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Originally posted by tiger5
can you prove that the costs of the politician travelling outweighs the benefits of the trip(s).
... PS I know it would be tough to analyse costs and benefits
When a trip is for an official function, the government pays all costs, including per diem (food and lodging), car rentals, and other incidental expenses. When a trip is for political or unofficial purposes, those involved must pay for their own food and lodging and other related expenses, and they must also reimburse the government with the equivalent of the airfare that they would have paid had they used a commercial airline. When a trip involves both official and political activities, a formula determines the amount to be reimbursed for that part of the trip involving
political activities.
Air Force One goes on approximately 100 missions per year. That's about once every 3-4 days.
One additional trip for a vacation adds approximately 1% to the Air Force One budget.
The Air Force One budget makes up less than a hundredth of 1% of the Air Force budget.
The Air Force budget makes up less than 25% of the budget of the Department of Defense.
The Department of Defense budget is only 23% of the total Federal Budget.
So.. let's add up 1% of .01% of 25% of 23%. That trip added .0000006% to the taxpayer burden.
If you made $50,000 per year, you'd pay approximately $.0003 (3 hundredths of a penny).
...
To say that the president and his family have to be shut-ins because the law says they must be protected by the Secret Service and aren't allowed to book a flight on United Airlines 1) isn't fair to the president or his family 2) doesn't take reality into account.
Originally posted by MrXYZ
If he'd spend most of his time in Washington, you'd claim he's out of touch with the country because he's not leaving that city often enough.
Originally posted by FlyersFan
** That's the title of the article.
He has spent half his presidency outside DC.
He says he wants to spend more time outside DC.
Yes, travel comes with the job.
However - IMHO - Obama (and Bush43 before him) seem to like excessive travel at our expense.
CBS News - Obama By The Numbers
The Washington Examiner - Obama Spends Nearly Half His Presidency Outside Washington
On "Meet the Press" December 26, top White House adviser Valerie Jarrett said President Obama's "biggest regret" is that the severity of the economic crisis forced him to "spend almost every waking hour in Washington focusing very hard on solving that crisis" and thus kept him from traveling the country to connect with the American people. According to Jarrett, Obama recently told aides, "I really want to figure out a way where I can spend more time outside of Washington listening and learning and engaging the American people." Jarrett says that in 2011 the president's schedule will "reflect that priority" -- that is, include more time outside the nation's capital.
But it turns out Obama has already spent nearly half his presidency outside Washington. As of January 2, Obama has been president for 712 days. According to figures compiled by CBS News reporter Mark Knoller, who serves as a sort of unofficial White House record-keeper, Obama has spent 339 of those days -- nearly 48 percent -- outside Washington
Where's Barack? Report sayas Obama Spends Nearly 50% of Time Traveling
CBS News’s Mark Knoller, who regular compiles White House statistics, released numbers on Friday showing that the president has spent nearly 50 percent of his presidency outside Washington, D.C. As of January 2, Obama has been president for 712 days, reports the Washington Examiner. For 339 of those days — about 48 percent — Obama has been MIA from Washington.
“According to Knoller, Obama has spent 176 days on domestic trips, 70 days on foreign travel, 58 days on vacation, and 35 days at Camp David,” The Examiner’s Byron York writes. And “you can add a couple more vacation days to the total before the president returns from his break in Hawaii.”
For comparison against Obama who is in office two years.
CBS News - Bush by the numbers - 8 years
* The Texas Ranch was out of DC but it was considered 'The Western Whitehouse'.
It was for work and the cost to the taxpayers was rather small compared to 'vacations'.
But still .. would rather he have stayed in DC than go to Texas. There was no need for it!
IMHO 'domestic trips' is a bogus use of our tax money. There is no need for us, the tax payer, to pay for many of these trips. They are usually campaign type trips for the imps of the same party as whoever the POTUS is. I can see domestic trips to visit problem areas, etc. (although I'm sure less expensive underlings can be sent to gather info) Sometimes it is needed. But I'd bet not that often.
I couldn't find a 'Bill Clinton by the Numbers' (or others) to also add for comparison.
If anyone finds them, please post ... thanks.
Okay .. here we go .. expecting the same ol' responses but I figured I'd post this story anyways. Obama zombies go ahead and flame away .. deflect away ... attack me instead of the story .. and defend His-Highness. Others .. have fun piling on and bringing up all sorts of examples of how those in the office of POTUS have abused travel and stolen our tax money in order for themselves to live a high-end lifestyle with lots of travel, etc.
( I'm in a mood, eh? Yeah ... it's a long story.)edit on 1/3/2011 by FlyersFan because: (no reason given)
Back to your pancakes eh...
Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
reply to post by FlyersFan
Jokeshop thread.
If Obama never left DC, the Party of No would squawk that he has sequestered himself away from the people and answers only to the machinations of the Capitol.
Hate the guy, by all means...vote him out next election if you can. But it would be refreshing if some folks stopped viewing the world through "Obama is Evil" glasses and found lives of a more positive inclination.
Originally posted by 46ACE
We could've used a little more outrage keeping stimpy'jr. inline.
Originally posted by 46ACE
reply to post by nixie_nox
I'm not researching this "stuff": most of the links out there are hard right which you would completely disregard anyway...but its "out there"except for what has disappeared from servers.
Originally posted by FlyersFan
I can't be bothered and I've got too much to do today (including going to the dentist .. which I hate .. UGH! )
Originally posted by 46ACE
Back to your pancakes eh...
Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
reply to post by FlyersFan
Jokeshop thread.
If Obama never left DC, the Party of No would squawk that he has sequestered himself away from the people and answers only to the machinations of the Capitol.
Hate the guy, by all means...vote him out next election if you can. But it would be refreshing if some folks stopped viewing the world through "Obama is Evil" glasses and found lives of a more positive inclination.
He won get over it,.
he's gonna be under a microscope.and should be.
We could've used a little more outrage keeping stimpy'jr. inline.