Trump on track to surpass all of Obama's travel costs in 2 years or less

[awpitt]

I would suppose the Hawai'in locals on the Obamas' 7 or 8 or whatever trips to there had no costs? No hassles?

How about when he went to Williamsburg, VA? Or Denver? Long Beach?

By this point in his presidency, Obama had travelled for 20 days to 21 cities in 7 countries outside the US as well as in. Were those costs considered in your original figure?
Trump, by comparison, has been on travel for 27 days, but has not left the country.

Not my figures. They were obtained from the GAO.

Trips any president make to another country, say for a state visit, are not included as those are paid for out of the State Dept budget. Purely political trips are not included as those are paid by the DNC or the RNC.

 

[SamSpade]

Purely political trips are not included as those are paid by the DNC or the RNC.

You sure? As any story that makes really fantastic claims, the first thing I did was Google Obama trips - and look for articles older than five months, so as not to see all the ones decrying Trump, because they were sure to be biased against him.

True to form, there were lots of articles about Obama - not necessarily from right wing sources - critical of his travel, not the least of which mentioned costs for flying to fundraisers.

http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-...avel-costs-bring-eight-year-total-96-million/

Also mentioned in the article are travel taken by Michele, some of which would be political in nature.

I'm skeptical of the numbers for trips to Florida - to his OWN place. It's not as though an entire hotel and surrounding area had to be specially rented.
10 million for 2.5 months strikes me as hard to believe - if he traveled there every weekend, that's what, a million per weekend? While the Obamas went to Aspen and Martha's Vineyard for half that? (Or less?)
What'd they do, stay at the Motel 6?

 

[SamSpade]

Ok, THIS article written a while back says that three trips to Mar-A-Lago alone might cost 10 million.

http://fortune.com/2017/02/22/trump-security-mar-a-lago-cost-taxpayers/

I can only think it must cost that much because the place is poorly designed for presidential security - but - how much should it cost?
When I go to the Eastern Shore, I can see the Wye River facility where top brass have hosted foreign dignitaries (as Clinton did with the Wye River Memorandum).
That Judicial Watch article shows a visit to Martha's Vineyard for Obama being much less, although I think they're just mentioning air travel costs.

Something doesn't sound right.

 

[Gilligan]

Trump said he wasn't going to do this sort of thing and he's doing it. I don't recall Obama saying anything of the sort. His blowing tax dollars to travel here and there was no surprise. Trump was supposed to be that agent of change from all of that crap, and he's not. .

That's the aspect that bothers me too. If he had no intention of following through on that promise, he never should have uttered the statements in the first place.

 

[CalvertNewb]

That's the aspect that bothers me too. If he had no intention of following through on that promise, he never should have uttered the statements in the first place.

This exactly.

The fact that he visits his own property makes me more angry not less. Reason being is he is actually profiting by paying himself with us tax payer funds. He is essentially renting rooms for secret service and other members of his entourage and charging the government for it and then pocketing it.


Not to mention additional secret service for all his children and Melanie

For me this isn't the first time I've felt he campaigned one way and changed tack once elected but the fact that his supporters defend this practice is hypocritical at least. Possibly criminal at worst

 

[CalvertNewb]

http://huff.to/2p3dq02

 

[Merlin99]

This exactly.

The fact that he visits his own property makes me more angry not less. Reason being is he is actually profiting by paying himself with us tax payer funds. He is essentially renting rooms for secret service and other members of his entourage and charging the government for it and then pocketing it.


Not to mention additional secret service for all his children and Melanie

For me this isn't the first time I've felt he campaigned one way and changed tack once elected but the fact that his supporters defend this practice is hypocritical at least. Possibly criminal at worst

The secret service has always had this responsibility, not sure why it'd piss you off in this case.

 

[CalvertNewb]

The secret service has always had this responsibility, not sure why it'd piss you off in this case.

Not true

They have never had the responsibility or cost of maintaining security for a FLOTUS living in another city and not at the White House for an extended period of time.

Generally the children are school age and live in the White House as well.

