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Costly Obama family trip to Africa under fire amid sequester cuts

sawyerloggingon

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Obama takes his family on a very expensive vacation as he shuts down white house tours and tries to make sequester hurt. :roll:

"President Obama’s trip this month to Africa, with the first family tagging along, is projected to cost taxpayers as much as $100 million, sparking criticism as the federal government scrimps along during sequester-related budget cuts.
Among the related costs will be fighter jets; hundreds of Secret Service agents; a Navy ship with a full trauma center; and military cargo planes to bring 56 vehicles including 14 limousines and three trucks loaded with sheets of bullet­proof glass to cover the windows of the hotels where the first family will stay. The details were reported by The Washington Post, based on a confidential planning document.


Read more: Costly Obama family trip to Africa under fire amid sequester cuts | Fox News
 
Obama takes his family on a very expensive vacation as he shuts down white house tours and tries to make sequester hurt. :roll:

"President Obama’s trip this month to Africa, with the first family tagging along, is projected to cost taxpayers as much as $100 million, sparking criticism as the federal government scrimps along during sequester-related budget cuts.
Among the related costs will be fighter jets; hundreds of Secret Service agents; a Navy ship with a full trauma center; and military cargo planes to bring 56 vehicles including 14 limousines and three trucks loaded with sheets of bullet*proof glass to cover the windows of the hotels where the first family will stay. The details were reported by The Washington Post, based on a confidential planning document.


Read more: Costly Obama family trip to Africa under fire amid sequester cuts | Fox News

Do you and the others on the right understand government budgets and that funds from one budget cannot simply be exchanged into other budgets? I'm just curious if it's ignorance on your part or just purely partisan hackery?
 
Bulletproof glass to cover windows....if anyone wants to kill somone inside a stucture they don't use bullets. Maybe "da prez" is thinking about a typical day in Chicago with drive bys are a daily event. With Africa being his place of birth one would think they wold foot the bill for the trip.
 
Bulletproof glass to cover windows....if anyone wants to kill somone inside a stucture they don't use bullets. Maybe "da prez" is thinking about a typical day in Chicago with drive bys are a daily event. With Africa being his place of birth one would think they wold foot the bill for the trip.

Making sure hotel windows are bulletproof is nothing new with any president.
 
Do you and the others on the right understand government budgets and that funds from one budget cannot simply be exchanged into other budgets? I'm just curious if it's ignorance on your part or just purely partisan hackery?

I suspect it is an indictment of how the government manages itself.
 
I suspect it is an indictment of how the government manages itself.

And with that criticism, I have no problem and happen to agree that the government is lousy in that regards. However, for some to act like this has happened with JUST THIS administration is a complete demonstration of ignorance or partisan hackery.
 
Do you and the others on the right understand government budgets and that funds from one budget cannot simply be exchanged into other budgets? I'm just curious if it's ignorance on your part or just purely partisan hackery?

Except in this instance. The WH tours come out of the Secret Service budget. A good chunk of this trip comes out of the Secret Service budget (100s of agents with lodging, food and travel). Its the same pool of money.

Don't care what you're political leanings are, considering the fiscal climate, this trip is pure and utter waste.
 
In before the "but Boooooosh" crowd.
 
Except in this instance. The WH tours come out of the Secret Service budget. A good chunk of this trip comes out of the Secret Service budget (100s of agents with lodging, food and travel). Its the same pool of money.

Don't care what you're political leanings are, considering the fiscal climate, this trip is pure and utter waste.

Yet again, I have no problem with criticizing the government in general on this. However, when the criticism is only applied to Obama and not past and present politicians it looks more like whining.

In this day and age with conferencing, there is no reason a politician needs to travel back and forth between congress and their hometown. Many meetings can be done with video conferencing. If you want to stop fraud, waste, and abuse it shouldnb't just be with the president but with ALL politicians.

How about all the perks that politicians in Congress use? Are you railing against all those or are you just passive and go after the president?
 
And with that criticism, I have no problem and happen to agree that the government is lousy in that regards. However, for some to act like this has happened with JUST THIS administration is a complete demonstration of ignorance or partisan hackery.


The point is the timing and the value of the trip to the American people. Spending $100 million on a trip that will have no ROI at a time when all Americans are cutting back is just gaudy. If Obama really wants to be a leader he needs to show that he is willing to cut back himself when the American people are feeling the pinch.
 
The point is the timing and the value of the trip to the American people. Spending $100 million on a trip that will have no ROI at a time when all Americans are cutting back is just gaudy. If Obama really wants to be a leader he needs to show that he is willing to cut back himself when the American people are feeling the pinch.

You are just complaining about the president when all of congress receives months off of PAID vacations and perks? Again, it's coming off as whining. I don't disagree with you, but putting all the blame on Obama when past presidents that THE RIGHT SUPPORTED WITH VOTES did the same thing.

Have you taken a look at how much YOUR representatives spend?
 
Do you and the others on the right understand government budgets and that funds from one budget cannot simply be exchanged into other budgets? I'm just curious if it's ignorance on your part or just purely partisan hackery?

Budgets imply setting priorities, living within set bounds and making sane (wise?) choices among competing interests and not simply spending without regard to accumulating debt. I agree that this constant federal gov't overspending insanity is not an Obama only policy, and is supported by our congress critters (of both parties), but simply wasting money, because it was made available, is still bad policy.
 
Bulletproof glass to cover windows....if anyone wants to kill somone inside a stucture they don't use bullets. Maybe "da prez" is thinking about a typical day in Chicago with drive bys are a daily event.

