The First Family's Lifestyle

[Anonymous]

I am getting sick and tired of the extravagance of the first family. I'm a Democrat, I'm disappointed in Obama but barring a scandal or incident that completely changes my sense of him, I will absolutely vote for him in 2012. The date to New York bothered me. The super expensive parties. The number of parties. (I would love to know the price tag of the one for the President of Mexico!) This trip to Marbella, Michelle and Sasha are meeting up with friends, is costing taxpayers a bundle is too much. At least Bush took most of his vacations at family properties. I am thinking the Obamas are paying for Michelle and Sasha's hotel room(s) at this Ritz-Carlton property. They better be! But we, you and I, are paying for Air Force Two, the secret service detail, etc. Maybe they should tone it down a bit. He's hanging by a thread in the polls. A lot can happen in two years. But if this keeps up. The disconnect, the insensitivity and the mindlessness are just getting to me.

[Anonymous]

They are just doing what all the Sidwell people do- look at me doing this, look at me doing that...

As much as you want him to do well, it is not looking good for term #2, maybe they are getting all the perks beofre the elections.

[jsteele]

If someone can work breast-feeding and co-sleeping into this, it will be the perfect DCUM thread.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:If someone can work breast-feeding and co-sleeping into this, it will be the perfect DCUM thread.

not unless you include redshirting too.

[Anonymous]

Huh? It's nothing compared to the Reagans'. They make tons of money. Michelle made $375K a year when they lived in Chicago. This is how people in their income bracket, with very little free time, live. Why should they drive American cars and stay at a motel 6?

[Anonymous]

Exactly. This is no different from the Clintons. The Reagans and Bushes had other homes to go to. The Obamas do not, thought they surely could afford to. So, of course, they are going to take nice vacations. It is not like he has a low-stress job.....

[Anonymous]

And no different from the Bushes, either. Laura and the twins used to travel a lot.

[Anonymous]

GWB was a homebody and you're just used to that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am getting sick and tired of the extravagance of the first family. I'm a Democrat, I'm disappointed in Obama but barring a scandal or incident that completely changes my sense of him, I will absolutely vote for him in 2012. The date to New York bothered me. The super expensive parties. The number of parties. (I would love to know the price tag of the one for the President of Mexico!) This trip to Marbella, Michelle and Sasha are meeting up with friends, is costing taxpayers a bundle is too much. At least Bush took most of his vacations at family properties. I am thinking the Obamas are paying for Michelle and Sasha's hotel room(s) at this Ritz-Carlton property. They better be! But we, you and I, are paying for Air Force Two, the secret service detail, etc. Maybe they should tone it down a bit. He's hanging by a thread in the polls. A lot can happen in two years. But if this keeps up. The disconnect, the insensitivity and the mindlessness are just getting to me.

I agree with you but will nearly certainly not vote for him in the next election (not just because he takes vacations, though, of course). I'm sure you'll get a lot of pushback on this site though.....some people in this area want to love Obama so badly they will pretty much overlook everything he does and they won't criticize anything, even if it's as minute as vacations.

[Anonymous]

I am the PP that agreed with you, I'm going to add that I'm an Independant, not a Republican. Although, around here anything other than "Democrat" seems to irk people.

[Anonymous]

I don't pay a lot of attention to what they are doing. It preserves your sanity -- but this has been my mode of operating since W was in office as he drove me nuts.

Let's face it, chances are very, very slim he will be in office for a second term.

[Anonymous]

OP here. The Obamas were comfortable but they certainly did not live like this before they moved into the White House, and we were not underwriting any pre-election extravagance. I don't expect them never to entertain or take vacations. It's a question of degree. We are paying for this extravagance. We don't like when CEO's live too grandly, do we? And just because Reagan, Bush, Clinton did it doesn't make it right. They all live like royalty and they hid the budget in other departments to make the number look lower. (I know, two friends worked in the White House in Clinton administration.) It's not just the money. It makes for a warped disconnect. Obama's lost his connection to how most of the people who elected him to office live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the PP that agreed with you, I'm going to add that I'm an Independant, not a Republican. Although, around here anything other than "Democrat" seems to irk people.

Exactly. If you're not a very left leaning individual in this region, people look at you as if you're stupid. Even on this site, the assumption is that anyone who deviates from what is seen as their norm is considered a "troll" because they can't imagine people with other views. It's sad. There is a groundswell in this country (I know this from visiting family all across the country in flyover states) and people are fed up. Obama campaigned as a non-status quo canditate, with all the hope and change talk, turns out, he's just the same ol politician.

[Anonymous]

How long did Michelle breastfeed? Why hasn't she come out full force on this issue? Or did he accept a campaign contribution from Similac?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The Obamas were comfortable but they certainly did not live like this before they moved into the White House, and we were not underwriting any pre-election extravagance. I don't expect them never to entertain or take vacations. It's a question of degree. We are paying for this extravagance. We don't like when CEO's live too grandly, do we? And just because Reagan, Bush, Clinton did it doesn't make it right. They all live like royalty and they hid the budget in other departments to make the number look lower. (I know, two friends worked in the White House in Clinton administration.) It's not just the money. It makes for a warped disconnect. Obama's lost his connection to how most of the people who elected him to office live.

You can't lump state dinners in with all of the extravagance.

I'm an Indie, and he wasn't my first choice. I'm pretty tepid about him, but honestly I never viewed them as living like the average American.