When will the villagers get restless?
Larry Elder reminds us that there’s a bit duplicitous behavior going on in regards to gas prices;
In 2007, when the average national price ranged from $2.17 to $3.22, then-Sen. Barack Obama demanded that the Federal Trade Commission investigate Big Oil for “price manipulation.” In 2008, presidential candidate Obama urged the Justice Department “to open an investigation into whether energy traders have been engaged in illegal activities that have helped drive up the price of oil and food.”
Obama also called for “a windfall profits penalty on oil selling at or over $80 per barrel.” As of Christmas 2010, a barrel of oil sold at slightly above $90. What happened to the windfall profits tax?
Elder asks where are the pitchforks. Well, apparently there won’t be any pitchforks in Hawaii. Malia Zimmerman tallies up the cost to tax payers for Mr. Obama’s vacation there. You know, like the tenth vacation in less than two years which he just extended to next week;
With estimates secured from a host of professionals, city officials and law enforcement, Hawaii Reporter estimates costs to taxpayers will at least include:
* Mrs. Obama’s early flight to Hawaii: $63,000 (White House Dossier)
* Obama’s round trip flight to Hawaii: $1 million (GAO estimates)
* Housing in beachfront homes for Secret Service and Seals in Kailua ($1,200 a day for 14 days): $16,800
* Costs for White House staff staying at Moana Hotel: $134,400 ($400 per day for 24 staff) – excluding meals and other room costs
* Police overtime: $250,000 (2009 costs reported by Honolulu Police Department)
* Ambulance: $10,000 (City Spokesperson)
* TOTAL COST: $1,474,200UNKNOWN COSTS
* Rental of office building in Kailua on canal
* Security upgrades and additional phone lines
* Costs for car rentals and fuel for White House staff staying at Moana Hotel (Secret Service imports most of the cars used here to escort the president)
* Surveillance before the president arrives
* Travel costs for Secret Service and White House staff traveling ahead of the President
Seems to me like this is the modern equivalent of Nero fiddling. Thanks to Old Trooper for one of the links.
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden
Ok, I give up. Is this article about oil prices, or Obama’s trip to Hawaii?
With shutting down a large portion of US domestic production, our President guaranteed that the price of oil would skyrocket (as promised in his political campaign for the Presidency); and that our dependence on foreign oil would increase.
Who wins? OPEC. Venezuela. “Big Oil” companies. Petroleum speculators. Manufacturers of petroleum-based products.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see all of those organizations providing significant campaign contributions from now until November 2012.
DaveO, I see your point, but in the end, dealing with unstable foreign powers where oil is concerned, wouldn’t that be counter-productive to the oil companies? I would think that development of a viable alternate fuel source would be the ultimate control, the true “corner on the market.” That would also negate the influence of unstable and unfriendly Middle Eastern powers. It would bring all of the money back home and tuck it right in their pockets.
The lack of development of a viable alternate fuel has always fascinated me, and I would be very interested in any comments on this.
Sorry to say, but the figure for the early FLOTUS flight is a huge lowball figure. The price of the jet fuel alone would take up most of that estimate (not to mention a seperate full SS detail, full seperate transportation detail and costs for 5 days, extra staff, etc.). Conservatively, I estimate a $2.5 million price tag.
We’ve seen what putting such a tax on import/exports will do. No doubt he raised such an idea in the Oval Office, and one of his economists was horrified, and in a near panic told him that’s almost exactly what caused the Great Depression.
As for the Cost of his trip. In times of plenty I would be fine with it. But in times like these, the President above all other people MUST be frugal. The President is more than the man. It is an office, which if you hold, you MUST make sacrifices.
DaveO; don’t forget that Bobo handed Brazil a big chunk of money (I think in the neighborhood of $2.5 billion) for their own domestic oil exploration. Ya see, it’s ok if other countries drill, just not us.
With shutting down a large portion of US domestic production, our President guaranteed that the price of oil would skyrocket (as promised in his political campaign for the Presidency); and that our dependence on foreign oil would increase.
