Where is my swing set.

After Obama talked about leveling the playing field and taking things from one group and giving them to others it made me mad but I got over it.

Well I have been saving up to get my son a swing set for almost a year. I want to get him a nice one because I love him and it would make me happy to see him happy. Well his birthday is in 3 months and I almost have the money but now I am afraid I won't have a job so there goes his swing set but Obama just got one put in at the white house for his kids withh tax payer money so I say to him, where is my swing set. You want to make everything fair don't you.

My son deserves a swing set just as much as his kids do. If I have to take my son to the park to swing his kids should have to go too, just like the rest of us.

Yay communism

line

I don't expect the government to give me a swing set nor do I want thin too but I don't think that we as tax payers should be giving his kids one either. It isn't like I could take my kid to play on it. I view it like a public park.

He should have had to pay for it himself out of the salary we are already giving him.

wow, you must not have bought anything when bush was in office.

Not to be crass with your families dreams, but apparently if your not black you can't get one. In those hi-rise ghettos of the 70's they always put playground equipment but I notice that some rich backyards there wasn't that basketball court or the professional sports type area to play sports. So perhaps it's your color. If you voted, vote on issues next time not color.

reply to post by rightwingnut


I was getting at the double standard laid out by almost all the dems Obama included. They say we should give public schools more money instead of volchers they send their kids to private schools. They use tax money to build parks for "everyone" then get stuff where thier kids don't have to go to them. You see the seperation here.

They act like they want us to all be equal in their words then widen the gap with their actions.

How did you make this about color.

Well there wasn't any other issues. The support for the things people need are buried in rhetoric. The issues of economy, fairness, aren't being addressed. We see that the rhetoric is suppose to hide the theft of tax money. We need someone who sees these basic needs and gets them for us. I thought perhaps, they would address the ssi short fall or give the right amount of foodstamps. Open up section 8 to single people. Until some one starts to attack poverty by aiming tax dollars at the citizens, then nothing comes of it. A.I.G. paid multiple co.s and banks which amounts to what? Ziff!! The money needs to have J.Q. Public's name on it and this middle person removed. The trickle down theory don't work.

I'm black but if the riot doesn't help every one then the "bushi" "n" is just another thief. Civil aide has long since been administrated by minoritys through the democratic party. However the term "black on black crime" is the evidence that the poor will also seek to enslave the poor. These policies of administering aide need to be brought toward fairness.

He paid for it himself, out of his own pocketbook. No taxpayers money went to it at all. It's on public record, they made it very clear (the company that he bought it from and paid to install it) that it was a personal purchase, and has nothing to do with his position in the government.

We all have things we want.
The man has only been President for 2 months and was handed the country in deep trouble.

I wish that you are able to buy your son a swing set.
Do you have a tree in the yard? Tree swings are fantastic fun.
Necessity is the mother of invention.

If you and your son are healthy, give him a hug, play ball, play chase
and be happy.

Peace!

Typo

[edit on 17-3-2009 by cindymars]

The president has no income other than taxpayer money, y'all. He can't, because it would be a conflict of interest for him to be the most powerful political figure in the world and also have private interests that would benefit from his considerable influence. So, no, the president doesn't pull any money "out of his pocket" that didn't come out of my pocket first.

That's not even the point, however. Keep in mind that the president does not own the White House, its grounds, nor anything stored on those grounds. The grounds and property of the White House are public property, like a municipal park or a state park. Yes, the president can change the decor, can replant the rose gardens, can buy new White House silverware and so forth, but the president does not own any of it. He contributes to the White House property, but he doesn't own it.

Theoretically, any of us could take our kids to the White House and get in line to play on the stupid swing set...because we, the people, own it. Unfortunately, because of our incredibly paranoid and cynical political and social climate, we and our eager children would be arrested, fiercely interrogated and waterboarded if we trespassed on our own property. So there you go. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.

— Doc Velocity




[edit on 3/17/2009 by Doc Velocity]

Rainbow Play Systems

This is where the President got his. There are systems for all ranges of buyers. You can even kind of customize your system. And, it's the greenest company in the market!

Yea!

O-315

Originally posted by Doc Velocity
The president has no income other than taxpayer money, y'all. He can't, because it would be a conflict of interest for him to be the most powerful political figure in the world and also have private interests that would benefit from his considerable influence. So, no, the president doesn't pull any money "out of his pocket" that didn't come out of my pocket first.

That's not even the point, however. Keep in mind that the president does not own the White House, its grounds, nor anything stored on those grounds. The grounds and property of the White House are public property, like a municipal park or a state park. Yes, the president can change the decor, can replant the rose gardens, can buy new White House silverware and so forth, but the president does not own any of it. He contributes to the White House property, but he doesn't own it.

Theoretically, any of us could take our kids to the White House and get in line to play on the stupid swing set...because we, the people, own it. Unfortunately, because of our incredibly paranoid and cynical political and social climate, we and our eager children would be arrested, fiercely interrogated and waterboarded if we trespassed on our own property. So there you go. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.

— Doc Velocity

That is just silly and you know it. The president gets paid a salary to do waht wants to do with it. Do you think he should work for free? He paid for this with the money he earned and will be free to take itwith him when his terms in office are over.


