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Buckwheat's Perks Cost Us $1.4 Billion

Mike

Well-known member
Taxpayers spent $1.4 billion dollars on everything from staffing, housing, flying and entertaining President Obama and his family last year, according to the author of a new book on taxpayer-funded presidential perks.

In comparison, British taxpayers spent just $57.8 million on the royal family.

Author Robert Keith Gray writes in “Presidential Perks Gone Royal” that Obama isn’t the only president to have taken advantage of the expensive trappings of his office. But the amount of money spent on the first family, he argues, has risen tremendously under the Obama administration and needs to be reined in.

Gray told The Daily Caller that the $1.4 billion spent on the Obama family last year is the “total cost of the presidency,” factoring the cost of the “biggest staff in history at the highest wages ever,” a 50 percent increase in the numbers of appointed czars and an Air Force One “running with the frequency of a scheduled air line.”

“The most concerning thing, I think, is the use of taxpayer funds to actually abet his re-election,” Gray, who worked in the Eisenhower administration and for other Republican presidents, said in an interview with TheDC on Wednesday.

“The press has been so slow in picking up on this extraordinary increase in the president’s expenses,” Gray told TheDC. (RELATED: Five shocking truths about Michelle Obama)

Specifically, Gray said taxpayer dollars are subsidizing Obama’s re-election effort when he uses Air Force One to jet across the country campaigning.

When the trip is deemed political, it’s customary for the president to pay the equivalent of a first class commercial ticket for certain passengers. But Gray says that hardly covers the taxpayer cost of flying the president and his staffers around on Air Force One.


“When the United States’ billion-dollar air armada is being used politically, is it fair to taxpayers that we only be reimbursed by the president’s campaign committee for the value of one first-class commercial ticket for each passenger who is deemed aboard ‘for political purposes?’” Gray asks in the book.

“And is that bargain-price advantage fair to those opposing an incumbent president?”

In the book, Gray admits Americans want their president to be safe and comfortable but argues the system should be reformed to stop the amount of unquestioned perks given to the president.

“There is no mechanism for anyone’s objection if a president were to pay his chief of staff $5,000,000 a year,” he told TheDC. “And nothing but a president’s conscience can dissuade him from buying his own reelection with use of some public money.”

Aside from a salary, the president gets a $50,000 a year expense account, a $100,000 travel account, $19,000 entertainment budget and an additional million for “unanticipated needs,” he notes.



Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/26/taxpayers-spent-1-4-billion-on-obama-family-last-year-perks-questioned-in-new-book/#ixzz2NHk8sPp7
 

Tam

Well-known member
This is a friggin joke right????
Aside from a salary, the president gets a $50,000 a year expense account, a $100,000 travel account, $19,000 entertainment budget and an additional million for “unanticipated needs,” he notes.

Considering the cost of the Obama family holidays.



The biggest expense is President Barack Obama’s round trip flight to Hawaii via Air Force One.

A Congressional Research Service report released in May 2012 said the plane typically used by the President, a Boeing 747, costs $179,750 per hour to operate. The U.S. Air Force has listed the cost of travel as high as $181,757 per flight hour.

Travel time for Air Force One direct from Washington D.C. to Hawaii is about 9 hours or as high as $1,635,813 each way for a total of $3,271,622 for the round trip to Hawaii and back.

The cost for USAF C-17 cargo aircraft that transports the Presidential limos, helicopters and other support equipment to Hawaii has never been disclosed in the years the President has traveled to Hawaii. However, the flight time between Andrews Air Force Base and Hawaii is at about 21.5 hours roundtrip, with estimated operating cost of $12,000 per hour. (Source: GAO report, updated by C-17 crew member). The United States Marine Corps provides a presidential helicopter, along with pilots and support crews for the test flights, which travel on another C-17 flight. That is $258,000, not including costs for the 4 to 6 member crew’s per diem and hotel.

The rentals are fronted by the ocean and backed by a canal. So, the taxpayers must cover the costs for housing U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Coast Guard and Navy Seals in beach front and canal front homes around where the President stays.

Last year, that added up to about $200 per bedroom per day, or $21,600 per average home for a nearly three week period, with special forces renting at least 7 homes. Security arrives ahead of the President costing taxpayers about $176,400 for the length of the visit.

The President’s staff and White House Press Corps typically stay at one of Hawaii’s oldest and most elegant hotels, the Moana Surfrider. Besides its stunningly beautiful view of Waikiki, and its traditional Hawaiian architecture and decor, it is one of the most pricey hotels in the state and government rates are not available during the holiday season. Rooms start at around $270 but can cost as much as $370 a night for an ocean view before Christmas, and climb much higher around the new year.

