Not Marxist-Leninist?

In news that didn’t exactly burn up the domestic wires over the weekend, U.S. President Barack Obama announced last Friday that his administration was removing Laos and Cambodia from its “trade blacklist,” meaning that American companies can now do business in both countries.

We know, bland news … right?

Exquisitely delicious, however, was the irony behind the decision.

From the AFP:

In brief declarations, Obama said Cambodia and Laos had each “ceased to be a Marxist-Leninist country,” a designation that prevented financial support by the US Export-Import Bank for businesses operating in the two nations.

The move, which still must go through formalities, means that US businesses would be eligible for US government-backed loans and credit guarantees as they can receive when operating in most countries.

“Given the commitment of Cambodia and Laos to open markets, the president has determined that this designation is no longer applicable,” an Obama administration official said.

A “commitment to open markets?”

Seriously?

Sheesh, people. It’s amazing this “administration official” didn’t get struck by lightning when he said that.

Of course, as Mande reported yesterday, Obama’s top health advisor Kathleen Sebelius went on national television over the weekend and touted the importance of “competition” in the marketplace, actually saying that “choice and competition is what we want.”

And she didn’t get struck by lightning either.

WTF, people? Is lightning broken?

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