Anger mounts over Michelle Obama's 5-day Spanish holiday

Originally posted by CT_Flyboy
And EXACTLY how is that you think the economy gets better? By holding onto every penny you have?

FAIL! Saving can actually be a good thing for an economy.

It isn't anyone's business where the first lady goes on vacation

You liberal pacifistic piss me off! Yea it does matter! It is OUR money that is going to fund her lavish trips. Dont tell me its not my business!

or how much money she spends up to her expense account limit. All first ladys get an expense account to do with what they wish.

lulz, you srs? This is not some monarch fool! Our tax dollars are supposed to go towards governing, not creating a lavish life style for the "elite." These people are so far removed from the American middle class people its sickening!

And how do you know she isn't spending her own money?
In the 60's Mrs. Kennedy redecorated the white house at a cost of millions of dollars to the tax payers and no one heard a peep because JFK was a popular man.

We've been getting screwed in the chili hole for quite a while..Whats your point? Are you saying that two wrongs make it right?

stupid logic is stupid.

I submit that if this were a white president and first lady we would not be having this conversation. - Can you say RACISIM - I'm sure you can...

lulz I LOL BIG TIME AT STUPID FOOLS WHO USE THIS!!!

Idiots like you have desecrated the word racism so much so that it has lost MUCH of its meaning. lulz good job!

The only true racists are those who wish to exploit the term at every turn! Racist much?



[edit on 11-8-2010 by Yagerbombs]

reply to post by Yagerbombs


Face it....this is whole noting so-called 'scandal' is merely more of the same right-wing noise....this is part of their M.O., and they do it because they cater to the basest of the base in their constintuencies.

These sorts of trips are NOTHING new, and were undertaken plenty of times, in past....but NO ONE on the "right" wants the focus to be turned toward the GOP administrations, do they??

Originally psoted by CT_Flyboy
All first ladys get an expense account to do with what they wish.

Originally posted by Yagerbombs
lulz, you srs? This is not some monarch fool! Our tax dollars are supposed to go towards governing, not creating a lavish life style for the "elite." These people are so far removed from the American middle class people its sickening!

Hmmmm....lavish life style???

Are you "srs"??

I suggest some research be conducted down memory lane...who shall we focus on...???

I know! Nancy Reagan!!

Should be interesting to see what sort of "lavish lifestyle" she threw around during her eight years....

...(and, will be fun to see how things went in Sacramento, too...in the Governor's mansion, before she got to D.C.)...

Originally posted by weedwhacker

Face it....this is whole noting so-called 'scandal' is merely more of the same right-wing noise....this is part of their M.O., and they do it because they cater to the basest of the base in their constintuencies.

wut i dont even...

on a srs note, I wasnt the one who brought up the P word, you did. Showing us that you are the partisan hack.

Im not sure how you can agree with this if you're american. You're probably ill informed. It probably doesnt help that you have the partisan blinders up.

Our tax dollars are to go towards governing. They should NEVER be wasted on lavish trips to other nations by our countries elite. That is just asking for abuse of power.

These sorts of trips are NOTHING new, and were undertaken plenty of times, in past....but NO ONE on the "right" wants the focus to be turned toward the GOP administrations, do they??

lulz this line again... ive already addressed this dumbfukkery. look at a few of my back posts in this thrad.

Are you "srs"??

I suggest some research be conducted down memory lane...who shall we focus on...???

I know! Nancy Reagan!!

Should be interesting to see what sort of "lavish lifestyle" she threw around during her eight years....

...(and, will be fun to see how things went in Sacramento, too...in the Governor's mansion, before she got to D.C.)...

stopped reading at nancy reagan..

[edit on 11-8-2010 by Yagerbombs]

reply to post by Yagerbombs


I didn't raise the issue of the "P" word....the very people who started this mess by whining about it, they started it....which is my point.

