The Blue Board

Nah. I'll just keep ripping your BS.

That list of programs that are considered "welfare" is offbase and again his assertion that they have increased at a stellar rate since 2008 shouldn't be a freakin' surprise.

Again. Keep up with your crap theories to end these programs.

Haha. Like a little neo-con puppet. Lol.

Lol. Why do I need to find something to refute it when I can do it myself? This isn't that hard.

Why would it have increased so much since 2008? It's an obvious answer and you know it.

So when the economy is fully humming along and unemployment is done to a reasonable percentage what then happens?

You are usually a better adversary than this. I gotta go eat with the fam, later.

I'm bumping this because I just read an article that reminded me of this thread.

Let's say Obama finishes with less travel days than the other presidents previously discusses (which I think he is on pace to do). However, the question should really come down to: who's trips cost the tax payers the most? I can't believe Bush or Clinton vacations cost as much as Obama's.

I'm going to link the fox news article that put this question into my head (which is most likely exactly what they wanted)

In terms of fiscal responsibility, it matters.

Hasn't hit the reports' timeframes yet. Also doesn't take away from the fact it is still the most retarded way to cut spending.

It's also the only way to cut spending.

Way to provide a comparison. For your viewing pleasure, I provide you with some more numbers: Bush spent over $20M just on flights to and from his ranch in Texas, not including flights for any other vacations or taxpayer-funded expenses he might have incurred either on the ranch or on other vacations.

So, without even factoring in all the ancillary expenses of presidential vacations (which is what you've reported with that $4M number), we're looking at a simply absurd cost merely for operating Air Force One. While I won't speculate on numbers, you can be damn sure that the actual cost of Bush's vacations far exceeded $20M.

Well, if you want to start bringing up First Lady expenses, that's an entirely different matter. I was talking solely about presidential vacation expenses, not trips taken solely by the First Lady.

Look, the point is relatively moot unless we have more accurate numbers. What I'm pointing out is that it's silly to say: "However, the question should really come down to: who's trips cost the tax payers the most? I can't believe Bush or Clinton vacations cost as much as Obama's."

I've just provided you with numbers to show that Bush's vacations indeed cost the taxpayer an incredible amount of money. For Obama's Hawaii vacation, how much of that $4M was airfare, and how much was security, secret service, ground transportation, service staff, etc.? The point is that whatever Bush spent on airfare alone, it's undeniable that a significant amount of those vacation costs were never reported to the public. Hell, using John Boehner's characterization of presidential vacation costs, Bush's Crawford trips alone cost the taxpayers $124M over the course of his presidency.

You're the one who brought up the initial Bush/Obama vacation comparison. I'm just showing you that it's pointless to speculate about any presidential vacation costs with our currently woefully incomplete picture of how much presidents actually spend on their vacations.

Compromise is a weakness according to most. I've seen that said nearly verbatim in these threads multiple times. It's "my team" vs. "your team." The future of America has turned into a sporting event.

" What I'm pointing out is that it's silly to say: "However, the question should really come down to: who's trips cost the tax payers the most? I can't believe Bush or Clinton vacations cost as much as Obama's.""

I think it is silly to compare 8 years of expenses to one vacation, and then point out the obvious of the 8 years exceeding the cost of one vacation.

" For Obama's Hawaii vacation, how much of that $4M was airfare, and how much was security, secret service, ground transportation, service staff, etc.?"

It doesn't matter. $4 million is effing ridiculous.

"The point is that whatever Bush spent on airfare alone, it's undeniable that a significant amount of those vacation costs were never reported to the public."

And why are you assuming the same does not go for Obama? I think every president has an incentive to down play how much their vacations cost when their electorate is paying for it.

"I'm just showing you that it's pointless to speculate about any presidential vacation costs with our currently woefully incomplete picture of how much presidents actually spend on their vacations."

But of course it is ok for you to speculate...just not me. Let me point you to where you said, "you can be damn sure that the actual cost of Bush's vacations far exceeded $20M."

Get back to your room. The men are talking.