There’s nothing I love more than being lectured by sanctimonious liberals on, for instance, not “taking action on climate change,” or the importance of energy conservation, or the sins of profligacy, et cetera.
I love it even more when I’m being lectured by sanctimonious liberals who are simultaneously engaged in high hypocrisy:
Judicial Watch announced today that it has obtained records from the U.S. Department of the Air Force revealing that Barack Obama’s February and March 2015 travel for golf vacations and fundraisers totaled $4,436,245.50 in taxpayer-funded transportation expenses. The documents regarding the Obama travel expenses came in response to two Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by Judicial Watch.
To date, the Secret Service has not provided requested information, as required by FOIA, regarding security costs.
Using the Air Force’s official cost estimate of $206,337 per hour, the newly released records obtained by Judicial Watch show:
Obama’s February 14, 2015, golf outing to Palm Springs required a five-hour flight, costing taxpayers a total of $1,031,685.
Transportation for Obama’s February 19 day trip to Chicago cost taxpayers $619,011.00.
Transportation for Obama’s March 2015 fundraising trip to Los Angeles cost taxpayers $1,980,835.20.
Obama’s March 28, 2015, golf outing to Palm city required a 3.9-hour flight, costing taxpayers $804,870.3
In Palm Springs, Obama played golf at the luxurious Sunnylands country club, located on the former estate of the late ambassadors Walter and Leonore Annenberg. Obama reportedly spent the weekend on the exclusive, gated property, where he has twice stayed before.Obama’s February trip to Chicago was billed by the White House as a non-political event to declare the Pullman Historic District a national monument. But, press reports indicated that the trip was heavily political. In a CNN story entitled, “Obama gives Emanuel re-election boost:”
President Barack Obama went to Chicago bearing gifts Thursday for his former chief of staff, Mayor Rahm Emanuel … But the day had all the trappings of a campaign – and Obama even made an unannounced stop at a Kenwood campaign office for Emanuel on his way out of town. “I’m glad he’s my mayor, and I’m glad he’s going to be my mayor for another four years,” Obama told volunteers.
Obama’s travel to California was solely to raise money for the Democratic National Committee and to show his support for fellow Democrats nationwide. His visit to Los Angeles began with an appearance on ABC’s late night comedy program “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and continued on to include a “roundtable discussion” fundraiser hosted at the Santa Monica home of ICM Partners cofounder Chris Silbermann and his wife Julia Franz. Guests paid up to $33,400 per couple for attendance, donations that will be used to aid DNC activities during the approaching 2016 election cycle. Obama’s March 12 fundraising trip to Los Angeles was his 32nd fundraiser in L.A. County since he became president.
In Palm City, Obama played golf at the “spectacular” Floridian National Golf Club, where members pay a $50,000 initiation fee and $15,000 in annual dues. According to the resort’s website, “This stunning, yet formidable par 71 will certainly impress. At 7,114 yards, the 18-hole course offers perfectly manicured rolling fairways and greens, demanding hazards, breathtaking views of the St. Lucie River, and is surrounded by natural preserve and native wildlife.”
“Taxpayers should be outraged that Barack Obama’s wastes 4.4 million of their precious tax dollars on golf vacations and political fundraising,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “And to make matters worse, the Secret Service has simply refused to respond to our requests for documents about the security costs of these controversial trips. The Obama travel scandal is about abuse of office, abuse of the taxpayer, and contempt for the rule of law.”
Records released earlier this year by Judicial Watch showed that Michelle Obama’s 2014 trip to China cost more than $360,000 in air transportation costs. Judicial Watch uncovered an expensive combination of trips by the Obamas to Africa and Honolulu, which cost taxpayers $15,885,585.30 in flight expenses. The single largest prior known expense for accommodations was for Michelle Obama’s side-trip to Dublin, Ireland, during the 2013 G-8 conference in Belfast, when she and her entourage booked 30 rooms at the five-star Shelbourne Hotel, with the first lady staying in the 1500 square-foot Princess Grace suite at a cost of $3,500 a night. The total cost to taxpayers for the Obamas’ Ireland trip was $7,921,638.66. To date, the known travel expenses of the Obamas and Vice President Joe Biden exceed $61million.
(Source)
It’s good to be king and queen, n’est ce pas?