The very title of the thread is taken from that slant (not pointing at the ATS OP, just saying that was the way the particular faux-"outraged" source presented it).

AND, as usual, that partisan whilrwind inflated, lied and made 'something' out of a "less-than-nothing", all for their greedy and cynical political ends.

The LIES are rampant, and any far-right hacks out there, to include the grandaddy Fox "news", just belly up to the trough, and slosh out the tripe and slop.....

First, some numbers. Mrs. Obama did not travel with 40 friends, a number used by some news outlets.

She vacationed with two women, one of them a longtime Chicago pal....

There was one other woman. Total: four daughters among the three women. They paid for their hotel rooms and other personal and travel expenses.

The trip involved six White House advance staffers and two East Wing staffers, deputy Chief of Staff Melissa Winter and Mrs. Obama's personal assistant, Kristen Jarvis, according to Mrs. Obama's spokeswoman Catherine McCormick Lelyveld.

Mrs. Obama does travel with significant security.... No matter where she goes -- domestic or international -- any first lady gets protection and she does not decide how many agents are needed.

So why did Mrs. Obama go to Spain at this time? ....

....A White House source told me that Blanchard's father passed away and Mrs. Obama was not able to make the funeral at the beginning of July. Blanchard had promised her daughter she would take her to Spain for her birthday. She asked Mrs. Obama and Sasha to come with. (Malia is at overnight camp.)

.......

How did they end up at the five star Villa Padierna, part of the Ritz-Carlton chain? Because of security concerns, there were just some places they could not go. Agents were able to secure Villa Padierna and the nearby beach area.

Totally not true, though reported by some big-league outlets that she went:
Mrs. Obama did not attend a charity ball at their hotel hosted by Antonio Banderas and Eva Longoria on Saturday night. Mrs. Obama went out to dinner with her pals.

blogs.suntimes.com...

It is shark-feeding time, and the Hannitys/Ingrahams/Becks/Limbaughs, et al relish this, because they KNOW they can inflate it, and rile people up....facts rarely get in their way, in these endeavors.

She used her own money...good for her. That really is a good thing...seriously.

However, and you knew there was one coming didn't you?

However...

Politics is about perceptions, especially when one is the President...or his wife.

Mr. Obama came into office riding a wave of "change for America" or words to that effect. Yet they spend vacation time in Hawaii. Spain. ...and assorted other places that the work a day American citizen can, at the moment, only fantasize about going to... ...and they don't do it on the cheap either.

What perception does that leave with Americans? Some of whom, like myself, are tightening that proverbial belt another notch, for yet another month?

Not too flattering, I must say.

Yes, it wasn't all that much in the way of tax payer money being spent. And that's all to the good.

Yet the perception remains... The Obamas spend an awful lot of time telling us how bad things are...yet they do this sort of stuff.

When they were put into office, it was with the understanding that things would change...remember that? Whats changed?

Instead of a Presidential family taking a break in Texas at his own ranch, they do a resort in Spain. ...and yes, I know he didn't go to Spain. The point remains, the perception is, for many folks, that the Obama's are firm believers in do as I say, not as I do.

Is there truth to it? When it comes to perceptions, truth takes a back seat. My suggestion to the Obama's is this. These perceptions, wrong or not, are going to cost you big, if you don't dig your collective heads out, in two more Novembers...

Originally posted by weedwhacker


It is shark-feeding time, and the Hannitys/Ingrahams/Becks/Limbaughs, et al relish this, because they KNOW they can inflate it, and rile people up....facts rarely get in their way, in these endeavors.

Did she pay for the secret service?

Did she pay for the use of Air Force 2?

$375,000 worth of tax payer money so she can fly to another country, and vacation...Yes, they are out of touch with reality.

This is merely another avenue for the expression of hatred for President Obama. People are nitpicking at anything and everything they can. They are coming up with ridiculous reasons to funnel their hatred for him and (now) his family.

