First Family Enjoying the Good Life

[Jamie B]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2103173/Just-weeks-17-day-Hawaii-holiday-Michelle-Obama-takes-daughters-ski-trip-Aspen.html

Just weeks after 17-day Hawaii vacation Michelle hits the slopes with daughters on Aspen ski trip

With the economy on its knees, many American families have had to forgo their annual holiday just to make ends meet.

But barely a month after returning from a luxury Christmas break in Hawaii Michelle Obama is on holiday again - this time at the exclusive Colorado ski resort of Aspen. It's her 16th holiday since her husband took office.

This is not BHO rant - I am simply stunned that a sitting First Family, in an election year, during a difficult economy, would not at least make an attempt to try and show a little restraint, common sense, and humility to the rest of the nation.

More importantly, the cost to the taxpayers for these 'vacations' is ridiculous.
 

[Chester32141]

If the peasants are hungry ... Let them eat cake ... 

[French G.]

And all presidents do this. I think they should pay for non-official travel. GWB was low key, hiding out in Crawford but it took a lot of $$$ to secure that place.

[Jamie B]

And all presidents do this. I think they should pay for non-official travel. GWB was low key, hiding out in Crawford but it took a lot of $$$ to secure that place.

Agreed - my disdain crosses all party lines on this.
'Course, Pelosi racked up a bunch as speaker flying back to Kali.

[Monkeyleg]

No, all presidents don't do this, and certainly not in a recession. They've gone to Camp David or to their homes. GW stopped playing golf when we went into Afghanistan and Iraq, as he didn't think it would look right.

Obama is completely tone deaf.

[longeyes]

When you're historic, you're entitled.  Don't believe me?  Ask Michelle.

[DittoHead]

Michelle isn't president, who cares what she does? I don't, especially if it means the she isn't leading the charge against "bad" music/food/entertainment/drugs/guns etc. It's not like the Obamas weren't rich before the presidency.

[Regolith]

Michelle isn't president, who cares what she does? I don't, especially if it means the she isn't leading the charge against "bad" music/food/entertainment/drugs/guns etc. It's not like the Obamas weren't rich before the presidency.

It'd be fine if they were spending their own money, but they're not. The security detail alone costs taxpayers millions per trip. If it weren't for that, I'd want them on vacation ALL the time; at least that way Obama wouldn't be actively screwing us.

[Jamie B]

It'd be fine if they were spending their own money, but they're not. The security detail alone costs taxpayers millions per trip. If it weren't for that, I'd want them on vacation ALL the time; at least that way Obama wouldn't be actively screwing us.

Bingo! You are exactly correct!

Michelle isn't president, who cares what she does? I don't, especially if it means the she isn't leading the charge against "bad" music/food/entertainment/drugs/guns etc. It's not like the Obamas weren't rich before the presidency.

Wrong! Spin again. Regolith hit the nail that you missed.

[longeyes]

Her behavior is a flagrant insult to the American citizen.  She should be insulted back, no matter who complains or how loudly.  A few do just that, but most are still deferential or timid.  We keep trying to pretend that we are not in an all-out culture war with the Left that can only end with one side or the other utterly devastated. 

[MechAg94]

IMO, if they just went to their home in Chicago or some other fixed/repeat location like Camp David or Crawford, I wouldn't have so much of an issue.  The money is spent once to secure it and set up residence for all the support people.  By going to different locations all the time and by going to very expensive locations, this is costing a ton of money every single time.  Don't forget all the "friends" that went with them.

In addition, in places like Crawford, you know damn well Bush was still working, he just wasn't in D.C.  I'd want to do that same were I in that position.  I would hope the same is true about Obama.

[RevDisk]

And all presidents do this. I think they should pay for non-official travel. GWB was low key, hiding out in Crawford but it took a lot of $$$ to secure that place.

Not really. A good security system (one time fixed cost), and maybe 3-5 Secret Service agents when he's not there. Call it $100-200k one time cost, maybe another $100k for vehicle(s)/weapons/misc already on the books and $150k-$300k in annual expenses.  Sounds expensive, but honestly, a single POTUS mobile visit is probably five times that expense, per day. During a POTUS visit, sure, it'd hop up quite a bit.

Fixed site security is cheap compared to the prep work of a First Family visit. I saw the First Family visit the Baltimore Aquarium, probably 50+ local cops (all in vehicles), over a dozen feds in fed vans and a couple Suburbans. Local businesses in Inner Harbor were essentially shut down with no notice for over 4 hours, and the revenue losses alone were probably higher than a fixed site security annual budget.

Those kinds of unannounced visits can be highly disruptive to the locals. Not a huge deal, except it's not even taken into account with a POTUS or First Family visit.

[HankB]

No, all presidents don't do this, and certainly not in a recession. They've gone to Camp David or to their homes. GW stopped playing golf when we went into Afghanistan and Iraq, as he didn't think it would look right.

Obama is completely tone deaf.

I think it's more a case of Obama owning the allegiance of the major media - stuff that they'd lead with on TV or splash on Page 1 above the fold for Bush doesn't even make it into Section D when it involves Obama.

[longeyes]

Security today is a show of force, not just pragmatic self-defense.  It's not just the President or The First Lady, it's a growing trend everywhere.  About two weeks a guy was apprehended after driving the wrong way on the 5 here.  They had five choppers and half a dozen or more police cruisers involved in a Hollywood-style chase.  Too many people have seen too many action flicks.

As for the obvious extravagance of The First Family, our toleration of the manifest abuse says something profound about the real, not imagined, state of our liberty and, beyond that, psychic resolve.

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Maybe they figure they'll be gone come January, and are making the most of available resources.

[longeyes]

Sure, let's keep that Praetorian Guard budget impregnable.

[roo_ster]

Security today is a show of force, not just pragmatic self-defense.

Or a show of status.

[Jamie B]

Or a show of status.

Yup- that covers Bloomberg's private army in NYC.

[longeyes]

Yes, that's right, status too.  But the bigger the show the more, at bottom, they fear us.  There is no amount of "security" that could stop a riled-up, coordinated people.  And they know this.  It's not the men in blue or black that matter, it's the systematic psychological intimidation that renders most people docile and obedient.

[Blakenzy]

Yes, that's right, status too.  But the bigger the show the more, at bottom, they fear us.  There is no amount of "security" that could stop a riled-up, coordinated people.  And they know this.  It's not men in blue or blue that matter, it's the systematic psychological intimidation that renders most people docile and obedient.

Well put. All Government is based on "the systematic psychological intimidation that renders most people docile and obedient".

It's all a show...  do what we say or else. Come to think of it, they have no legitimacy, only violence.

[lee n. field]

 But the bigger the show the more, at bottom, they fear us.  There is no amount of "security" that could stop a riled-up, coordinated people.  And they know this.

In my own adult lifetime, the Shah, Ferdinand Marcos & Nicolai Ceausescu.