Dems like to point out recent vacation days appear to run 4:1 pachyderms:asses, and Bush II was no exception.
http://www.factcheck.org/2014/08/presidential-vacations
Though, Bush tended to just go to Crawford while Barry&Co viva la loca:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/vacationer-in-chief-tens-of-millions-spent-on-38-obama-holidays/article/2561162
Appreciate how your articles, Ray, provoke further thought.
http://politic365.com/2012/05/08/obamas-vacations-of-any-president-bush-racked-up-the-most/
To be honest, the amount of vacation days has nothing to do with this post, and I don’t really care about that.
What I do care about is the absolute disregard for taxpayer money these economically illiterate bureaucrats have — while they simultaneously lecture me on, for instance, “income inequality” and reducing my so-called carbon footprint; while telling me that my money may be forcibly taken from me, while these politicians live in pure luxury off my money, without doing anything good to earn it.
That’s what I object to.
I object to hypocrites like Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.
I do not care how much vacation time they take, provided they don’t use my money to finance their outrageous lifestyles and then tell me how I must spend my money.
I wish anyone out there luck who will undertake the task of defending 4 million taxpayer dollars spent on vacations and fundraisers.
Thank you for dropping by.
Dear Ray,
Speaking of government waste, I’ve noticed lots of chiseled firemen at the grocery store in the small western Rocky Mountain town where I reside. They are shopping. They buy (and I’ve put this in order) steaks, shellfish, saracha sauce, pork products, swordfish, magazines, toothpaste, high-end coffees and teas, fresh produce, baking hens, citrus, and body lotion. They’re in the store every time I go there. Should I be concerned? Their huge fire engine runs just outside. Their radios clack and squawk as they shop. I’m wondering what kind of waste this presents. If you can imagine this occurring all over the US, you can see millions of dollars going straight down the fire pole, as you say.Should they at least shut the truck off as they wander the store? This is, after all, tax payer money. Is this the kind of waste you’re talking about again, and all night, and if you can get anyone to listen? It reminds me of some of the arguments you made back in the 90s. The same old stuff. At least you recycle.
Dave Zoby
Zoby wrote: “I’m wondering what kind of waste this presents.”
Not 4-plus million on fundraising and vacations, that’s for sure.
Zoby wrote: “Is this the kind of waste you’re talking about again[?]”
No.
As I say quite clearly in the post above, I’m talking about 4-plus million on fundraisers and vacations.
Zoby wrote: “It reminds me of some of the arguments you made back in the 90s. The same old stuff.”
The raven chides his blackness.
Ray–
The raven chides his blackness? Are you saying I haven’t changed? Are you saying I’m unable to evolve? Are you talking about yourself, as usual? What, exactly, are you implying, my friend?
You poet/bartenders are all the same…all bull moose and no antler. You’re all speedo and hardly any drawstring. You’re all quince and no bitters.
And, by the way, 4-mil isn’t all that much when you’re talking about moving a sitting president around the country. There’s Secret Service, logistics you are not even able to comprehend, there’s checks and double checks. You’ll see, no matter who the president is, the cost will remain high for these types of operations. A president get 10 years of protection after her/his term is up. Hell, even old Dick Cheney petitioned the government to keep him protected by the Secret Service. In your spare time, between moose and dog masks, you should look up how much that costs and ask yourself, What did we get for it?
Dave-o
Yes, that’s precisely what I’m saying.
all bull moose and no antler. You’re all speedo and hardly any drawstring
gotta love that
Ray,
Are you paying attention to Father Time? He’s trying to tell you something, I’m pretty sure.
Dave
Yes, I’m paying attention. Let us just hope that he isn’t also attempting to defend the indefensible.
Hey Guy,
In your spare time between push-ups and ab work, did you investigate how much the Benghazi trials have cost the American tax payer as I assigned? The 32 Congressional trials have tallied up over 20 million dollars, guy. Well guy, you can see, that’s five years worth of presidential golfing and vacations, and nobody even gets a tip…all for what? To Harass a Clinton?
It would be refreshing–maybe even more refreshing than when Father Time put you in your place, maybe more refreshing than one of your fruity/stiff drinks designed to stun milfs and real estate heavy-hitters–to see you tell the whole story for once, guy. For example, I’ve never seen you decry the cost of the horrible, and totally avoidable lost war in Iraq. What did that cost? I’m just asking. But you probably want to talk about golf. Carry on.
Guy
Ignoratio elenchi. It’s sometimes called switching the argument, which is closely related to the Red Herring.
Keep trying.
As I said earlier, I wish anyone luck who will undertake the task of defending 4-plus MILLION taxpayer dollars spent on fundraisers(!) and vacations.
Good luck! You’ve got a long way to go. Remember first and foremost to stay on track.
P.S. click-click