Obama: Less Bread, More Circuses

Obama is going to make some last minute remarks before embarking on a two week long vacation to Martha's Vineyard, home to not a few of the "1%".

Back in 2011, Obama made a statement before leaving for Martha's Vineyard, that he would lay out his plan for turning around the economy. Ten days later, he gave a 45 minute speech, which, if you recall the last three years, did nothing at all.

I marveled at the time, how, if he genuinely thought he had a plan to turn around unemployment and put Americans back to work, why he couldn't delay his vacation 45 freaking minutes to do so, to handle what he said was both urgent and a "crisis".

Whatever self serving remarks he makes before this lavish vacation, about him being "in constant communication" and therefore able to ignore a crisis either foreign or domestic from Air Force One equally as if he were hunkered in the Oval Office or on a golf course, will be equally believable.

Ever Wish Obama Paid as Much Attention to the Economy as His Golf Game?

President Obama, Tiger Woods Play Golf Together

"Mele Kalikimaka - Suckers!"

I'm sure by now that almost everyone who cares has heard that the Obamas' Hawaiian vacation is scheduled to cost over $1,000,000 and that it cost the taxpayers about $100,000 for Michelle to go earlier than her husband. And that was just in... 2010!

In doing a little research for my 2011 predictions scorecard, I found nearly identical stories about the two vacations. Both were projected at over a million dollars (Four million for his latest) and in both cases (three, if you count her early flight to Martha's Vineyard) the First Lady couldn't be bothered to wait and travel with her husband.

The more things change, the more they stay the same... Oh, and for all you keeping score, the local, less than flourishing Hawaiian economy will foot over a quarter million dollars for added police protection. But, hey! Maybe Obama will make it up to you by buying some doggie treats at a local Pet Smart? Or at least, another shave ice?

Has Obama Taken Less "Vacations" Than Bush?

I guess that depends on what your definition of "vacation" is. The MSM and the White House are trying to cover President I'm Either Playing Golf or On Vacation Obama's aloof arrogance and poor judgment.

Is there ever really a good time for the president to go on vacation? President Barack Obama’s 10-day summer getaway from Washington to Martha’s Vineyard — scheduled to start Thursday — has reignited a seemingly annual debate.

As a guest on Chicago’s WLS-AM radio Wednesday, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said that Obama should stay in D.C. and call Congress back to work. “If you’re the president of the United States, and the nation is in crisis — and we’re in a jobs crisis right now — then you shouldn’t be out vacationing,” the former Massachusetts governor told WLS hosts Don Wade and Roma. “Instead you should be focusing on getting the economy going again. And, yeah, go back to the office yourself, pull back members of Congress and focus on getting the job done.”

Donald Trump, appearing on Fox News earlier this week, complained, “the fact is, [Obama] takes more vacations than any human being I’ve ever seen.”

But does the perception match up to the reality?

Mark Knoller of CBS, the unofficial keeper of presidential work schedules, reported that President George W. Bush had taken more time off than Obama at this point in his first term.

Obama’s upcoming vacation is his ninth vacation since taking office. Obama has spent all or part of 38 days on vacation away from the White House. He has also made 14 visits to Camp David spanning all or part of 32 days, for a total of 70 days, Knoller said.

Bush, at this point in his first term, had made 14 visits to his Texas ranch spanning all or part of 102 days, Knoller said. He also made 40 visits to Camp David spanning all or part of 123 days. His vacation total at this point in his presidency was all or part of 225 days away.

See the false equivalence? Bush gets out of Washington and heads to the ranch on the weekends, Obama spends weeks at pricey resorts, Hawaiian beach houses and foreign countries and that's just the same, isn't it?

And, even though Obama is hobnobbing with millionaires and billionaires, he's still in touch:

White House press secretary Jay Carney doesn’t think the public begrudges the president a break to recharge and spend time with his family.

Carney also argued that the president is never really off-duty since White House advisers go with him, and he still receives regular briefings on national security, the economy and other matters.

So, Bush stayed in touch on his ranch and had staff meetings there, too. Hanging with the rich folks in Martha's Vineyard and cavorting in the surf in Hawaii isn't the same as clearing brush on the homestead. And clearing brush costs the taxpayer millions less. If President Hopey Changey didn't have a tin ear towards the peons he deigns to rule over, he might have noticed that.

H/T Memeorandum

Cross posted at LCR, Say Anything.