[$tinkle]

Expensive massages, top shelf vodka and five-star hotels: First Lady accused of spending $10m in public money on her vacations

The Obamas' summer break on Martha's Vineyard has already been branded a PR disaster after the couple arrived four hours apart on separate government jets.
But according to new reports, this is the least of their extravagances.
White House sources today claimed that the First Lady has spent $10million of U.S. taxpayers' money on vacations alone in the past year.

is that a kona?
& wassup w/ the 2 wrong fingers on the front brakes only?


pesqueeb to be outraged in 3...2...1...

 

[moff_quigley]

Trek. The bike of choice for President's around the world.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I seem to have misplaced my Glenn Beck Frothers Gonna Froth jpg.

I will look for it later, until then:


Boogity boogity boogity Oooooh Shiny!!!

 

[sanjuro]

PS Daily Mail is owned by Rupert Murdoch, reporting a story to the National Enquirer.

 

[$tinkle]

PS Daily Mail is owned by Rupert Murdoch, reporting a story to the National Enquirer.

so the story is false or misleading?

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

the source is "national enquirer"???

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

so the story is false or misleading?

misleading at best.
they count sunk costs like that of the SS personel as part of the vacation´s cost.

 

[$tinkle]

yep.

here's another lie they "published": http://www.nationalenquirer.com/celebrity/sen-john-edwards-caught-mistress-and-love-child

 

[$tinkle]

misleading at best.
they count sunk costs like that of the SS personel as part of the vacation´s cost.

but clearly, they shouldn't

 

[$tinkle]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2029307/Michelle-Obama-shows-President-tiny-purple-bike-shorts-Marthas-Vineyard.html

v-brakes? ok, now we're clearly in the realm of the austere

 

[sanjuro]

The part that this article leaves out is how all the first ladies take fancy trips around the world to promote the USA.

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-06-21/news/29707080_1_sasha-obama-african-trip-foreign-trips

I think it is ridiculous to point how drinks expensive booze and fine wines. What is America supposed to do? Put up her at the Quality Inn with her entourage and the Secret Service?

 

[$tinkle]

The part that this article leaves out is how all the first ladies take fancy trips around the world to promote the USA.

well then, if it's all done for promoting, then why doesn't she consult w/ don king? seriously, it's in poor form given our economic situation ("we all have to eat our peas" -- and -- "we all have to sacrifice" -- and -- "[bankers receiving bailout money] can't take a trip to Las Vegas or down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers' dime.") for her to take personal jaunts *not* serving the interest of promotion of the usa (martha's vineyard, corvallis, etc.), which one hopes would have some measurable ROI, but that's aside.

I think it is ridiculous to point how drinks expensive booze and fine wines. What is America supposed to do? Put up her at the Quality Inn with her entourage and the Secret Service?

false dilemma.

while no one can put forth a reasonable argument she's being unethical, it certainly is in poor form, and also may undermine her husband's implied (or inferred) class warfare rhetoric.

it's a tenuous position to take that the "haves" must put in more, we must "tighten our belt", and all the while his wife is taking extravagant sojourns on the taxpayer dime. maybe she should have big oil's taxes ear-marked for her unnecessary trips (as if there's such a thing as a "necessary trip").

but continue to defend her, please

 

[heavy metal]

More reasons not to vote.

 

[ohio]

it certainly is in poor form

not until you can tell me the delta between those expenses and what it would cost the taxpayer for her to stand out in front of WalMart ringing a bell every day. I'm guessing 90% of that cost is what it costs to keep a first lady breathing for that length of time.

 

[Silver]

Naggers should drink Popov.

 

[sanjuro]

well then, if it's all done for promoting, then why doesn't she consult w/ don king? seriously, it's in poor form given our economic situation ("we all have to eat our peas" -- and -- "we all have to sacrifice" -- and -- "[bankers receiving bailout money] can't take a trip to Las Vegas or down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers' dime.") for her to take personal jaunts *not* serving the interest of promotion of the usa (martha's vineyard, corvallis, etc.), which one hopes would have some measurable ROI, but that's aside.
false dilemma.

while no one can put forth a reasonable argument she's being unethical, it certainly is in poor form, and also may undermine her husband's implied (or inferred) class warfare rhetoric.

it's a tenuous position to take that the "haves" must put in more, we must "tighten our belt", and all the while his wife is taking extravagant sojourns on the taxpayer dime. maybe she should have big oil's taxes ear-marked for her unnecessary trips (as if there's such a thing as a "necessary trip").

but continue to defend her, please

Could you list what wines and expensive liquors she drank? Maybe the reliable source the Enquirer uncovered might tell us.

