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Material girl Michelle Obama is a modern-day Marie Antoinette

Reverend_Hellh0und said:
Anger mounts over Michelle Obama's £150k Spanish holiday bill... footed by U.S. taxpaye

Read more: Anger mounts over Michelle Obama's £150k holiday bill... footed by U.S. taxpayer | Mail Online



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/facepalm :lol:
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You know whats really easy to notice.
The secret service.
They aren't very secret.
 
While I am annoyed by this trip, like why couldn't she just have gone to Disneyworld, or one of America's various attractions? Not only do I think no one in America would have cared, it would be showing support for her own economy, let me make a few points:

-In the bigger scope of things, each tax payer probably paid less than .0005 cents on this trip if you were to look at it like that
-Im pretty sure the President's family no matter what President is only allowed to travel by official craft and vehicles.
 
JohnWOlin said:
While I am annoyed by this trip, like why couldn't she just have gone to Disneyworld, or one of America's various attractions? Not only do I think no one in America would have cared, it would be showing support for her own economy, let me make a few points:

-In the bigger scope of things, each tax payer probably paid less than .0005 cents on this trip if you were to look at it like that
-Im pretty sure the President's family no matter what President is only allowed to travel by official craft and vehicles.
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How about the 40 of her closest friends?
 
JohnWOlin said:
While I am annoyed by this trip, like why couldn't she just have gone to Disneyworld, or one of America's various attractions? Not only do I think no one in America would have cared, it would be showing support for her own economy, let me make a few points:

-In the bigger scope of things, each tax payer probably paid less than .0005 cents on this trip if you were to look at it like that
-Im pretty sure the President's family no matter what President is only allowed to travel by official craft and vehicles.
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It seems like a lot of bs if you ask me.
And this is towards any presidential vacation travel with government vehicles.

I mean I'd love to take my family to Spain and would if the airfare were free.
I can afford the room and board.
Pretty unfair.
 
Harry Guerrilla said:
You know whats really easy to notice.
The secret service.
They aren't very secret.
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Ha, this is what I was thinking. I counted atleast nine.

And about the story, I think its a non-story. The first family have done this kind of thing for many years. This isn't the first, and it won't be the last time the first family takes trips like this.
 
Your Star said:
Ha, this is what I was thinking. I counted atleast nine.
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Pasty white guys and gals, with the occasional brother, but they all have collared shirts with sleeves. :lol:

Your Star said:
And about the story, I think its a non-story. The first family have done this kind of thing for many years. This isn't the first, and it won't be the last time the first family takes trips like this.
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Well if you think about it, it counts as unearned income.
They are getting a free airfare to another country for leisure purposes, they should have to pay taxes on it in the least.
Not picking on the Obama family but saying in general.
 
Harry Guerrilla said:
Pasty white guys and gals, with the occasional brother, but they all have collared shirts with sleeves. :lol:
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And the ever subtle ear piece :lol:


Well if you think about it, it counts as unearned income.
They are getting a free airfare to another country for leisure purposes, they should have to pay taxes on it in the least.
Not picking on the Obama family but saying in general.
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I wouldn't disagree with that. Though I think its more of a perk to the job, than something outrageous.
 
Okay, granted, the cost FLOTUS and her daughter's trip to Spain likely wasn't all on their own nickle, but let's be honest here, folks. Can it ever be?

She IS the First Lady. As such, she has to have the Secret Service around to protect her and her daughter not only whenever she (FLOTUS) travels INCONUS but abroad. To those complaining about her travel and lodging arrangements, do you honestly believe she can travel first class like the rest of us? C'mon! Not since the days of Eisenhower have the President and the FLOTUS travelled by anything less than the most secure means at the taxpayer's expense. That said, we don't know if the FLOTUS wanted to travel via other means or if the Secret Service insisted that using AF1.5 was the best way to keep her and her daughter safe.

As to the lodging...it seems rather lavish, but again was it her idea, the Secret Service or the Spanish government's insistance? Are they staying there on the taxpayer's dime or did she pay out of her own pocket? How much of her shopping spree is out of her own pocket versus how much will the taxpayers pickup? And how often has this happened with former FLOTUS? Which brings us back to the same questions so many have repeatedly asked to those who apparently are upset about this:

"Where you that pissed off when Laura Bush, Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagon, Betty Ford or Patricia Nixon all took trips abroad on the taxpayer's dime? Or were you just upset when Jackie-O, Rosaline Carter and Hillary Clinton did it?"
 
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Objective Voice said:
Okay, granted, the cost FLOTUS and her daughter's trip to Spain likely wasn't all on their own nickle, but let's be honest here, folks. Can it ever be?

