Obama takes the misses out for dinner. In NYC!!!! At the taxpayer expense

[tk149]

Originally posted by: Desturel

Originally posted by: tk149
So the president's only security is the Secret Service, all of whom are on salary? No local cops (extra shifts)? No time spent by hourly employees at all? No time spent planning local traffic routes? No diversion of traffic away from the Presidential Motorcade? No background checks on the restaurant waiters or theater ushers? You're saying that security costs are equal regardless of whether the President is in the White House on tooling around NYC. Are you sure?

Time spent planning a traffic route, diverting traffic, redirecting trains, setting up local security details, etc are all more expensive when traveling by rail or car than they are when traveling by private jet. The costs at the destination are equal no matter what method used to get to the end location.

So is what you are saying is traveling by jet is the cheapest and quickest way for the president to get from one place to another?

I'm not saying anything about airplane vs. train vs. any other mode of transportation. I am saying that your initial argument about the true cost being only between train vs. plane is completely wrong. The issue at hand, is whether it costs substantially more money for the President to travel to NYC versus staying at the White House, or even staying in DC. You have argued that the only cost difference involved is basically the cost of fuel. You completely left out all of the other expenses. They are not the same.

I really doubt that the cost of security in DC, which is home to numerous international diplomats, is the same as a trip to Broadway (which involves an air route, an airport, transportation from airport to restaurant to Broadway and back again). Consider how many people are involved in the DC trip versus how many people are involved in the NYC trip. That's just for starters.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: glutenberg

Originally posted by: Hacp

Micheal Bloomberg, worth 15+ Billion, takes the subway every day. Compared to Obama, his net worth is gigangeous. If its safe for this man to ride the train, its safe for anybody.

My main point is that if Obama wanted to spend a night with his wife, he should have waited until there was an important meeting or political event that required him to be there. Instead, he commandeered a few private jets and wasted taxpayer money so he could spend one measly evening with his wife. For something this small, he should have either paid for the jet himself, or taken the train/subway rather than waste taxpayer money.

Are you serious? Are you comparing Michael Bloomberg to the President of the United States? Do you not understand the difference between their two positions?

one is powerful and the other lives in Washington?

 

[Phokus]

The best part of PJ's thread is the thread title: "Obama takes the misses out for dinner. In NYC!!!! At the taxpayer expense[/b]

FOUR exclamation points! You KNOW PJ was mad as hell and not going to take it anymore... i bet he destroyed his keyboard slamming down on it while he was typing out his tripe :laugh:

 

[ProfJohn]

BTW... the broadway show Rent is showing DC right now, with two of the actors who were in the original broadway show. Obama could have taken Ms O to one of the dozens of world class restaurants in DC and then this show and saved the tax payers $100,000+

 

[tk149]

Originally posted by: loki8481

Originally posted by: glutenberg

Are you serious? Are you comparing Michael Bloomberg to the President of the United States? Do you not understand the difference between their two positions?

one is powerful and the other lives in Washington?

:laugh:

 

[guyver01]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
BTW... the broadway show Rent is showing DC right now, with two of the actors who were in the original broadway show. Obama could have taken Ms O to one of the dozens of world class restaurants in DC and then this show and saved the tax payers $100,000+

The first couple arrived at the Belasco theater on West 44th Street, where they will see "Joe Turner's Come and Gone."

Who wants to see that has been overhyped crap show RENT.

Apparently the Obama's wanted to see a good broadway show.


Hey ProfJohn.... instead of waisting your money on internet so you can nerdrage at a guy having fun with a woman (something, no doubt, you envy).. why not write in a journal. Its the same thing isnt it?


I'm surprised you aren't nerdraging over the subject matter of the play..

Joe Turner?s Come and Gone is the second in a series of August Wilson?s The Pittsburgh Cycle, which chronicled the struggles and lives of African-Americans in the 20th century. Joe Turner?s Come and Gone is set in the second decade of the 20th century and chronicles the lives of a few freed former enslaved African-Americans in the North. The play deals with issues of race and reconstruction.

Where Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La Bohème. It tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side in the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City, under the shadow of AIDS.


Now... which one do you think the Obama's (and MOST educated americans) would find interesting?

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
This thread is filled with so much crap it's pathetic.

I have no problem with the President taking 'vacations' of course there is no such thing as a day off for the President.
And if Obama took Ms O to NYC for the whole weekend it would bother me either.

What bothers me is the amount of tax payer money spent so he can have dinner and watch one show.
This whole trip probably lasted a bit over 8 hours which means us tax payers spent perhaps $20,000 an HOUR so Obama could make his wife happy.

BTW it seems that the European press is all over Obama for this wasteful spending.

So you're totally fine with the taxpayers flying Bush to Texas once a month to take a 'vacation', even though he could accomplish the same business (or more) in DC. Then you turn around and say that Obama taking a 'vacation' HALF AS OFTEN is WASTEFUL SPENDING OMG. Do you realize how stupid that is? He spends half as much money on leaving DC as Bush does, but because his travel itinerary is different you think he should be attacked for it. Here's a hint: a round trip flight costs the same no matter how many days the president spends somewhere. Then later on you're deciding on what shows he should watch based on what is in DC, what restaurants he should go to, etc... etc. This is completely ridiculous.

