Bush Administration’s Tourist Visa Policy May Have Cost America The 2016 Olympics

[midnight]

Bush Administration’s Tourist Visa Policy May Have Cost America The 2016 Olympics
In spite of President Obama’s lobbying efforts, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) may have chosen to reject hosting the 2016 summer olympic games in Chicago due to the post-9/11 visa tourist policies established by his predecessor, George W. Bush. Michael Froomkin, Professor at the University of Miami School of Law, is convinced that the “the same stupid anti-visitor policy that is destroying American higher education” also sunk Chicago’s Olympic bid. Chicago was eliminated during the first round and received the fewest votes. A New York Times article points out:

In the official question-and-answer session following the Chicago presentation, Syed Shahid Ali, an I.O.C. member from Pakistan, asked the toughest question. He wondered how smooth it would be for foreigners to enter the United States for the Games because doing so can sometimes, he said, be “a rather harrowing experience.”
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/02/chicago-olympics-bush/

They must of heard about Americans winding up dead when taken into airport questioning rooms. Another reason to uphold the consitutional rights of American-it is good for the ecomomy.

[dipsydoodle]

1. Put more simply than winding up dead -

event tickets would need to be bought well prior to arranging flights. Would be a real bummer if the tickets were successfully obtained only to find you then were not allowed to go.

Might just make life easier all round if the USA published its "no fly list"

To be perfectly honest I'm surprised that Chicago even bothered - should've seen this coming.

[shotten99]

2. The need to be on all out defense though.

The GOP will turn this into something political.

[notesdev]

3. A rather harrowing experience, meeting a Senator...

... in the restroom at the airport

[Demeter]

4. O'Hare is a Disaster on a Good Day

Can you imagine pushing the Olympics through the busiest, most disastrous airport in the world?

There are lots of good reasons NOT to go to Chicago. One superstar (and probably facing a rapid decline) President isn't enough to counteract the hard facts about travel, security and economy in the US.

[bhikkhu]

5. Why facing a rapid decline?

I think the fortunes of the President are tied to the fortunes of the country, but I believe (in spite of all the RW monkeywrenchers) that we can improve at least up to the standards of other similar countries.