WASHINGTON,
D.C.—In what President Barack
Obama called a "somewhat disappointing" showing, his Kickstarter
campaign to eliminate the nation's nearly $17 trillion debt raised just over
$500 in its first week of existence.
"Let me be clear," the president told The Midwest Ledger via email.
"Although this pet project of mine, cleverly titled 'America Needs a
Zero,' is off to a bit of a slow start, I can assure the American people that I
am steadfastly dedicated to guilting each and every one of them into making a
generous contribution. Therefore, I see nothing but unbridled success in the
future for my endeavor."
Kickstarter.com, launched in April, 2009, is intended to be
a "crowd-funding" website where financially-strapped artists,
filmmakers, and entrepreneurs can ask for donations from the general public to
fund their dreams.
Kickstarter co-founder Perry Chen admitted he was taken
aback by the president's attempt to return the national debt to zero solely
through his company.
"We've had a few highly-popular ideas that gained a
cult following and ended up doing quite well," he said. "In fact,
several people have collected in excess of a million dollars through our site.
But $17 trillion? I've always been an optimist, but I think that's out of the
realm of possibility.
"The president isn't very good with numbers, is
he?" Mr. Chen continued. "Also, I can see how the name 'America
Needs a Zero' could be taken the wrong way by potential contributors. But who am I to question him? He's
the leader of the free world for a reason, right?"