You're a total hypocrite in this thread when you try to excuse Bush's vacations that happened twice as frequently while dedicating a thread to attacking Obama for spending half as much. All you're doing is symbolizing the smoking ruin that the Republican party has become, and it's become this largely because you can't focus on the real issues... because you lose on real issues.

Something in this thread is filled with so much crap it's pathetic. It's time for you and your party to grow up.

 

[Desturel]

Originally posted by: tk149
I'm not saying anything about airplane vs. train vs. any other mode of transportation. I am saying that your initial argument about the true cost being only between train vs. plane is completely wrong. The issue at hand, is whether it costs substantially more money for the President to travel to NYC versus staying at the White House, or even staying in DC. You have argued that the only cost difference involved is basically the cost of fuel. You completely left out all of the other expenses. They are not the same.

I really doubt that the cost of security in DC, which is home to numerous international diplomats, is the same as a trip to Broadway (which involves an air route, an airport, transportation from airport to restaurant to Broadway and back again). Consider how many people are involved in the DC trip versus how many people are involved in the NYC trip. That's just for starters.

My initial argument is sound. NYC and DC have prearranged security details for the President. Maybe you are unaware, but the UN is located in New York. Presidents and international diplomats are not uncommon at all. It's not like he's headed to Hampton, Nebraska. He'd have a harder time going to Hagerstown Maryland (about a 40 minute drive from DC up 270) considering there was a Klan HQ there previously.

Have you ever been to that part of New York?

 

[fskimospy]

I'm glad to see we now have armchair secret service members to go along with our normal compliment of armchair generals.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
I don't understand how the OP figured it would cost $250k to put on this trip? Where did this # come from?

The AF 1 picture flight cost around $247,000 from what I read.

The $250,000 figure came from some place online. Can't remember since I read so many different sites.

That figure may actually be high since Obama took the smaller jet, but for some reason the White House refused to release the actual cost of this trip.

 

[guyver01]

Originally posted by: dainthomas

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
I don't understand how the OP figured it would cost $250k to put on this trip? Where did this # come from?

The AF 1 picture flight cost around $247,000 from what I read.

The $250,000 figure came from some place online. Can't remember since I read so many different sites.

That figure may actually be high since Obama took the smaller jet, but for some reason the White House refused to release the actual cost of this trip.

ProfJohn aka Insane Republican logic... smaller & fuel efficient = more expensive. that's why they're so against hybrid cars. You need bigger, gas guzzling cars because they're cheaper.

 

[senseamp]

Republicans fall for every trap Obama sets for them. Pretty soon they'll alienate a large chunk of women voters by bashing Obama for treating his wife to a Broadway show. Keep it up, pedal to the metal on the way to a permanent minority party.

 

[ericlp]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
BTW... the broadway show Rent is showing DC right now, with two of the actors who were in the original broadway show. Obama could have taken Ms O to one of the dozens of world class restaurants in DC and then this show and saved the tax payers $100,000+

Yeah, instead he got burgers at 5 guys and that probably cost at least 10Grand to do that. Are you gonna jump and scream some more? Squeal Piggy Squeal!

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: guyver01

Originally posted by: dainthomas

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
I don't understand how the OP figured it would cost $250k to put on this trip? Where did this # come from?

The AF 1 picture flight cost around $247,000 from what I read.

The $250,000 figure came from some place online. Can't remember since I read so many different sites.

That figure may actually be high since Obama took the smaller jet, but for some reason the White House refused to release the actual cost of this trip.

ProfJohn aka Insane Republican logic... smaller & fuel efficient = more expensive. that's why they're so against hybrid cars. You need bigger, gas guzzling cars because they're cheaper.

Try reading it again. I said that figure may be high as in the $250,000 figure may be higher than the real figure aka it may have cost less that $250,000. Of course the White House could release the cost data, but they won't do that.

 

[glutenberg]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
This thread is filled with so much crap it's pathetic.

I have no problem with the President taking 'vacations' of course there is no such thing as a day off for the President.
And if Obama took Ms O to NYC for the whole weekend it would bother me either.

What bothers me is the amount of tax payer money spent so he can have dinner and watch one show.
This whole trip probably lasted a bit over 8 hours which means us tax payers spent perhaps $20,000 an HOUR so Obama could make his wife happy.

BTW it seems that the European press is all over Obama for this wasteful spending.

You don't even have accurate numbers but you're running around outraged at the cost. How does this make sense to you? If you're going to argue the finer points of government spending at least wait until some numbers are out and if the numbers don't come out, you can complain about how Obama doesn't reveal spending habits. At least that would be a more legitimate concern than being so upset about the "cost" of the trip when we don't even know the cost.

 

[JSt0rm]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Try reading it again. I said that figure may be high as in the $250,000 figure may be higher than the real figure aka it may have cost less that $250,000. Of course the White House could release the cost data, but they won't do that.

ohh we all saw you neocons spouting 500k in this thread stfu

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: glutenberg

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
This thread is filled with so much crap it's pathetic.