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Yep. Recall that he also stated that he had no problem with $5 gasoline prices, he just was disappointed that the prices rose so quickly.
The lack of development of a viable alternate fuel has always fascinated me, and I would be very interested in any comments on this.
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What has fascinated — and enraged — me more is the fact that we have our own viable fuel sources here in America and yet deliberately choose to block ourselves from using them. We don’t even need an alternate fuel right now. Had Clinton and the Democrats not blocked the USA from drilling for our own fuel back in the mid-1990s, we’d be a LOT more self-sufficient with regards to oil right now. But Democrats/liberals are always blocking the USA from drilling and working to help others to drill (ie Obama giving $2 Billion to Soros-invested Brazil company). Someone explain that BS.
PintoNag: the foreign powers with oil aren’t that unstable. Well, perhaps Nigeria. Even the so-called “Big Oil” companies are mostly multinational – and can switch their corporate headquarters to any country offering the best deals.
Then there’re the economies of the Gulf States could eventually shatter from the lack of oil production.
Americans getting hurt. Non-Americans getting richer. What’s not to love? Why not celebrate with another all-expenses paid vacation to Hawaii. It’s not like the peasants can afford to go there anymore.
Could someone please explain to me why a family of 4 requires a staff of 2 dozen?
How many vacations, parties, golf outings, basketball games and concerts does Barry need? Is it really THAT exhausting destroying our country?
I seem to recall an article recently (Might even have been on here) that mentioned how, prior to the BP spill, there were something like 40-50 permits for new wells being approved per month. Since the BP spill, less than 20 permits have been approved TOTAL. That right there explains why the price of oil has gone up. Supply being decreased through government regulation will always cause a rise in prices. Simple economics. The only way to offset that is through a massive decrease in demand, i.e. a depression. Honestly, I am waiting for that shoe to drop on us. The way things are going, it wouldn’t surprise me when it happens.
As far as the vacations, somebody made a comment once about the Obamas acting like folks who have won the lottery. All these trips and the huge staffs are just more examples of the truth of that statement.
This is such a ridiculous complaint. Presidential vacations are expensive, they involve moving the President of the United States and staff. Bush took them, Clinton took them, the other Bush took them, all the way back. I mean Bush took 200 trips or some such during his 8 years. He had a ranch, Obama is from Hawaii. It’s really, really petty nitpicking. It was beneath discussion when liberals where attacking Bush for all his vacations then and it’s beneath conservatives now.
It’s the President.
Going to agree with the young Gyrine on the vacation thing. The left complains about anything any Republican President does and I know we want to get even…but it’s really a moot point. They are going on vacation…and it’s gonna cost us money.
Now..on the oil thing. My next door neighbor is a bull dyke lesbian from San Francisco…working on Parris Island. (civilian) When oil spiked under Bush we were both outside and she screamed, “That Bush and Cheney….they’re making millions on this oil.” Can’t wait to see her this weekend. My turn. Her other favorite line was…”Dissent is patriotic”…my turn again.
When 90% of the media is controlled by farther than middle left liberals…nothing this guy does is ever going to get the attention the same thing got Bush. When Republicans regain the White House they will resume their attacks on everything. I mean, my God, look at the “Bush Tax Cuts for the Rich” which are now the Obama tax cuts for the middle class. Let’s try not to stoop to their level..no matter how hard that is. Well…gonna stoop some with my neighbor.
Honor and Courage
Air Cav: it wasn’t a tax cut anymore, that’s the best part. It was simply keeping the rates what they are (were)
as for your neighbor ask her if saving the “delta smelt” and starving Central Valley has made her feel more actualized as a citizen. While her ilk turn my home-state into a shit hole, I have to watch my parents be denied unemployment because (I strongly suspect) they WERE middle class just a few years ago, and worse their WHITE *gasp*. Could you pass that along for me?
