President Obama: Stilling the Waters

Townhall.com ^ | July 24, 2010 | Robert Morrison

[Kaslin]

We all recall how Newsweek editor Evan Thomas last year gushed that President Obama hovered over the nations “like a sort of god.” That was then. The only thing gushing lately has been the BP oil spill, now mercifully capped.

My wife and I had an experience recently that suggests Mr. Obama can still the waters—of the Chesapeake Bay. We were invited by friends to take a boat ride from Annapolis to St. Michael’s, Maryland.

We headed out on a beautifully clear Sunday afternoon. Our friends Tom and Ann own a 37-foot motor boat. Tom is a successful entrepreneur.

Riding over smooth waters at 30 knots, Tom explained how the businesses he has started functioned. He’s in pharmaceuticals. His companies—he’s started up several innovative ones—are not giants, but they are all competitive. In order to develop and bring to market new drugs, entrepreneurs have to make many false starts. Like those prospecting for new sources of oil, there are many “dry holes.” But the successes more than make up for their failures. And Americans and people throughout the world are the beneficiaries.

Tom pointed to drugs that treat acid reflux. Decades ago, this condition called for surgery, which is especially hazardous for the elderly. The cost of the drugs has to be weighed against the lost time and productivity for recovering surgery patients, not to mention the lost lives.

Tom explained how Canada works to undercut the free market. Because the Canadian government has a huge, controlled market, they can buy drugs in vast quantities. They can guarantee a U.S. developer of a new drug, say, 20 million doses. They can make it profitable for the American and re-sell the drug for less than U.S. retailers can afford to sell it. That’s why so many Americans—especially seniors on fixed incomes—like to get their medications in Canada.

So what’s the downside? Tom explains it: Canada is using the free market against itself. The number of new drugs Canada has brought to market in the last decade? Zero.

Half-way across Chesapeake Bay, Tom looked around and asked: “Notice anything different on the bay today?”

I was so enjoying the wind in my hair that I had not noticed anything unusual. (Alright, I’ll admit it—the wind was blowing in my ears. It’s been a long time since I could let it tousle my hair.)

“Notice how few boats there are on the water today,” Tom said. He was right. I’ve always enjoyed the water. I haven’t been out in awhile, but it was eerily quiet on Chesapeake Bay on this beautiful summer’s day.

When we arrived in St. Michael’s, we tied up and stopped for lunch at a crab house. Normally, there would be standing room only at this popular eatery. This day, there were six to eight empty tables.

There were lots of empty boat slips there. And many boats were being offered for sale.

They had names like Live Wire—not too lively. Dream On was tied up next to Compromise. Less Business seemed to be a complaint, not a pleasure craft.

When the boating industry hits a slump, it’s not just the rich who are hurt. Young people who work in the boatyards, wait tables in the seafood restaurants, and staff the Marinas—all these are affected, too. It’s fun, no doubt, to yell “Soak the Rich,” but it’s the rest of us who usually get all wet from the politics of envy. This is the real-world impact of Obama’s economic policies. As Winston Churchill once put it: “Capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; socialism is the equal sharing of misery.”

As a candidate, Barack Obama promised that the day he was nominated was the day the seas would cease to rise. Well, they have. It seems he has effectively stilled the waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

There was one hopeful sign we saw that day: Billboards for the forthcoming congressional elections. I have never seen campaign signs go up this early for a midterm election. That suggests that people are hoping for change on November 2nd. Now, that should make some waves.

[Diogenesis]

"Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties."         Abraham Lincoln
	"We have no government armed in power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a religious and moral people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other. "         John Adams
“Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God”         Thomas Jefferson
	"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests."         Patrick Henry
"Public officials should not be chosen if they are lacking in experience, training, proven virtue, and demonstrated wisdom. "         Sam Adams

[Carley]

In NJ going down the shore.............has always been an act of faith. Traffic traffic traffic.

Last weekend I heard the morning traffic. Sunday morning, usually just a nightmare of traffic delays.

No delays or backups on any of the roads to the shore. Not a single one. First time in many a decade I had heard a traffic report like that. On a beautiful sunny day.

[Bon mots]

[livius]

He wants to have the gray, drab world of socialism for everyone...except himself.

Notice who’s having his third - or is it his fourth - vacation of the summer at the shore. Along with his dog arriving on its own jet.

[Bon mots]

In NJ going down the shore.............has always been an act of faith. Traffic traffic traffic.

Last weekend I heard the morning traffic. Sunday morning, usually just a nightmare of traffic delays.

No delays or backups on any of the roads to the shore. Not a single one. First time in many a decade I had heard a traffic report like that. On a beautiful sunny day.

Like in a Communist country. Just the limos of the elite.

North Korea has great roads:

Obamunism at work.
Maybe he will create jobs for traffic cops like in NK.

[primatreat]

I agree. I keep a boat on Fairlee Creek, home of Great oaks marina. The marina is keeping it’s head above water but it is a real struggle. We were in St. Michael’s two weeks ago and found it very “un busy”. The Town is so dependent on Tourist trade and especially boaters.

NOT ONE OBAMA sticker in sight. As he said on his weekly.. “We are finally heading in the right direction”.... Yes “0”, we finally have out collective heads out of our asses and are coming to get you and the trash in DC and dump them all in the Shaw Bay Jelly fish breeding ground.

[Mere Survival]

For a very brief while the boating markets held up even as the rest of the economy went into recession (at least from what I saw in South Florida). Rich had some savings and didn’t reign in spending immmediately. Well, that time is long past.

My wife was saying a friend in a major bank was telling her that the “gold” or “platinum” or whatever metal they use to indicate thier preferred clients are driving up in their Bentleys and Rolls and Mercedes . . . and they have $2,000 in their checking accounts. It’s tight out there.

[Jimmy Valentine]

I was down in Ocean City Md. looking at a couple of properties for thepeople I work for.

I drove the Ocean Highway from 1st St. all of the way to Rehoboth Beach Delaware.

This was on a beautiful, clear Thursday.

The whole distance, I only saw one hotel with a "no vacancy" sign.

[Carley]

Hopefully other freepers will give us an idea of their own experiences with local businesses.

Not counting NYC traffic of course.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

President Obama: Stilling the Waters

Actually it's

President Obama: Spoiling the Waters

[phockthis]

I have to say that I have drained my accounts also, just so this bozo can’t steal it..

It also is starving the beast from the very thing it needs, Tax revenue!!!

[Think free or die]

What I've noticed this summer is a change in our community when I hear the national anthem being played at the kids' swim meets. Since 9/11, crowds have broken out in cheers and applause upon hearing "the land of the free", drowning out the final "home of the brave". I noticed earlier this month that in two swim meets in a row, this was completely absent. The people were simply standing soberly with hands on their hearts, looking at the flag and listening to the young people singing the anthem. On Thursday, I was at third meet and watched carefully. In this case, there was very light applause and cheering for the land of the free, but it was all from the kids, who I assume don't fully understand what is happening. The adults didn't participate. Very interesting indeed.

Our township is one of those Philadelphia collar communities which has shifted leftward in recent decades with the influx of upper middle class families. A lot of people are expressing concern, and our foreclosures are up, up, up. I think there's a lot of fear and voter's remorse; I just hope it's enough.