The Obamas Prove They Aren’t Far Removed From What Most Americans are Going Through
**Written by Doug Powers
The president’s family is feeling a hit like most Americans these days:
He says he and first lady Michelle Obama took a hit like everybody else when the economy nearly collapsed, telling ABC that a college fund for daughters Malia and Sasha has gone “up and down” with the stock market.
Obama says the first couple is “not that far removed from what most Americans are going through.”
Not far removed, but far enough so that the First Lady can reserve 30 rooms at a five-star hotel in Spain next month:
Michelle Obama has reserved about 30 rooms for herself and her daughter, their friends and bodyguards at a five-star hotel in Benahavis near Marbella, hotel sources said.
Not far removed, but far enough to spend ten days on Martha’s Vineyard next month:
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is taking his family back to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., for summer vacation next month.
The White House announced the vacation plans on Friday, one day after disclosing that the Obamas would overnight somewhere along Florida’s oil-threatened Gulf Coast on the weekend of Aug. 14.
The Obamas are scheduled to arrive on the Massachusetts island on Aug. 19 and return to the White House on Aug. 29.
Bo Obama is scheduled to arrive on Bark Force One shortly after the rest of the family.
Somebody please tell the president that if he wants a ride on Massachusetts Senator John Kerry’s new $7 million yacht, he’ll have to go to Rhode Island.
Last year, the president called on all Americans to buckle down, give up some things and share in the misery until we get through this financial mess. Can you imagine the scale of the vacations if the Obamas weren’t chipping in their share of sacrifice like the rest of us?
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go shoe my polo pony.
(h/t Gateway Pundit)
**Written by Doug Powers
Twitter @ThePowersThatBe
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
 |
Obama’s latest campaign angle: I’ve been saving America from wild Republican debts
May 24, 2012 04:33 PM by Doug Powers
48 Comments
Stammertime: Jay Carney asked if Chicago protests have soured Obama’s support for OWS
May 23, 2012 07:44 PM by Doug Powers
54 Comments
Biden: Tea Party stopped us from growing the economy
May 23, 2012 01:55 PM by Doug Powers
44 Comments
Catholic lawsuit against Obamacare mandate cites 1993 legislation written by Ted Kennedy and Chuck Schumer
May 22, 2012 04:35 PM by Doug Powers
48 Comments
Biden: Hey, I don’t blame people for voting for a convicted felon instead of my boss
May 18, 2012 01:21 PM by Doug Powers
73 Comments
Senate narrowly votes down Obama budget
May 16, 2012 06:09 PM by Doug Powers
47 CommentsObamacare cronyism: The First Lady’s patient-dumping, privacy-meddling scheme
May 16, 2012 08:56 AM by Michelle Malkin
102 Comments
Categories: Barack Obama,Michelle Obama
Babalu Blog
» U.S. Manned Space Flight in The 21st CenturyVillainous Company
» Must Read Post of the Day. Possibly, the YearSister Toldjah
» Barack Obama: Can we call him a Socialist now?Redstate
» Daily Links – May 25, 2012
Oh,YEAH…
I just know that The Mad King Barack is feelin’ my pain…
Hey you photoshoppers. Time to photoshop the Attacking whale and Kerrys Yacht ….that would be terrific!!!
I’m supposed to take a half day this Friday…..maybe play some golf.
Wow! I’m feeling presidential!
No wonder this bho is going on the view! I wonder who watches the view anyways? His polls are cratering because the vast majority of Americans can not imagine all the vacations and golf this bho is doing. I would imagine there are plenty of American’s that can not afford to take a mini vacation, much less the gobs this bho and family have taken at taxpayers expense. DO NOT tell we American’s you feel our pain, you have no way of knowing our pain because of what you are doing.
L
Oh lordy, this is silly. Why don’t you publish the WHOLE quote, Doug?
Obama was not saying he is currently not far removed from most Americans. He said:
Now, I am sure even then he was doing okay, but why don’t you go back to 2005 or so and see if he was reserving 30 rooms in Spain or taking 10 day trips to Martha’s Vineyard.
It’s getting to be time for Obama to take a vacation from his vacation lifestyle.
It’s good to be the King!
Jeez, just hire Chuck Norris and save a few million, will ya?!
Of course he wasn’t, he didn’t have access to my frickin wallet then!
A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking.
