For the silly folks who have no better arguments against the President than to try to make him out some sort of slacker for taking a few vacation days (as if a President ever really has a vacation.)
"... at this point in each of their respective presidencies, George W. Bush had taken 180 days off from the White House, Bill Clinton 23 days and Obama 61."
-From the Washington Post
Comments
Alan Weakley
Well, Dubya could afford to sit back and chop a little brush in Crawford -- he'd already won the War on Terror!
Adaïr AIis
i feel like they tend to report on obama's vacas more than they did the others anyhow.
Barbara Helie
of course he doesn't count his trips to Camp David as vacation. The better question is how many days has he actually been in Washington DC working since his election.
Alan Weakley
In truth, I suspect that vacationing as Prez is no vacation; maybe the family gets to have a little more fun, and it may be great to be in a different venue, but for the POTUS it's still briefings and phone calls and decisions most waking hours -- wherever you are.
Adaïr AIis
we have some friends whose kids went to the same school as his daughters, and they were bombarded by the media everyday at school. so i can only imagine what vaca must be like.
Terrell Shaw
@ Barbara. The answer to your better query is: more than George W. <grin> And by the way, I think the numbers above reflect "days off from the White House" and therefore include Camp David days. I am very glad we have a place like Camp David where the President can work in some degree of quiet and calm.
Barbara Helie
I don't care how many more or less than George Bush. I would like to know how many days he has been in Washington DC working since his election. The comment about not counting Camp David came from an online site so I can neither confirm or deny that one. Only that it was reported to be from Obama. I believe so little of what I see or read in the media these days, so who knows what is really true.
Neal Brackett
61 in <2 years would be more than 240 in two full terms assuming re-election. Obama does more rounds of golf in a month than W did in his full two terms.... If I were prez I wouldn't golf any, but then again I never have... not that any of this has any bearing on the QUALITY of either one as president... just useless statistical trivia... no more relevent than name calling. Policy is what should matter in the voting booth.
Adaïr AIis
yup, thats why ya gotta do your own hw. many media outlets are just subsidiaries to the same parent. i never realized how misinformed people were until i started working campaign tables and canvassing.
People dont realize that finger pointing will never bring them positive results. no one can blame the mess we are in on a single individual…
Terrell Shaw
You are right that it is an empty criticism, Neal. It is one that has been lodged against presidents all the way back to Adams. I remember the criticisms of Eisenhower for too many golfing days back in the fifties. Silliness. As Alan pointed out. Presidents conduct Presidential business wherever they are.
Terrell Shaw
You are so right Adair that merely pointing fingers won't usually further the cause. I hesitate to bother correcting the most obscene criticisms of the President, because polls show that the vast majority of Americans like the President even if they disagree with him. Most folks know the challenges to his patriotism, his work ethic, his birth certificate, etc., etc. is just silliness.
I actually find much to admire about your guy, as I always have admired the principled libertarians. I just find the philosophy too simplistic, automatic, and unrealistic. I've always thought Libertarians could just program a computer to respond to issues, their responses are so predictable. Ol' Ron seems a kinder, gentler Libertarian than many. If we were to make Paulian cuts to the govt budget, however, it'd send us into a depression at a time like this IMO.
Liberty is endangered by the market as much as by the govt. We must be on guard against abuses by both.
Good night all.
Terrell Shaw
Please forgive the disagreeable verb tense above. Challenges is!!!???
Adaïr AIis
i like it that the responses are predictable. he doesn't bend or sway from his principles. I think it is funny that his nick name in congress is 'Dr. No'.
Freddie Ashley
Barbara, my understanding is that Camp David isn't a vacation spot, but a place to go work out of the glare of Washington.
Adaïr AIis
and the thing about the budget cuts and economic crisis is that, of course, the light at the end of the tunnel is so far away it cant be seen. No president will be able to make that light even visible over night. This whole problem started back decades ago.
