Sadly, the President doesn’t have too long to enjoy the bliss of returning home after vacation: He heads out on Tuesday for a trip to Louisiana, where record flooding has killed over a dozen people and forced thousands of residents out of their homes.
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In July, the fatal police shooting of a black man outside of a convenience store sparked protests and mass arrests.
Michael Brown, who was tasked with the federal response to the 2005 hurricane, said that Obama didn’t need to immediately go visit the Baton Rouge area, but that he should have acknowledged that there was flooding during his two-week vacation.
Next year the Obama will be away from surprising circumstances, either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will be in the White House and taking taste of traveling sideshow.
However, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards defended Obama’s decision to stay on vacation, according to ABC News, noting that he is in daily communication with the White House.
Lawmakers plan to leave Washington again at the end of September, and not return until after the November 8 elections.
The White House will continue to press lawmakers for money to help keep the mosquito-borne Zika virus from spreading and to develop a vaccine, now that Florida last week identified the popular Miami tourist haven of South Beach as the second site of Zika transmission on the USA mainland. Florida last week identified the popular Miami tourist haven of South Beach as the second site of Zika transmission on the US mainland.
In turn, incensed lawmakers have promised to keep the heat on the administration over $400 million it delivered to Iran in January.
After a relaxing holiday spent golfing, going to the beach and tucking into a stack of page-turning books, the president is returning to a to-do list that includes overseeing flood recovery, tackling Zika virus and boosting Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Republicans say the money was ransom, paid to win freedom for four Americans who were being held in Iran. “We didn’t here. And we … won’t in the future”.
Iran had paid $400 million in the 1970s for US military equipment, but the Iranian government was overthrown and the equipment wasn’t delivered. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Obama has set a “dangerous precedent” and owes the public a “full accounting of his actions”. “The President today directed his team to coordinate with Louisiana officials to determine an appropriate time for him to visit, and together they have determined that the President will visit Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Tuesday, August 23rd”.
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The September 2-9 tour will be the president’s 11th visit to Asia since he took office in 2009.
