Sail-World.com : President Obama raises the ire of US boating industry

News Home

Text Only News

President Obama raises the ire of US boating industry

'What better place is there than on the water to enjoy time off work and bonding with family?' MIAA

Blame it on a throwaway phrase or naive speech writers, but a recent speech by President Barack Obama has incensed the US boating industry, implying that in tough times, buying a boat is a rash and irresponsible decision, like throwing money away at gambling!

'When times are tough, you tighten your belts. You don't go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage,' the president said in the speech announcing his Small Business Lending Initiative in New Hampshire.

'You don't blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you're trying to save for college. You prioritise. You make tough choices. And it's time your government did the same.'

President Obama has already apologised to a Nevada politician about his Vegas comment and now the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the US recreational boating industry's largest trade group, has written him a letter asking him to 'clarify' his remarks about boat buying.

In it, the NMMA says, 'By associating buying a boat with irresponsible spending, you send a very negative and unfortunate signal to boatbuilding workers, marine dealers, marina owners, marine suppliers and the thousands of marine industry employees in the United States.

'We cannot over emphasize how important it is to fuel American middle class recovery and growth with confidence and through responsible spending, rather than calling out an industry that is trying to work alongside your administration to support job growth and US manufacturing.'

by Jeni Bone

Tweet

Click on the FB Like link to post this story to your FB wall

http://www.marinebusiness-world.com/index.cfm?nid=66158

1:54 AM Sat 6 Feb 2010 GMT

Click here for printer friendly version
Click here to send us feedback or comments about this story.

Our Advertisers are committed to our sport, please support them!
This site and its contents are © Copyright TetraMedia Pty. Ltd and/or the original author, photographer etc. All Rights Reserved.

Photographs are copyright by law. If you wish to use or buy a photograph you must contact the photographer directly (there is a hyperlink in most cases to their website, or do a Google search.) with your request.

Please do not contact Sail-World.com as we cannot give permission for use of other photographer’s images.

Only if the photographer named on the image is Sail-world.com, Powerboat-world.com or Marinebusiness-world.com Contact us .
Ph: +61 2 4977 2116 fax: +61 2 4977 2528 or complete our feedback form Contact us .
View our Privacy Policy. [Go Home] [ Banner Advertising Specification] [Bot Archive ]

Customised news feeds -Marine Industry companies, Clubs and Associations have their own customised version of our Sail-World news feed on their website.
Look_here_to_see_examples