Aloha, America

Real leaders don’t go on vacation when their nation sits on the edge of an economic Armageddon. 

Imagine George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, or Ronald Reagan going on vacation with less than a week to resolve an economic crisis that could cripple the nation.  A crisis that could throw millions of Americans out of work, could rattle every world economy, and severely degrade our military.  The thought would never cross their minds, yet with this President one doubts he every even considered skipping his vacation for the sake of the nation he supposedly leads. 

Barack Obama relaxes in Hawaii.  This is what happens when you name someone a “leader” who hasn’t led so much as a Cub Scout pack in his life.

Imagine the message that would have been sent had President Obama declared he was cancelling his vacation to Hawaii.  It would have been a message of leadership, and it would have put our nation on a path to almost certain resolution of the crisis.  Imagine he calls a press conference and opens it with:  “Ladies and Gentlemen, as you know Michelle and I and the girls had a long-planned vacation to Hawaii this Christmas.  Due to the unresolved fiscal issues and the dire consequences they could create for our people, most of whom will never be within 1,000 miles of Hawaii or any resort for that matter, I’m staying here in Washington this Christmas.  I explained this to the girls and while they are disappointed, they understand that as President I have a responsibility to 350 million Americans that demands that I stay here.  While they are sad, they will learn a lesson of leadership from this.”

“That said, I am calling on Speaker Boenher, Eric Cantor, and Harry Reid to stay in Washington to work through these issues with me.  We will meet for 24 hours a day if necessary, and we will resolve this situation in the interest of the American people.  I will come prepared to compromise, and I expect Mr. Boenher and Mr. Cantor to come prepared to do the same.  You are right to expect no less of us, as your employees we know you want us to come to a resolution and to be reasonable with each other.  Thank you all for your time and attention, and I wish you and your families a very happy and healthy Christmas.”

Now that would be leadership.