Bill for Obama family's vacations and travel hits $85 million

[superbeets]

[h=1]Bill for Obama family's vacations and travel hits $85 million as they prepare for final taxpayer-funded holiday in Hawaii[/h]

• A conservative group chronicling the Obamas' spending said Monday the 2015 holiday in Hawaii cost $4.8 million
• 'The Secret Service and the Air Force are being abused by unnecessary travel,' Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton said
• White House has not released the details of their annual trip to the president's birth place
• It confirmed Monday they planned to go when it said President Obama would accompany Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on his visit to Pearl Harbor

By FRANCESCA CHAMBERS, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT
PUBLISHED: 15:16, 6 December 2016 | UPDATED: 17:48, 6 December 2016

 

[superbeets]

President Barack Obama and his family have spent more than $85 million globetrotting since they moved into the White House.
And they're not done yet. The first family will head to Hawaii later this month for their final, taxpayer-funded vacation.
A conservative group chronicling the Obamas' spending said Monday the 2015 holiday in Hawaii cost $4.8 million.

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President Barack Obama and his family have spent more than $85 million globetrotting since they moved into the White House. Above is their Hawaiian vacation home

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The first family will head to Hawaii later this month for their final, taxpayer-funded vacation

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President Barack Obama laughs with his daughter Malia as they visit the Honolulu Zoo in Honolulu, Hawaii in January of this year

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Obama, Malia, Sasha and other members of his family walk are seen at the zoo during last year's trip to the president's birth place. The Obama family goes to Hawaii each Christmas for vacation

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Obama leaves Island Snow with shaved ice after a visit to the beach last year. The president traditionally stops for a snow cone during his trips home to Hawaii

Judicial Watch had previously calculated that their flights to and from Washington had a price tag of $3,590,313.60.
It has since obtained government records on hotels and lodging, car rental costs for the Secret Service and airfare and rail services for the first family's protective detail.
Agents stayed at the Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki and Golf Club, the Moana Surfrider on Waikiki Beach and the Ala Moana Hotel. The bill for their rooms was$1,000,458.63, Judicial Watch discovered.
They rented 103 cars from three rental agencies for $165,893.88. Department of Homeland Security records show them spending another $67,964.16 on flights and other travel.
'The Secret Service and the Air Force are being abused by unnecessary travel,' Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton said. 'Unnecessary presidential travel for fundraising and luxury vacations on the taxpayers’ dime would be a good target for reform for the incoming Trump administration.'

 

[superbeets]

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Obama, Sasha and Malia walk with friends during their visit to Sea Life Park in Waimanalo, Hawaii in 2011

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The president, first lady and their daughters also vacation in August on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. Costs for the 2016 trip have not been calculated. The Obamas are pictured during their 2014 trip, riding bikes

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Judicial Watch found that the costs associated with the Secret Service in 2015 reached nearly half a million dollars for the Martha's Vineyard trip

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The first family stays at the Hale Reena Estate, rental home of Hollywood stars Angeline Jolie, Bradley Cooper and Emily Blunt during their Hawaiian vacations, too

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The Obamas payed an undisclosed price for the rental, but the Oahu property listed at $5,000 to $10,000 a night in the past.

The first family stayed at the Hale Reena Estate, rental home of Hollywood stars Angeline Jolie, Bradley Cooper and Emily Blunt during their Hawaiian vacations, too the Huffington Post says.
The Obamas payed an undisclosed price for the rental, but the Oahu property listed at $5,000 to $10,000 a night in the past.
Also unknown: the cost of the meals. They Obamas went out for fancy dinners five times during their two-week stay at Morimoto, MW Restaurant, Hoku’s, Alan Wong’s and Halekulani.
The government doesn't pick up the tab for those items. It does pay for aides to tag along and other costs associated with the trips like drivers and the Coast Guard, a U.S. News report breaking down Obama's spending said.
The White House has not released the details of their annual trip to the president's birth place. It confirmed Monday they planned to go when it said President Obama would accompany Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on his visit to Pearl Harbor at the end of the month.

