Report: Price of Obama getaways $70 million so far, and counting

This coming from a guy, who said among other unfulfilled campaign promises, that he wouldn't take much vacation if elected POTUS. Not to say everyone doen't need a vacation, especially with his stressful position, but $70.5 million? I understand him and his family needs extra security, but that still is a ridiculous number. I've been taking vacations for all my working years (32) but I don't I even hit the $100 grand mark yet for all those years combined............but if I had taxpayers paying for my vacations........ So much for that hope and change thingy.

"Now as the Obama family departs Friday on its annual holiday vacation to Hawaii, new estimates put the price tag of the Obamas’ 2015 trips that are all or largely personal at $11.6 million for travel costs alone, according to the conservative group Judicial Watch, based on federal government records. That brings the overall cost of personal or largely personal travel to at least $70.5 million since Obama took office in 2009, according to the group’s analysis".
www.mcclatchydc.com...

"FLASHBACK: Obama Promises No Vacations For Himself As President [VIDEO]"
dailycaller.com...

a reply to: UnBreakable

Hey, Royals get Royal treatment.

Of, by and from the people.

At this point, I would rather he had doubled his vacation and expense associated with them..

He has cost us much much more than that when he is actually on the clock

Take the rest of your term off Mr President, we can't afford your hope and change any longer..

I know. It's just disgusting.
Is Barry planning to drop by San Bernardino to comfort the victims' families of the Terrorist attack, on his way to Sunny Hawaii?

a reply to: JacKatMtn

Take the rest of your term off Mr President, we can't afford your hope and change any longer..

That was misleading, wasn't it? They changed it, second term.



Less misleading that way.

I understand this vacation cost issue is on the bottom of the list of complaints of Obama. I just want to point out the blatant hypocricy of it all. When he campaigned before the '08 election, I remember the campaign complaining about all the vacation Dubya took. Maybe Dubya took more time off, but he mostly went to his Texas ranch at a smaller cost. Obama also said his admin would be the most transparent, and as it turns out is one of the most secretive and protective.

a reply to: UnBreakable

What is the magical number that we are willing to accept? I believe Bush cost taxpayers around $20 million just for flights back and forth from Texas to DC, and that doesn't seem to be an issue.

So what number between $20 million and $70 million is acceptable?

originally posted by: introvert
a reply to: UnBreakable

What is the magical number that we are willing to accept? I believe Bush cost taxpayers around $20 million just for flights back and forth from Texas to DC, and that doesn't seem to be an issue.

So what number between $20 million and $70 million is acceptable?

That's actually a really good question we should ask ourselves... and then when we answer it, make it apply to ALL presidents so we don't have to have these pointless conversations and/or arguments again. Not that you and I have that power or control... But it would sure help if presidents were given a specific amount of vacation time, and a specific dollar amount to spend. Anything over and above that dollar amount to come out of their own pocket.

Unless the President is not going to take vacations, any travel is going to run up into the tens of millions of dollars. I don't like Obama, but I don't believe his vacations are that big of a deal.

The fact of the matter is that the President has to travel with all kinds of security and operational equipment not to mention pre-trip surveillance which is where the cost are involved.

I vacation on Martha's Vineyard every year. When the President is there it is a nightmare. You see all the secret service goons all over the small towns. You hear Marine 1 and all the other support craft flying all over the island. One or two big C130s are parked at the island airport.

originally posted by: introvert
a reply to: UnBreakable

What is the magical number that we are willing to accept? I believe Bush cost taxpayers around $20 million just for flights back and forth from Texas to DC, and that doesn't seem to be an issue.

So what number between $20 million and $70 million is acceptable?

Well, consudering the guy campaigned he wouldn't take vacation as POTUS, maybe somewhere less than Bush's 20 million since he complained Bush took too much vacation.

Five myths about presidential vacations

“Presidents don’t get vacations — they just get a change of scenery,” Nancy Reagan once said in defense of her husband’s frequent trips to his ranch in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Do you really want the guy who's running the country to be a burnt out mess?

If you're working all the time you need a break. Look at Bush. 879 days of vacation.

