While most Americans suffer......

http://news.yahoo.com/footing-bill-obama-family-4-million-hawaii-vacation-124806817.html

Who‘s Footing the Bill for the Obama Family’s Estimated $4 Million Hawaii Vacation?
The Blaze – 2 hrs 52 mins ago

So, just how much will President Barack Obama’s Hawaiian vacation cost this year? That‘s a question that can’t be definitively answered until the costs are in and the trip has concluded, but an assessment of the numbers shows that it will likely be the 44th president’s most expensive vacation to date.

The Hawaii Reporter has estimated that travel, alone, will cost $3,629,622 — a startlingly large figure considering the length of the trip. And, yes, in case you were wondering: Taxpayers will be footing a chunk of the bill. After all, it‘s not cheap to ensure that the world’s most powerful leader is safe as he travels and enjoys time away from the grind.

To begin, the family is traveling separately, as Obama has had plenty to wrap up in Washington, D.C. before the holidays (i.e. the payroll tax cut drama). So, First Lady Michelle Obama already left for the family’s tropical getaway — a $100,000 expenditure, including personnel, travel and security.

Obama’s round-trip flight to Hawaii on Air Force One is estimated to be the largest expense associated with the vacation. According to the Air Force, it apparently costs $181,757 per flight hour to run the nation’s most secure (and probably its most lavish) aircraft. Thus, the total for the nine-hour trip from Washington to Hawaii and then back again will come in at $3,271,611.

And let’s not forget that a USAF C-17 cargo plane is also needed to bring Presidential limos, helicopters and other essentials along. This, too, comes at the tune of thousands of dollars. Plus, there’s security for the president and his family. A team of between four and six Marine Corps will travel along on a separate flight and require per diem and hotel, coming in at $258,000 (estimated).

The Obamas do cover the expense for their own private beach-front home in Kailua, Oahu, which costs up to $3,500 per day ($75,000 per month). However, taxpayers are responsible for housing monies associated with the U.S. Secret Service, Coast Guart and Navy Seals. There are seven houses needed to accommodate these individuals, which amounts to about $21,600 per home.

And these are only some of the costs. There are plenty of other numbers that can be crunched as well — including the local taxpayers‘ burden for services needed during the president’s stay — but the total expense for the vacation, according to the Reporter, will be $4,113,038 (estimated).

This is sad!

I dare say, and it would be a good question....think I'll email it to the website... that Ron Paul wouldn't think of such a thing while Americans suffer!

RP returns money to the treasury EVERY year from his budget, and won't take the congressional junkets or retirement plan because the people have to foot those bills!

If it looks like a banker, talks like a banker, acts like a banker.... it's probably a banker, or a cronie!

UPDATE:

I sent a message of my disfavor of King Barry's lavish holiday at our expense, while most Americans can't afford gifts for their children under a fake Christmas tree....

Ummmm, you left out the fighter escort which is expensive itself and that actually there is two C-17's that travel with the President plus having the Air Force One back up plane fully staffed and ready to go incase something happens with the first plane.

Then theres the cost of his law enforcement security detail when he travels. Room and board PLUS paying for all of the local cops and Local Federal Agents on overtime to help the Secret Service with providing protection, transporting the motorcade, events when he leaves where he is staying etc.

so, are we agreeing presidents should not have vacations with their families, unless they take commercial flights?

No, we're saying they should not be so lavish on a struggling economy. If they want to sneek away on their dime (which they could afford to do) it would be one thing, but this is a bit over the top on taxpayer dollars in this economy when there are other cheaper options available.

but its only 'lavish' because of the expenses incurred by the presidents plane and security,,,,

otherwise it is on his dime,,,

No, I am saying Obama, the Vacationer in Chief and his family shouldn't take so many LAVISH vacations as he does. The average American cant afford 1 weekend getaway a year and Obama keeps taking lavish vacations, trips or date nights on the tax payers dime.

Actually I call Hawaii, Nights out in New York City, closing a beach off in Mexico so Michelle can take her snooty wives club there, Marthas Vinyard and England lavish vacations.

Not to mention, I think it was the Martha's Vinyard one the first time where she didn't want to wait the extra four or five hours for the President to be done with his job duties so she flew out a couple hours a head of him on a smaller craft, which still is followed by a carge plane (with vehicles etc) and security arrangements when she could have had patience and waited a few hours and they could have all came at once.

the average american doesnt sleep where he works, or work around the clock, or have responsibility for all the woes of every other american nor are they lawyers with best selling books,,,lol


IM sure no other american making that type of money would be told they should only live at a level the 'average' american does,,,,

when you earn it , you should be able to enjoy it, not suffer because others dont have, although charity comes into play

he has earned it, he does nothing that he couldnt and wouldnt do outside of that office in his private life, ,,nothing he can do about the added expenses that come with traveling 'safely' as the president (let alone the first african american president)

I dare say that such a thing wouldn't happen with a Ron Paul president.

He wants to take the Presidential salary down to $40,000 from $400,000, has never taken a single trip (tho allowed) on the tax payers dime, always returns the majority of his yearly office budget to the treasury, and refuse the lucretive Congressional retirement plan....although he is NOT a millionaire!

I guess it's an issue of ethics. One wants to restore the constitution and peoples rights, the other "works so hard, night and day", destroying them.

and Ron Paul is a WANNA BE< not the actual leader of the USA,,which is a much more dangerous and exclusive position

requiring much more of that 'entourage' for protection and privacy,,,

George Bush II never took a vacation while in office?

George Buss I never took a vacation while in office?

Ronald Regan never took a vacation while in office?

Get off it man.

Not excessive vacations like Obummer has.

this is untrue, you should do some factchecking on presidents and their vacations,,,

Due to security concerns any place the president goes is expensive,
usually in the millions.

A trip to Hawaii is not excessive.