Earl Wilson
Babies don’t need a vacation, but I still see them at the beach… it pisses me off! I’ll go over to a little baby and say ‘What are you doing here? You haven’t worked a day in your life!’
Steven Wright
Is Michelle Obama cutting back to $400 shoes?
***
The President and his wife and family have to travel with an entourage of security personnel. And the President must have lots of military commo equipment and personnel–including the nuclear “football” and its guardians / operators.
***
It’s not like me checking into La Quinta or Motel 6 with my wife and chihuahua! There are lots of evil and crazy people who would harm them–or President Reagan–or John Lennon–or the Pope–or George Wallace.
***
They can’t just fly Southwest Airlines either! Our leader and his family must always be adequately protected against the locos in our midst. And it costs mucho dinero.
***
John Bibb
***
You forgot your /sarc tag.
It is not more vacation we need – it is more vocation.
Eleanor Roosevelt
There is no need to drag granite into this.
Unemployment insurance is a pre-paid vacation for freeloaders.
Ronald Reagan
Ooh, preemptive strike, nice.
The emperor’s 2005 adjusted gross income was $1,655,106. So they took a pay cut to move into the WH and ratcheted up the vacationing and partying with our money instead…I bet you kinda wish you hadn’t mentioned it now, huh?
http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/files/obama_2005_tax_return.pdf
“not far removed”…*snort!!!*
God bless him and his wealth, but puh-leaseeeeeeee…how about a reality check there O-Exaggerat-a?
Then pick whatever year right before his book started selling like gangbusters. Point is, that is the time Obama was referring to, and certainly was NOT saying that his current lifestyle isn’t far removed from that of the average American.
Between 2000 and 2004 the Obamas made between $207 and $270 thousand. I would say that is not too far removed from what most Americans go through. Especially when you have school loans.
Now actually he was referring to the current collapse of the economy as I read it.
chapoutier said:
Why go on vacation on your own dime when you can vacation on the Tax Payer dime — gads, its Chicago Economics 101.
Whatever he was doing, I’m pretty sure the Obama for Senate Campaign was paying for it then.
The Taxpayer? That’s someone who works for the federal government, but doesn’t have to take a civil service examination.
- Ronald Reagan
No, not in the comment I quoted, which was what immediately followed the “aren’t far removed” comment.
You mean those secret hidden student loans that several people were fired for trying to access?
Do most average Americans have several layers of lawyers hiding their college financial/grade information let alone making $200k+ per year?
FYI, sometime during 2007, Obama and his wife contributed $120,000 to an IRC Section 529 plan for Malia and $120,000 to an IRC Section 529 plan for Sasha. In effect, under an allowable election, taxpayers can “frontload” five years of annual exclusion gifts to these kinds of plans in one year. At the time, the gift-tax annual exclusion was $12,000, so the $120,000 for each daugher represents a $12,000 annual exclusion gift from BO, and a $12,000 annual exclusion from MO, ($24,000 a year) for five years.
Nothing illegal, nothing questionable, and all entirely advisable for someone with the dough to do so. The Obama’s were entitled to toss in an additional $2,000 a year for each daughter when the annual exclusion amount was increased to $13,000. And they’ll be able to contribute the full annual exclusion amount beginning in 2012.
All the same, Obama can whine about the swooning stock market, but that’s the nature of the market, and he yet he’s tanking the economy. Also, for Obama to suggest that he, his wife, and his kids’ 529 accounts feel our pain is a laugh.
With political instincts like this, Dear Duffer is done.
Carving time!
As they should be.
No. Never said or implied they did.
On July 26th, 2010 at 3:22 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:
Steven Wright was hilarious.
And the deadpan delivery only made it funnier.
So which economic collapse was he talking about, 19frickin29?!
MO graduated from law school in 1988; BO graduated from law school in 1991. My student loans–from a few years before their time in law school–had terms of 10 years. Until I see a loan amortization schedule for each, I’m not buying the line that they were still paying off student loans until a year or two before he was elected president.
Two different quotes, two different points, Rogue.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I can’t get a Quarter Pounder with Cheese without a co-signer.
Both quotes come from the same article within the same context of discussing the same econmic collapse, not two different timelines. Sorry, I ain’t buying your product today.
What part of “just a few years ago we had…” is difficult to understand?
I too lack the sufficient sheckels to inhale a Royale Du Fromage! I feel your pain!
What part of equating themselves to everybody else don’t you understand?