People complaining about the President taking a vacation need to chill out.

originally posted by: UnBreakable

originally posted by: introvert
a reply to: UnBreakable

What is the magical number that we are willing to accept? I believe Bush cost taxpayers around $20 million just for flights back and forth from Texas to DC, and that doesn't seem to be an issue.

So what number between $20 million and $70 million is acceptable?

Well, consudering the guy campaigned he wouldn't take vacation as POTUS, maybe somewhere less than Bush's 20 million since he complained Bush took too much vacation.

The idea that he wouldn't take vacations at all was pushed by the Right Wing media. What he did say is that when you take this sort of position, you give up everything. That includes family time, vacations and there were a few other things on that list.

In that context, he is right. Even if he goes on vacation he still has to work.

originally posted by: introvert
a reply to: UnBreakable

What is the magical number that we are willing to accept? I believe Bush cost taxpayers around $20 million just for flights back and forth from Texas to DC, and that doesn't seem to be an issue.

So what number between $20 million and $70 million is acceptable?

All Presidents are still costing taxpayer security costs when they leave office, even Bush today still costs money to protect. The only president in history to wave protection was Richard Nixon (hilarious irony).

Former President's Act

It's so stupid every time this argument gets brought up. It's not a partisan issue, ANY PRESIDENT whether Democrat or Republican, or Independent or whatever, is going to get protection and the only choice they have in the matter is to completely wave off security after they leave office.

They don't have a choice of how much it's going to cost, and holding office also shouldnt bar them from travelling.

originally posted by: introvert
a reply to: UnBreakable

What is the magical number that we are willing to accept? I believe Bush cost taxpayers around $20 million just for flights back and forth from Texas to DC, and that doesn't seem to be an issue.

So what number between $20 million and $70 million is acceptable?

Well, we know that for you it's all dependent on if they have an (R) or (D) next to their name.

originally posted by: boncho

originally posted by: introvert
a reply to: UnBreakable

What is the magical number that we are willing to accept? I believe Bush cost taxpayers around $20 million just for flights back and forth from Texas to DC, and that doesn't seem to be an issue.

So what number between $20 million and $70 million is acceptable?

All Presidents are still costing taxpayer security costs when they leave office, even Bush today still costs money to protect. The only president in history to wave protection was Richard Nixon (hilarious irony).

Former President's Act

It's so stupid every time this argument gets brought up. It's not a partisan issue, ANY PRESIDENT whether Democrat or Republican, or Independent or whatever, is going to get protection and the only choice they have in the matter is to completely wave off security after they leave office.

They don't have a choice of how much it's going to cost, and holding office also shouldnt bar them from travelling.

Yes, but this is ATS and currently that means some people must, just must keep coming up with anything they can to blame Obama for anything. At some point soon he will be blamed for the common cold - got to be Obama's fault, right?

Pathetic really, glad that the chaff is usually more than balanced out by the wheat on this site.

insert (well bush went to Crawford ranch) here excuse by the usual liberal suspects

a reply to: avgguy

Edit: too late

Well in fact Obama has taken fewer "vacation days" then previous 2 term presidents.
Compared to past presidents, Obama takes few vacations

This just feels like another issue the Right just wants to blame Obama. But when it comes to vacation taking sure looks like the GOP presidents really take their share. Both W Bush and Reagan took over 1/8th of their presidencies as vacations.

originally posted by: TheBulk

originally posted by: introvert
a reply to: UnBreakable

What is the magical number that we are willing to accept? I believe Bush cost taxpayers around $20 million just for flights back and forth from Texas to DC, and that doesn't seem to be an issue.

So what number between $20 million and $70 million is acceptable?

Well, we know that for you it's all dependent on if they have an (R) or (D) next to their name.

What a very intelligent and well thought-out response.

I'd only ask that you don't project your linear and biased thinking on to me. I didn't care about this issue when Bush was in office and I don't care now.

This is just a fluff story for knee-jerkers and nutters.

a reply to: grey580

It's not the vacation...it's the 10s of millions of taxpayer dollars my friend.