A conservative estimate with rooms at $270 (excluding a 9.25 percent Transient Accommodation Tax and a 4.712 percent General Excise Tax on each bill, meals, internet charges and other charges) means the taxpayers are covering more than $129,600 in hotel bills for some two dozen staff.



Local police are paid over time for the President’s visit, which has historically cost Oahu taxpayers $250,000.

The city ambulance the accompanies the President 24 hours a day through his entire visit is about $10,000 to city taxpayers.

There are several costs the White House annually refuses to release, citing security.

For example, the President’s security usually rents an entire floor of an office building in Kailua on the canal during the president’s stay.

There are security upgrades and additional phone lines to several private homes where Obama and friends are staying. That includes bullet proof glass installed, home security systems disabled, new security measures put into place and additional phone lines added.

There is the cost for car rentals and fuel for White House staff staying at a Waikiki Hotel. And there are additional travel costs Secret Service and White House staff traveling ahead of the President.

The total cost (based on what is known) for a 20-day round trip vacation to Hawaii for the President and his family and staff and security is more than $4 million.

And please remember the family did not fly on the same plane as Michelle had to get there faster that her worthless husband so she had to take her own Plane and staff. :mad: And the White House can't afford to keep the tours going because they COST TO MUCH. :roll:
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Yeah but Tam just told us we can't blame the Presidents for this-- its the Congress that authorizes the spending bills... Without them giving the President the authorization- and the money- he can't spend it....

Right Tam?
 

hopalong

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
Yeah but Tam just told us we can't blame the Presidents for this-- its the Congress that authorizes the spending bills... Without them giving the President the authorization- and the money- he can't spend it....

Right Tam?

Who authouized two planes for the flight to Hi oldtimer.......what about thye flying in of a private pizza party,,,,the date night in NYC??????
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
hopalong said:
Oldtimer said:
Yeah but Tam just told us we can't blame the Presidents for this-- its the Congress that authorizes the spending bills... Without them giving the President the authorization- and the money- he can't spend it....

Right Tam?

Who authouized two planes for the flight to Hi oldtimer.......what about thye flying in of a private pizza party,,,,the date night in NYC??????

Aside from a salary, the president gets a $50,000 a year expense account, a $100,000 travel account, $19,000 entertainment budget and an additional million for “unanticipated needs,” he notes.

Are you saying Congress didn't authorize this?

Kind of like Soap or Jigs or I or any of the ag producers of the site saying we took all the subsidy/disaster payment money because it was available....
If you are going to give it to them/us - they/we will take it... Whether its a well spent money or not...
 

Mike

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
hopalong said:
Oldtimer said:
Yeah but Tam just told us we can't blame the Presidents for this-- its the Congress that authorizes the spending bills... Without them giving the President the authorization- and the money- he can't spend it....

Right Tam?

Who authouized two planes for the flight to Hi oldtimer.......what about thye flying in of a private pizza party,,,,the date night in NYC??????

Aside from a salary, the president gets a $50,000 a year expense account, a $100,000 travel account, $19,000 entertainment budget and an additional million for “unanticipated needs,” he notes.

Are you saying Congress didn't authorize this?

Kind of like Soap or Jigs or I or any of the ag producers of the site saying we took all the subsidy/disaster payment money because it was available....
If you are going to give it to them/us - they/we will take it... Whether its a well spent money or not...

I don't know. Rand Paul gave back around $600,000.00 savings from his staff expenses.

Personally, I'm sick of gov't agencies spending the last dollar in their budget from fear it's budget will be cut back next year...................

Oh wait????????????????? Buckwheat won't present a budget!!!!!!!!!!
 

Soapweed

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
hopalong said:
Oldtimer said:
Yeah but Tam just told us we can't blame the Presidents for this-- its the Congress that authorizes the spending bills... Without them giving the President the authorization- and the money- he can't spend it....

Right Tam?

Who authouized two planes for the flight to Hi oldtimer.......what about thye flying in of a private pizza party,,,,the date night in NYC??????

Aside from a salary, the president gets a $50,000 a year expense account, a $100,000 travel account, $19,000 entertainment budget and an additional million for “unanticipated needs,” he notes.

Are you saying Congress didn't authorize this?

Kind of like Soap or Jigs or I or any of the ag producers of the site saying we took all the subsidy/disaster payment money because it was available....
If you are going to give it to them/us - they/we will take it... Whether its a well spent money or not...

