. It was built primarily with private donations.
Not since president Herbert Hoover expelled the Bonus Marchers from government land in July of 1932 on his way to being defeated by Franklin Roosevelt has a government looked so ungrateful to veterans.
There is no gate to go through, no way to “close” it, except by erecting barricades. Like all the monuments on the mall, it was designed to encourage people to wonder through it without hindrance, kind of in line with that crazy American idea called “freedom.”
But that didn’t stop the administration from trying to strengthen the defenses.
Because the next brilliant chess move for Obama administration was to kick about 60 families out of the Lake Mead National Recreation area who have homes there. These families made the terrible mistake of leasing land from the government.
When you and I lease land, we have to stick to the lease. When the government does it, apparently they can kick you out when they want.
“I wouldn’t call it a government shutdown,” Bob Hitchcock, 71, a homeowner who leases land from the government told the Las Vegas Review-Tribune. “I’d call it a government meltdown. If my kids ever acted like these politicians are acting — it’s probably not politically correct to say this anymore — but I’d beat the crap out of them, then send them to their rooms.”
Hancock points out that during the last government shutdown, in 1995 under Clinton, leaseholders weren’t asked to leave federal land.
Boaters, families and others from the community plan on protesting the move with a boat parade down the Las Vegas Strip.
“Lake Mead is closed during the shutdown,” reports local KTNV TV, “and boaters are preparing for a different type of protest. Dozens of people will be towing their boats down the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday night to stage a protest against Lake Mead being closed. They said there is no reason for the government to close the lake since tax dollars, park permits and registration fees have already paid to keep the place open.”
But that didn't stop Obama from trying to close the ocean too.
As our own Michael Schaus wrote on Sunday:
Over 1,100 square miles of ocean has been declared off limits to the public in the Florida Bay. Apparently, unknown to most Americans, allowing boats to meander into open water is a cost that has proven to be unsustainable in the event of a government shutdown. Well. . . At least that’s according to the National Park Service.
Earlier this week, Jon Stewart, the sometimes comedian and full time flack for the progressives called the government shutdown a “catastrophe%$.”
And it has been for Obama so far.
“It’s a cheap way to deal with the situation,” an angry Park Service ranger in Washington told the Washington Times of the administration harassment. “We’ve been told to make life as difficult for people as we can. It’s disgusting.”
Obama’s has forgotten what no president ought to forget: The chief executive is the most recognized figure in any political crisis. He’s expected to lead, not pout. In any battle with Congress that has a negative impact on citizens, the president who does not lead risks looking childish.
American‘s are reacting as adults are supposed to react to a child's temper tantrum.
We’re ignoring it.
And here’s a rule no patriot ought not forget: When the chief executive tries to enforce rules no one will follow, and everyone protests, he looks not just weak, but wrong as well.
Take courage from our soldiers, storm the barrycades, return to your homes, and sail on the ocean.
The government's overreaction is the very thing that will save our country.
There is only one answer to this weak, childish tyranny: Disobedience.
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