Rogue, don’t distract Chaps when he’s deflecting…
Honestly Rogue, here is the whole piece.
How is it not entirely clear that, yes, he was saying that his college funds took a hit, like everyone else’s (no doubt they did) and then went on to talk about HIS PAST, when he wasn’t a Senator, best-selling author and President, and state that back then he wasn’t so much different from most Americans?
Or do you think high credit card balances, kids to put through college, and worries about retirment only started after September 2008?
Almost as creative as granite’s “parsing” defense, and just as predictable.
And don’t forget to have your Learjet gassed and waiting for “super-secret” directions… Chelsea’s no-expense-spared gala wedding is only days away!
(Who wants to live like a millionaire when Democrats have it so much better – they love the poor so!)
“I mean, have you seen the price of arugula at Whole Foods?!”
47% of Americans pay nothing in taxes. I suspect their income is not even close to $200k.
If it were half of that you’d have a valid argument.
Obama never said it was exactly the same. He said that he and Michelle had many of the same concerns. Or do you think that $200K is more than enough such that you never have to worry about finances?
And regardless, Obama most definitely was NOT talking about NOW. Which is what Doug’s post misleads one into believing.
In 2008, the median household income was $52,029. What is that a 400% difference? In Dem mathworld I guess that’s pretty close.
College Fund? Who the hell has money for college funds And vacations? How many of you have been able to take a vacation that was more than, “Oh, we thought we would just stay home and work around the house.”
The only thing saving us right now is my disability pension from the firehouse, which doesn’t come close to what it takes to raise three girls as a single parent. The people I work with are wondering just what being homeless is going to be like, as work is slowing down to a near standstill.
That’s all of their problem. NONE of them that have been in Washington, ESPECIALLY the Obamas, have a freaking clue what it is like for us. Until they can try and figure out how to feed 3 kids for a week on $10, while praying they won’t shut off the utilities before you can make a payment you had to skip the month before, they will NEVER know.
According to Obama, an income of 200K is rich.
It all comes down to how one defines ‘not that far’
New York is not that far from Denver.
The Earth is not that far from the moon.
I know she’s not spending all this moeny on the POTUS’ salary. Where the h*ll is it all coming from?
So, he’s always had a spending problem.
Only, now it’s with OUR money.
The Obamas Prove They Are
n’tFar Removed From What Most Americans are Going Through.There, fixed it for you Doug.
I mean really, I would like to see the expense reports for this crap. They are apparently paying for nothing. Is that part of the POTUS package? Unlimited all-expense paid vacations as often as they please? Criminy!
It is if all you care about is appearing ‘Presidential’ and reaping the perqs of the office, rather than being ‘President’.
Wow, Bho feels my pain……Riding around on air force 1, spending taxpayer money like there’s no tomorrow…..How can that arrogant @$$ feel anyone’s pain?
Have you seen the price of arugula at Whole Foods lately?
Well, yes, as it has been pointed out to you it’s very far removed. Not only that, but while Michelle Obama was raking in the dough thanks to earmarks for her employer arranged by none other than her husband (then Senator Barack) she was whining about the cost of fresh fruit and blamed the fact that her kids were turning into fatty watties on fruit being unaffordable.
No doubt your heart breaks to hear about these trials she has had to endure. But most important? She and her corrupt husband clearly do not feel the pain of other people making similar salaries because his legislation is about to screw them royally with taxes up the, er, wazoo. Clearly her motto is: Let them eat canned fruit!
The Obamas are simply showing what first generation money can look like when placed in the hands of people with limited restraint.
Do you mean to tell me the King and Queen are having to cut back on the trip to Spain…?
The point is, rocketman, you don’t get on Southwest (OBTW, flying your pet on another airplane altogether) every other week and jet off to somewhere new and exciting and then check into Motel 6 to enjoy the local scenery and eats. If only the schmuck in the White House would do that, it wouldn’t cost as many of our dimes!
I understand the need to keep him and his family secure, but it would be easier and less expensive if they enjoyed the White House and its environs for more than a couple of weeks before having AF-1 fueled up for another exotic port of call. Is Camp David not good enough for them?
It don’t take rocket science to understand the man is enjoying the perks of the WH.
