In a time when the average American is counting every penny and cutting coupons as though they're going out of style our President has set up a lovely Multi-million dollar vacation to Martha's Vineyard. Now how do you suppose that a man making the salary of a president ($200,000 yr.) can afford such a lavish retreat? He is using tax payers money. Bush was no saint but his vacation time was spent at his own home not costing us millions. Now I have no issue with a man taking his family on vacation but as we are in the middle of some serious issues he should wait until it is a proper time besides spending an extravagant amount of hard working taxpayers cash. We are suppose to trust this man with our tax money, health care, and military and yet we cannot even trust him to live within his means? I know that we will not all agree with everything the man does but it is diffrent to know he can be trusted and disagree with something then to feel as though he has cheated us.
[question posted by OpinionatedLady]
responses and comments:
He has every right to use the money hes accrued through his life. He himself has said that its not tax payer money hes using, its his money. The man works a 24/7 job, and his wife and kids barely see him. Presidents have escaped to fancy retreats since the beginning of our country. Being angry at this is like being angry at Bill gates spending his money to go to a seaside resort somewhere. its doesnt make sense. [phildozer]
I have been there it is very nice not worth the price and not the first place many if any kid wants to go. [OpinionatedLady]
Big jobs come with big benefits. I am not going to begrudge a guy a vacation he is entitled to take, like every other executive in the country. and he had plenty of money already when he got in to office, I am not going to fault a guy for making money. He certainly isn't the firt president to take a vacation in hard economic times, he won't be the last. Lets give the guy and his family a break on this one. We have much bigger issues with this administration to deal with and pull apart. [xfahctor]
I agree with you 100% X [thegreatdebater]
He has money from elsewhere, he did not use taxpayer money for that retreat. Also one of these places are bound to give him one hell of a discount. This guy deserves a vacation more than any of us I believe, he works tons, has SO MUCH responsibility, I cannot think of anyone who has more responsibility in the world. He is NOT spending tax payer money, so he has not cheated us. Obama has made about 2 million in Royalties, his wife makes 320k a year and Obama makes 200k for being a president. Keep in mind that as a president, almost all expenses are paid for as you are constantly traveling, meeting people etc... so he does not spend all that much. When you think about it, when he is spending his money he is stimulating the economy, so he is actually even helping a bad situation! You have been misinformed and therefore based your argument on false facts, making it false. [qdietz]
My last trip from home was to Detroit, there where many things to do there including driving out to see one of our Nations Great lakes. A place as scenic as the Vineyard. He shouldn't be scared of our cities and if he is then he can figure out a way to make it better, oh yeah he he put a pin hole in the respect for cops with his comments yeah that will help. Oh and no having a beer with the guy doesn't make what he said better. [OpinionatedLady]
When government officials, including the President take vacation this is a good thing. We, America can fix our own problem, we do not need governments help. Let the man and his family take as much time off as possible. Same goes for Congress as little time up in Washington D.C is a good thing. They cannot fix anything, it is not governments role to do so in the first place. Remember Federally elected officials are elected only to protect the Constitution from foreign and domestic enemies, not to protect the economy from recession. [gewcew23]
Very true but they will not let anyone get their hands on that one. Our country is on a slippery slope and we are sliding down it fast. [OpinionatedLady]
Presidents go on vaction, or two of our last three went on vacation far more than any others. Specificly George H.W. Bush who spent over a year on vacation (note that he was president for only 1 term so he spent more than 25% of his time in office on vacation). It doesn't bother me one bit that he is taking a vacation, if congress isn't in session it isn't like he can do anything to change anything during this time. As you recall, our last president spent alot of time on vacation as well, even though he spent time at his house, it was the amount of time he spent there that upset many (especially before 9/11). [thegreatdebater]
I did not say I agreed with what he did just that it wasn't all play while he was there. What exactly would be wrong with the President having any meeting in Detroit or any other American city? What you think the world is all Champlain kisses? [OpinionatedLady]
So what you are actually implying is that the president and his family should remain prisoners of their home? After all how much does it cost for the the girls to go to school with the private drivers and body guards. What about the day they go out shopping for some clothes? How much does that cost. This is getting rediculous. You have no issue with him taking his family on vacation as long as it is where you think he should be going right. No matter how you put it it would be a multi million dollar vacation for him. Or should he just have to go to your local motel 8? [grammasnook]
The amount is actually being negotiated on how much it will cost. it will probably end up somewhere in the middle of my being the lower and the 50 thousand being the high end. [grammasnook]
I think its kind of crazy, but every time that they take a trip on air force its like a million dollars to go and come back.But every president that has been president has done this kind of thing. why point out that Obama is doing it too. Its known across the land the allowances that the presidents use to do things on there own time. [crysontherocks77]
Why point it out? Why ignore it? This should have been an issue with any and every president. We the people are expected to tone down our life styles to fit our economical situations yet the last several presidents we have had have not done this at all. We should be expecting more from these people not letting it slide, and we wonder why our nation is falling apart. [OpinionatedLady]
