Posted on 12/16/2011 7:29:45 PM PST by kristinn
KAILUA, OAHU - The U.S. Secret Service has arrived, street barricades are in place, and the U.S. Coast Guard has stationed itself in the waters surrounding Kailua, Oahu. That is a sure sign President Barack Obama’s security team is preparing for the first family to arrive in the small beachside community as early as Friday night for what is expected to be a 17-day vacation.
The President and his family are traveling separately to Hawaii because he wants resolve the payroll tax cut issue before leaving Washington – and his wife does not want to wait.
But the advanced trip and the cost that comes with it – as much as $100,000 (flight and security) – adds to an already expensive vacation for the taxpayers.
Hawaii Reporter research shows the total cost for the President’s visit for taxpayers far exceeded $1.5 million in 2010 – but is even more costly this year because he extended his vacation by three days and the cost for Air Force One travel has jumped since last assessed in 2000. In addition, Hawaii Reporter was able to obtain more specifics about the executive expenditures.
The total cost (based on what is known) for the 17-day vacation roundtrip vacation to Hawaii for the President, his family and staff has climbed to more than $4 million. Here's why.
TRAVEL: $3,651,626
The biggest expense is President Barack Obama’s round trip flight to Hawaii via Air Force One, a cost the GAO office estimated at $1 million in the year 2000. Contacted today, the GAO confirmed there is no report the independent office affiliated with Congress has prepared since 2000...
SNIP
Mrs. Obama’s early flight to Hawaii costs about $63,000 (White House Dossier), but add security and personnel for a total of about $100,000.
(Excerpt) Read more at hawaiireporter.com ...
Taxpayers are paying a boatload of money to protect Obama's Chicago mansion, yet he and Michelle stay there (separately) only a couple nights per year.
It will not be long until we give this man a permanent vacation.
Probably has her Secret Service honey lined up for the detail.
Have these movin’-on’up, equal-opportunity, affirmative-action grifters spent a day in the last three years in their mansion in Chicago? What losers.
Now, technically, that is true; however, Reagan and his wife went to his home in CA; Nixon went to his home in CA; Bush I went to his home in ME; GW Bush went to his home in Texas.
Now, Clinton and his wife did not go to their home in Arkansas; so, maybe this is just a problem with Dem presidents. I do remember at the time that Bill & Hillary Clinton also liked to take pricey trips at taxpayer expense.
The First (rhymes with witch) should be sent the bill, just like it will be after her joyride comes to an end next year.
To be fair to Clinton, his last home before the WH was the Exec mansion in AR. Obama has a very large home, yet doesn’t use it. It is almost like he tries to spend as little time as he can at the two cheapest places - the WH and his own home (cheapest since they are already paid for and/or being secured).
Doubt any of us care what she wants, especially since she wasn't elected to anything. Her sense of entitlement is astounding.
Look at it this way. This is the last friggin’ Hawaiian vacation where they can actually relax. Next year, if they make it to Hawaii, which I guess they will, they are going to be all pissed off because we’ll have the election behind us and we’ll have kicked them out of OUR White House in a BIG way.
2012 is going to suck goats if your last name is Obama.
These Hawaiian Holidays should include roasting a pig...shouldn’t they?
The only Holiday card I want to see...
Now... that is funny right there.
What’s Nancy Grace doing in this picture? :-)
“his wife does not want to wait.”
We should get candidates to sign a pledge that if elected president their wife will not fly off on vacation without them.
His and her jets are for dictators and royalty.
well, democrats think they are above the common people and therefore deserve better vacations.
Nancy Pelosi had a jet worth millions,stocked with the best booze. And she was only speaker.But she felt she was privledged because she was “working for the common person”. Like the comissars in Soviet Russia, they live large while the people starved.
Those who worship him say he needs these vacations and golf outtings because of all the stress he has from doing the great job that he’s doing. Seriously.
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