Shared Sacrifice: Obama Vacation Cost to Exceed $4 Million
The Powers That Be – 12/18/2011
We only have to go back to August for one of the most recent “shared sacrifice” lectures from President Obama:
President Obama wrapped up his three-day bus tour of the Midwest on Wednesday by previewing his renewed plans for deficit reduction involving what he called “shared sacrifice.”
“If everybody took an attitude of shared sacrifice, we could solve our deficit and debt problem next week,” Mr. Obama said at a town-hall-style event at a hybrid-seed factory.
And the President has followed through on that and is leading by example, because taxpayers are going to sacrifice so his family can share a helluva nice vacation:
The total cost (based on what is known) for the 17-day vacation roundtrip vacation to Hawaii for the President, his family and staff has climbed to more than $4 million. Here’s why…
The Hawaii Reporter has the breakdown of the shared sacrifice. The paper said they contacted the Government Accountability Office about the cost to taxpayers of vacations of the previous two presidents and they were referred back to the White House spokesman. In a roundabout way that pretty much answers the question.
Of course, we could be getting ahead of ourselves. The way things are going in DC, President Obama might never get to Hawaii this year.
Side note: When Ronald Reagan was president, he spent Christmas at the White House instead of at his home in California so his aides and Secret Service detail could spend the time with their families.
I know Christmas is more than presents, but these days most kids expect them, adults too. Many are struggling to just get a few minimal presents. Obama family and their vacations suck.
Bob A.