The writer of the following piece concedes that him vacationing away from the WH is good since he isn’t driving us off the proverbial cliff, but anyway, read:
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/07/obamas_vacations.html
Yeah, in 2005, I finally started working again (at 50% of my previous pay) after being unemployed for 15 months during the dotcom bust, the second time, without unemployment benefits because I was a self-employed IT contractor. Funny how you have to pay unemployment taxes, but you can’t collect when you’re out of work.
Because of that, we used all of our savings to live on and keep our house. We’ve just now started to get out from under all of that, with no retirement savings, no college savings and living paycheck to paycheck. We haven’t had a family vacation in 8 years and now my kids are almost grown up.
So even though the Obamas have millions, they get to vacation every month on our backs. Who said that the US doesn’t have an aristocracy?
You know, if you don’t have to move, the collapse of the housing market doesn’t affect you quite as much. But, if you or your spouse is active duty military and you get orders, you don’t have an option.
I empathize with those military families that have to sell their houses in this market. They are taking a bath.
Whatever Obummer and Mo say, they have no clue.
wasn’t there a land deal w/ Mr.Rezko about that time?
Doesn’t this guy ever work? He gets back from one vacation so he can announce his next one? At our expense?
Lesson learned from the past 5 years…
No more credit of any kind. If we can’t pay cash, we don’t get it. That includes student loans, our kids aren’t going to college unless they pay for it themselves. It’s just a degree in partying and hookups anyway.
So for the first time in our family, the new generation isn’t going to have a higher standard of living then their parents.
Now we can see why our founding fathers, didn’t want a King.
How can you be sure? Obama moves in the circles of the super rich, Gates and Soros. Perhaps he is equating his finances to those of the average American because in comparison to those of the truly wealthy people with whom he associates, they are “average.”
Does anyone know what Barack and Shellie had in the way of school loans?
My understanding is that a lot of Barack’s education (cough) was paid for out of pocket by someone or other…
Oh, for crying out loud…!!! Dear Duffer was patently trying for a “man of the peoples” moment here, and NOBODY IS BUYING IT!!!
Get a client, Chaps…!!!
Exactly how many vacation days does this lazy, good for nothing community agitator think he’s entitled to?
Oh so what. Look at how many vacations GWB took at his ranch. Why he never even owned or rode a horse until he became Pres. I’ll bet he even gave those nags a ride on a separate jet.
/sarc/
By relating how he used to live. So it is odd, and disingenuous that Doug would bring up perks that he has now.
I have several and growing every day. Thanks for your concern.
Drop the cheese, it’s not real anyway.LOL
Eurotrash commie fascist elitist.
Now GladzKravtz, you’re getting into areas best left alone. No telling how Chap will spin that one.
And one more thing. Everyone here who has criticized Der Fuhrer is a RAAACCIISSSSSST.
LAWYER!!
or…if you make me really mad:
Lawyer/politician……
No, Chaps. Odd and disingenuous describe Dear Duffer.
As we all know.
And his “common man” crap didn’t fly, did it?
Just got back from a vacation myself. Drove the wife’s 2008 Kia Rondo to Galveston with her and the grandkids in tow. Stayed at Holiday Inn Expresses along the way and on Seawall Boulevard. Yep, I can relate to the Obamas and their vacations.
However, my vacation was unpaid since I haven’t worked for my employer long enough to get a paid vacation, and my two retirements, my current pay, and my wife’s income means that we didn’t go into the hole to pay our way. Of course, no one else contributed to our travel expenses, either. Luckily, our insurance will pay to replace the windshield shattered by a rock tossed up by a tractor-trailer.
As for the 529 plans “going up and down with the market,” someone should really explain to Da One how the Stock Market works. It seems to be a mystery to him.
WE are the civilian national security force. My “date nights” don’t involve thousands of people, Air Force One, and millions of dollars. Hope is not a plan, and not all change is good. The resistance is here; the resistance is now! RESIST!!!!!!!
ECS
I guess not. Can’t pull a fast one on you, can he Rags? If only he would have done something like…oh, I don’t know… cleared brush instead. That seemed to work in the past.
How long until BO or MO make the military salute their dog?
Barry and Michelle were traveling along in a limo one day. Along a stretch of open field they noticed a half dozen people who were crawling around on hands and knees so Obama had the driver pull over and stop. Then he realized that it was a whole family eating the grass so he called out to them asking why in the world are they eating grass? The father stood up and said, “I lost my job when the factory closed and then lost my house and then my identity was stolen by an illegal who stole all of our savings. I have no money to buy food for my family; eating this grass at least fills our stomachs with something.”
