Obama doesn't fear snow
Jan. 28th, 2009 02:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Obama gives chilly reception to canceled school
"Can I make a comment that is unrelated to the economy very quickly?" the new president told reporters at a gathering with business leaders. "And it has to do with Washington. My children's school was canceled today. Because of, what? Some ice?"
The president said he wasn't the only one who was incredulous.
"As my children pointed out, in Chicago, school is never canceled," Obama said to laughter. "In fact, my 7-year-old pointed out that you'd go outside for recess. You wouldn't even stay indoors. So, I don't know. We're going to have to try to apply some flinty Chicago toughness."
Asked if he meant the people of the national's capital are wimps, Obama said: "I'm saying, when it comes to the weather, folks in Washington don't seem to be able to handle things."
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Date: 2009-01-28 08:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-28 08:12 pm (UTC)And having lived in the D.C. Area for the second half of my childhood after living in Connecticut for the first half, I can say that they are whimps, there.
There were days I had to SLED to my bus stop as a kid in Connecticut, and still went to school. But in D.C., they would close for a really bad thunderstorm....
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Date: 2009-01-28 08:21 pm (UTC)(He's of course right - they ARE wimps.)
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Date: 2009-01-28 08:29 pm (UTC)And is it really true that Chicago schools never close? Here in Rochester, we have three or four snow days a year, when the snow is falling faster than the sidewalk plows can clear them or the wind chill falls below -25. I know Chicago gets this kind of weather too; are they doubleplusgood at winter management or just indifferent to child safety?
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Date: 2009-01-28 08:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-28 09:24 pm (UTC)Ice, though. Whoa. If Chicago doesn't get black ice, then Obama should be glad that his current job doesn't require a commute. Holy cow, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. That's why snow days are built into the schedule; I say take 'em and say a prayer for the people who have to be on the road anyways.
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Date: 2009-01-28 10:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-28 09:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-28 09:53 pm (UTC)I don't know about President Obama, but it seems to me that if the cost of keeping the roads clear is less than the money lost because everything closes, you keep the roads clear. In Chicago, that dollar figure is very, very high.
And is it really true that Chicago schools never close? Here in Rochester, we have three or four snow days a year, when the snow is falling faster than the sidewalk plows can clear them or the wind chill falls below -25.
Pretty much -- Chicago mayors are retained or replaced based largely on whether they manage to keep the streets clear of snow so that the city can function. The day it was -75F in Chicago, I went to work and I think the schools were open.
If spending what Chicago spends on keeping the streets clear when it snows made financial sense for Rochester, they'd do it too.
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Date: 2009-01-29 09:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-28 08:51 pm (UTC)Let me tell you and Mr. Obama something. I grew up in New York, where there was snow on the ground maybe 60-90 days out of the year. Everybody there had snow tires and had LOTS of experience driving in snow. Then I moved to Cincinnati, where there's snow on the ground maybe 30 days a year. Nobody owned snow tires, and there were lots of accidents.
So sure, school got canceled in Cincinnati for dustings that wouldn't have fazed New Yorkers... but for a good reason. Same thing here.
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Date: 2009-01-28 09:10 pm (UTC)I love my President more and more.
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Date: 2009-01-28 09:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-29 04:26 am (UTC)The problem with DC drivers is that 95% of them are not from DC. They are from a completely random assortment of other places, with a mix of driving styles that ends up being incredibly dangerous even when the weather is fine. And being in DC, far too many seem to be quite self-important and feel that everybody else should get the hell out of their way.
Kind of like LA, actually. (*spends a minute imagining what would happen if we got 2 inches of snow on the 405*) (*laughs uncontrollably*)
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Date: 2009-01-28 11:06 pm (UTC)As usual, I am firmly of to minds about this. On one hand, people down there are pantywaists about snowy, icy weather. On the other hand (or OTOH in L33T speak) I've driven down there in a light snow and if I had ids I wouldn't want them on the road with these folks out and about.
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Date: 2009-01-28 11:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-29 02:47 am (UTC)Here's why:
I agree with your other commenters that the area doesn't invest in snow/ice equipment because they don't get enough to make it worth it, so it takes a long time getting the roads clear
Drivers here come in two flavors - terrified 5mph drivers and insane 80mph tailgaters who think SUVs are the only vehicles with 4-wheel braking. Neither has any practical experience driving in winter conditions. I gave up going to work when it snowed not because of the conditions, but because of the other drivers on the road - it just took me too long to get anywhere, between the wrecks and the creepers.
This area gets more ice than snow, and it's harder to see and much more dangerous.
Add icy falling trees as a winter hazard - here in Loudoun my neighbor says she knew 3 people who were killed by trees falling in the last several years. In all my life I've never had so much use for a chain saw. I won't let my son play outside right now bc of the ice and the danger of trees or big branches coming down.
In this case, I think Obama shot off his mouth without thinking or asking any questions first. Mistake, imo.
-P
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Date: 2009-01-29 09:52 pm (UTC)Isn't there a market-based solution to this problem?
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Date: 2009-01-30 03:12 am (UTC)I'm not sure I see a problem here. What's wrong with kids missing a few days of school? Investing in upstate NY or Chicago level road clearing equipment makes no economic sense around here. Well, maybe if global cooling continues for a few decades.
What would the Libertarian solution be? Hmm, that's interesting. You'd have to start with the schools being privatized, then parents would choose the schools with the best open/close policies. Or choose distance learning - I bet Microsoft and Apple would go into the virtual private school business, with certified solution providers to sell enrichment activities locally...
Have I given you nightmares yet? Are you ready to have children?
*g*
Anyway, I wish we could have snow instead of ice here. I want to go out and play.
-P
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Date: 2009-01-31 02:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-29 04:28 am (UTC)If I were cynical, I'd follow that "He also doesn't know the meaning of...." but I'm not feeling that mean right now.