Friday, June 26, 2009

Austerity, Obama Style

What is the price tag for the first lady and the first children's shopping trip to England? Will it be paid out of the Chief Executive's pocket or will we the taxpayers foot the bill? 

(I know the answer. The questions are rhetorical.)


Last Sunday, Barack Obama flew home on Air Force 1. He left a VC-32 (pictured above) for Michelle and the kids to use to sightsee. They flew to London.

In February of this year, the President told corporate executives, "You can't get corporate jets, you can't go take a trip to Las Vegas or go to the Superbowl on the taxpayer's dime." I think it may be simply a matter of  - the rule applies to you, not to me.

The London Times described Michelle's visit this way, "Motorcycle outriders, armored Chevrolets and billet-headed men in raincoats crossed London yesterday as Michelle and her daughters spent a second day on an unofficial visit to the capitol."

The Times went on to describe Michelle's arrival at Westminster Abbey. "The building was closed to tourists with people already in line admonished to, "wait up against the wall." An American visiting the Abbey said, "right then I knew it was probably a member of our royal family visiting."

Michelle's motorcade shut down the London street (photo above) as the First Lady of the World went for fish and chips at a pub in Mayfair. The entourage inside the restaurant was fifteen people while dozens more waited outside including embassy personnel, security personnel, Air Force staff waiting to service and fly the VC-32.

Does the Chief Executive care that millions of Americans have lost their jobs on HIS WATCH and won't be able to take their families on a summer vacation? It doesn't matter. We still paid for the trip.

It's interesting that Michelle Obama specified that the fish and chip pub be owned by a black person. I'm sure she wasn't reflecting on race when she so specified - simply wanted to give a brother a hand up by ordering 15 fish & chips.

4 comments:

Opus #6 said...

Must be nice.

darlin said...

Sure, why not once you're in office? Good to go for four years... blood presssure is rising! I wonder where they will go when they actually plan a holiday!
I am also curious how much this little adventure cost taxpayers? How many homeless could have been fed with those wasted hundreds of thousands...bleepin' politicians!
Different country, same bull!

AmandaFienPhotography said...

That money could have gone towards his great health care plan, though it's pennies compared to how much it will really cost. Shouldn't actions speak louder than words, not the opposite?

LL said...

Obama is long on talk - but that's really all it is. Darlin is right in that every country's elected seem to have the same sense of double-standard entitlement.

This particular royal couple doesn't hesitate to rub the nation's nose in it because they own the media and nobody can call BS on it outside the blogging community.

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