 

[HAB]

not until you can tell me the delta between those expenses and what it would cost the taxpayer for her to stand out in front of WalMart ringing a bell every day. I'm guessing 90% of that cost is what it costs to keep a first lady breathing for that length of time.

I am genuinely curious as to what the numbers really are, but I bet you're right.

 

[monkeyfcuker]

Back away from the Daily Mail website, seriously, it's a venomous horrible racist little newspaper. You'd be better off getting the daily news from OK magazine.

 

[$tinkle]

not until you can tell me the delta between those expenses and what it would cost the taxpayer for her to stand out in front of WalMart ringing a bell every day. I'm guessing 90% of that cost is what it costs to keep a first lady breathing for that length of time.

until & unless she takes AF2 & an motorcade entourage to wal*mart, i'm guessing those numbers would have a significant delta, to understate the case.

what numbers would you speculate?

i will concede bell-ringing would do about as much for her "office" as most of her recent trips.

Could you list what wines and expensive liquors she drank? Maybe the reliable source the Enquirer uncovered might tell us.

nice to see you're immune to cynicism & trust those spending other people's money they would be fiscally responsible & above board.

when i travel on teh gov't dime, liquor is 100% off the table. both on active duty & a contractor. if i want it, i have to put a hand in *my* pocket.

why one standard for us plebes, and another for her?

Back away from the Daily Mail website, seriously, it's a venomous horrible racist little newspaper. You'd be better off getting the daily news from OK magazine.

or as i like to call it: "mother's milk"

 

[jimmydean]

This wouldn't be an issue if they spent the time clearing brush like they are supposed to.

 

[$tinkle]

This wouldn't be an issue if they spent the time clearing brush like they are supposed to.

and maybe put it to song; something to pass the time that they could all sing together

 

[jimmydean]

and maybe put it to song; something to pass the time that they could all sing together

I was thinking this:

Not this:

 

[eaterofdog]

That's the dumbest sh!t I ever read.

 

[$tinkle]

That's the dumbest sh!t I ever read.

you mustn't be crippled wit r3sp3ct

 

[stevew]

why one standard for us plebes, and another for her?

she only spikes her grape drink with the good stuff.

 

[zdubyadubya]

you guys must run with some thrifty females.... if my wife had that kind of access to perks, the taxpayer bill would be >>>>10mil.

 

[sanjuro]

stinkle: Critics have called Michelle Obama fat, skinny, bad dresser, socialist, radical, too black, not black enough.

I guarantee if Michelle bought all the food for the next State Dinner at Walmart, Fox News and their British counterparts would say she is disrepecting the position of First Lady.

Finally, luxury hotel room $2,000, Joint Strike Fighter $133,000,000; bottle of Bollingers $100, Iraq invasion $730,000,000,000.

 

[$tinkle]

stinkle: Critics have called Michelle Obama fat, skinny, bad dresser, socialist, radical, too black, not black enough.

and irrelevant to this thread

I guarantee if Michelle bought all the food for the next State Dinner at Walmart, Fox News and their British counterparts would say she is disrepecting the position of First Lady.

likely.
also irrelevant

Finally, luxury hotel room $2,000, Joint Strike Fighter $133,000,000; bottle of Bollingers $100, Iraq invasion $730,000,000,000.

hotel room & bollingers are consumed almost instantly, and have no ROI, unless she plans to bang strauss-kahn

 

[kidwoo]

hotel room & bollingers are consumed almost instantly, and have no ROI, unless she plans to bang strauss-kahn

Unlike the amazing ROI on Iraq. Oh that's right, you live in that shlthole people call a town. The military welfare state of CO springs I think it's called?

I agree with you though. Nobody likes an uppity nagger spending money she don't own none of. Especially when it's tax dollars paid by upstanding white people who work hard. Wars and dead people are a far better investment, no argument there.

Thank god we have such fine institutions of journalism as the one you linked to in the OP. Where would we be without the knowledge of what a kardashian titty is up to on a daily basis.

 

[ohio]

until & unless she takes AF2 & an motorcade entourage to wal*mart, i'm guessing those numbers would have a significant delta, to understate the case.

what numbers would you speculate?

The motorcade is a necessity, pretty much 365, so yes, she would have to take one to WalMart. You can't exactly walk to a SuperCenter, but you elitists wouldn't know about WalMart, would you? Let's do some quick back of the napkin shall we?

Let's assume the real cost of a secret service agent is $200k a year. I think it's likely quite a bit more, but we'll be conservative. She probably has a security detail of 2 at all times, plus one for each kid, so 4 of them. 3 shifts a day, we're up to 12 of them (and $2.4M). Now add equipment (bulletproof motorcade - $500k), drivers (3 x $150k = ~$500k), and administrative staff (4 x 150k = $600k). We're up to $4M just to breath. Just to go grocery shopping in the 'hood.