Have no other First Ladies taken vacations? Have they all not required protection from the Secret Service? Have no other locations been temporarily closed for such visits for previous First Ladies?

Oh, and the issue of taking a vacation during "these economic times" is the difference? Every ten years or so there is some economic condition: gas "shortages" of the 70s, S&L scandal, the 90s recession, the dot-com collapse, Enron... etc. If First Ladies or ANY President waited for a time when there is not some crisis going on, well then, no First Family would ever take any vacation.

Yet, Michelle Obama is roasted over the fire for this. I wonder what the real reason behind all of this bashing and hatred is all about. The last seven First Ladies were not bashed this heavily. I'm pretty sure people know the *real* reason for such focused anger.

The familes of Heads-of-State take vacations. The dollars spent on these pale in comparison to the TRILLIONS THAT VANISH into the BLACK BUDGET, pale in comparsion to the BILLIONS that have been given to greedy bankers who never stopped shelling out incentives and BONUSES. The true crime and focus people need to look at is the banking industry, the corrupt, crooked banking industry, not Michelle Obama.

Michelle Obama has become a lightning rod for the extravagant hatred "they" want you to feel; she has become the ultimate distraction and anyone really focusing on her has been bamboozeled by the mass media and big corporations. They have provided you a circus to look at, all the while continuing to come up with new ways to milk good Americans from their hard-earned money/savings.

It is wrong to blame any one person, administration or policy for the condition of the economy and our country. Most of this was set into motion decades ago by the people who really control the government.

Originally posted by seagull
Is there truth to it? When it comes to perceptions, truth takes a back seat. My suggestion to the Obama's is this. These perceptions, wrong or not, are going to cost you big, if you don't dig your collective heads out, in two more Novembers...

I genuinely wish I could tell you you were full of it, but I can't.

You are right of course. The truth takes a back seat to perceptions.

It should be Fox News...and admittedly many other media outlets...tagline.

What a sad state of affairs we are in.

As for Michelle Obama's trip. She has the personal money and her children are growing up fast. She paid for everything that they would let her pay for..the secret service doesn't accept tips

I have no doubt that she would eagerly take the same trip if they weren't the first family.

So does she skip the trip, deny her girls the travel just because her hubby is the POTUS?

Are her only two choices to either be shackled by her husbands job or to appear priveledged by it? Tough call.

To some extent you just have to continue to live your life. If the pundits are going to ferociously attack you for everything from what you wear to encouraging kids to eat healthy...geez...when do you stop caring what the talking heads say?

[edit on 11-8-2010 by maybereal11]

What I learned most from this episode is:

1) Either there is no competent political strategist inside the Obama camp, or the advice of that strategist is wholly ignored whenever he or she gives it. Regardless of what we all think about the ethics of taking this trip, certainly we can agree that this was bad politics. They get hit on the weird racist Spain thing, the vacation itself, the money angle, the out-of-touch angle, and a host of other flubs in the aftermath, not to mention the heinous press they've been getting prior to this. I'm not particularly convinced that this administration even wants another term. They either don't understand how to play the game or they just plain don't care how it ends.

2) The PR wing of the Administration is unable put aside its feelings when they are hurt. Though I personally loathed it every time I saw him appear on screen, I think that Tony Snow was the best press secretary I've ever seen. On the whole, he was cool and collected, didn't waiver, didn't take the bait, and maintained control over the message no matter how absurd it was. That's what an administration really needs out of a PS. They don't need one who is constantly generating headlines of his own and walking back anything that comes out of his mouth. If I were an opposing strategist, I would dedicate every waking hour of my life to finding new ways to push Robert Gibbs's buttons, so he could do my work and spread my message for me.

reply to post by maybereal11


This isn't solely about money. And it's not a case of her daughter has some terminal illness and wants to fulfill her lifelong wish before she dies.

It's about sensitivity for the millions of Americans who are suffering as she jets away to Spain. The words "Let them eat cake" truly do come to mind.