Obama said, “I cannot bear to see you eating this grass, please come with us. You can all fit into the limo and we’ll take you back with us to the White House.”
In the limo the father began to cry. He kept repeating to Obama how he was so thankful that Obama stopped just for him and his family. “The President of the United States stopped to save my poor family. I’ll never forget this sir, never. But one thing though, I don’t understand why you did it? Why did you stop for us?”
Obama replied, “That’s easy to explain – the White House lawn service contractor stopped taking my IOU’s last week and now the grass is getting too high.”
They’re just doing their part to stimulate the economy. Of Spain.
Spain needs the help. They’ve been governed by Marxists a lot longer than we have.
Really enjoyed Doug’s blog and the comments were hilarious. Loved all the quotes from days bone by. Just two big questions. Why is everyone still pretending that Chapoutier is still posting here? 2. Is there a rule that every website is required to have a troll? I am still a newby here.
If your stupid allusion was to Reagan or Bush, you miss the part where they actually did clear brush. People who visited the Reagan ranch were amazed at how rustic it was…and he kept it that way.
W, too, actually worked. I mean, worked.
Now, the Jimma Cater empty suit bag…that was pure theater.
And with Dear Duffer, it’s all just words…
WOT but American Spectator’s Jeffrey Lord is now reporting that Sherrod’s claim that one of her ancestors was lynched is a blatant lie.
With Dan Riehl posting one blockbuster post on the Sherrods’ background after another, Powerline’s daily post on the subject and Andrew Breitbart holding fast, this story is becoming another anchor for Obama. The “victimized modern-day Rosa Parks” narrative is collapsing like a house of cards in a hurricane.
THAT is why the WH fired her so fast. It wasn’t the speech, it’s her and her hubby’s corrupt background.
And they’ve spent every minute since trying to avoid another multi-million dollar lawsuit.
Reagan owned Rancho del Cielo from the time he was governor (or just after). I don’t think it even had electricity until they put it in when he became president. He didn’t just clear brush for the photographers. Bush didn’t buy Prairie Chapel until just before he became President, but clearing brush in 100 degree heat ain’t for Washington metrosexuals.
Love it!! Glad to have you here.
Umm, “wasn’t”? Unless the article was lying, the part about “not that far removed” was spoken of in the present tense.
Never mind, I get it now. “Not that far removed” in time, I suppose is what you’re saying he’s saying. That makes a little more sense.
How about we go way back to before Obama became POTUS, before he became a senator, before he became a state senator, even before he became a community agitator. You know, way back to when he was going to that rat-infested inner city high school that had 3 books in the library and 45 students per classroom, none of whom could read above a 4th grade level, and no money for extra curricular activities, so everyone just hung out on the corner smokin’ and jokin’.
Oh wait. BO didn’t go to that school. He went to Punahou, the most exclusive prep school in Hawaii. Followed by stints at Occidental, Columbia, and Harvard. Then he had Bill Ayers write Dreams of My Father so he wouldn’t have to give back the $125K advance he got from the publisher. MO did Princeton and Harvard and was handed a $300K per year job that was so important they didn’t replace her after she left.
Face it. These 2 grifters haven’t had a “typical American experience” since before they can remember.
Ragspierre nailed it. Obama was doing his version of Bubba’s “I feel your pain” speech. Maybe he could have pulled it off if only he’d have chewed on his lower lip a bit.
Yes, but he had to walk the three blocks down the beautiful tree-lined streets, past the hospital where he wasn’t born (though he did claim it once). Then back home after school. It must have been excruciating.
Are you saying Obama actually didn’t pay mortgages and have college to worry about for his daughters and didn’t have high credit card debt?
Because that would be truly stunning insight into his personal life that I would love to see you back up.
Was it downhill both directions?
Great. JustOneMinute just posted that Jeffrey Lord’s claim that Sherrod was lying about the lynching of one of her ancestors was wrong.
My 7:4opm comment above? Never mind.
How many of us could have gotten someone like Resko to help in purchasing a house beyond our affordability? I don’t believe for one second that Bho gives a hoot about anyone except himself. He is incapable of feeling anyone’s pain. When Michelle realizes that she and the children are just props, she’ll leave him. A pathological liar – sociopath makes a lousy husband and POTUS.