Why Has Obama Turned His Back on American Samoa

[AllieBaba]

"Beyond the presidential primaries, territories like American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have limited voting powers. Their inability to participate on the federal level results from the status of their residents: American Samoans are considered U.S. nationals, not citizens. They can elect one nonvoting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, who is permitted to cast votes on amendments to a bill but not its final passage. (The 580,000 U.S. citizens living in Washington, D.C., get the same deal in Congress. But they can vote for president, sending three members to the electoral college.)"

What kind of voting rights do American Samoans have? - By Jonathan Rubin - Slate Magazine

 

[paperview]

Obama's ignoring American Samoa, like he ignores Fox, because they voted for McCain/Palin.

American Samoans have the presidential vote?

Yes.

"25 FEBRUARY 2008 PAGOPAGO (Pacnews) --- The American Samoa Republican Party announced that all nine of the delegates it will send to the GOP national convention will support John McCain, reports the Washington Post.

The delegates from the U.S. territory helped McCain move closer to clinching the GOP nomination for president, giving him a total of 976 delegates. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is far behind with 254 delegates, two less than Mitt Romney, who has quit the race and endorsed McCain.

It will take 1,191 delegates to secure the Republican nomination.

Earlier Saturday, the nine delegates from the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands said they would be voting for McCain. The GOP on Guam is set to make its selection March 8."
Article: American Samoans back McCain. | AccessMyLibrary - Promoting library advocacy

Yes. That was for the primaries. duh.

They sent 12 delegates to the Democratic convention.
===================================

Can citizens in U.S. Territories vote for President? No, the Electoral College system does not provide for residents of U.S. Territories, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa to vote for President. Unless citizens in U.S. Territories have official residency (domicile) in a U.S. State or the District of Columbia (and vote by absentee ballot or travel to their State to vote), they cannot vote in the Presidential election. Note that prior to the adoption of the 23rd Amendment, DC residents could not vote in the Presidential election.
The political parties may authorize voters in primary elections in Territories to select delegates to represent them at the political party conventions. But that process does not affect the Electoral College system.


U. S. Electoral College FAQs

 

[paperview]

Correction. Samoa sent 13 Delegates to the DNC Convention. Not 12.

"According to the DNC, California will have the biggest delegation at 503, with American Samoa pulling up the rear with 13 delegates."

 

[paperview]

"Beyond the presidential primaries, territories like American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have limited voting powers. Their inability to participate on the federal level results from the status of their residents: American Samoans are considered U.S. nationals, not citizens. They can elect one nonvoting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, who is permitted to cast votes on amendments to a bill but not its final passage. (The 580,000 U.S. citizens living in Washington, D.C., get the same deal in Congress. But they can vote for president, sending three members to the electoral college.)"

What kind of voting rights do American Samoans have? - By Jonathan Rubin - Slate Magazine

Your Slate article is wrong. American Samoa does not send electors to the Electoral College:

2008 Poll Closing Times - Electoral College Chronologically

 

[bodecea]

"Beyond the presidential primaries, territories like American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have limited voting powers. Their inability to participate on the federal level results from the status of their residents: American Samoans are considered U.S. nationals, not citizens. They can elect one nonvoting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, who is permitted to cast votes on amendments to a bill but not its final passage. (The 580,000 U.S. citizens living in Washington, D.C., get the same deal in Congress. But they can vote for president, sending three members to the electoral college.)"

What kind of voting rights do American Samoans have? - By Jonathan Rubin - Slate Magazine

Your Slate article is wrong. American Samoa does not send electors to the Electoral College:

2008 Poll Closing Times - Electoral College Chronologically

And remember, according to Annie, Samoans don't count as much as Georgians do.

 

[bodecea]

that's because b soetoro wasn't brought up there. he only cares about indonesia's problems. that's because he grew up in indonesia and went to muslim schoolaka training camp for jihad. he livedthere with his mom and adopted radical muslim daddy, lolo soetoro!!!!

I think this guy's gonna be fun.

 

[MaggieMae]

Do you enjoy being dumbed down, Frailty?

Top Travel News - U.S. Aid Heading to Samoa After Deadly Earthquake, Tsunami

Fugate commended FEMA's response in American Samoa, saying "our teams went from no-notice to fully activated and deploying staff" on the island less than 40 hours after the disaster.
First US aid teams reach tsunami-hit American Samoa - Yahoo! News

right, its like i said...he is too busy to come, i guess the children will have to go without him

Ah, you wanted HIM to go, personally, arrive on a jumbo jet needing priority air space which would get in the way of the rescue planes and once landed, just add to all the confusion. I get it now.

 

[MaggieMae]

if obam cared he would already be there, but alas hes to busy trying to sell his wares

What do you expect Obama to do there? Take up a shovel and start digging?

Then two things would happen:

1.) You would bitch Obama is not being where he should be, in Washington being President.

2.) You would say he's only doing this for his ego.

I know how this game is played bucko and you type of people are the same every time.

The same question was asked about Bush ...

Except that Bush wasn't even aware of the full impact of the tragedy of Katrina until he saw it on television. His "people" kept him that tightly wrapped in a bubble. BDR? Which I'm constantly accused of? Nope. I blame all the people who surrounded him and USED George Bush for their own agendas.

 

[MaggieMae]

So, you thinking they should land AF One there at American Samoa?

no, he could land someplace else then take a sea plane and motor boat onto land.

is it beneth him? he should be willing to do whatever it takes

this is what i would do if I was prez.

Where would he go that is within a seaplane's range? Helpe up out here. Show us you know all about the logistics.


