Archive for October 11th, 2009

Why it’s a good for America, that Rio got the 2016 Summer Olympics

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The news came down last week that Rio de Janeiro, not Chicago will be hosting the 2016 Summer Olympic games. Given the histrionics and hysterical reactions of some, one might have thought the Chicago Cubs were moving to Mexico City.
 
However, this is a blessing in disguise. It’s obvious that today’s Olympics are simply a form of corporate welfare (something that most left of center typically find abhorrent). The Olympics today, are simply a play thing for the rich at taxpayer expense. Tax money is used to provide security for athletes, huge stadium venues are built, that are seldom used afterward, and chaos is the typical result of the resident’s of the host city trying to go about their everyday lives.  In fact, according to most polls, about half of Chicago residents did NOT want the Olympics to come to Chicago.
 
That aside, there is a simple fiscal argument no one seems to have considered. Given President Obama’s huge social agenda and the massive budget deficit projected over the next ten years, given that Social Security and Medicare are already placing huge demands on the budget, and given what long term care needs for tens of millions of baby boomers as they age over the next twenty to thirty years, is this really the time to be wasting tax payer dollars on a massive party?
 
Let Rio have the 2016 games. The beaches there are better than any in Chicago for beach volleyball, we can all enjoy the games on television, without having to inflict more debt on the taxpayers and chaos on one of America’s greatest cities.  And no, it is in no way “unpatriotic” to be glad that Chicago was spared the 2016 games.
 
 
 

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Posted by Chuck Gee - October 11, 2009 at 11:29 AM

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