You're right, that was unfair of me. Easy65's concern for poor Americans unable to go on holiday this year is as sincere as it is genuine.
You miss part of the point as well. The President AND other elected Federal officials are ENTRUSTED with the responsibility and task of being fiscally responsible with our tax dollars, to put them to the best, most fiscally responsible way possible to benefit this nation and the US citizens. I don't care who you are $70 MILLION for vacations...and millions more for a NON-elected 1st lady or family to go on their own personal trips...is fiscally irresponsible, an abuse of power, and a breach of the American citizens' trust...especially when the economy is bad and when the average middle class (who is fitting the bill) income is declining.
Not to mention $70 million in vacations is a promise broken by Obama:
"President Barack Obama has come under fire for vacationing and playing golf while the world is in turmoil just as a video has surfaced of him vowing not to take time off for leisure or family trips while he's in the White House.
The video features then-Sen. Obama discussing his book "The Audacity of Hope" in 2008, and saying that candidates running for president must "give their life to it."
He said, "The bargain that any president strikes with is, you give me this office and in turn my fears, doubts, insecurities, foibles, need for sleep, family life, vacations, leisure, is gone. I am giving myself to you. The American people should have no patience for what's going on in your head because you've got a job to do."
After saying that people should only run for president if they can make that type of sacrifice, Herbert asked him whether he was willing to make that kind of commitment. "Sure," he firmly replied.
LINK: Video Shows Obama Vowing Not to Take Vacations as President
- This was followed up by Obama going golfing 186 times...short-lived promise.
Obama criticized Bush for playing golf while American troops were in harm's way. Bush immediately stopped playing. As soon as Obama took office he began playing. he just sent troops back into Iraq...and he is playing golf on his vacation.
The hypocrisy demonstrated by Obama in his rebuke of Republicans and his promise to 'sacrifice' as President, 'surrendering his personal wants and desires' to serve the people and do the job required of him' and his fiscally irresponsible handling of tax payer dollars are all excusable, acceptable Obama / liberal 'perks' which they (Liberals) condemn Republicans of taking advantage of.
Presidents are not 'royalty' and neither are their families. The President is the only elected person that enters the WH. The 1st lady / Family should not be entitled to take multi-million tax dollar vacations without the President. They are entitled to no such thing. Presidents - all of them - and elected members of Congress should not be allowed to frivolously waste tax dollars. Nancy Pelosi and HER FAMILY members, as documented, have used US Military airlift to take trips, to include vacations. Last I checked, Pelosi's family were not elected to any government position and should not be allowed ot be 'taxied' all over the place without her being there or to go on personal trips with the Congresswoman. Again, this should go for all elected officials, not just Democrats or just Republicans.
Our elected officials are tasked with being good stewards of our tax dollars with which they have been entrusted, and such cavalier excuses and justifications - 'it is what it is' - is how they continue to get away with squandering our tax dollars. Again, all politicians should be held equally accountable, to a higher more responsible standard. They are not because partisan idiots would rather defend their own political party politicians while arguing that their politicians are less criminal than the others instead of holding them to those equal standards. Those who do so deserve to be taken advantage of, as we are also tasked to be good stewards of the rights and freedoms we have been given, which requires us to hold all of our elected officials to that higher standard.
Obama promised to be such a good steward of that with which he has been entrusted. It was immediately evident that he never meant what he said. As ALL 'good politicians' do, he said what he thought the people wanted to hear, what would get him elected...and we allowed him...allow him and
others to get away with it with our continued excuses and justifications.
Sorry, but I can't.
Spare us all the crocodile tears.
