By Robert J. Guttman and Emily Benavides
In these days of high unemployment and financial stress, it is not the time to go to the exclusive island of Martha's Vineyard. The influx of spending brought by the presidential entourage would have a greater effect in the Midwestern, economically hurting city of Elkhart, Indiana. You've been there enough times already to speak, why not go and spend more time getting to know the city with 18.8% unemployment? Instead of spending $25,000 to rent a private estate on the elite isle of Martha's Vineyard, stay at the Holiday Inn Express at Elkhart. They have a pool onsite, just as the lofty estate on Martha's Vineyard, but in Elkhart you'd be stimulating the economy in a way your monumental stimulus bill has yet to achieve.
There are multiple ways to enjoy your time in Elkhart, you could take the White House Staff to one of the interesting museums in town, to brush up on their art history at The Midwest Museum of American Art, which has over 2500 works in its collection and offers 8-10 temporary showings per year. For members of the Presidential entourage that enjoy transportation history, there's The National New York Central Railroad Museum which tells the history of the New York Central, Penn Central, Amtrak and Conrail railroads.
Elkhart County is the RV Capital of the World and thus the RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museum is located in the city, which could also be an interesting place to visit and pick up some Midwestern flair. If it gets too hot, you could take everyone to NIBCO Parkway, a skating rink that turns into a free water spray park in the summer. Everyone would have fun and you'd save some of those precious taxpayer dollars.
You're a Midwesterner, Obama. Take the opportunity to go back to your roots. Elkhart is near Chicago, you could even take the Secret Service and White House Staff on a tour of your favorite Windy City spots.
You seem to own most of Detroit now, why not go check on your investment? Visit the one company that you didn't have to rescue and go to the Dearborn Ford Museum to learn about the development of America's only truly private car company. While your there you can help any White House staffers trade their clunkers in, infusing the area with even more financial strength. With an unemployment rate that rose to 22.8%, Detroit could definitely use some of that Obama popularity to boost its economy.
On your way back to D.C. you could stop in Toledo, Ohio, another economically depressed automotive subsidiary town. The Toledo Museum of Art has consistently been rated one of the top ten in the nation. While in the Glass City you could stop by Tony Packo's for one of their famous Hungarian hot dogs. Not far from the city limits there are Maumee Bay State Park and Put-In-Bay island for a bit of fun in the sun. A little further on the Ohio turnpike and you could spend a day with the girls at Cedar Point, America's Roller Coast.
The American people are looking to you, Mr. President. They'll follow your lead. Why not lead them to the places that need your help the most, instead of to an already financially stable and prosperous New England island. America's heartland is calling Mr. President, won't you answer their call?