Taxpayers
will be sending President Obama on his second vacation of the year when he
departs Friday aboard Air Force One for a Presidents’ Day Weekend excursion to
West Palm Beach, Florida.
Without apparent
irony, Obama has decided to jet to a well-trod stomping ground of the rich just
days after presenting himself to the nation in his State of the Union speech as
the guardian of the middle class.
Obama presumably
will head directly to some fabulous golf course, having not been able to play in
recent weeks because of the cold weather in Washington.
While Obama may
pay some hotel and other miscellaneous costs related to his vacation travel,
taxpayers are on the hook for much of the expense, shelling out for the
president’s travel aboard Air Force One, a cargo plane that carries supplies,
and the cost of the president’s substantial staff and security
retinue.
While
unemployment stands at nearly eight percent, Obama is taking his second vacation
of 2013. The year is only six weeks old.
Obama initially
traveled to Hawaii in late December. He returned after a several days to work on
a fiscal cliff deal, and then went back for several more days in early January
after signing a bill. So this will also be the third time in less than two
months that taxpayers have footed the bill for a round-trip Obama
vacation.
It’s not clear
if Michelle Obama is going with him - the White House announcement of Obama’s
plans doesn’t mention her. She usually goes skiing in the Rockies around this
point in the year. White House Dossier
ISH/HJ
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