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
hey libs ARE hypocrites, the RANDOM capslock is really cool. show all THESE libs how SMART you are.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/17/opinion/crashing-the-tea-party.html?_r=1&hp
“To tie it into Lotta’s argument though, why should I, or anyone else not particularly concerned about obama’s personal safety, have to foot the bill for his security?”
Because you live in a country, and you benefit from it’s social structures. That means you have to help pay for them, even those you don’t use\agree with.
If you disagree strongly with the set up, you have two choices. You can leave (don’t know where you’d go that has a different set up, but that’s not really my problem), or you could try and convince enough people that elected officials don’t need\deserve protection to create change. That’s it.
We were both born several thousand years to late to get to decide every little aspect of our lives. That may or may not be fair, but personally, given the choice, I’d rather live now and have to deal with all the crap that goes with it then live back then and have to deal with all that crap (assuming I lived long enough to deal with it).
I think Voltaire had the right of it, we should all just work on tending our gardens.
LAH, “Really? Really? Have you seen the pics of him and his family on MV? There are huge crowds there. Their safety is BS.”
Tell that BS to Reagan’s kids or Kennedy’s relatives. Your grasp of history seems to be as lacking as your understanding of race in America.
Libs Are Hypocrites “The Obamas are hypocrites. Plain and simple. While people are not WORKING in this country, they take a vacation, ANOTHER vacation to lily white Martha’s vineyard. Where is the diversity?”
And where do you think he should vacation, Compton? The Mittster is supposed to visit Martha’s Vineyard while the President is there, ostensibly to fund-raise. How about the President spends his spare time in the hood WITH Mitt? When the Republican candidates start spending their vacation time in my city’s urban ghetto’s I’ll get worked up over where the President spends his vacation. Have you visited Red State or the FOX blogs and suggested that Michelle Bachmann spend her vacation in East St. Louis, IL?
Maybe the remarks about the Prez being a Hafrican, the monkey dolls, the Kenyan allegations, and steady stream of race based language that the right uses gives the left, or anyone with English as their primary language, cause to allege racism. Its not the ‘white’ half of Obama’s parentage that seems to give the right heartburn, maybe you should be addressing your racial sensitivity and diversity advice to the right and their media, not the left.
Somebody is extra cranky.
People are working 2 and 3 jobs to keep from losing their house and to keep their kids from going hungry and BECAUSE THEY HAVE ENOUGH PRIDE in themself not to suck off the government yet the KING has an 11 day vacation. Must be nice.
“Thank yo, it just seems like a reasonable precaution under the circumstances, to me any way.”
Really? Really? Have you seen the pics of him and his family on MV? There are huge crowds there. Their safety is BS.
It’s the same thing either way it goes. The Republicans don’t go out and try to make people drive cracker boxes and then drive their Hummers. Libs are hypocrites in this way. Al Gore tells you to conserve energy for the beasts and then he flies all over creation on his private jet. He is a loser and a hypocrite.
Ekeyra, you are speaking to fools that don’t listen. Lotta is up there spewing statements that are flat out LIES. There are no “Remember when Obama was still running for office and a trio of would-be assassins with loose ties to white supremacist/skinhead’s were caught with a sniper rifle, fake ID and other gear in their car trunk visiting the same city Obama was visiting? They said they were there to kill him.” If there are this would have been a HUGE story all over the news and it is nowhere to be found. But they make Shit up and then pass it off as fact. Bunch of liars and hypocrites and double standards make up the liberal base and I am tired of it.
There are black members of the Tea Party and they STILL say it is a racist organization? WTF? What is racist? PLEASE PROVE IT TO ME! Who is racist in the Tea Party. NAME ONE PERSON OR SHUT THE HELL UP.
Another great post Nal. Mr. Lib is shooting blanks.
Thank yo, it just seems like a reasonable precaution under the circumstances, to me any way.
And thanks Swarthmore mom, for all of the great links you’ve been posting. I’m sure once the Republicans have their nominee there won’t be another word said about the big ol’ security bus, sure as night follows day 🙂
I am also tired of everyone saying that if you disagree with the Obamas you are racist. Get a freaking life. He is HALF WHITE raised by a white grandmother. Your idiotic arguments are so stupid I can’t believe you even know how to turn a computer on.
The runway length at Martha’s Vineyard Airport (MVY) is 5504 feet. The minimum runway length for a 747 (as pictured) is 6500 to 7000 feet. They would have to use a smaller jet.
With all the staff and Secret Service, at least two planes would be required. If Michelle left early in one of the jets, no biggie.
Lotta what the hell are you talking about? Please point to the news article you are talking about. You are full of bull.
The Obamas are hypocrites. Plain and simple. While people are not WORKING in this country, they take a vacation, ANOTHER vacation to lily white Martha’s vineyard. Where is the diversity? You liberals are just sad because your stupid policies don’t work. And you always rehash the same old SHIT every time you feel backed into a corner. STFU.
Gyges,
While I agree that those other topics are far more important than a few hundred grand for a vacation, the fact remains that a president who just had a “debt crisis” about two weeks ago, wasting substantial resources (relative to most americans) on unneccessary luxuries is living in a world far removed from the average american. Besides isnt this exactly the kind of behavior you guys love to use to organize lynch mobs for when corporate execs do it?
To tie it into Lotta’s argument though, why should I, or anyone else not particularly concerned about obama’s personal safety, have to foot the bill for his security? Maybe he should stop pissing people off instead of assuming his safety is the priority of every american. That is the disconnect fom reality that is so blatantly obvious to me, that you just shrug off as the neccessary functions of the government.
Lotta, Raff, Swathmore,
“I’d pay for a third plane, one for the kids only, because both parents are targets.”
Thats a wonderful idea. Whats stopping you? Funding? So get out there and organize a “Save the presidents kids” charity organization to collect the needed funds and stop assuming that its anyone else’s financial responsibility to protect obama.
Please video record all face to face requests for donations. I would love to see that footage.
Great post, lotta.
I agree lotta!
Like Bette Noir said back at the top of the thread it’s (I’m sure) all about security. The Obama’s get death threats every day and they get death threats and have hatred directed to them from groups with a known history of violence, the white supremacists and far right christian extremists. Remember when Obama was still running for office and a trio of would-be assassins with loose ties to white supremacist/skinhead’s were caught with a sniper rifle, fake ID and other gear in their car trunk visiting the same city Obama was visiting? They said they were there to kill him. Also that Koran-burning preacher Anderson, remember him, he was giving sermons wishing for Obama to die and go to hell because of his abortion position. One of his followers ended up being arrested with a gun on the steps of a building Obama was to visit later that day as I recall. Far right Christians and racists hate the Obama’s.
The is probably some security triangulation going on by separating the first family but the first lady gets death threats too. I’d pay for a third plane, one for the kids only, because both parents are targets.
Suggestion Box:
Police take first forced blood draw
This will move to pain compliance quickly.
I just love it when people just make crap up and pass it off as facts.
Swarthmore, nice link that provides additional evidence that Republican is spelled, H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y.