For the record, I (Soapweed) took some drought relief money back in 2002. This is the last government money I have taken, and it is the last government money I plan to take. This money that I received back in 2002 will be willingly paid back to the United States Treasury, with interest, if and when the whole Farm Program is scrapped and declared defunct. We all know that this will never happen, but nonetheless, this is the last government money I plan to take.
 

hopalong

Well-known member
at a cost of over $180000 per hour to fly them planes would eat up his expense accout REAL fast oldtimer,,,,but i suppose that does not count
EH OH VEY

here ya go oldtimer,,,read and learn

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/11/24/military-pegs-hourly-air-force-cost-g-obama-sets-travel-record/
 

Steve

Well-known member
Obama gets away with using Air force one or any other plane by only having to redeem the federal government for the cost of a commercial ticket..

so if Bo flies alone.. the cost is for one ticket.. and we are stuck with picking up the tab for the rest..

in the real world we would call this a scam..
 

Whitewing

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
Yeah but Tam just told us we can't blame the Presidents for this-- its the Congress that authorizes the spending bills... Without them giving the President the authorization- and the money- he can't spend it....

Right Tam?

Just because Congress authorizes an expenditure, the King has to spend the money? One would think he could show some leadership and in these tough times cut back on such important trips as golfing with Tiger Woods.....but then, that would require ethics and a sense of humility.

Fat chance of something like that happening, in other words.
 

backhoeboogie

Well-known member
He has always had the choice to do the right thing. He has never made that choice.

Rationalize that anyway you want to OT. Blame Dubya or his father. Blame yourself.
 

Whitewing

Well-known member
backhoeboogie said:
He has always had the choice to do the right thing. He has never made that choice.

Rationalize that anyway you want to OT. Blame Dubya or his father. Blame yourself.

OT really is the perfect liberal. Blame the King for nothing, blame Bush for everything. Having said that, did you know OT's really quite conservative? :lol:
 

okfarmer

Well-known member
Whitewing said:
backhoeboogie said:
He has always had the choice to do the right thing. He has never made that choice.

Rationalize that anyway you want to OT. Blame Dubya or his father. Blame yourself.

OT really is the perfect liberal. Blame the King for nothing, blame Bush for everything. Having said that, did you know OT's really quite conservative? :lol:

What is truly amazing, is the time and energy he utilizes to do so.
 

Steve

Well-known member
fixed,.. sarcasm removed,..

Whitewing said:
Just because Congress authorizes an expenditure, the King has to spend the money? One would think he could show some leadership and in these tough times cut back on such un-important trips as golfing with Tiger Woods.....but then, that would require ethics and a sense of humility.

Fat chance of something like that happening, in other words.

:agree: :clap:
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Steve said:
fixed,.. sarcasm removed,..

Whitewing said:
Just because Congress authorizes an expenditure, the King has to spend the money? One would think he could show some leadership and in these tough times cut back on such un-important trips as golfing with Tiger Woods.....but then, that would require ethics and a sense of humility.

Fat chance of something like that happening, in other words.

:agree: :clap:

Probably the same reason some farmers and ranchers take the government handouts when offered to them- and then either deny it- or when caught say they will give it back or never sin again :roll: :wink: :lol:
 

loomixguy

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
Steve said:
fixed,.. sarcasm removed,..

Whitewing said:
Just because Congress authorizes an expenditure, the King has to spend the money? One would think he could show some leadership and in these tough times cut back on such un-important trips as golfing with Tiger Woods.....but then, that would require ethics and a sense of humility.

Fat chance of something like that happening, in other words.

:agree: :clap:

Probably the same reason some farmers and ranchers take the government handouts when offered to them- and then either deny it- or when caught say they will give it back or never sin again :roll: :wink: :lol:

So you just welcome the handouts with open arms and can't get to the bank fast enough, eh?
 

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
what would happen if Congress didn't authorize the spending?

OT, are you willing to go on record and state that you are advocating the WH budget/spending be decreased, over and above WH tours?
 

Whitewing

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
Steve said:
fixed,.. sarcasm removed,..

Whitewing said:
Just because Congress authorizes an expenditure, the King has to spend the money? One would think he could show some leadership and in these tough times cut back on such un-important trips as golfing with Tiger Woods.....but then, that would require ethics and a sense of humility.

Fat chance of something like that happening, in other words.

:agree: :clap:

Probably the same reason some farmers and ranchers take the government handouts when offered to them- and then either deny it- or when caught say they will give it back or never sin again :roll: :wink: :lol:

If you're trying to insult Soap, maybe he deserved and needed the drought-relief funds?

I'd certainly rather see someone take advantage of an insurance program they helped fund with their tax dollars than see a coroner help a family possibly commit insurance fraud by ruling that a victim's death was accidental when there were strong suspicions otherwise.
 
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