I'm pretty sure that ballistic glass also prevents bombs from being thrown into the rooms.

With Africa being his place of birth one would think they wold foot the bill for the trip.

Ok now your comment, above, makes sense.
 
Do you and the others on the right understand government budgets and that funds from one budget cannot simply be exchanged into other budgets? I'm just curious if it's ignorance on your part or just purely partisan hackery?

My understanding is that Congress gave Obama the option as to where to make the cuts, and he chose to hit those areas important to the Republicans the most. But of course politics played not part in his decisions. Furthermore to my knowledge the sequester was his idea, and he said he would veto any bill sent up to stop it.

Nevertheless he has been lavishing himself and his family with luxury since he moved into the WH. All during a horrible economy with high unemployment and govt budget cutting.
 
You are just complaining about the president when all of congress receives months off of PAID vacations and perks? Again, it's coming off as whining. I don't disagree with you, but putting all the blame on Obama when past presidents that THE RIGHT SUPPORTED WITH VOTES did the same thing.

Have you taken a look at how much YOUR representatives spend?

If you were to divide this trip's cost among all congressmen it would come to $187,000 each. That is more than each congressmen's annual salary.
 
Budgets imply setting priorities, living within set bounds and making sane (wise?) choices among competing interests and not simply spending without regard to accumulating debt. I agree that this constant federal gov't overspending insanity is not an Obama only policy, and is supported by our congress critters (of both parties), but simply wasting money, because it was made available, is still bad policy.

Yes it is bad policy and I agree that it is. However, it seems only Obama ever gets criticism on it from the right while Boehner and the other righties get a pass with votes.
 
And with that criticism, I have no problem and happen to agree that the government is lousy in that regards. However, for some to act like this has happened with JUST THIS administration is a complete demonstration of ignorance or partisan hackery.

The difference now is sequestration. Obama spends like royalty while us peasants and serfs suffer his economic wrath.


WASHINGTON -- As people all over the world gear up for their vacations in America's national parks this summer, they should get ready for dirty toilets, unkempt trails, shuttered campgrounds and fewer educational activities.

Sequestration Hits National Parks Just In Time For Tourist Season
 
If you were to divide this trip's cost among all congressmen it would come to $187,000 each. That is more than each congressmen's annual salary.

Yet, not more than what the congressmen get in perks. Why else would you spend millions of dollars for a job that pays far less than that.
 
Yet again, I have no problem with criticizing the government in general on this. However, when the criticism is only applied to Obama and not past and present politicians it looks more like whining.

In this day and age with conferencing, there is no reason a politician needs to travel back and forth between congress and their hometown. Many meetings can be done with video conferencing. If you want to stop fraud, waste, and abuse it shouldnb't just be with the president but with ALL politicians.

How about all the perks that politicians in Congress use? Are you railing against all those or are you just passive and go after the president?

And not only Congress but local politicians in minor roles. My mom works for the county in the register of deeds. The elected official for tht department went a couple months ago to a week long leadership conference in Washingon DC on taxpayers money with another manager in that department. Really, does anyone think someone in that position needs to attend that? Especially as they are cutting jobs and budgets in that same department but can afford to do that? Yet who is questioning what the head of the register of deeds of their local county is doing? Wasteful spending all around and we need to be more aware of it on all levels.
 
The difference now is sequestration. Obama spends like royalty while us peasants and serfs suffer his economic wrath.


WASHINGTON -- As people all over the world gear up for their vacations in America's national parks this summer, they should get ready for dirty toilets, unkempt trails, shuttered campgrounds and fewer educational activities.

Sequestration Hits National Parks Just In Time For Tourist Season

And yet again I point out, it's not just Obama. Where is the criticism of Congress? Where was the critisism of Bush and past presidents and congress members? The debt didn't just happen on its own.
 
My understanding is that Congress gave Obama the option as to where to make the cuts, and he chose to hit those areas important to the Republicans the most. But of course politics played not part in his decisions. Furthermore to my knowledge the sequester was his idea, and he said he would veto any bill sent up to stop it.

Nevertheless he has been lavishing himself and his family with luxury since he moved into the WH. All during a horrible economy with high unemployment and govt budget cutting.

Did you complain about Bush's travels when people were losing their jobs. I did a quick search on the board and couldn't find any, I wonder why?

Again, I agree with the wasteful criticizm, I just find it amusing that the right didn't complain too much with their righty politicians and they still don't with their righties in congress.
 
Do you and the others on the right understand government budgets and that funds from one budget cannot simply be exchanged into other budgets? I'm just curious if it's ignorance on your part or just purely partisan hackery?

Do you realize that it takes more money to bring his family over there so that they can be protected also than if he just went himself? Is that ignorance on your part or just partisan hackery?
 
And yet again I point out, it's not just Obama. Where is the criticism of Congress? Where was the critisism of Bush and past presidents and congress members? The debt didn't just happen on its own.

It is Obama taking this multi million dollar safari not congress.
 
Do you realize that it takes more money to bring his family over there so that they can be protected also than if he just went himself? Is that ignorance on your part or just partisan hackery?

Nope see I criticize Obama for what he is doing. However, I just also point out the right was and is silent about THEIR politicians wasteful spending as THEIR politicians keep getting elected.
 
It is Obama taking this multi million dollar safari not congress.

Nice deflection. You didn't complain when Bush did similiar things with his ranch hypocrite. And there are far more members of congress wasting money than the president. No criticism for YOUR politicians I see.

Yet again, I agree with criticizing Obama on this. Too bad you and others are hypocritical when it comes to YOUR politicians in congress and past presidents.
 
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