Obama takes wife out to NYC for an night

[HOZ]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

. That money is the cost of doing business for the POTUS.

This "controversy" is silly. I'd call it a storm in a teacup, but it's really more of a thimble.

I started this thread simple to criticize what I thought was a very crass move by POTUS in a time where he is about to axe 30 to 150 thousand jobs. This WAS NOT any regular cost of doing business as POTUS. This was a night out with the wife where he blew, IME 1-2 million dollars of tax payer money. Certainly not the wow, "What a guy!" moment we get from people. Very worthy of criticism IMO.

The controversy in this thread has only been about my estimation of the cost. Which quickly turned into personal insults and attacks on me. Some accusing me of perpetuating some mythical right-wing conspiracy . Thank to the person who showed the cost of a one day trip to Toronto (granted foreign country trips are 3-4 times more) people tended to be much more muted. Some are still doing all sorts of contorsions so not to "fully" agree with me.

Then of course we have the Bush-haters hanging on....Bush did this! Did that!, etc...

He is gone people. Time to move on.


Obama is not above criticism. This was only the second time I have criticised the man. This thread showed that there are many people who feel that he still is and will attack any criticizing Obama for being partisan. conspiracists, and racist(though this did not happen inthis thread).

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Well, I can agree that Obama isn't above criticism. But if this is all you can criticize him for, you're about to fall over from all that reaching.

As for the controversy over your estimate, you more or less brought that on yourself by pulling numbers out of your keister. If you had just said "that looks expensive," then we could maybe have agreed. But instead you made up an outlandish number with very little prospect of even being close. You made matters worse by using the passive voice, describing the cost as being "estimated at 1-2 million"--which makes it sound like the "estimate" had some sort of official imprimatur, when in fact you were making it up. If you had said "I would estimate the cost at 1-2 million," that might also have been less controversial, though you would still probably have been wrong.

Out of curiosity, do you think it cost 1-2 million dollars to send Bush to the Olympics? I'm guessing it didn't.

[HOOT]

My problem with you and this thread is you make it out to seem like you are 100% certain the trip cost $1-2M, when in fact you have no idea and no one besides yourself is saying so. Not even articles about the trip are stating numbers that high.

For all you and I know this trip could have cost $100K or $10M but you chose not to give any facts instead just say you know it costs this much because so and so without anything to back it up.

Then when someone comes and shows true numbers you brush it off and change what you really meant. Its okay to admit you don't like a person for whatever reasons you may have but don't discount the true because of it.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Out of curiosity, do you think it cost 1-2 million dollars to send Bush to the Olympics? I'm guessing it didn't.

I'm guessing it did.

Maybe more than 2 million.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Azure

I'm guessing it did.

Maybe more than 2 million.

Well, your guess is as good as mine!

[HOZ]

Originally Posted by HOOT

My problem with you and this thread is you make it out to seem like you are 100% certain the trip cost $1-2M, when in fact you have no idea and no one besides yourself is saying so. Not even articles about the trip are stating numbers that high.

For all you and I know this trip could have cost $100K or $10M but you chose not to give any facts instead just say you know it costs this much because so and so without anything to back it up.

Then when someone comes and shows true numbers you brush it off and change what you really meant. Its okay to admit you don't like a person for whatever reasons you may have but don't discount the true because of it.

Yes, I am very certain, with no evidence to the contrary, that my estimation is close to the actually cost of that night out. If someone has evidence to the contrary please present it and I will be very happy to change my mind.

And no I didn't change what I really meant.

And who is it that I don't like?

BTW: Sercurty costs are Top Sercret.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by HOZ

Yes, I am very certain, with no evidence, that my estimation is close to the actually cost of that night out. If someone has evidence to the contrary please present it and I will be very happy to change my mind.

And no I didn't change what I really meant.

And who is it that I don't like?

BTW: Sercurty costs are Top Sercret.

Fixed it for you.

[HOZ]

I'd say airports make a lot more that the 8000 bucks for a plane landing
Quantas pays 700 million for airport fees.
Mr Joyce told a meeting of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia in Melbourne yesterday. "Qantas pays more than $700 million each year in airport charges, property costs, licences and staff car parking," he said.
"Airports are very, very good at earning revenue and producing profits out of everything you can imagine at the airport."

Sydney Airport, which is mostly owned by Macquarie Infrastructure Fund, had revenue of more than $812 million in 2007-08.

Airline Industry may sue over landing fees: Why would they do that?

Wiki

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by HOZ

Yes, I am very certain, with no evidence to the contrary, that my estimation is close to the actually cost of that night out. If someone has evidence to the contrary please present it and I will be very happy to change my mind.