Two things’
1) You have sunk to new lows critizing a family man who works three times as many hours as you do for wanting a simple family vacation. There are after all certain logistical considerations to be considered when moving the first family. You want perhaps he should leave the football behind to save money? Really, you need to learn to pick your battles
2) The first point of the article, the price of gas, reminds me of what a good idea a gas tax would be. Jonn, you act like a junky whose only concern is the price of his next fix.
PintoNag, in reference to post #3, I too would love to know those details. Ran across this interesting article regarding one of this sites most popular whipping boys….
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0503-22.htm
@ 15 – Joe; Nice try jaqoff, keep buying those sub-compact, foreign and domestic made “high fuel efficiency” mini car’s. The states and feds increase the fuel tax yearly because of enviro-commies insisting we have to drive vehicles that get an ever changing CAFE.
You think speculation is the problem? Go soak your head in a bucket of left loon sewage plant overflow and see if you figure out what “green communism” is.
@ Joe, “Hard working” really? Its very hard to believe that he is as hard working as you say when underlings are the real movers and shakers. I’d also like to point out that his “hard work” seems to be to undermine the constitutional process.
Going to agree with the young Gyrine on the vacation thing. The left complains about anything any Republican President does and I know we want to get even… but it’s really a moot point. They are going on vacation… and it’s gonna cost us money.
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If the Obamas were not so fucking sanctimonious about telling the rest of us that we MUST “sacrifice” during these times of recession/depression, then there would be no issue about them taking vacations — and going golfing and having 22 motherfucking assistants for the First Sasquatch, etc — and blowing all this taxpayer money.
But the Obamas never miss an opportunity to criticize “the rich” and corporations and everyone else under the sun for how they spend their money — and what food they eat and what cars they drive and how high they keep their thermostats, etc.
Barack Obama, January 2009: “Everyone must sacrifice for the greater good… Everyone must have some skin in the game.“
Everyone except for the Obamas. “Everyone” for the Obamas really means “everyone else”.
This is not about “getting even”. This is about holding the Obamas to the standards to which they want to hold everyone else.
President George W Bush never went around telling people to “sacrifice” and eat a certain way and buy certain cars and limit their A/C and heat usage. He told everyone they should go on living their lives and not allow the terrorists to stop them from living as they normally would. That’s why when he took vacations, it was not hypocrisy.
What the Obamas are doing is sanctimonious bullshit. They tell everyone else what they should be doing, while living it up on the taxpayer dime. That’s utter fucking hypocrisy. It would be so in a good economy and it’s that much more a slap in the fucking face to every American in a bad economy.
So no, this is not a “moot point”. These motherfuckers deserve every last bit of fucking scorn we can heap on them.
He’s had more vacations since becoming president than I have in the past six years…
When Bush went on vacation, he went to his ranch. A lot less expensive to send all the needed staff there than all the way to Hawaii, and a lot easier to keep secure (which I’m sure lowered the cost for us taxpayers who pick up the tab).
I don’t begrudge a president time away from the White House, but when so many in the nation are unemployed and have trouble making ends met, having the President and First Family take a luxury vacation to Hawaii is just wrong, and an irresponsible use of taxpayer money.
How much does Obama’s vacation cost? — Short answer – a lot.
The guys at HillBuzz show just how unprecedented this vacation is, compared to where other recent presidents spent their Christmas vacations. Most presidents chose to spend Christmas either at the White House or at Camp David, which is 70 miles away from D.C. Obama’s choice of vacation spot is about 4,800 miles from Washington and his decision forces security and other staff to miss Christmas with their families. Other recent presidents showed more consideration for the needs of those who work for them. The Obamas… have not.
Their decision really should not be that surprising, since they haven’t shown much consideration for how their vacations impact citizens in the past. Sure, millions of Americans may be out of work, and the economy is in the crapper, but this president won’t allow such distractions to get in the way of his desire to spend time basking in the Hawaiian sun.
The worst aspect of this story? The same media that freaked out over a Republican president spending time at a ranch he owned free and clear are writing puff pieces about the current president’s indulgences on our dime.
