The Marietta Daily Journal – Barr demands Obama open battlefield park

MARIETTA — Former Congressman Bob Barr of Smyrna attached a copy of the U.S. Constitution to the chained gate barring the entrance to the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park’s Visitor Center on Tuesday, surrounded by two dozen tea party members.

“This park does not belong to Mr. Obama,” Barr said, as the tea party members clapped and waved yellow flags with coiled snakes warning, “Don’t Tread on Me.”

“Mr. Obama, this park is not a pawn for you to use any more than the monuments in Washington including the World War II Memorial are pawns for you to use to control our veterans, so enough is enough,” Barr said.

Barr, who is running for the 11th Congressional District seat, which will open when U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Marietta) steps down next year, cited the opening words of the Constitution: “We the people.”

The president does not have the authority to close the national park, Barr said.

“Mr. Obama, open this park,” Barr demanded. “Mr. Obama, open up America. Mr. Obama, open up the Constitution once again.”

Hopefully, Barr said, Obama will show leadership just as President Clinton did when he negotiated with the Republican majorities in the House and Senate.

“President Obama may not like it, but if he is going to call himself a leader then he needs to behave like one and he needs to sit down and negotiate,” Barr said.

Barr shared what he thought of U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson’s recent remark that the shutdown was “a dumb idea.”

“Perhaps he ought to remember Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment, not to speak ill of fellow Republicans,” Barr said. “That does nothing but give aid and comfort to our political adversaries, so I think it’s unfortunate when we have political leaders in Washington that aid the other party by criticizing their fellow Republicans.”

via The Marietta Daily Journal – Barr demands Obama open battlefield park.