 

[superbeets]

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Obama arrives on the 18th hole of the Mid-Pacific Country Club's golf course December 21, 2015 in Kailua, Hawaii. Costs for his travel generated by a watchdog agency include trips he took to fundraise for the Democratic Party, play golf and appear on television

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Obama has shaved ice with his daughter Malia at Island Snow in Kailua on January 1, 2015. The White House has not released the details of their 2016 trip but it confirmed the president would visit Pearl Harbor on Dec. 27

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President Barack Obama's dogs Sunny (L) and Bo arrive to board Air Force One for travel to Massachusetts for the family's annual vacation at Martha's Vineyard in August

Abe said Monday he would travel to Hawaii the day after Christmas for his two-day summit with Obama. The timing ensures the U.S. president's trip to the Hawaiian islands.
The president, first lady and their daughters also vacation in August on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. Costs for the 2016 trip have not been calculated.
Judicial Watch found that the costs associated with the Secret Service in 2015 reached nearly half a million dollars for the Martha's Vineyard trip.
The watchdog group said this week that the tab for Obama's travel has cost at least $85,029,819.
That amount includes trips he took to fundraise for the Democratic Party, play golf and appear on television, the organization has said.
It doesn't include official White House travel to places like Cuba and Argentina, where the president met with foreign leaders and brought his family along.
In Argentina, the first family took a side trip to Bariloche go sightseeing in March after the president finished his White House meetings in Buenos Aires.

Read more:

• http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/wa...ineyard-vacation-will-cost-taxpayers-millions
• Obama Family’s 2015 Hawaii Vacation Cost Taxpayers $4,823,206.88 - Judicial Watch
• This Is Where The Obamas Are Staying For Christmas | The Huffington Post

 

[HamGlaze]

Rainbow colors for his shaved ice.


Not surprising.

 

[Willie99]

"shared sacrifice"

 

[Willie99]

Rainbow colors for his shaved ice.


Not surprising.

we call it "Italian Ice"

 

[texansfan]

Let's pay for one last trip, a one way this time.

 

[Dave007inVegas]

Obama has been a Paul all his life. This should surprise no one.
Once a leech always a leech.

 

[SheriffJoe]

Obama has been a Paul all his life. This should surprise no one.
Once a leech always a leech.

The only way a Paul can get rich is if he goes into government and Barry the community organizer is living proof of that.

 

[MantisToboggan]

Obama has been a Paul all his life. This should surprise no one.
Once a leech always a leech.

How's that social security check cashing my man?

 

[Dave007inVegas]

How's that social security check cashing my man?

On time every month much like the payment I made every month for over 40 years to qualify.

 

[MantisToboggan]

On time every month much like the payment I made every month for over 40 years to qualify.

I'm not sure when you retired or what kind of living you made, but I'm going to guess you're a part of the group that's going to receive more than you paid.

Although, I could be way off on your age.

 

[SheriffJoe]

I'm not sure when you retired or what kind of living you made, but I'm going to guess you're a part of the group that's going to receive more than you paid. You good with that?

Why does it matter?

Had it been voluntary from the beginning, people like Dave would have opted out.

 

[Dave007inVegas]

I'm not sure when you retired or what kind of living you made, but I'm going to guess you're a part of the group that's going to receive more than you paid.

Although, I could be way off on your age.

God I hope so.

 

[MantisToboggan]

God I hope so.

Hah, well said.

 

[MantisToboggan]

Why does it matter?

Had it been voluntary from the beginning, people like Dave would have opted out.

Well it matters because social security and medicare are a huge problem. A problem that our "small government" Pres-elect isn't interesting in touching.

But mostly, I just enjoy the back and forth with my buddy, Dave. Still planning on a pow-wow with him when I'm in Vegas next.

 

[Greenbacks]

 

[Willie99]

I'm not sure when you retired or what kind of living you made, but I'm going to guess you're a part of the group that's going to receive more than you paid.

Although, I could be way off on your age.

He'd have a lot more if all the money that was dumped into the system for him was privitized.

The worst ROI imaginable, and you don't have an asset to show for it

 

[Willie99]

Well it matters because social security and medicare are a huge problem. A problem that our "small government" Pres-elect isn't interesting in touching.

But mostly, I just enjoy the back and forth with my buddy, Dave. Still planning on a pow-wow with him when I'm in Vegas next.

Social security is not a problem because people paid into the system and are expecting benefits, it's a problem because our government has already spent that money on other things and there's no trust fund, so it's a modern day pyramid scheme

medicaid is just a precursor to Obamacare, more mismanagement and problems compounded by trying to provide benefits with money that was never collected

with both programs, it's funded not just with employee withholdings, but also with employer matching. Often calculations that talk about SS's great benefits ignore the employers' matching contributions.