Obama promises $7 billion to build African power grids while military bases cancel 4th July fireworks

AllAfrica.com excerpted a portion of Obama’s speech to the University of Cape Town:

So today, I am proud to announce a new initiative. We’ve been dealing with agriculture, we’ve been dealing with health. Now we’re going to talk about power — Power Africa — a new initiative that will double access to power in sub-Saharan Africa. Double it. …

We’re going to start by investing $7 billion in U.S. government resources. We’re going to partner with the private sector, who themselves have committed more than $9 billion in investment. And in partnership with African nations, we’re going to develop new sources of energy.

Meanwhile:

WASHINGTON TIMES – Money woes have led at least three military bases to cancel Fourth of July fireworks, a move that will save up to $100,000, one general estimated.

Among the bases that are canceling the shows, the Army Times reported: Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base and the Army’s Fort Bragg, both in North Carolina; the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany, Ga.; Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii; and New Jersey’s Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

Brig. Gen. Thomas Gorry at Camp Lejeune said that the canceled show would “ensure that we can mitigate the fiscal challenges we are currently facing” and that last year’s July Fourth show cost the base about $100,000.

But not everyone is applauding the cost-cutting move, likening it to a Christmas without Santa.

“I know fireworks might seem silly to other people,” said one woman whose husband is a master gunnery sergeant. “But what is the Fourth of July without fireworks? It’s just a bummer for the kids. It’s like the Grinch stealing Christmas.”

Mark Levin pointed out tonight that Obama ALWAYS seems to have the money for what he wants to do while the White House is closed to the public and government employees are being furloughed.

And military bases don’t have fireworks on the 4th of July.


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