A multi-million dollar vacation? Prove it! Listen I am no fan of Obama but I could really care less what he does with his earned salary, his previous life's earnings or his wife's money. The Obama's could hire a monkey butler in a tuxedo and top hat and I wouldnt give one bit of a crap as long as it's done with his personal money. This reminds me of all the nit-picking that was done to Sarah Palin throughout the campaign. They were talking about her having a personal tanning bed, or how expensive her sneakers were and not to mention the campaign trail wardrobe scandal! I thought those accusations were tedious and ridiculous and I think the allegations you are making are too. [hussyinterrupted]
I have heard that he is not using taxpayer money so I really, really don't care where he goes for his vacation. What he does with his own money is not our business. It really isn't. If it were in fact the taxpayers money then I could see the issue. It is not our business to decide if he is or is not living within his means. He's running our country....let's hope he can balance his own personal budget. I don't feel cheated by him. [sid556]
This is their own money, hon. I just read an article about that very thing on a Martha's Vineyard blog. Why must a person be so picayune when many people at this site are already railing at him, apparently upset their President wakes up in the morning? Sad. [LaVieEnRose]
The Martha Vineyards blog also put a lot of stuff out there that was not true so please watch who you use as an example. Going by what they first posted would make anyone mad as they said that the President was renting the entire estate for his family paying upward of $20,000,000. Thank God that was not true. Why cry for Obama can he not take the heat? He has not lived up to what he has portrayed himself to be. His approval rating has dropped in a few months to 56%, 3% lost last week alone! It took a term and a half for Bush's to get that low. Even slick Willy didn't ever drop like that. People have the right to point out what they aren't doing and all I ask is that people stop blowing off things that are signs of trouble and not worry about their clothes and pay more attention to this man who should be our role model and leading by example. For a man like himself and his wife doing a trip within means would do more for his ratings then this. [OpinionatedLady]
I read the responses and I think some people are missing the bigger point. President Obama, by his own actions, time and again, is about symbolism. The American President is a symbol of America. I have no problem with the President vacationing wherever he deems fit, but at the same time, he's preaching to the American people, at least 4 times a week, that we're in big financial trouble -- we need to change our ways. I don't really see this as a big deal. But at the same time, it would be nice if our President wasn't throwing money around, you know. I know for a fact that a whole lot of Obama supporters feel he is truly superior to ordinary men. I know that a lot feel anything he does is worthy of support, since he's on that loney hilltop of infallible morality. But it wouldn't hurt anything for the President to vacation somewhere a little less lavish, a little less expensive. Barack Obama being connected to the people and being able to be America's savior isn't a standard I hold him up to. It's a standard he holds himself up to. Outside of his circle of supporters, which is still rather encompassing, I think his spending habits reflect poorly on the man. At a time when, by his own repetitive words, America is suffering, he has managed to spend more money than anyone else on the face of the planet. What a great gesture it would be to tamp down his personal spending. If he doesn't, oh well. It's no world-changing event. However, the way he chooses to present himself in those town hall meetings and those press conferences kind of dodos out when he's ready to toast the town. It becomes another example of his actions not matching his rhetoric. And, no matter how you slice it, that's disconcerting. [matersfish]
I do understand your frustration and completely agree with you. The president makes $400k a year now, however still not enough to afford his planned vacation. [jeadams7]
I'm a bit confused by this. If I recall correctly, the Republicans want to cut taxes on the richest people, and ensure that those taxes stay low. This, they claim, will allow the rich to spend their money, and that money will "trickle down" to the less fortunate, making everyone richer. You're wrong about the taxpayers paying for this, but I think people have let you know this by now. You're wrong about him not living within his means; I suspect you know that too, now. It helps to get your fact straight before you start making accusations, because those are pretty big things to get wrong. But aren't you going against conservative theory entirely when you say that the Obamas should save their money? Aren't they SUPPOSED to spend it, so that the wealth can trickle down to the less fortunate? Isn't that the heart and soul of trickle-down economics in the first place? Are you saying Reagan was wrong and his policies were "cheating" us? If it's true for Obama, it must be true for the Republicans who originated this theory. Right? [tessrow]
simple yes but with our government when it seems simple that means there is something about it that isn't. I saw though on CNN that the program has already run out of money so I guess there's the rub. Wealthy people can spend their money but let's face it there are a lot more middle and lower class people out there. They are the people with the clunky old cars who will take advantage of programs like this not the rich people. As I said it sounds good but unless there is help to get the middle class and lower class up and out, it really won't matter how much rich people spend. Not to mention many of the folks who are in need will not be affected by rich folks vacations, or clothing and jewelry purchases. Not to mention Bush's BS minimum wage rates. That was a great program don't you think. They raise the minimum wage then the companies raise everything else to compensate for it oh and if they can squeeze an extra dime out of the public as well they will. Great for those making min, wage who break close to even but what about the rest of us who haven't seen raises in years and now have to pay more for everything? As for Disneyland it was just an example. It really doesn't matter where they go or what they do the secret service is there so that money is a mute point, but then again Disney is well equipped for that type of visitation. They have famous people and their kids there all the time and they have it set up so not many if anyone knows they are there. I have a cousin who does entertainment planning there and you would be amazed at what those people can do without anyone knowing it was happening at all. She is at Disney world though I doubt it makes a difference. [OpinionatedLady]