While I do not recall a great deal of grumbling from conservatives about George Bush’s long vacations, I have to agree with the criticism of the First Family taking two separate planes to their vacation on Martha’s Vineyard — apparently to give the First Lady a few hours head start on the vacation. At a time of tremendous economic sacrifice, it seems pretty insensitive to take separate planes and motorcades at a cost of an estimated $100,000.
Michelle Obama and her daughters arrived around 2 pm Thursday on a U.S. government jet while President Obama is scheduled to leave a few hours later with the family dog Bo.
Last December, she was criticized for spending more than $100,000 to get an early start on a vacation to Hawaii. I know folks who have been trying to get work for years and struggling to support their families. I can only imagine what they are thinking when the First Family cannot spare a few hours to save tens of thousands of dollars. Even if the First Family does not get the terrible image left by such excess, one would hope that a staffer might raise a gentle objection to such a self-indulgent approach to the use of government aircraft.
I realize that the family could get to the beach today or use those few hours, but everyone is being asked to make a few sacrifices. This would seem a rather easy choice to take one plane.
Perhaps there is something not being reported here, but if so, it would be good for the White House to explain why it was necessary to send two different planes with the attending security and other staff.
Source: Daily Mail
These are different times and circumstances than when Bush was going to Crawford. Barky and Moochele do not realize or more likely don’t care that most Americans cannot afford any vacation now.
Trips to Africa, Spain, Ireland and Puerto Rico cannot be compared to jaunts to Crawford.
Moochele should have waited, but I get the impression that this is not a good marriage. This would be additional time for Barkey to spend with wife and kids.
Puzzling,
You’re just all over the place. One abuse of something doesn’t mean every use of that thing is an abuse. My wife’s co-working using work e-mail for personal business doesn’t mean that my wife shouldn’t use her work e-mail for stuff relevant to her job.
Gyges,
You forgot to include the adult grandchildren of our ruling elites.
Puzzling,
“Providing luxuries to government employees ”
Right, because there’s no reason OTHER than as a luxury for the Commander in Chief of the U.S. armed forces to fly on a specially built plane. Heck the guy could just buy a ticket like everyone else. Getting the secure phone and other information connections installed on a commercial plane would be easy. As would replacing all the staff with people with the necessary security clearances, going over everything, including other passengers and their luggage to check for all the nasty things that could be smuggled aboard a plane. Heck they could even buy all the tickets on the plane so that could fly the press corps, staff, and other guests, just like they do on airforce one.
Yup, having a military plane for the U.S. President and his family, nothing but a luxury.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/rove-group-to-attack-obama-for-using-same-11m-bus-gop-candidate-will-use.php
ekeyra – I like Bryan’s Keynesian argument too:
Providing luxuries to government employees (and their spouses) is justified because it pays Americans.
Until it doesn’t.
Ekerya,
That letter s is pretty important. Also, it’s pretty clear from context that that standard was being applied to this issue, not every issue.
Look: we get a good discussion going about how Obama is in violation of the UN convention against torture, I’m on board.
We get a rant going about how his continuation of several Bush policies is just as Unconstitutional or amoral, I’m there.
I’d much rather complain about something that IS bad, rather than something that LOOKS bad.
Taking separate planes just shows how disconnected and totally insensitive the Obama’s are from the plight of the common American. He is the first president that I know who brags about the perks, most of all Air Force One, the office comes with. Shameful.
Gyges,
Just because presidents have a history of being completely removed from reality, thats not important? Saying its ok because george bush did it, opens up a whole spectrum of shit bush used to do, that obama now does. Are you going to say its justifiable to torture suspects and detain them indefinately because george bush did it?
While I applaud the author for attempting to sound reasonable and calm in his criticism, it doesn’t make the issue any less retarded to get upset about. That money didn’t go to nowhere. People (Americans) got paid.
Anon,
Well, obviously if you didn’t see the other craft it wasn’t there, or hadn’t been there, or wasn’t due to arrive.
Again, is this a change from what the past administrations did? If not, let’s agree to complain about the stuff that’s important.
Let them eat cake!
Let me see if I can paraphrase rafflaw.
“buh-buh GEORGE BUSH! grumble murmur murmur RICH PEOPLE!”
Andy, I’ve never heard that before. I’ve seen Air Force One parked a couple of times at an airport, and take off once, and I didn’t see any other Presidential aircraft around.
If the Daily Mail report is accurate, this is worse than tone deaf, it is insensitive, and arrogant to take this extraneous flight at a time when Obama is planning on gutting my social security and demanding cuts to all Americans.
buh-buh GEORGE BUSH! So I guess it’s all okay, and I’ll vote again for Obama.
I thought I saw on a NatGeo special on Air Force One that both of the planes travel wherever the President goes? Not sure if that applies to all trips or only for overseas trips.
Ever hear the phrase “making a mountain out of a molehill”?
“At this point, I’m pretty skeptical of “Look how much NObama’s spending,” stories.” -Gyges
Yes… And maybe they’re thinking about the well-being of their children, if something were to happen to one of them…
Just a quick question, could all the staff involved fit on one plane?
Heck for that matter, did the first family all leave from the same place? Are they returning to the same place at the same time? Is it standard procedure to have one or two planes during presidential vacations?
At this point, I’m pretty skeptical of “Look how much NObama’s spending,” stories. It always seems to turn out he’s not doing anything different.
Also,
Before I forget it again, not everyone is asked to make sacrifices. the wealthy and corporations are not being asked to sacrifice, although I am all in favor of telling them to pay more.
I agree with Bette. How many vacations did George W. take during his first term? Almost 70 and Obama is on #26 so let’s keep it in perspective.
With all the death threats Mr. President gets, I’d hesitate to share a ride with him, myself.