This might be a good time to teach her kids a lesson in sensitivity for the plight of others.

Originally posted by GhostLancer
This is merely another avenue for the expression of hatred for President Obama. People are nitpicking at anything and everything they can. They are coming up with ridiculous reasons to funnel their hatred for him and (now) his family.

Have no other First Ladies taken vacations? Have they all not required protection from the Secret Service? Have no other locations been temporarily closed for such visits for previous First Ladies?

this is the only part of your ridiculous post I bothered reading. I figured the rest was crap based upon the first two paragraphs. I take issue with EVERY president and EVERY first lady who has ever abused there power of governing. Trips should not be subsidized by the American taxpayer if the purpose is to simply VACATION! Which is what Michelle and her daughters, along with 60+ friends have done.

These individuals have no business in using MY hard earned tax dollars so that they can take lavish trips around the world. People like you have completely forgotten what government is, and what our tax dollars are supposed to go for. Our taxes are not for vacation trips, but for GOVERNING the American people (3rd or 4th time I've said this now). Lavish trips should be paid for in FULL by the ruling power. Besides, its not like BO cannot afford it, he is after all a multi-millionaire.

I dont care if past administrations have done it! It still doesnt change the fact that its wrong, but I wouldnt expect a non thinker like yourself to understand that! lulz how its the partisan hacks who are coming out of the wood work to defend BO's actions.

Once his family starts messing with my hard earned tax dollars, they're fair game. That goes for the past, and the future administrations who have/will use their title to rule irresponsibly.

[edit on 12-8-2010 by Yagerbombs]

Originally posted by mishigas
reply to post by maybereal11

 

This isn't solely about money. And it's not a case of her daughter has some terminal illness and wants to fulfill her lifelong wish before she dies.

It's about sensitivity for the millions of Americans who are suffering as she jets away to Spain. The words "Let them eat cake" truly do come to mind.

This might be a good time to teach her kids a lesson in sensitivity for the plight of others.

lulz, not only that, but what kind of piss poor message do you think it sends, when our own 1st lady vacations in other region in the world, helping spains economy, while neglecting her own nations economy?

Yea, she fukked up big time! And it will ultimately cost Obama.

I think it is disgusting.

But why is this so partisan? Jackie O was quite lavish in the White House during the Camelot Years..

Her spending money in Spain stimulates the Spanish economy not ours. Think of the hospitality, food, security jobs etc. that she may have saved -- in Spain!

But this is a distraction, the real purpose was probably for her to talk to some middle-east guys who cannot come to the USA for some reason. This was mentioned earlier in the thread.

reply to post by maybereal11


Perceptions aren't always the truth, but they can be. It's all in how perceptions are spun, I suppose...

reply to post by Yagerbombs


?? AF2??

Did she pay for the use of Air Force 2?

Huh?

Really....getting facts straight is difficult, I know....especially if those "facts" are spun from the likes of the Fox "news" web and similar "sources"....

So....which one of those brainiacs is spewing that bit of disinfo?

Truly perceptive people realize that First Lady visits are not only "vacations." Most countries are actually quite honored when a First Lady (whether or not her name happens to be Obama) visits.

First Lady visits do, in fact, stimulate the economies of other countries. They also help solidify international relations. While we like to think in terms of "us and them" or "black and white" (not in a racial way) or "MY tax dollars," the world is a more complex place than that. We have never existed in a microcosm. Things "over there" affect us HERE. Why do you think we invaded Afghanistan?

Maintaining good relations with other countries is not as cut and dry and simplified as people might think. And, it's obvious by replies to my first post on this topic by Jagersmith (or whoever) that some of us aren't even aware that international relations and finesse are essential to our country's success in the world.

First Lady visits are part of the TAPESTRY of United States international policy. It is guaranteed that there was at least one, if not more, OTHER THINGS going on in the background of her visit. Again, PERCEPTIVE people know this.