I have no problem with the President taking 'vacations' of course there is no such thing as a day off for the President.
And if Obama took Ms O to NYC for the whole weekend it would bother me either.

What bothers me is the amount of tax payer money spent so he can have dinner and watch one show.
This whole trip probably lasted a bit over 8 hours which means us tax payers spent perhaps $20,000 an HOUR so Obama could make his wife happy.

BTW it seems that the European press is all over Obama for this wasteful spending.

You don't even have accurate numbers but you're running around outraged at the cost. How does this make sense to you? If you're going to argue the finer points of government spending at least wait until some numbers are out and if the numbers don't come out, you can complain about how Obama doesn't reveal spending habits. At least that would be a more legitimate concern than being so upset about the "cost" of the trip when we don't even know the cost.

White House has already said it would not release the cost so

 

[JSt0rm]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
White House has already said it would not release the cost so

...so might as well speculate like a crazy person

 

[guyver01]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
White House has already said it would not release the cost so

so... how many republicans fly back to their home state every week because they don't want to stay in DC for a vote..

how many republicans fly around on taxpayer funds for the sake of it...


noone knows because they don't release the cost or info.


wanna start pointing figures, ProfNutbag, start at home.

 

[sandorski]

Ya, but did he use Dijon Mustard?

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
BTW... the broadway show Rent is showing DC right now, with two of the actors who were in the original broadway show. Obama could have taken Ms O to one of the dozens of world class restaurants in DC and then this show and saved the tax payers $100,000+

In other words, the Obamas eating out and going to a show in D.C. would cost $150,000 each time?

 

[tk149]

Originally posted by: Desturel

Originally posted by: tk149
I'm not saying anything about airplane vs. train vs. any other mode of transportation. I am saying that your initial argument about the true cost being only between train vs. plane is completely wrong. The issue at hand, is whether it costs substantially more money for the President to travel to NYC versus staying at the White House, or even staying in DC. You have argued that the only cost difference involved is basically the cost of fuel. You completely left out all of the other expenses. They are not the same.

I really doubt that the cost of security in DC, which is home to numerous international diplomats, is the same as a trip to Broadway (which involves an air route, an airport, transportation from airport to restaurant to Broadway and back again). Consider how many people are involved in the DC trip versus how many people are involved in the NYC trip. That's just for starters.

My initial argument is sound. NYC and DC have prearranged security details for the President. Maybe you are unaware, but the UN is located in New York. Presidents and international diplomats are not uncommon at all. It's not like he's headed to Hampton, Nebraska. He'd have a harder time going to Hagerstown Maryland (about a 40 minute drive from DC up 270) considering there was a Klan HQ there previously.

Have you ever been to that part of New York?

Yes, I have. I also notice that you completely ignored my questions. Your comments about other locations are red herrings.

How many people are involved in NYC versus DC? Also, what distance must be traveled, and what precautions must be taken on the route? You can't honestly believe that the manpower involved in the longer trip to a much more densely populated city is the same.

 

[Robor]

Originally posted by: Fear No Evil

Originally posted by: CitizenKain

Originally posted by: Fear No Evil
People are getting tired of this shit from Obama,

No, the increasingly irrelevant and shrinking republican infant division are, normal people aren't.

His overall approval ratings are down. Granted not a ton, but they are down. My unofficial polling of my friends who voted FOR Obama are NOT pleased with him for the most part. The next 'official' poll will come out in about 1.5 years.. we'll see then.. otherwise its just my opinion vs yours..

A person like you doesn't have any 'friends' that voted for Obama. Trust me on this.

 

[PELarson]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
This thread is filled with so much crap it's pathetic.

At least you admit your problem. Good first step to recovery.

 

[Desturel]

Originally posted by: tk149
How many people are involved in NYC versus DC? Also, what distance must be traveled, and what precautions must be taken on the route? You can't honestly believe that the manpower involved in the longer trip to a much more densely populated city is the same.

I don't know if you are serious or not, but I'll ask you a few questions.

Every time the president makes an appearance at the UN, do you think they hire a completely new security detail?

Every time the president does a live interview in a New York studio (for example, he's appeared in studio for Evening News with Katie Couric, The Daily Show, David Letterman, and the Today Show since he was inaugurated), do you think they hire a completely new detail every time he does one of these shows?

The distance from DC to NYC is 230 miles. The president took a plane so the precautions are all air traffic control related. It's a 45 minute to an hour air flight on a normal commuter airplane. I'm sure the president's jet can get there quicker. His trip to Saudi Arabia to speak to King Abdullah this morning drawfs preparation costs and manhours. The staff that plans these trips for Obama are full time staff. The airports in every major city have protocols for visits that would not require additional hired manpower meaning no EXTRA cost beyond normal operations.

You are completely daft if you think security isn't already in place in a city the president has already been to at least 10 times since his inauguration according to a quick scan of news headlines. Between interviews, general meetings, and international obligations.

But whatever, I'm done arguing with someone who has never worked in security or transportation before. It's obvious you believe the best security is never to plan ahead and not to have any plan in place until the last minute. You also believe that every time a new trip is begun that a completely new security detail is hired. You know nothing of how the government works and it shows.