And no I didn't change what I really meant.

And who is it that I don't like?

BTW: Sercurty costs are Top Sercret.

I believe the Obamas shared a hotel room with a unicorn, and split the bill two ways.

I'm positive of this. With no evidence to the contrary I don't see any reason to change my mind.

Go ahead people. Prove me wrong. Good luck.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by HOZ

Yes, I am very certain, with no evidence to the contrary, that my estimation is close to the actually cost of that night out. If someone has evidence to the contrary please present it and I will be very happy to change my mind.

And no I didn't change what I really meant.

And who is it that I don't like?

BTW: Sercurty costs are Top Sercret.

Well I am very certain that Obama paid the SS and all the costs of flying, hotel, show and dinner. I even know for a fact he tipped his driver with his own money. Prove me wrong...

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by HOZ

I'd say airports make a lot more that the 8000 bucks for a plane landing
Quantas pays 700 million for airport fees.
Mr Joyce told a meeting of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia in Melbourne yesterday. "Qantas pays more than $700 million each year in airport charges, property costs, licences and staff car parking," he said.

Ok so you can ignore me because I am just looking at this post and not the whole thread. So everyone can take what I say with a big grain of salt. But, ok, 700 million each year. But we are talking how many flights, how many licences, how much car parking, how much, etc for Quantas versus a 1-off in this instance....

I don't know what to make of this debate. I really don't....

[RedHot25]

Does it say something when you google this issue and this thread is #5 overall in the rankings?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by HOZ

I started this thread simple to criticize what I thought was a very crass move by POTUS in a time where he is about to axe 30 to 150 thousand jobs.

This has been bothering me throughout this thread, which jobs exactly is Obama cutting? I don't recall hearing about 30k federal employees being fired, so where exactly have you pulled this number from?

[onetwo_threefour]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

I believe the Obamas shared a hotel room with a unicorn, and split the bill two ways.

I'm positive of this. With no evidence to the contrary I don't see any reason to change my mind.

Go ahead people. Prove me wrong. Good luck.

Well...

Let's start with our knowns:

Neither of the Obama's is a virgin.
Unicorns only hang out with virgins.
I think we can all accept those knowns:

Now we look at your premise.

The Obamas spent a weekend with a unicorn.

Now, based on our knowns, your premise is impossible.

Now, bow before my greatness as I have proven you wrong.

[RedHot25]

Ok, some research:

-random Yahoo! guy seems to agree with Hoz I think: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...7075005AA0cEzc (a flight to Colorado apparently)
-yet this random article, which does not appear to be a fan of Obama at all (and that's putting it nicely ), quotes: Or did he stroke a check for $200K, the likely total cost of transport for multiple cargo jets, Marine Ones and limo motorcade?
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...age=true&cat=9
-According to this article- http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009...as-date-night/ - yes, from Fox News, the Obamas would have preferred using a commercial airline shuttle to New York and back but the Secret Service would not allow such unprotected travel.
-this one notes an apparently similar trip the Reagans made: http://www.alan.com/2009/05/31/rnc-a...broadway-show/
-and no, its not a great comparison, but this aticle - http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/20...-private-jets/ (from reuters) - says that for CEOs, It costs about $20,000 to fly one of these (private company) jets round trip from Detroit to Chicago — far more than the $900 cost of a first-class ticket on Northwest Airlines. (they must have forgotten their landing fees).

So what does this all say? I'm not sure. Which is about what I make of this debate/thread.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Well, your guess is as good as mine!

Think about it.

Flight to China, with him and his security personal, hotel rooms, food....all of which were top of the line, flight back.....it was expensive.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by RedHot25

Does it say something when you google this issue and this thread is #5 overall in the rankings?

No.

CP always turns up on the first page when you Google similar words to thread titles. Don't know why.

[Azure]

Seriously Hoz, I see your point and all....but this really is a non-issue.

$1 million, $2 million.....big deal.

[HOZ]

Originally Posted by Azure

Seriously Hoz, I see your point and all....but this really is a non-issue.

$1 million, $2 million.....big deal.

I am not trying to make this into something more than it is. On whole, this is a very minor event, but one I felt needed pointing out. I am spending most of my time defending myself from personal attacks and insults which are very irksome.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by valo403

This has been bothering me throughout this thread, which jobs exactly is Obama cutting? I don't recall hearing about 30k federal employees being fired, so where exactly have you pulled this number from?

haha damn you beat me to this. I don't understand how Obama cut these jobs... is HOZ referring to the auto industry thing or what?

The economy was eroding before he took office, while he was campaigning, and the job losses are more a result of that than any "policy" Obama has put into place.