She IS the First Lady. As such, she has to have the Secret Service around to protect her and her daughter not only whenever she (FLOTUS) travels INCONUS but abroad. To those complaining about here travel and lodging arrangements, do you honestly believe she can travel first class like the rest of us? C'mon! Not since the days of Eisenhower have the President and the FLOTUS travelled by anything less than the most secure means at the taxpayer's expense. That said, we don't know if the FLOTUS wanted to travel via other means or if the Secret Service insisted that using AF1.5 was the best way to keep her and her daughter safe.

As to the lodging...it seems rather lavish, but again was it her idea, the Secret Service or the Spanish government's insistance? Are they staying there on the taxpayer's dime or did she pay out her own pocket? How much of her shopping spree is out of her own pocket versus how much will the taxpayers pickup? And how often has this happened with former FLOTUS? Which brings us back to the same questions so many have repeatedly asked to those who apparently are upset about this:

"Where you that pissed off when Laura Bush, Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagon, Betty Ford or Patricia Nixon all took trips abroad on the taxpayer's dime? Or were you just upset when Jackie-O, Rosaline Carter and Hillary Clinton did it?"
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I understand the role of the secret service and have no problem with that but she and all the other presidents/their wives could charter a private jet at their expense.

Just sayin, it doesn't seem right.
 
Orion said:
Um... aren't you the same people who usually defend the rich from "unfair taxation" and the like? Why do you suddenly care what the Obama family does with their personal money?
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1-The fact that the taxpayers ar efooting the bill for AF2 and rooms for 72 secret service members at 4k per room a night might call to question "their" money...and

2-Its not a little bit like the Kerry situation...rip the wealthy and large ass (oops...I mean largess...some how that MObbama ginormous badonkadonk snuck in there) but then epitomoize the lifestyle and practice they profess to despise...while foregoing those cuts the little people have to make...

the hypocrisy thing...you know...
 
Harry Guerrilla said:
I mean I'd love to take my family to Spain and would if the airfare were free.
I can afford the room and board.
Pretty unfair.
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I could fly to Spain just for the taxes. My girl friend's parents have worked for an airline for decades..
 
VanceMack said:
1-The fact that the taxpayers ar efooting the bill for AF2 and rooms for 72 secret service members at 4k per room a night might call to question "their" money...
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Where'd you get the 72 Secret Service members figure from and the per room rate?
 
jujuman13 said:
Link
Material girl Michelle Obama is a modern-day Marie Antoinette on a glitzy Spanish vacation

Quote(Sacrifice is something that many Americans are becoming all too familiar with during this economic downturn. It was a key theme in President Obama's inaugural address to the nation, and he's referenced it numerous times when lecturing the country on how to get back on its feet.

But while most of the country is pinching pennies and downsizing summer sojourns - or forgoing them altogether - the Obamas don't seem to be heeding their own advice. While many of us are struggling, the First Lady is spending the next few days in a five-star hotel on the chic Costa del Sol in southern Spain with 40 of her "closest friends." According to CNN, the group is expected to occupy 60 to 70 rooms, more than a third of the lodgings at the 160-room resort. Not exactly what one would call cutting back in troubled times.)

Although I am by no means what might be called an 'Obama fan", even Obama fans must see the incredible differences, between what Obama calls for the rest of America, compared to how his wife spends and spends and spends US Taxpayer funds on her own hedonistic pleasures.
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I dont think Obama has called for people who can afford it to stop spending money that would make no sense economically
 
Objective Voice said:
Where'd you get the 72 Secret Service members figure from and the per room rate?
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"But while most of the country is pinching pennies and downsizing summer sojourns - or forgoing them altogether - the Obamas don't seem to be heeding their own advice. While many of us are struggling, the First Lady is spending the next few days in a five-star hotel on the chic Costa del Sol in southern Spain with 40 of her "closest friends." According to CNN, the group is expected to occupy 60 to 70 rooms, more than a third of the lodgings at the 160-room resort. Not exactly what one would call cutting back in troubled times.

Reports are calling the lodgings of Obama's Spanish fiesta, the Hotel Villa Padierna in Marbella, "luxurious," "posh" and "a millionaires' playground." Estimated room rate per night? Up to a staggering $2,500. Method of transportation? Air Force Two.

To be clear, what the Obamas do with their money is one thing; what they do with ours is another. Transporting and housing the estimated 70 Secret Service agents who will flank the material girl will cost the taxpayers a pretty penny."

Google is a wonderful thing...
 
Meh, I'd rather read about the mostly unimportant part of the first family going on trips to Spain than the entire first family being on vacation while an entire city drowns. Or seeing the first daughters drunk on the front page of newspapers, or posing half naked on magazine spreads.
 
Hatuey said:
Meh, I'd rather read about the mostly unimportant part of the first family going on trips to Spain than the entire first family being on vacation while an entire city drowns. Or seeing the first daughters drunk on the front page of newspapers, or posing half naked on magazine spreads.
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Yeah, you may have to wait for Obama's second term for that. :mrgreen:
 
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