iJohn Report

There has been a lot of controversy over the last while about first lady’s mega-expensive vacation in Spain.  I think there has, rightly so, been valid blowback towards her on this.

I totally agree that everyone needs a vacation.  It seems that Michelle has been on a constant vacation for the last few months.  In a time where people are losing their jobs (or can’t get a job), the economy is in the toilet, people fighting to make ends meet, all the while your husband is talking about the sacrifices all Americans must make to get us through, all the while you’re going and parading around Spain for a week is highly insensitive and really drives the “one rule for them, another for us” thought.  Also, it’s costing the tax payer over $300,000 to do so.

I understand she needs secret service security, but I think at a time when the country is the way it is, you could have had a simpler, less extravagant getaway.  Take a note from your husband.  While I harbor no love for our President’s actions in office (He seems like a nice guy, but his actions and what he wants I totally disagree with), he chose to spend his birthday back in Chicago.  Simpler, less noticeable and more thoughtful at the time.  Whether that was intended, I don’t care.  Oh, this was all when it was his  birthday.

I heard all the retorts of “Laura Bush had vacations without Dubya”.  First, it’s time to get past the whole Bush syndrome, he hasn’t been President for a while.  It’s done already.  Secondly, yes she did.  She went to see her daughters in college and home to see her family.  She didn’t gallivant around Europe, costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

As I said, I’ve no problem with having a vacation, but when you know it’s costing the US taxpayer a lot of money, it’s time for restraint.  Maybe you know and just don’t care.

UPDATE 8/19: If all the vacations weren’t enough, the Obama family are about to notch up their sixth vacation of the year.

The people who will support and try to defend this by pointing to what President Bush done (He spent a total of 879 days at his ranch in Texas in his 8 years as President).  Let’s look a little at that though.  Every President has their “getaway”, where they can go outside of the White House.  Most Presidents go to Camp David or have their own place where they went to get away from Washington.  President Reagan had Rancho del Cielo  Note. a 25 day vacation cost the taxpayer about $600,000 back in 1987, adjusted for inflation is about $1.1 million today.  In contrast, Michelle’s 7 day jaunt in Spain cost about $350,000.  That would be just a tad over $1.2 million if it turned out to be a 25 day vacation.  Not much difference?  Well there is.  One was the PRESIDENT and family, the other is the first lady.  I don’t want to even think of what the cost would be if it was the President on vacation.

I’ll digress and go back to the differences.  There are places where Presidents go to get away.  As I stated, President Reagan had his ranch in California, President George H W Bush had Walker’s Point (which is also known as “The Bush Compound”), George W had his ranch in Texas.  These are places where the President spend more time relaxing.  Where they could relax and still work.  I’m sure President Obama’s “home away from home” will be either Chicago or even his birth home of Hawaii.  I’ve no problem with these vacations.

The problem is at a time where a lot of people don’t have time to get one vacation, and they are off on another expensive family vacation.