[edit on 3/17/2009 by Doc Velocity]

Originally posted by disgustedbyhumanity
That is just silly and you know it. The president gets paid a salary to do waht wants to do with it. Do you think he should work for free? He paid for this with the money he earned and will be free to take itwith him when his terms in office are over.

I didn't say he works for free. Clean the peanut butter out of your ears...or eyes, or whatever. I said the money he receives is taxpayer money — he gets a paycheck from the federal government. And the White House and its grounds are public property, not private property. It would be like you getting a job as a national park ranger, bringing your kids with you to live in the park, and erecting a swingset on park property for your kids alone. Sorry, it doesn't work that way.

— Doc Velocity

This is mostly a silly rant and I will add that I do have the money to get him the swing set but my yard floods and the land scaping that would need to be done is the bigger issue. To build a mound for it put down mulch and dig some irrigation trenches will cost much more than the swing set.

When I say flood don't think I am exageration either. I have two pumps in the basement because it floods and water can stand back there for days. There used to be a pond where my neibor hood now sits so we all have this problem.

Jotech, under Bush I bought this house and paid it off, paid off one car the other is done this year and furnished said house. Child was born during bush and my 401 was doing well. I was making money until Obama announced his canadicy. That is when we started having lay offs in my area anyway.

rightwingnut I grew up poor and in a bad neibor hood, I am fully aware of how hard it is to get by on government funds. So I did something about it, studied hard, got a job, practiced my music till I got a scholorship and well that money ran out so after that I joined the navy and they finished paying for my school. I got my degree while on active duty they paid 100%. Yeah the ecconomy sucks right now and there are alot of people who really need government aid but it is not a long term fix. You have to work hard to get off it and run your own life again because most people on it got a raw deal in life. It isn't their fault and I feel for them I really do but you can overcome these things.

Originally posted by Doc Velocity

I didn't say he works for free. Clean the peanut butter out of your ears...or eyes, or whatever. I said the money he receives is taxpayer money — he gets a paycheck from the federal government. And the White House and its grounds are public property, not private property. It would be like you getting a job as a national park ranger, bringing your kids with you to live in the park, and erecting a swingset on park property for your kids alone. Sorry, it doesn't work that way.

— Doc Velocity

disgustedbyhumanity didn't say he worked for free either. He asked if you thought he SHOULD work for free.

Also, the sole income of a president is not his salary. Bush was worth millions before he became president. They have money to purchase items with. Compared to the money they make outside the presidential income, that salary is a step down for them.

He made money before that, and it makes sense that he bought it with that money. So he gets his paycheck from taxpayer money? So does every soldier, policeman, fireman, the list goes on. The items they purchase is theirs, not ours. They are fulfilling a job. All those people, including the President, has to pay federal income tax.

The White House is not public property, it is owned by the Federal government. It is federal property. (just like Federal parks, owned by the government) Anyone who wants to test that can go about it two ways. First, spend the time researching the public information about who actually owns the land, and what laws surround it. Or two, just walk right up to the White House and swing on the swing set because you own it.

Every President is allowed to "modify" the grounds, and the White House to an extent. The swing set will probably leave when the President leaves the White House, because it is his property.

To be fair, it'd cost us taxpayers more if his kids went to a park, just in the Secret Service detail to cover them...


Get your swingset. The kid won't know or care anything about Daddy's job, but he'll know about having or not having a swingset. While saving could be deemed "responsible", you'll get plenty of other opportunities to save money, but the kid only gets one shot at childhood...

I feel your pain...my wife was just laid off, and we considered her job more stable than mine...but if I spend all day worrying, then I'm just kind of working for nothing, if we never get to enjoy the fruits of our labors.

reply to post by bcroper


The President's family needs protection from the nuts out there. They give up a lot in their personal lives, and can't just go out for a pizza without a whole entourage of people. A swing set in their back yard is something nice for them, as they will start to realize being the President's daughters will be quite tough. Adolescence and teen years are difficult enough without any of the added problems of being part of a presidential family.

Originally posted by bcroper

He should have had to pay for it himself out of the salary we are already giving him.

What makes you think that is not the case?

Granted I have not read up on how Obama payed for this swing set, but is there something somwhere that said he took tax payer money and spent it on this swing set?

As you indicate he already has a set budget that includes expenses for living at the whitehouse. Would a swing set not qualify as that?

Please, show where he took tax payer money that wasnt from the pre set budget and spent it on this swing set...

Was it a private purchase? Have we established this? It seems the subject of the thread leans on that answer.

On a slightly different note, I don't think the president gets paid enough. What is it? 300-400k a year?

It occurs to me, if presidents got paid more, they would be less inclined to take briberies and do the other scummy things they do to our country more often than not. To be honest, I'm not too scared Obama will be irresponsible like that anyway, but that's most likely naivety.

It just went to $400,000 not too long ago. Of course, this is much more when you realize that nearly all expenses (shelter, food, transportation, clothing, etc., etc.) are all paid as well...so the money is really discretionary income. Not to mention, few presidents are "poor" when arriving at the White House.

I doubt Presidents are "bribed" except maybe when running, and once in, there's nothing to keep them from doing what they want to do, so bribes wouldn't work too well for them. Congress is another story of course....

Still, for a 24/7 job, all the risks, responsibility, etc., it's pretty much a bargain for the taxpayers, if you compare to other world leaders and the proportionate GDP of those nations.