This bubble breakage and credit downgrade is way overdue. and by bubble i don't mean the housing bubble. that was just a bubble within a bubble. QE1 and QE2 just cannot make sense to me, especially after taking my international accounting class and being forced to learn currency and commodity trading (which totally sucked by the way). And these QE's only benefited the big guys, not the people, so after that first transaction and the release of the money into circulation, the dollar as whole became less valuable. This affects the entire world as many other countries have made their currencies based off of ours. so they are feeling it too. not to mention investors are showing distrust to our dollar instability and govt allowance, so they have begun to pull out of the US markets. When I go to OANDA's FX trading, its really sad, because people who are really good at this kind of trading are making a killing. Basically, 1913 was a very bad year for Americans (but to some that could be an opinion).
As for cutting the budget, a third of our deficit (deficit is 14 trillion) is due to wars and foreign policy. There are around 160 countries, and we have 900 military bases worldwide. For some reason (probably religious) the other GOP candidates keep talking about Iran being a threat to Israel and America. Now I don't want to offend anyone who truly believes this based on their religious views, but how can they be a threat when they do not even have the means to produce gasoline. Also, israel has an incredible military. I know many Jews who support Paul for wanting to stop giving aid to israel. There are many reasons for this. 1. They want to be able to take credit for supporting themselves. 2. They dont see a dime of that foreign aid. It goes to AIPAC. 3. If we stopped foreign aid to all countries then Israel would have a net gain, since we are currently sending 7 times the amount of foreign aid to its surrounding countries. BTW did you know that we send foreign aid to the the UK?
So basically, if we cut out wars and foreign aid, Paul says that he would put that money back into some of the social programs that people currently depend on like medicare and social security. He knows that he cannot take everything away all at once. Once the troops are home they will be spending their salaries in America instead of in Germany or South Korea.
I know that I am Pro Austrian Econ here, but I cant help it!lol
I know i could go on and on and I know i am preachin to the choir, but i enjoy this kind of discussion.
Adaïr AIis
and tell lillian to come and play with caroline and me tomorrow! I tried to text her about william madden playing at ayf tonight. he did a good job considering it was his first time ever in front of people!
George Barton
When I was a boy, it seemed President Eisenhower lived at Augusta National playing golf. There is a cabin and a tree named after him there.
Duane Parsons
I posted this Q/A on my FB Wall yesterday with a link to FactCheck for the Full Answer where CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller “says he doesn’t count trips to Camp David as part of any presidents’ ‘vacation’ time”. However, other comparisons/details are given.
Q: Has President Obama taken more vacation time than his predecessors?
A: According to one count, Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush spent more time on "vacation" during their first year than President Obama did. Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton spent less time on "vacation."
Full Answer: http://www.factcheck.org/.../president-obamas-vacation-days/
FACTCHECK.ORG
President Obama’s Vacation Days | FactCheck.org
President Obama’s Vacation Days | FactCheck.org
Adaïr AIis
I dont really think that the presdient taking a vacation is an issue so long as he addresses the issues in a truthful manner to the people. After all, Congress is at recess. lol
Adaïr AIis
and there is a town down south, Warm Springs, where FDR used to vacation many times. His physical therapist recommended hot springs to heal his pains from polio. But all the same, i am sure many people considered it a vacation because it is such a beautiful place.
Ruth Baird Shaw
Our President's work, like other " professional's" work goes with him where ever he goes. It is sad to me to see the disrespect we show to Obama as we did Bush...
James Clinton Poss
I have no problem with him taking a few days vacation (the job is really a 24/7 one whether he is at the beach or in DC). Actually I would prefer he take a vacation than make some of the decisions he has made. How can you tell unemployed American workers you are trying to help them then direct ICE to not deport illegal immigrants unless they have committed violent crimes and suggest giving them work permits so they can compete with the 22 million LEGAL unemployed Americans? This is telling the world to come here any way you can. Our immigration laws are meaningless, we won't deport you and we will ensure you get benefits paid for by our employed and unemployed Americans.
Adaïr AIis
Agreed, James.
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