More Fish-iness with Obama

The US Navy's Seal Team Six went in last night to rescue an American woman and a Danish guy, both aid workers in Somalia who have been held captive by Somali pirates.  As per usual, Seal Team Six did a stellar job  killing 9 pirates and evacuating the couple so kudos to those guys.  Sure glad we have them working for the US and not against us.

But that brings up the question as to why Obama is out directing Seal Team Six to save ordinary citizens now like a super hero team while he's calling the shots back home at the Fortress of Good & Decent?   Maybe the Curmudgeon's memory has faded with age, but he does not remember other incidences where an expensive team of highly trained commandos were sent behind enemy lines to rescue one woman and some foreign guy in a country in which we are not really at war.  Maybe that exists, but right now it's sounding like an episode from The A Team.    On the high seas, shooting pirates should be a world pastime and beloved sport.  The Curmudgeon is not against it because where ever a Somali pirate (or any pirate) can be killed, that is a good and desirable thing.  Obama's actions just seems unusual and the Curmudgeon  wonders if it will now set the precedence for doing stupid things like going into dangerous places "to help the native there" knowing that Obama will save you personally with Seal Team Six.

It's kind of like the silliness of the US Forest Service in Ely.  Did you know that if you paddle in on say, a 25 mile canoe trip and have chest pains, if you can call in, the USFS will send a plane and get you and your gear out?   Do you know how much that costs to be saved in the Boundary Waters because you made bad decisions as a flaming, irresponsible, liberal -  taking a physically challenging  trip even though you knew you should not go in your condition?  Well, word on the portage says the cost ranges from $1200 to $10,000 for that plane to land and save you.  The actual cost to the individual who is being saved by the US government plane from a supposed "wilderness" canoe trip is ZERO  DOLLARS!  Yes, you read it correctly:  ZERO DOLLARS!  The US government up here lets you be stupid enough to take a "wilderness" canoe trip with a known health condition and your rented satellite phone and charges you nothing if you call in the plane to rescue you.  All you have to do is go directly to the hospital ER and get checked out.  That is the only requirement and the government plane ride is FREE!  

So, here's the plan.  The Curmudgeon is going to go on a solo trip from Snowbank to Big Sag.  When he gets to Otter Track and gets tired of paddling and catching lake trout as big as his thigh, he'll conveniently develop chest pains and call for help giving the GPS coordinates.  He'll make the USFS get the plane up in the air, land and save him.  They will pick up all of his gear and bring it back, PLUS he gets a cool plane ride for FREE!  Go to the ER when he gets back to Ely, his paid for health insurance will cover that expense and the chest pains will miraculously have dissipated.  Must have been gas from BWCA food.  Shoulder shrug and "Sorry", then it's back to Red Rock for some canoe-selling fun and stories around the fire place on Wednesday evening at Northwind Lodge.

So, travel the world over!  Stick your nose into areas that you KNOW you might not be up to doing due to your physical state or the political situation there and just call Obama or Ely's Kawishiwi Ranger District.  The government will use its vast resources to save just you.  The cost to the taxpayer is irrelevant.  Your own flagrant stupidity is irrelevant.  Taking personal responsibility is unnecessary.  All that really matters for your Boundary Waters Canoe Trip (or saving Somali women from oppression)  is you.  Just go and enjoy yourself!

CC