OBAMA VACATIONS ARE NOT ON A BUDGET!

President Obama and his family are enjoying a delightful Christmas vacation with friends and family in the chief executive's home state of Hawaii.

Nobody questions a president's right or need to take take away from the White House, but an investigation by Hawaii Reporter has turned up some eye-opening information about the costs and other aspects of the Obama get-away.

Just consider these estimates on part of the costs of the latest Obama Hawaii trip:

* Mrs. Obama’s early flight to Hawaii: $63,000 (White House Dossier)

* Obama’s round trip flight to Hawaii: $1 million (GAO estimates)

* Housing in beachfront homes for Secret Service and Seals in Kailua ($1,200 a day for 14 days): $16,800

* Costs for White House staff staying at Moana Hotel: $134,400 ($400 per day for 24 staff) – excluding meals and other room costs

* Police overtime: $250,000 (2009 costs reported by Honolulu Police Department)

* Ambulance: $10,000 (City Spokesperson)

TOTAL COST: $1,474,200

But that $1.47 million figure leaves out a number of signficant costs that simply could not be calculated by Hawaii Reporter:

* Rental of office building in Kailua on canal

* Security upgrades and additional phone lines.

* Costs for car rentals and fuel for White House staff staying at Moana Hotel (Secret Service imports most of the cars used here to escort the president).

* Surveillance before the president arrives.

* Travel costs for Secret Service and White House staff traveling ahead of the President.

White House spokesmen insist Obama's vacation expenses are in line with those of previous presidents, which may well be true, but, since the government refuses to disclose many important details about any presidential journey, nobody can know for sure.

 

 

Comments

[Vector]

What about the 2 C-5 it takes to carry all the vehicles and helicopters out there? Tag on hundreds of thousands more here.

[Allen]

Yea butt, what did visits to Crawford, Texas cost us?

[Patsy Nelson]

Crawford, Texas was stateside, and the property was owned by the President

[Bob with a capital B]

Yeah Allen, pointing out Crawford takes the current POTUS off the hook.

Give up the Bush bash. It is a tired excuse for the current incompetence.

[J]

You know this blog is interesting, except when posts devolve into the same old Anti-Obama circle jerks.

[tombrooks]

Years ago our family was fortunate to be able to rent a house near where the President is staying..Imagine doing that during Christmas break..I am sure security is very tight..Forget those late night early morning swims on the beach.. There are many rental homes in Kailua with average beach home at $5000 per week..It could spoil your Holiday!

[Clark]

J- This country is in a depression. Bush was no better but the IMAGE to the public is not good. Yeah he works so hard. Reality is, he gets his ass kissed morning noon and night -lives like a king. We should all be so lucky for 15 minutes.

[Rich Johnson]

A few facts to go with the rants.

The President, regardless of party, is surrounded by an incredible amount of non-negotiable Secret Service protection and logistical support. Check this bit from Hedrick Smith's "The Power Game" about what it took for Sen. Howard Baker to host President and Mrs. Reagan for one night in 1981:
http://www.hedricksmith.com/books/bookThePowerGameBookCh1.shtml

The Obamas have taken two vacations a year: Martha's Vineyard in the summer and Hawaii in the winter. George W. Bush flew to Waco at least once a month for nearly all of his eight years in office. The Obamas originally intended to spend about one weekend a month at their home in Chicago, but that plan was quickly abandoned due to logistics and the incredible hassle it imposed on the neighborhood.

The White House budget allows a President to designate a single vacation residence,which is fully supported with in-residence Secret Service agents, communications and security infrastructure and who knows what else. The Bush ranch in Crawford was just such a residence, as was the Kennebunkport, Maine home of George HW Bush. Presidents Clinton never designated a permanent vacation home - nor has President Obama.

The vacation residence rental, family travel, food, amusements and yes, greens fees, are billed to the President. Of course, that's just a fraction of the cost (the aforementioned security, logistics, etc). Yes, it costs a lot. A hell of a lot. But it is NOT something a President can control, short of never leaving the White House (Yeah, it even costs money to go to Camp David).

Having seen up-close the strain of the office on two Democrats and two Republicans, I never begrudge a President his leisure time. It is fleeting and, compared to you and me, infrequent. Really, it is.

[jack]

Spot on Rich.

[JerryC]

uh... excuse me?

What about the recent 1st lady's trip to Europe with the kids and her entire high school class worth of entourage? He's on a golf course more than he's on the job.

Let's face it. This bone-head-in-chief was voted in with no honest vetting of his lack of credentials. Even arguing about his qualifications got anyone labeled a racist.

He's a devoted marxist who truly believes that the state should have the power to pick winners and losers. Penalizing successful people to give to the one's in our society who made poor choices and lacked the drive to rise above a meager existence holds power for those who lust for power at the point of a gun. Our auto industry, health care and financial sector has all been usurped by him and his minions. His entire cabinet has been made up of revolutionary marxists and tax cheats. It's time to wake up and pull your partisan head out of your jackass.

America is great because of the opportunity it offers over any place on the planet. Success is earned and should be rewarded and not denigrated. The next election will be an even bigger landslide against this Bozo. America is better than this, but America got what it deserved for not looking past the color of skin and overlooking the known agenda and content of character of the candidate.

In two more years, this clown can have all the vacation time he'd like, but we're still going to be stuck paying the bill.

[Joe Eliott-Bend]

We work too hard and give up so much for their mistakes. I'm not just picking on this naive in-experienced actor playing the leading role as the first African American President. I blame all of them. I blame them for being sucked into Karl Rove & The Bush Machine mafia, I blame all the congress people who go in with passion and want to make the difference and get bought by lobbyists. I blame the voters for not reading about the issues & only getting sound bites from people they trust like O'reilly, Jon Steward a half ass comedian and Katie Couric. Then we see him living large and screwing up other Americans vacations. Sickening beyond the words I could type here.

[Flyaway]

Agree with Jerry, however, Obama will get a second term. The GOP will not run the right candidate. Say what you will, the man can campaign and speak when it comes to the election. That is where he shines. The man is a total fraud, but will get re-elected and it will not even be close. This is a very sharp political animal, like Bill Clinton

[promised one for president - more kool aid please]

Where's his wedding ring?

[Media Sales Jobs]

It is an Interesting stuff! I feel very glad to find this blog. I really like to know about U.S president obams vacation. You described each and everything about his trip which is very Interesting to know it. I am really thankful to you for providing such a nice information.

[acting auditions]

This very instresting, I never get a holiday not even a budget one...

[Heineken Skywalker]

After his long rest up on The Vineyard, our Noble Pharoah has hit the tony hustings in Beverly Hills...but not before imploring the Congressional Black Caucus to kick off their bedroom slippers and put on their "marching shoes". (Cue sounds of hundreds of hobnail boots on cobblestones.)

This, added with his rhetorical inquiry concerning tax rates-where he wondered if "a billionaire should be expected to pay the same rates as a Jew-janitor" makes one think that the nation would be better served were he to resume his vacationing.