Lawmakers take issue with Obama's Las Vegas remark

[The Northerner]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON – Nevada lawmakers are taking umbrage at President Barack Obama's reference to Las Vegas when explaining how the country needs to make some tough choices on spending.

The Nevada economy has been among the hardest hit over the past two years, and officials are sensitive to remarks that could discourage spending there.

In remarks at a town hall event on Tuesday, Obama said that when times are tough, people tighten their belts and don't blow a bunch of cash in Las Vegas when trying to save up for college.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, says Obama needs to lay off Las Vegas and, as he put it, "stop making it the poster child for where people shouldn't be spending their money."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100202/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_las_vegas

[gateley]

1. Jeez, talk about overreacting! nt

[HeresyLives]

3. Every little word is a 'gotcha' moment anymore.

[madmax]

4. +1

[Gecko6400]

32. Yes.

Glad that sort of thing never happens on the DU. <:)>

[TankLV]

31. Then why don't they ever use that cesspool of krap Atlantic City?!!!

yeah - we're "overly sensitive" about it!!!

HELL YEAH!!!

[janedum]

2. Very Short article. Not real interesting or controversial.

[blue neen]

6. Agreed.

Positive stories are more interesting to me right now. Obama is doing his best. It's a pity, though that Republicans refuse to govern.

[CynicalObserver]

18. how do republicans govern when democrats hold large majorities in

congress and also hold the white house?

[niyad]

24. well, they don't govern, they just hold everything up for their whining self-interest

these are the morans, after all, who would have us believe that 41 republican senators is the majority.

[MercutioATC]

5. Maybe Obama should reference Atlantic City in the future?

Las Vegas' trailer-park cousin where the geriatric go to blow their SS checks?

Methinks Vegas is overreacting.

[gateley]

8. I think the only safe place to mention would be Monaco. nt

[MercutioATC]

10. True, but a Monaco reference would characteristically change the statement.

He's not talking about the ultra-wealthy (those perceived to patronize casinos in Monaco), he's talking about middle and upper-middle class Americans.

[Yurovsky]

26. How about just saying "bookie"?

I think everyone would get the point. And I don't think the mob would be all that upset...

I get why the folks in Nevada are so sensitive (with the high unemployment), but everyone just needs to chill the fuck out and place the comments in context.

[No Elephants]

13. Why is mentioning any particular city necessary to make his point?

[MercutioATC]

16. Vegas represents a particular image of irresponsibility and/or decadence.

It's fought long and hard to establish and maintain that image.

Singling out Vegas in this case is illustrative, and (IMO) Vegas has no reasonable objection.

[No Elephants]

36. He could very easily have illustrated his point another way. This was gratuitous.

Again, he can illustrate his point without slamming ANY American city. That simply is not what a U.S. President should be doing for no real reason, especially when cities all over the country are hurting. He should be the booster in chief of every American city.

It's also not what a Democratic President should be doing when hiss man Reid is hurting in the polls to boot. Reid, the one who encouraged Obama to run for the Presidency.

Whatever DU may think of Reid, Obama and the DNC are supporting him. So, for Democrats, that Senate seat is going to depend on Reid's winning it.

I don't know why some folks can't seem to face the reality that every now and again, Obama just says something that would have been better left unsaid, or said another way.

[Atman]

7. In fairness, that's what they were elected for...to represent their state.

I think it's stupid. But the fact remains, if you lived in Connecticut, as I do, and the President made an off-hand remark that we should stop building submarines, I'd expect our reps to raise a stink. It's a huge part of our economy. If you lived in Wisconsin and the president said we should all stop eating cheese, I'd expect Wisconsin's reps to raise a stink. Etc. You get the point. A representative's job is to represent the people and their interests.

Obama's remarks were dead-on accurate. But he probably should have simply said "casino" or "gambling" instead of directly referring to Las Vegas. Same message, no foul.

.

[Me.]

9. Oh, So I Take It, Then, That Vegas Isn't A Gambling Town

[No Elephants]

14. No one said Las Vegas was not a gambling town.

His point is, spend your money wisely. Prioritize, Don't blow you kid's college tuition on frivolous things. He can make that point without referencing gambling at all, let alone seeming to pick on any particular casino town.

I can blow a lot on shoes, clothes, rare wines and/or lottery tickets right at home.

Speaking of priorities, his statement may not have been perfect, but it was not the end of the world, either. The media can't get enough of pot stirring. We don't have to follow their lead, though.

[Me.]

19. Utter Nonsense

It's disingenuous to try and pretend that casinos, and the accompanying gambling, aren't the mainstay of that city.

[No Elephants]

35. As already posted, no one said that. Let your straw men rest now. It's the only humane thing to do.

[Lil Missy]

11. BFD.

[truthisfreedom]

12. Obama would have done well to talk about not gambling instead of referring to Vegas.

I just went to Vegas and blew a pretty penny... on shows, a nice hotel, and first-class seats, but I gambled exactly 1 dollar. And lost, of course. The girl I took along spent 4 dollars gambling and at one point, had a coupon from a slot machine that showed winnings of $2. Eventually, she was busted. I asked her how it felt to lose $4 and she said "but I won $2!" I think the reality check point came for her when I said "how much did you start with?" and she said "Four." "And how much is left?" and she moped and said "None. I guess I have an addictive personality."

