President Obama Fails His Own Empathy Test
Posted June 3rd, 2009 by gestroud • 23 views • Print • Email
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“Sorry little Susie. Daddy can’t take you to the movies this weekend because we have to pay for the President’s night on the town.”
When discussing his criteria for a Supreme Court Justice less than a month ago, President Obama said “I view that quality of empathy, of understanding and identifying with people’s hopes and struggles, as an essential ingredient for arriving at just decisions and outcomes.” Evidently that is not a quality he requires of himself. This weekend President and Mrs. Obama privately jetted to New York City at taxpayer expense for a “date night” of dinner and a Broadway show.
While most Americans are cutting way back on their entertainment expenses (if they can afford any entertainment at all), the first couple treated themselves to an exorbitant getaway paid for by those same Americans.
Now I don’t begrudge the first couple a night out from time to time but why can’t it be the town they live in? Washington D.C. has plenty of fine dining establishments and great theaters. Couldn’t they at least have combined their New York jaunt with some official business in the Big Apple that needed the president’s attention?
It’s obvious that the Obamas do not understand people’s “hopes and struggles” at all. If they did they would not have made such an indulgent decision that has led to such an offensive outcome.
About the author: Carole is a contributing writer to TalkingSides.com a site featuring news, opinions and ideas from all sides of today’s issues.
Courtesy: IdeaMarketers
photo credit: malisonian
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