These are all adults with their own homes and the ability to pay for their own security if the deem it necessary

 

[littlelady]

I don't like Trump's personality, but I like that he is shaking up WDC and the World. I have said numerous times...go, Trump! But... going to his place in FL to conduct official biz, and the FLOTUS not living in the WH is unacceptable. There are plenty of golf courses around DC for Trump to play golf with whatever official he is hosting. And...it is not like Barron is graduating from HS this year (he is 11 years old)which I could see keeping him in the same school in NYC. Trump should stay in the WH, unless on vacation, and Melania and Barron should be in the WH, too. Period.

One more thing. Trump is acting more elitist than the people he wanted to send down the swamp drain.
Can't win for losin'; or something like that. Trump was the best choice of the worst options Americans have ever had to choose from for prez. God bless, America.

In other news. Hillary was shown modeling Katy Perry shoes made in her honor. We are doomed.

One more thing. If the whole thing about Obama was trying to divide America, Trump is not helping to negate that. A family should be together.

 

[GURPS]

This exactly.

The fact that he visits his own property makes me more angry not less.

so what :shrug: he should stay at the Best Western down the street ?

 

[This_person]

Not my figures. They were obtained from the GAO.

Trips any president make to another country, say for a state visit, are not included as those are paid for out of the State Dept budget. Purely political trips are not included as those are paid by the DNC or the RNC.

I forgot that the state dept isn't a cost to the taxpayer, and therefore not valid for discussion.

 

[awpitt]

I forgot that the state dept isn't a cost to the taxpayer, and therefore not valid for discussion.

No one said that.

 

[awpitt]

so what :shrug: he should stay at the Best Western down the street ?

The fact that he stays at his own property as POTUS has resulted in his own financial gain. The resort fee for the FL place has doubled since Jan 20th.

 

[awpitt]

Not true

They have never had the responsibility or cost of maintaining security for a FLOTUS living in another city and not at the White House for an extended period of time.

Generally the children are school age and live in the White House as well.

These are all adults with their own homes and the ability to pay for their own security if the deem it necessary

Agreed!

 

[Hijinx]

Agreed!

Figures don't lie , but liars figure.

A pretty old saying, but true.

Many posters here (No names mentioned) Will agree to anything anti-Trump.
It irks them that for 4 years Trump can travel pretty much anywhere he wants to go.
Didn't seem to bother them when Obama went to New York for dinner , or California to get on a TV show.
They didn't mind the Mooch renting out entire floors in Aspen or Africa.
Now they sh1t themselves over Trump going to Fla.

I bet Trump is saying #### 'em.
Until they open their eyes to the Muslim President and bitch about his extravagance, I pretty much feel the same way.

 

[awpitt]

Ok, THIS article written a while back says that three trips to Mar-A-Lago alone might cost 10 million.

http://fortune.com/2017/02/22/trump-security-mar-a-lago-cost-taxpayers/

I can only think it must cost that much because the place is poorly designed for presidential security - but - how much should it cost?
When I go to the Eastern Shore, I can see the Wye River facility where top brass have hosted foreign dignitaries (as Clinton did with the Wye River Memorandum).
That Judicial Watch article shows a visit to Martha's Vineyard for Obama being much less, although I think they're just mentioning air travel costs.

Something doesn't sound right.

The difference is that Obama would stay at places that were isolated so it was relatively easy to provide security. The same way Bush 41 and Bush 43 would stay at their properties which were away from the public. Sure, they would venture out at times but it was controllable. Trump is staying at a functioning resort where other people are constantly around. Sort of like staying at Disney World or Atlantis. Makes it very difficult for the Secret Service and local law enforcement. You mentioned the Wye River facility which is another case of a controller environment.

 

[awpitt]

You sure?

Yes.

 

[Hijinx]

The difference is that Obama would stay at places that were isolated so it was relatively easy to provide security. The same way Bush 41 and Bush 43 would stay at their properties which were away from the public. Sure, they would venture out at times but it was controllable. Trump is staying at a functioning resort where other people are constantly around. Sort of like staying at Disney World or Atlantis. Makes it very difficult for the Secret Service and local law enforcement. You mentioned the Wye River facility which is another case of a controller environment.

Weak

 

[awpitt]

Weak

Nope. You just can't understand.

 

[Hijinx]

Nope. You just can't understand.

One of us cannot understand, I don't think it's me.