Posted on 01/06/2013 8:29:51 AM PST by SeekAndFind
$16.4 trillion – that’s the latest figure for America’s massive national debt. Nearly $6 trillion of this debt was racked up in the first term of the Obama presidency – a 50 percent increase. It is horrifying to imagine what the debt will be when Obama leaves the White House in 2016, unless Congress has the willpower to stand in the way.
Meanwhile, as the world’s superpower is literally drowning in debt, President Obama is basking in the warmth of the beaches of Hawaii, at an exclusive resort way beyond the financial reach of most Americans. The president pays the cost of his own family’s accommodations, but there are a large number of associated costs which are paid from the public purse.
What is the actual cost of Obama’s lavish vacation to the American taxpayer? A staggering $7 million, according to veteran White House reporter Keith Koffler, who wrote in his blog earlier this week:
In a move that is rich in irony, President Obama agreed Tuesday night to sign an emergency deficit reduction bill that does almost nothing to rein in spending and then jetted out to Hawaii to resume his vacation at an extra cost of more than $3 million to taxpayers.
The price tag is in addition to more than $4 million that is already being spent on the Obamas’ Hawaii idyll, bringing the total cost of the excursion to well over $7 million.
The added cost was incurred because by the time the Obamas return from Hawaii – whenever that is – the president will have used Air Force One to travel to Honolulu and back twice.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.telegraph.co.uk ...
DOING THE MATH AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS YOU AND ME:
* Air Force One is known to cost about $180,000 an hour to fly.
* Based on an estimated 18 hours roundtrip flying time for the jet between Washington and Honolulu, the travel cost alone of Obama’s decision to return to Hawaii amounts to around $3.24 million.
* And that doesn’t include the price tag for the massive security operation required to move the president or the cost of the cargo plane that follows Air Force One around.
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The Obamas could have saved taxpayers millions by returning from Hawaii TOGETHER after Christmas and then resuming their vacation at one of the many ritzy resorts that lie outside of Washington. If the beach is a must, even a trip to Florida would have been far less expensive.
Or they could have simply stayed at the White House or Camp David, each a luxurious government-run installation, billing taxpayers a relative pittance.
Obama Chavez.
Does anyone think he actually gives a damn?
But of course, the MSM reported his ‘early’ departure from his Christmas vacation to Hawaii as coming back to handle the so-called fiscal cliff negotiations. And then he goes right back to Hawaii, effectively doubling the cost of what was the same vacation.
Remember how the left condemned Bush for going to his Crawford Ranch? Why are they so damned silent now?
Remember how the press howled about Bush vacationing at his ranch in Texas? Other than the cost of flying Air Force One and a minimal security detail to protect the isolated ranch, the taxpayers weren’t out the cost of an Obama date night in New York city. Bush at his own expense even fixed quarters at the ranch for the Secret Service agents. The Obama’s live like Louis and Marie Antoinette while the peasants cannot afford bread.
51% of the Americans love their Royalty, just like the Brits.
We should shut Camp David down and sell it off. It doesn’t get used anyway....
Bush a;ways stayed at Camp David for Christmas so his Secret Service Agents could spend Christmas with their families.
This guy could care less about those who have to guard him and the Wide Load.
He could care less about the cost of the trip. It isn’t coming out of his pocket. But the arrogance of the dipstick to tell the Congress what he will accept and what he won’t accept in the debt ceiling just gets to me big time.
I don’t remember Obie and Wookie staying at Camp David. Must not he opulent enough.
I never thought I could hate anyone to the extent I hate the Gangsta-in-Chief and his homegirl.
He da king.
The pressed was miffed about Crawford because there were no five-star hotels to charge their expense accounts. That and because he’s a Republican.
Is Chavez dead yet? I mean REALLY dead yet? Room temp dead?
He could care less about the cost of the trip.
Meaning: Since it's possible for him to care less, then you are saying he really does care about the private lives of his SS detail, even if just a little. You are saying Obama cares! Is that what you meant, because that is what you wrote. He cares.
If you meant to say he doesn't care at all (which I suspect is what you really meant), you would have said, "He couldn't care less."
"FR: Proving George Orwell's observation on the power of language daily." Even FReepers are now saying Obama cares about his SS detachment.
Hollywood Idiot, Danny Glover has started a petition on MoveOn’s petition site, Signon.org, to nominate Paul Krugman.
” We urge you to nominate Paul Krugman for Treasury Secretary. Krugman will protect Social Security and Medicare from benefit cuts, promote policies to create jobs, and help defeat the austerity dogma in Washington and around the world.”
Perhaps Danny ought to start with the Hollywood Perks that are creating jobs in OTHER COUNTRIES?
It would be interesting to find out why this cost is so high. If a 747 owned by an airline cost this much, they would have to charge $1800 a ticket to transport 600 people across the country in 6 hours, just to break even.
Perhaps it has something to do with multiple planes.
And extra specialized staff.
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