Hoosier Daddy: President Obama to Indiana on Monday

How did Elkhart become the poster child for the recession?

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Barak Obama, our president, came to my home town yesterday. I listened. I heard eloquence but also transparent lies. I was profoundly disappointed. And as I continued to mull over his words, I was astonished at his audacity to come here, of all places. And I felt used, because this visit was the apex of disingenuity. Because he, his policies, and his party are the cause of the problems we face here in Elkhart County. Our president was treated graciously and hospitably, but most of the audience left wondering how his rhetoric and flagrant spending would address our problems.

Let me list the causes...

1) Our very successful RV industry displaced most other employers. The Elkhart economy was a one horse show, and was ripe for this type of tragedy. In retrospect, our economy should have been more diverse. This was not his fault, but it does make our situation unique - Fortunately not all of America is in our economic condition. Our situation should not be publicized as the norm in America - it is the extreme. We are the New Orleans of Katrina, not the soup kitchen of 1938: we are isolated but hurting.

2) For the last decade, we were told by many that $4 gas was to be the norm, since we were prohibited from drilling for oil. After all Europe pays $8 per gallon and why shouldn't we? This made the use of RVs much less attractive. (Remember the ANWAR opposition 8 years ago came form the Dems, Obama's party). And we were all assured that under the incoming administration the gas taxes would go up and the opportunity to domestically produce and use inexpensive conventional fuels would go down. RVs need cheap gas - The GOP was the Drill Here - Drill Now - Pay Less party. Here in Elkhart, we all expect the cheap gas we now enjoy will disappear as soon as the new administration gets around to restoring the ban on drilling. The RV companies were listening.

3) RVs are low mileage vehicles simply because of their size. A small RV is simply an SUV, and a small SUV is a minivan. There is no faddish "green technology" here, and no guarantees of federal support. In fact we heard:

Pitching his message to Oregon's environmentally-conscious voters, Obama called on the United States to "lead by example" on global warming, and develop new technologies at home which could be exported to developing countries.

"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK," Obama said.

"That's not leadership. That's not going to happen," he added.

The RV industry got the message loud and clear - there is no room for them at the table.

4) We were told that the economy was in near fatal depression and descending so fast it might be irreparable. Folks stopped buying optional things. This "trash talking" of the economy is continuing in the press, in Washington, and even here in our own "town meeting". Now the word "catastrophe" is being used in the highest circles. Where is the "The president must be the economy's chief cheerleader" talk we heard a few years ago? (This may gall the White House, but Bill Clinton and Bob Rubin were models of discipline compared to this Administration when it came to the economy and the role of the Economic Cheerleader-in-Chief.

5) In Obama's mind, RVs are owned by rich white suburbanites and retirees. (He has said "The suburbs bore me.", also "Obama's Youth Movement: The Nation: Young Voters Flock To The Democratic Hopeful, But Can They Drive His Agenda?" His disdain for both us and our values was apparent form his San Francisco speech (Referring to working-class voters in old industrial towns decimated by job losses, the presidential hopeful said: "They get bitter, they cling to guns or religion..."). Both our customers and our workers realize they are targets, not participants in the present administration. The words of accommodation are over and we are instead being shown a clenched fist. This instills a paralyzing fear that depresses the other sectors of our local economy.

I think Obama's visit to Elkhart is the epitome of hutzba. He and the policies he espouses caused this. Now he wants to use our misfortune to reward his own political agenda and constituency. How much of the "affordable housing" or Acorn money will come to Elkhart? None.

But that is OK. Just let us compete, as we have done so successfully for so long, without onerous taxes or regulations and we can recover on our own.

Human Intelligence? Coulda fooled me!

This event is going to be a riot - literally. People are going to lay into Obama for giving the Republicans everything they want and screwing the American people in the process.
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Flash- Did you have too much coffee to drink this AM? Cause you sound like a Keith Olbermann zinged on Java ---minus those big melodius words.

The GOP should stop Hijacking the Stimulus Package and holding it Hostage because the way George Bush and the GOP spent our money will be characterized by an Era of Irresponsibility and Neglect, while Obama wants to spend our money wisely and on rebuillding Americsa, if the GOP lets him. The awful truth is that One Party has destroyed America while the other Party the Democratic Party wants to restore it.

For instance: If you have a home in which you used your money to spend on alcohol, good times and neglected your roof, your bills, and now your roof is in danger of collapsing because you used your money on good times instead of the upkeep of your home and now the Argument is you are unable to borrow money to fix your roof before it caves in because you used your money foolishly in the past is also recklesslness and neglect on the part of the lender, so they let the roof collapse.

In the Bush years 30 billion was spent in Afghanistan -- 50 billion in Iraq and now Congress wants to say we cannot spend necessary money at home which has so long been neglected? States were given no money in the Bush years and now they still want to keep money out of the States on a fraudulent theory.

It is now time to for Congress to put money back in to the United States and to spend money wisely and not fraudulently, irresponsibly and in the dark as in the Bush years. Obama believes in transparancey, hence you can find the Stimulus package on line for all to see.