BTW...I love how you added a pic of a WWII era seaplane...one on a concrete pad at a museum. Backwards too. LOL

Frailty is just trying to yank our chains. He forgets that many of us have already been exposed to his brand of "humanitarianism." And it ain't as it seems with his silly commentary in this thread.

 

[MaggieMae]

What a bunch of far rightoid bozos. Samoa relief winds down; efforts continue elsewhere. The relief effort is almost over, and what did any of you do about it? Bunch of losers, period.

We live near Oceanside with a large Samoan community and have contributed quite heavily to the relief effort this last week. I wonder how Fatality et al have contributed to their fellow Americans?

By raising his glass and a taking a hit from his pipe? Frailty doesn't give a shit about American Samoans, are you kidding?

 

[MaggieMae]

Samoa is part of the United States...100s died. How many have died in Georgia?

Not as much a 'part' of US, as is Georgia, sorry.

So, you spit on American citizens because they aren't quite as "American" as Georgians? Now we know where YOU stand, don't we, sweetie?

Plus, if devastating flooding had happened in a "blue" state, you can bet Annie would be hoping for deaths, not screaming that Obama didn't make a personal visit.

 

[MaggieMae]

I wasn't aware that it took only one vote in the House of Representatives to pass something. Maybe you know something that I don't know....please explain.


BTW...still waiting for Fatality to work out the logistics besides posting backwards photos of WWII era seaplanes on concrete pads.

does this mean you ain't gonna answer the question?

Boy, you don't pay much attention. Is that on purpose, or is it something you can't help?

The latter. She believes as gospel everything that lands in her inbox from the Internet. And don't be surprised if, even after solid proof that she is wrong, at some point Willow will repeat the same charge.

 

[MaggieMae]

We can have fun imagining what the thread titles would be if Obama did personally go to American Samoa

"How much fuel did Obama waste going to Pago Pago?


"Poll: What next after Obama's Samoan Humiliation?


"How many taxpayer dollars did Obama lose in not stopping the Samoan tsunami?

"Was this all part of the conspiracy to get everyone health care, including Samoans?"

"After all, if the gubmit can create a phony flu vaccine in order to kill off white folk and leave black folk the majority, surely they could create a phony earthquake and tsunami!"

"Yeah, I read it on the Internets..."

 

[MaggieMae]

obama wont come

YouTube - Earthquake & Tsunami hits American Samoa

And what do you want him to do there exactly (figuring that you are never going to come up with the logistics I asked for, besides a backwards photo of a WWII era sea plane)

EVERYTHING that should have been done with Katrina. Not only is this in Somoa, but also Georgia, where FEMA is just getting around to it, how many weeks later?

I hate fucking liars.

Biden: For some Georgia flood victims, damage akin to Katrina - CNN.com

Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, both Georgia Republicans, applauded the White House's quick response to their calls for aid. Isakson further thanked Biden for spending extra time consoling victims present at the civic center.

 

[MaggieMae]

The loonies of the right are loonier than ever! The gov did a good job in Samoa and will continue to do so, but Obama is at fault. The president, the governor of Louisiana, and the mayor of New Orleans messed the Katrina operation beyond recognition, and we are supposed to not blame Bush?

I am going to send the loonies' assertion over to a friend of mine in the university Philosophy Deparment.

Everytime I think you whackos have reached a new low, you yet again lower the bar.

Absolutely amazing!

The administration is a failure at protecting and securing American disaster areas, even within the continental US. As the earlier link proved, FEMA is just getting around to GA. You are so far up the DNC ass, you can't see the mud through the poop.

I don't know where you posted your link, but a quick Google search proves you fucking dead wrong. The response to the GA flooding was immediate.

 

[MaggieMae]

Where's Kanye West?

"Barack Obama doesn't care about Samoan People."

Good one!!

 

[MaggieMae]

Really? I remember report after report on how the U.S. Navy was there in a flash and helping people out in the disaster zone. Isn't revisionist history fun?

Tsunamis and Tidal Waves: underwater earthquake disasters and the U.S. Navy

i guess you forgot the reports on how cheap we were in sending money
they totally ignored that we were there for quite some time actually helping people

correct, and that included some hospital ships. the left wing media never missed a chance at bashing President Bush. and Until someone on the left acknowledges that fact.. they got zero credibility in my book. zero.

It's acknowledged everywhere. You are just incapable of absorbing anything you don't want to know and having it stick in your peabrain long enough to remember.

 

[MaggieMae]

that's because b soetoro wasn't brought up there. he only cares about indonesia's problems. that's because he grew up in indonesia and went to muslim schoolaka training camp for jihad. he livedthere with his mom and adopted radical muslim daddy, lolo soetoro!!!!

Hmmm, looks like he at least got better grammar schooling than you did... Back to your sandbox, kiddo. Mom will call when it's time to homeschool for the third grade.

 

[ba1614]

Not as much a 'part' of US, as is Georgia, sorry.

So, you spit on American citizens because they aren't quite as "American" as Georgians? Now we know where YOU stand, don't we, sweetie?

Plus, if devastating flooding had happened in a "blue" state, you can bet Annie would be hoping for deaths, not screaming that Obama didn't make a personal visit.

Isn't that special
Fuckin' idiot.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

Why Has Obama Turned His Back on American Samoa ?

Because he can. Or perhaps because he don't see a good photo op. out of the deal. Obama is as useless as tits on a boar hog. I think it's funny with a democratically controlled house, Obama can't get anything done. He's showing signs of being a lame duck president for his entire full term. IMO