Our current president was elected be the face of and to promote America around the world and to do what the vast majority of Americans want. Eighty-four percent of all real Americans wanted Chicago, if chosen, to host the 2016 Olympics. These real Americans knew that vast sums of money, estimated at some $20 billion, would flow into the American economy. Thousands of jobs would be created for an America that needs those jobs. Plus, America would be honored to once again be the sports center of the civilized world.
Our president did what President Bush knew was the American thing to do. He did his job and did his best to bring those games to Chicago and to America.
On Friday, Oct. 2, the International Olympic Committee decided that Rio de Janeiro would hold the 2016 Olympics. Too bad for Chicago and too bad for America.
Sometimes you do not get what you want.
But the right-wing conservative movement greeted the news that America had lost out on these games with glee.
America lost. They rejoiced.
A meeting of a radical fringe group called “Americans for Prosperity” — this is one of the strange groups responsible for the petulant so-called “tea parties” — erupted with raucous cheers and laughter when informed that America had lost its bid for the Olympics. High fives all around. Billions of dollars lost to our economy and thousands of jobs lost to our people. And these fools cheered.
The head of the Republican Party, Rush Limbaugh, laughed and cheered when America lost and said that: “(Barack) Obama demeaned the office of the president, going on this sales pitch.”
Strange, he didn’t think Bush demeaned himself or that the other three heads of state who were there on behalf on their nations’ bids demeaned their countries.
Mr. Limbaugh, I will be the one to tell you that an American does not laugh and rejoice when his country loses out on something as important as the Olympics. Mr. Limbaugh does.
Mr. Limbaugh, an American roots for and works for his country to get an honor like the Olympics. Mr. Limbaugh loves that America lost out. He is not alone.
Rep. John Boehner, the representative from the insurance industry, berated President Obama for doing what he was elected to do. (By the way, what does Boehner do other than berate President Obama?) Obama did what Americans expect their leader to do. Obama did what he, as an American, had to do. It didn’t work out for America, or for Chicago, at this time. Too bad. But Obama did his job. Boehner doesn’t understand what it means that someone does what is expected of them.
Now is the time for Boehner and the rest of these so-called Americans to do their jobs — the American way. When America strives for something and it doesn’t go our way, Americans do not laugh and clap and rejoice that America has failed.
James J. Mignerey is a resident of Hamilton.