Thanks, Obama

(Inspired by a NY Times article by Jackie Calmes, 4/3/16.)
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Obama and Neufeldt in 2009

Elkhart, Indiana calls itself the "recreational vehicle manufacturing capital of the world."  In 2009, at the peak of the Great Recession, with the town's unemployment rate at 20%, President Obama came to Elkhart to give a speech highlighting the government's rescue of the auto and financial industries and the federal stimulus program, which included a big grant specific to Elkhart.  A 62 year-old supporter, Ed Neufeldt, an unemployed RV worker, was chosen to introduce the president prior to his speech.

Elkhart received a lot of government help back then, and it sure seems like it worked.  Today in 2016, Elkhart's unemployment rate stands at a low 3.8%, the RV business is booming again, and real estate values are up.  Neufeldt is now 69 and works part-time.  He's proud that his daughter and three sons-in-law have good full-time jobs in the RV industry.

So who's Ed Neufeldt supporting for president in 2016?  You guessed it.  Donald Trump.  Says Ed, "I like the way he just won't take nothin' off of nobody."  (Ooh!  Triple negative!)

So what's Ed's problem with Obama?  It's . . . wait for it . . . abortion.  Seriously.  WTF?!!  And of course, there's Obama's lingering blackness.

Poor Ed!  He illustrates a problem in politics and in life often cited in these pages:

Ignorance can be fixed, but stupid is forever.