One thing to keep in mind on the vacations comparison: when Bush went to the Ranch, it was most often a working vacation. He didn’t rent, he owned. It was an office away from the office and used as such as he hosted a variety of allies, heads of state, and others there; held regular meetings there, took all the regular briefings, etc. In other words, he still worked and put in some long hours by any number of accounts including that of critics in the press corps. Now, can Barry say the same? I think the points raised in #20 by Michael in MI say it all.
Joe and NSOM: I see, so the vast shopping trips to Europe for FLOYUS and her peeps was “normal”? Her taking a European shopping trip while the POTUS was in the ME on his world apology tour, Martha’s Vinyard vacation, the trips to Chicago (he’s from there, too) and all the little trips like a “date night” to NYC, etc. are cool with you guys, but yet W was lambasted for going to a place he owns and already had the security set-up, as well as, as LW pointed out, was more working vacation than anything. Bush Sr. went to the family compound in Maine, another place they own, so no extravagant costs for renting, etc.
I can’t afford to go on vacation. The last extended time off was 4 days I took off to do a motorcycle charity ride where I stayed in different hotels, plus slept outside to keep costs down when I could. Yet, this same person says we need to sacrifice? Fuck him and his diva wife.
Joe/NSOM–when it costs nearly $100K for the First Sasquatch to head out ONE DAY EARLY, that’s a problem. When they stay at a compound TWO MILES from K-Bay Marine Base which has facilities just as nice with security infrastructure already in place, but instead stay outside the base and cost taxpayers quite literally 10 times as much, that’s a problem.
When Obama tells us to not go to Vegas and blow our money, then goes there literally a half-dozen times in the following 18 months on OUR DIME to fundraise for Dingy Harry, that’s a problem.
When he goes golfing 50 times in less than 2 years, which is more than the president of the fucking PGA has done, you starting to see the fucking pattern here, assholes?
“a family man who works three times as many hours as you do for wanting a simple family vacation”. Really, Joey? A “simple vacation”? How many “simple vacations” does he deserve? One a week? One a month?
With the exception of going to Hawaii last December, to see our Marine son, the wife and I haven’t taken a vacation in 17 years. And, no, we didn’t take any staff with us, either. And, I doubt that Ears works any harder than we do, and our labors provided a hell of a lot more benefit to us than any of his do.
And, kindly let us know how you feel about the First Wookie blowing through our money faster than a 4 year old in a candy store? How hard is she working?
Joey, you did it again, with your open-mouthed, kneeling at Obama’s feet. “A family man who works three times as many hours as you do for wanting a simple family vacation”. Really? He works 120 hours a week, week in and week out? Except when he’s on vacation, right? Which is every other week.
And, please, if the shape of our country is any indication of the work he’s done, lay his ass off. NOW….
And, you never fail to disappoint, witness your unending plea for more taxes, “reminds me of what a good idea a gas tax would be”. You just can’t help yourself, can you? If it moves, tax it, if it doesn’t move, subsidize it, right?
Joe, I am curious about your “gas tax” comment. Why, and to what degree, do you think gas should be taxed?
…the reason I’m asking is that, as far as I can tell, gas is already taxed. You think there should be more taxes on top of that?
Doc…will pass on my regards. She seems to be hibernating.
Michael….don’t hold anything back buddy…let it out. 🙂 I’m not in disagreement with what you’re saying either and yes they are santimonious assholes. I guess my point is that the MEDIA isn’t going to do or say anything to hurt them. We can shout all we want but we are the only ones listening. Wolf’s also made a great point about Bush’s vacations were to his home. Clinton didn’t even own one and if Barry has one….it’s in Chicago and who vacations there. Check your fire…we’re on the same side.
Check your fire… we’re on the same side.
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Sorry, AirCav, my fire wasn’t aimed at you, just at the situation in general.
Happy New Year Michael!
Nobama needs all those vacations since he has never before in his life had a real job. Tht going from idleness to full bore acting like a president has to be rough on the lad.
I thought it was 9 vacations in two years myself.
About 8 more than W took while doing a much better (but by no means perfect) job in the same office.