However, again, the Obamas have become a lightning rod for hatred. Her trip to Spain was perfectly justified and really not at all that expensive. As for the "MY TAX DOLLARS" mentality, then *my* dollars went toward the trip as well, and I approve. That tiny trip to Spain was nothing compared to the FIRST banker bail-out. And, as with most First Lady visits, had purpose rooted in international relations.

The world is not as simple as many would have it. Of course, hatred needs simplicity because hatred itself is pretty darn easy... and simple. It really is a path to the Dark Side. It's easy, seductive. And once you get embroiled in it, you develop a black/white you're either with me or against me mentality.

Unfortunately, the world is painted in shades of gray. Some people have their contrast setting on the extreme high. And because of this lack of vision they don't perceive everything that is out there. And that's okay. Luckily there are enough people, hopefully, who look beyond what is being spoonfed by the mainstream media. The First Lady trip to Spain has been made into an unwarranted media circus to direct your attention away from what's really important.

Like the Saturday Night Live newscast: "REALLY?" You're REALLY upset about this when everything else going on in the world is much, much more upsetting and important? Gulf oil spill? Nah. Bankers keeping the average worker in ruins? Nah. Almost all out war along our borders with drug cartels? Nah. What? Michelle Obama went to Spain? Holy Mother of Pearl, release the hounds and let slip the dogs of war!!!

I encourage a heightening of perception for those who don't know what First Lady visits are capable of, and what they can involve. International relations are indeed very important. And, guess what, the First Families of other countries (or whatever they happened to be called, depending on the country) visit OUR country too. It's a give and take kind of thing.

Originally posted by kozmo
Weren't they just on a vacation last moth? And weren't they on a vacation just the month before that? How many fekking vacations does this modern day Marie Antionette need?

Keep regurgitating whatever the more intelligent people come up with, and you'll do fine.

Do you actually know anything about her, or are you just keen to repeat things that sound good?

Without looking it up: where was Marie Antoinette born?

Anyway, I must assume that you and the, again, more intelligent person who compared Michelle Obama to Marie Antoinette had the "Let them eat cake" story in mind. And it turns out that she never said it. It originated when she was 10 - four years before she married Louis XVI.

www.straightdope.com...

The peasants-have-no-bread story was in common currency at least since the 1760s as an illustration of the decadence of the aristocracy. The political philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau mentions it in his Confessions in connection with an incident that occurred in 1740. (He stole wine while working as a tutor in Lyons and then had problems trying to scrounge up something to eat along with it.) He concludes thusly: "Finally I remembered the way out suggested by a great princess when told that the peasants had no bread: 'Well, let them eat cake.'"

I'm just trying to deny ignorance, one ignoramus at a time.

Originally posted by oniongrass
But this is a distraction, the real purpose was probably for her to talk to some middle-east guys who cannot come to the USA for some reason. This was mentioned earlier in the thread.

Oh, of course. There's absolutely no evidence of that, but let's just say that COULD be the cause. So let's just speculate and treat a complete lack of evidence as ABSOLUTE PROOF.

But, if she was there to meet "some middle-east guys who cannot come to the USA for some reason," then her visit was legitimate. After all, she's there on official business.

And as long as we're talking about why she MIGHT be there, maybe President Obama is going to make the US a Spanish colony, and Juan Carlos wanted to meet his future viceroy's wife.

By the way, can we amend the thread topic?

"Anger mounts among people who already despise the Obamas over Michelle Obama's 5-day Spanish holiday."

Edited for truth.

The people who say "She should have taken a vacation here in America" would have complained that she shouldn't have taken a vacation at all if she had done so.

With so many ways to be damned if you do, damned if you don't, it's best just to ignore the professionally and perpetually outraged. You know them - they're the people with the "Don't Tread on Me" flags that somehow didn't mind their Constitutional rights being tread upon by the Bush administration's repeated violation of the 4th and 5th Amendments.