I didn't write this...I got it as a forward. I would love to credit the author, but I don't know who it is. Also, if you are the author, I will be happy to take this down if you'd prefer.

"Dinner with Obama"

Once upon a time, I was invited to the White House for a private 
dinner with the President. I am a respected businessman, with a 
factory that produces memory chips for computers and portable 
electronics. There was some talk that my industry was being 
scrutinized by the administration, but I paid it no mind. I live in a 
free country. There's nothing that the government can do to me if I've 
broken no laws. My wealth was earned honestly, and an invitation to 
dinner with an American President is an honor.

I checked my coat, was greeted by the Chief of Staff, and joined the 
President in a yellow dining room.  We sat across from each other at a 
table draped in white linen. The Great Seal was embossed on the china. 
Uniformed staff served our dinner.  The meal was served, and I was 
startled when my=2 0waiter suddenly reached out, plucked a dinner roll 
off my plate, and began nibbling it as he walked back to the kitchen.

"Sorry about that," said the President. "Andrew is very hungry."

"I don't appreciate..." I began, but as I looked into the calm brown 
eyes across from me, I felt immediately guilty and petty.. It was just 
a dinner roll.  "Of course," I concluded, and reached for my glass. 
Before I could, however, another waiter reached forward, took the 
glass away and swallowed the wine in a single gulp..

"And his brother Eric is very thirsty." said the President..

I didn't say anything. The President is testing my compassion, I 
thought. I will play along. I don't want to seem unkind.  My plate was 
whisked away before I had tasted a bite.

"Eric's children are also quite hungry."

With a lurch, I crashed to the floor. My chair had been pulled out 
from under me. I stood, brushing myself off angrily, and watched as it 
was carried from the room.

"And their grandmother can't stand for long."

I excused myself, smiling outwardly, but inside feeling like a fool.  
Obviously I had been invited to the White House to be sport for some 
game. I reached for my coat, to find that it had been taken. I turned 
back to the President.

"Their grandfather doesn't like the cold."

I wanted to shout - that was my coat! But again, I looked at the 
placid smiling face of my host and decided I was being a poor sport. I 
spread my hands helplessly and chuckled. Then I felt my hip pocket and 
realized my wallet was gone. I excused myself and walked to a phone on 
an elegant side table. I learned shortly that my credit cards had been 
maxed out, my bank accounts emptied, my retirement and equity 
portfolios had vanished, and my wife had been thrown out of our home. 
Apparently, the waiters and their families were moving in. The 
President hadn't moved or spoken as I learned all this, but finally I 
lowered the phone into its cradle and turned to face him.

 "Andrew's whole family has made bad financial decisions. They haven't 
planned for retirement, and they need a house. They recently defaulted 
on a subprime mortgage. I told them they could have your home. They 
need it more than you do."

My hands were shaking. I felt faint. I stumbled back to the table and 
knelt on the floor. The President cheerfully cut his meat, ate his 
steak and drank his wine.

I lowered my eyes and stared at the small grey circles on the 
tablecloth that were water drops.

"By the way," He added, "I have just signed an Executive Order 
nationalizing your factories. I'm firing you as head20of your business. 
I'll be operating the firm now for the benefit of all mankind.  
There's a whole bunch of Erics and Andrews out there and they can't 
come to you for jobs groveling like beggars."

I looked up. The President dropped his spoon into the empty ramekin 
which had been his creme brulee. He drained the last drops of his wine.

As the table was cleared, he lit a cigarette and leaned back in his 
chair. He stared at me. I clung to the edge of the table as if were a 
ledge and I were a man hanging over an abyss. I thought of the years 
behind me, of the life I had lived. The life I had earned with a 
lifetime of work, risk and struggle. Why was I punished? How had I 
allowed it to be taken? What game had I played and lost? I looked 
across the table and noticed with some surprise that there was no game 
board between us.  What had I done wrong?

As if answering the unspoken thought, the President suddenly cocked 
his head, locked his empty eyes to mine, and bared a million teeth, 
chuckling wryly as he folded his hands.

"You should have stopped me at the dinner roll," he said.

Wake up America!

IN GOD WE TRUST

=0 A