[No Elephants]

15. Please see Reply 14.

Some people enjoy plays, concerts, very pricey restaurants, etc. Some people enjoy gambling. As long as they can cover their bills, it's no one's business. I don't think his point was gambling per se.

[AzNick]

17. Take umbrage with your hookers and craps economy nt

[Socal31]

22. Yes, because those "hookers and craps" dont employ anybody.

Wait...

[Mari333]

20. yeah, well, when Obama stops 'gambling' away money on the Pentagon and Wall Street

then I will take him seriously.
Until then, Oscar Mayer Bologna.

[high density]

21. So people should blow a bunch of cash in Vegas when trying to save up for college?

I'm trying to figure out the issue here.

[daleo]

25. If you win big, you can pay your tuition

Hell, Vegas could run ads about that in campus newspapers.

[mbperrin]

27. Hmmm, wonder who pays the bill for all that neon in Vegas? Oh, yeah,

the LOSERS.

Don't kids have enough shit to deal with from crooked fucking bankers and their credit card schemes, the crooked student lenders with their schemes and piss poor instruction from folks with no education theory at all, just some letters after their name?

It's amazing that anyone at all ever earns a degree in this criminal country....

[daleo]

28. There are a lot of vultures

But young people are resilient.

[mbperrin]

29. I teach economics, and I try to make them resistant.

If I can.

[No Elephants]

37. Please see Reply 35.

[superconnected]

23. Basically, anything he says will be taken purposefully wrong by people who can't stand him.

At least he can form coherent sentences. That put's him way past Bush and Palin. It actually makes him scary to the right wing.

[Gecko6400]

33. Like Harry Reid.

[No Elephants]

42. You mean the same Harry Reid who tried to convince Democrats that Obama should run for President?

[Blue_Tires]

30. What's wrong with suggesting people be smart with their $$$$ in this economy??

For a city so unapolgetically proud of it's wild history (warts and all), economic might and 'anything goes' culture of decadence, their political leaders are shockingly thin-skinned....I suggest they grow the hell up and take the comment in the spirit with which it was intended....

Well, at least the mayor already has his built-in excuse for when the visitor numbers drop off this year...Maybe this was his plan all along...

[No Elephants]

38. Please sSee Reply ##'s 14, 35 and 36.

Why posters pretend the issue is something other than it is escapes me.

Ask what is wrong with a Democratic American President dumping on an American city in this ecconomy--and possibly hurting the Democratic Senator he supports--when he could easily have made the exact same point point without any of that.

Cause that question would be a lot closer to the issue actually raised by the OP.

[Blue_Tires]

44. so even with Vegas' universal fame,

they honestly think that because of Obama's comments alone, a significant number of people (if any) who were already planning a trip there will change their minds and back out?? Will Vegas have to close down? By this time tomorrow will it look like Detroit?

FWIW, I fully realize the city has evolved and is so much more these days than it's mafia-gambling-showbiz-whorehouse only roots...But in the minds of most Americans, the first things people associate with the city are opulent displays of wealth, and THE place to be seen throwing your money around, so it's a very apt illustration -- I've had dozens of friends and relatives who visit from time to time (of all income brackets), and not one of them has ever said "I really want to do Vegas on the cheap...Sleep at a Red Roof on the outside of town, buy all my food from the gas station next door, and really enjoy the place without spending anything..."


And I still fail to see how the comment can be considered 'dumping on' or 'insulting'... I only wish Reid showed this kind of fire on shit that really mattered instead of a non-issue...

[Socal31]

46. Spending $100 round trip on Southwest airlines and dropping $1000 on the tables...

is how different than spending $700 round trip to Maui + resort + over priced food, etc?


I think some people's point is that there are tons of ways to blow money...singling out a struggling middle class town, more than once, is not helpful.

[PassingFair]

34. He should have said "...at the casino" instead of Las Vegas.

Because that is what he meant.

This is ridiculous.

Everyone knows what he meant.

To most of us, LasVegas DOES equal gambling.

[No Elephants]

39. What's wrong with leaving gambling out of it entirely? The point is being wise

with your money, prioritizing your spending. Please see also Reply ##s 14, 35 and 36.

All casinos everywhere employ people who need those jobs. There is no reason for a U.S. President to diss any city or any legal industry.

[PassingFair]

40. People who don't have expendable income should not be gambling.

People with children to feed should NOT be
gambling with their grocery money.

Jeez.

[No Elephants]

41. That's not the only thing they should not be doing, though. They also should not be buying $5

coffees every morning, either. Or $500 shoes. So, again, why single out any one sector of our economy? The point is, they should spend wisely and prioritize. No need to hurt anyone to make that point.

Please see Reply ##s 14, 35 and 36.

[PassingFair]

43. Because you can RUIN yourself and your family gambling.

Are there Hot Lines for SHOE addictions or Starbucks habits?

Get real.

http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/about.html

[LanternWaste]

45. As a short-hand example

"So, again, why single out any one sector of our economy...?

As a short-hand example rather than reading off an entire litany of unwise spending choices...? That's how I read it, but I'm not very clever.