The Southern White House - and the Skinny on Public Tours

Previously nick-named the “Winter Whitehouse,” Trump now calls his private Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach the “Southern White House.” As he says, “Everybody always wants to go to the Southern White House” - so obviously, his weekend visits won’t be stopping any time soon. By these terms, the Mar-a-Lago Club is the official Southern White House, the true new seat of American power.

Public tours of the Washington White House are free of charge. They are conducted for educational purposes, and to celebrate Americans’ shared history and ‘public ownership’ of the historical seat of American power.

In contrast, the Southern White House is a private resort. A celebration of good old-fashioned American corporate capitalism and wealth. In fact, Trump recently doubled Mar-a-Lago’s new members’ “initiation fee,” and raised it to $200,000.

Membership is probably worth the money: 20 acres of land, a 20,000-square-foot ballroom, beach club, large pool area, tennis courts, and restaurants - PLUS - the chance to rub shoulders with the President of the United States of America. And he’s there a lot.

Since his inauguration 8 weeks ago, Trump has spent 5 weekends at his private Mar-a-Lago resort, and nearly a quarter of his time there. So paid-up members have ample opportunity to meet the President, and of course, to curry favor and lobby him. For a full breakdown of the tiered membership benefits, check out the Trump Card Privileges Program.

Wealth does have it’s privileges, so ordinary Americans who want see this new seat of American power will likely need to get creative. There’s no group rate for the economically challenged, and no public tours have yet been scheduled. But nothing’s impossible, right?

There are obstacles of course. None of the Southern White House facilities are even open to the public - not even the restaurant. As well, Americans pay to provide security to the President, and in this case, to ensure that no one without the requisite Membership gets close to Mar-a-Lago. So short of dodging the Secret Service and crashing the gates, high-powered binoculars might just be your best bet.

I emphatically do not recommend challenging security at the Southern White House. Protecting the President is costly to taxpayers, and I’m sure no one wants to make it even more expensive. Already, American taxpayers spend more than $3 million every time Trump goes there. As well, Palm Beach residents have been hit with more than $1 million for security since Trump was elected. Now, with the recent security “breaches” at the Washington White House, security costs for the Southern White House will probably go up even higher. Without any public tours.

Palm Beach’s third district is not happy about all the extra costs, but the federal government has refused to reimburse the county. Now, says Dave Kerner, a county commissioner for the district, there’s no choice but to look elsewhere - and charging Mar-a-Lago directly looks like the best option for reimbursement.

Dave Kerner, a county commissioner for Palm Beach's third district, is asking the county’s attorney office to explore making Mar-a-Lago’s owner reimburse the county for “special benefits” given to the resort. Kerner’s proposal would make Mar-a-Lago a “municipal service benefit unit,” meaning the county can require the resort to pay for the costs incurred by Trump’s frequent visits.

“We’re very honored to have the president here, but at the same time, his travel here is such high frequency he’s not visiting Palm Beach County - he’s governing from it,” Kerner told MONEY.

…Every visit is essentially free publicity on a global scale for Mar-a-Lago and Trump's business interests.

At present, the best time to see the Southern White House is when the President is NOT there. Even then, you will need those high-powered binoculars because you will not be allowed inside.

And your point is ?????
Or do you have one ?
I vote anti-Trump
Lame

a reply to: Gothmog

The OP does NOT label Trump, or even his behavior.

At the very worst, it is an assessment of the situation and its impact on ordinary Americans.

a reply to: Gothmog

And your point is ?????

The point is, Mar-a-Lago is not The White House, not the Winter White House or the Southern White house. It doesn't belong to The People, and The People have no access to it. It's a private country club owned by Mr Trump, and that he personally profits from exponentially, every time he visits. Calling his private resort The White House is an attempt on Mr Trump's part to normalize the hypocritical rip off scam he's perpetrating on the local residents and the American people.

a reply to: windword

The point is, Mar-a-Lago is not The White House, not the Winter White House or the Southern White house. ...