That was without even trying and assuming she is on house arrest.

 

[sanjuro]

and irrelevant to this thread

I must be wrong because stinkle said so.

 

[heavy metal]

 

[dante]

Seriously, $tinkle, there's a ton of reasonable reasons to not like this president, but you're going with the frother/birther/Birch Society/teabagger/fringe crap instead? Guess what, it just turns independents off to the entire right-wing media when they focus on this type of stuff (or the "500 ships taking part in Obama's visit to India" story).

More reasons not to vote.

And then of course heavy metal goes and proves that right-wing propaganda sometimes does impact certain feeble-minded voters...

 

[Pesqueeb]

Seriously, $tinkle, there's a ton of reasonable reasons to not like this president, but you're going with the frother/birther/Birch Society/teabagger/fringe crap instead? Guess what, it just turns independents off to the entire right-wing media when they focus on this type of stuff (or the "500 ships taking part in Obama's visit to India" story).

Once again with the "outrage" over this president (or in this case the first lady) doing something every other president has done before. The black people do it, and NOW its unconscionable.

 

[$tinkle]

ohio: my issue is not w/ SS protection, rather it's w/ frivolous expenses above & beyond what's already been budgeted, purely for her pleasure. when the public is picking up your tab, it shall be justified.

i know you get this.

Seriously, $tinkle, there's a ton of reasonable reasons to not like this president, but you're going with the frother/birther/Birch Society/teabagger/fringe crap instead?

poisoning the well aside, my issue -- which has been plainly stated -- is her poor form in what are for many difficult times [not just for her base]. it's flaunting, & re-defines tacky, and turns off the independents. it's not birther speculation lunacy, it's a matter of public record [or should be where it isn't] & has gone unaddressed (until any minute now, perhaps)

And then of course heavy metal goes and proves that right-wing propaganda sometimes does impact certain feeble-minded voters...

the real propaganda is that anyone who takes issue w/ this behavior must be a racist. you've been co-opted to elevate her to the status that's void of accountability & question, likely due in no small part to your own white guilt. sorry, but for me the standard is "content of character", not "color of skin".

Once again with the "outrage" over this president (or in this case the first lady) doing something every other president has done before. The black people do it, and NOW its unconscionable.

i wasn't aware of the rife abuse from previous first ladies, and adding to that the chronic timing of her marinating in the spoils. do you intend to project upon her distractors that she's jacking "us" for some sort of reparations? that, too, would be in poor form, and not very clever.

 

[sanjuro]

I couldn't find any follow up to Michelle's extravagant vacations. Must be the mainstream media who chooses sensational news like hurricane deaths over the real story.

 

[heavy metal]

And then of course heavy metal goes and proves that right-wing propaganda sometimes does impact certain feeble-minded voters...

I don't understand, both party's candidates are always so same, unoriginal, and uninspiring. What's the point when there's no perceived difference. It's probably only worth voting every once and a while in effect to block candidates who are particularly evil or idiotic.

In short. It shouldn't be a surprise that Obama's on a cush vaca. He's warlord in chief and he's enjoying what comes with the territory just like everyone before him and long after.

 

[dante]

I don't understand, both party's candidates are always so same, unoriginal, and uninspiring. What's the point when there's no perceived difference. It's probably only worth voting every once and a while in effect to block candidates who are particularly evil or idiotic.

In short. It shouldn't be a surprise that Obama's on a cush vaca. He's warlord in chief and he's enjoying what comes with the territory just like everyone before him and long after.

Seriously?

 

[heavy metal]

yeah.

 

[Pesqueeb]

ohio: my issue is not w/ SS protection, rather it's w/ frivolous expenses above & beyond what's already been budgeted, purely for her pleasure. when the public is picking up your tab, it shall be justified.

i know you get this.
poisoning the well aside, my issue -- which has been plainly stated -- is her poor form in what are for many difficult times [not just for her base]. it's flaunting, & re-defines tacky, and turns off the independents. it's not birther speculation lunacy, it's a matter of public record [or should be where it isn't] & has gone unaddressed (until any minute now, perhaps)
the real propaganda is that anyone who takes issue w/ this behavior must be a racist. you've been co-opted to elevate her to the status that's void of accountability & question, likely due in no small part to your own white guilt. sorry, but for me the standard is "content of character", not "color of skin".
i wasn't aware of the rife abuse from previous first ladies, and adding to that the chronic timing of her marinating in the spoils. do you intend to project upon her distractors that she's jacking "us" for some sort of reparations? that, too, would be in poor form, and not very clever.