European Vacation II: The Obamas
Why is it that the American people are told we have to hunker down and endure an economy of the government’s making, while our leader takes every opportunity to vacation on our dime, and definitely not on the cheap….
America may be in the midst of a deep recession, and the nation may be facing unprecedented deficit spending and debt, but the White House will not reveal the cost to taxpayers of the European vacation that first lady Michelle Obama and the president’s two daughters, Malia and Sasha, took last month, reports CNSNews.com White Correspondent Fred Lucas.
On four separate occasions, the White House refused to answer Lucas’ request for the cost to taxpayers of the trip – but, analysis by Lucas shows that the cost to taxpayers of just the first lady’s air travel alone for the Washington-to-Paris-to-London-Washington flight could be as much as $214,591.38.
Okay, we know The First Family needs transportation and protection, but c’mon, a little humility goes a long way.
The $214,591.38 taxpayer price tag does not even include significant costs such as:
· The separate cargo plane accompanying Air Force One
· A 20 vehicle motorcade in both Paris and London
· Secret Service and other staff expensesJust as the White House refuses to divulge the cost of the Obamas’ travel, a Secret Service spokesman tells Lucas that, “We do not discuss the (taxpayer) cost of protection”.
Nor do we really need to know, but there must be an equivalent of a Motel 6 and McDonald’s out there that won’t cost us all quite that much. But hey, who’s counting? The Obamas surely are not.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
They are trying to grab as much of the taxpayer’s dime as they can before they leave (or are forced out of) office. Remember the Clinton White House furniture scandal?
July 6th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Lazarus, I don’t remember that. Care to elaborate?
Also, I now think that Obama wins even if he’s ousted. He raised so much money for the DNC and made overatures to so many dictators-for-life, there’s got to be payback.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:31 am
Obama doesn’t care what it costs taxpayers, as it isn’t coming out of his pocket. He will continue to use taxpayer money because he despises the working class & sees himself as the elite & entitled to it. Maybe if we get lucky, Russia will keep him. On second thought, I doubt that as they have enough problems of their own without adding more.