Well, seems it is if the President says it is.

a reply to: soficrow

Wealth does have it’s privileges, so ordinary Americans who want see this new seat of American power will likely need to get creative.

Even then, you will need those high-powered binoculars because you will not be allowed inside.

Are you this upset when other presidents use Camp David to perform diplomacy? It is not open to the public either.

a reply to: FauxMulder

Camp David is a secure, American-owned military facility.

What's your point?

a reply to: soficrow

Your whole OP is based off the fact that people cant get a free public tour of Mar a Lago. They cant get one of Camp David (another presidential retreat) either. So whats YOUR point?

originally posted by: FauxMulder
a reply to: soficrow

Wealth does have it’s privileges, so ordinary Americans who want see this new seat of American power will likely need to get creative.

Even then, you will need those high-powered binoculars because you will not be allowed inside.

Are you this upset when other presidents use Camp David to perform diplomacy? It is not open to the public either.

Weekend at Camp David Program. The Presidential Retreat at Camp David is open to the public one weekend each month. Cabin rental reservations are available on a first come basis.

whitehouse.gov1.info...

a reply to: FauxMulder

Your whole OP is based off the fact that people cant get a free public tour of Mar a Lago. They cant get one of Camp David (another presidential retreat) either. So whats YOUR point?

You misunderstand! I absolutely recognize Trump's right to decree Mar-a-Lago as the official Southern White House and true seat of American power!

I am simply suggesting that public tours might be in order at the Southern White House - as they are at the Washington White House and Camp David.

Sorry about that miscommunication!

Hope we're good now.

a reply to: FauxMulder

I think the point is that Mar-a-Lago is a semi private for profit, membership only country club, owned by Mr Trump, not the American People. It will never belong to the American People. Trump makes a personal profit when using it as a seat of government. I believe that's a violation of the Emolument Clause, as well.

Unlike Soficrow, I don't recognize Trump's authority to declare his property "The Southern White House".

a reply to: soficrow

a reply to: windword

Nowhere on the white house website that you both link to, does it say camp David is open to the public. It's not.

. The Presidential Retreat still remains within park boundaries, but is not open to the public. It is a place where Presidents can relax, unwind, contemplate, entertain distinguished guests in an informal setting, and cope with the pressures of modern-day society. We hope that you will also understand the value of a place of privacy for the President and accept that the retreat is not open to visitors.

National Park Service

So you could get on the park but you are not getting any where near the presidential retreat.

a reply to: windword

Maybe but I consider "the southern white house" just to be a stupid moniker they made. It's not where they are conducting the day to day business. That still happens at the real white house.

ETA: if they did for real try and move operations down there, that would be unacceptable.

a reply to: FauxMulder

a reply to: windword

What are you typing to get that? When I quote yours word for word the only link I get that even comes close says:

a reply to: FauxMulder

I typed in "Camp David Tours" to get it. I got it twice, now I can't seen to get it again!



Curious! Perhaps the program "Weekend at Camp David" has been suspended?

a reply to: windword

Seems like you may have gotten a parody site Not the Whitehouse

a reply to: daskakik

No, I didn't get a parody site. It was a box, that I cut and pasted, within my Google search page, that linked me directly to the "Welcome to Camp David" site. Like I said, perhaps the program has been suspended.

a reply to: windword

The whitehouse site address is "https://www.whitehouse.gov/" the one in the box you posted is "https://whitehouse.gov1.info/index.html" go there and scroll to the bottom and it says "This website is not associated with The White House. If you are looking for the parody site formerly associated with this url, you can find it here."

ETA Clicking on "here" takes you to the Not the Whit House site I linked above.

a reply to: windword

It is the parody site. If you look at the web address in your above photo its the same as if you click this link: whitehouse.gov1.info... must be the .gov1 instead of the .gov

mystery solved!

ETA: beat me to it