Another
member announced it was "nearly unbelievable."
No, they
weren't talking about the latest Obama girls' outing to China. They were
talking of the more than $1-billion spent on travel every year by Obama and his
family.
Or, as
Britain's Daily Mail reported, Obama is spending 20 times what the entire royal
family spends for travel. That sort of luxury and excess would make the
sovereigns of any European nation wince.
The latest
trip to China includes all the must-see sights, such as the historic city of
Xi'an, the southern district of Chengdu and the home of China's beloved panda
bears. American taxpayers should be in open revolt, as they're footing the bill
for this opulence and grandeur.
Adding
insult to injury is the simple fact that Michelle Obama won't answer a single
question about the entire trip. And still we're paying the freight...
Living Large in Spite of the Times
When the
Obamas travel, they never seek to lower the bill. They stay at the finest
private homes, rented for top dollar, or they check into the most luxurious
resorts.
Figures
and details are often hard to obtain, but the Washington Post estimated that
the Obamas' June 2013 sojourn to Africa cost taxpayers $60 million to $100
million. The legendary size of the entourage forced the government to pay for
4,000 "room nights" for the single stop in Johannesburg, South
Africa. They also rented a mind-boggling $2-million worth of cars - that must
have been nearly every auto in town!
Back home,
Obama keeps a 747 at his disposal, ready to take off at a moment's notice. He's
used the plane so frequently that the White House had to expand the number of
pilots available since Obama was elected. As Andrew Malcolm reported in the L.A.
Times, "At an Air Force-estimated cost of $181,757 per flight hour (not to
mention the additional travel costs of Marine One, Secret Service, logistics
and local police overtime), that's a lot of frequent flier dollars going into
the president's carbon footprint."
The perks
of the office don't end with a plane, either. Not only does the White House
have a theater, they have a projectionist available on standby 24 hours a day.
Chefs, gardeners and personal trainers are available for any family member at a
moment's notice.
Bored with
the movies? How about a party? The Obamas have thrown the most ostentatious
parties in White House history, including Michelle Obama's infamous 50th
birthday party. Beyoncé headlined the party, but it included musicians like
John Legend, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Jennifer Hudson, James Taylor,
Gladys Knight and Mary J. Blige. Celebrities lined up to attend, including
Magic Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, Rachael Ray, Billie Jean King and Al Roker.
Meanwhile,
our defense budget and foreign policy are in shambles. Our economy has
sputtered and sank while Obama has been in office. Deficits are out of sight.
Obamacare is on the ropes. Yet our First Family parties and lives large,
passing the cost off to hard-working Americans.
It's no
wonder that Obama's popularity is in the toilet.
Your eyes on the Hill,
Floyd Brown
Floyd Brown
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