GOP say this money will be more of the same. It will not be more of the same. This money will be used for Americans, for jobs, to rebuild for improvement and innovations to improve life not on wars and countries which have nothing to do with American people or on big business who do not need the money.

Bush and the Republicans inherited a Surplus from the Democrats and yet the GOP has created the worst economic crisis ever. The GOP should stop hijacking the Stimulus and do the right thing and let money flow back into America again, instead of holding the Democrats hostage from their quest of bringing help to the people and restoring American again.

It just cracks me up to see Republicans still whining about Barack Obama.

You lost. You have no good ideas.

We won. We're taking our country back.

Yes. We. Can.

what is a few construction jobs going to do besides put money in the pockets of already rich firms. the mayor said the jobs will go to the best bidder!!they may not not even be from indiana!! the answer for the economy is right under our nose. stop the bs war on drugs that has broke this country from its start!!you simply cant police every aspect of peoples lives,and the goverments answer is to lock up non violent offenders,overflow the prisons,pass that whole buck to us the tax payer!! the simple reason behind it all is money and jobs.. if they de criminalize lite drug use(like booze is) they (the goverment)would loose lots of money and jobs.then they would have what we have here in elkhart. welcome to america the worlds bigest slave state!!where we allow our goverment to get rich enslaving the very people they are here to serve!

This event is going to be a riot - literally. People are going to lay into Obama for giving the Republicans everything they want and screwing the American people in the process.

Thank you Lee!!!
I have gotten so down on Republicans that I forget that there are some Republicans that can think for themselves...
I apologize for lumping you in with the rest... And thank you...
Your comment is very much appreciated...

Hmmmm! It is too late to discuss these stimulus package. He doesn't know how to fix the economy.

Obama is going to be the best president we would ever have because he is a consensus builder who would try to be as non partisan as possible but the Republicans will try to make it difficult for him because if he is successful in the first four years it means that the Republicans would not win the white house..and so like Rush Limbaugh they would want him to fail..they place Republicans getting into power ahead of the country progressing. Republicans destroyed this country..I say good riddance. God bless President Obama and God bless America!

Is there any way we can get him to stay there?

I am a Republican, and I just love the position of "doing nothing" or fear of spending in an effort to turn the tide of a downward economy. Drastic times require drastic measure. This is still the land of the brave. I am wholely in support of a stimulus package. When you count the number of Americans, including Puerto Rico, Alaska, the Islands, paying tax for one month mus exceed 900 billion. Keep delaying and the unemployment rate goes up and there will be less and less tax payers. I think a whole lot of hallabolo is being made about the money.

Maybe- Sorry, I misread your posting. Yes, you find modern industry mixed with the infrastructure outside Europe and the US. I'm obviously tired.

Outside of the US and Europe, it is exceptionally easy to find modern industry in exactly these kinds of conditions. Not that it makes a difference in this discussion.
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I've traveled pretty extensively and stayed in Western Europe for periods of time, both in urban and non-urban areas. The infrastructure problems seemed far less pronounced to me. I didn't see or experience modern industry juxtaposed with bad roads and electrical failures. The combination of modern industry and poor infrastructure is in the developing countries.

jhw: but it is exceptionally difficult to find modern industry located somewhere with poor schools, bad roads and intermittent power supply.
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Outside of the US and Europe, it is exceptionally easy to find modern industry in exactly these kinds of conditions. Not that it makes a difference in this discussion.

"go to Benton Harbor, Michigan. 72% on some form of government assistance, 80+% of the kids live in single parent homes, and on and on."

Well, a HUNDRED percent of the corporations and the very rich are "on" some form of government assistance -- and most of THEIR children are raised first by servants, then by prep schools.

"So much for change we can believe in."
"after 2.5 weeks in office" "he is not my president"

Change doesn't happen in 2.5 weeks, and if he's not your president - then move to Canada.

People don't like the stimulus plan, but Bush didn't do a darn thing for 8 years to even try to fix the economy. As for too many Govt. programs, those same type of programs got us out of the Depression.

By the way, I don't find Hoosier Daddy offensive, I'm from IN and am glad to see a President visit us regardless of the headline.

I never said that it's all that's needed, but it is exceptionally difficult to find modern industry located somewhere with poor schools, bad roads and intermittent power supply
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The RV companies operating in the area didn't shut down because of poor schools, bad roads, or intermittent power supply.
They are modern industries, with workers who did the jobs they were asked to do, and leadership that was educated.

Passing the stimulus/pork bill just to "do something" is foolish. The economy will recover on its own, in its own time. Everything is cyclical.

Throwing good money after bad is not the way to go. President Obama should go back to his message of hope. His scare tactics are making a bad situation worse.

jhw539:"We" are not the Whirlpool corporation that off shored their labor requirements. The TRUTH of the matter is Benton, Michigan is a shining example of what the free market will do (for good or ill - it is much cheaper to buy a washing machine now).
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Both Cummins and Zimmer, who you lauded in an earlier comment, are every bit as international as Whirlpool.