The Obamas: Living Large On Your Dime

When was the last time you went on a half-a-million-dollar vacation? Last year? Year before? Never?

Then perhaps you'll be overjoyed to know that Michelle Obama's vacation to Spain in 2010 crowded the half-a-million-dollar mark: $467,585.

However, to discover this information, it only took "two years and a lawsuit to get these documents out of the Obama administration,” according to Judicial Watch. And this may interest you also, in terms of well-spent taxpayer dollars:

Judicial Watch previously obtained documents detailing costs for a June 21-27, 2011, trip taken by Michelle Obama, her family and her staff to South Africa and Botswana. Judicial Watch received mission expense records and passenger manifests for the Africa trip that described costs of $424,142 for the flight and crew alone. Other expenses, such as off-flight food, transportation, security, etc. were not included.

For a Leftist administration that sympathizes with "feeling your pain," an administration of the "common people," who "fight for the underdogs," it would appear that the Obamas have little problem with profligate spending, officially and personally.

However, it would seem that a few of the more "blue-collar" type Demorats are less than pleased with the vacation history of the Obamas. From the Washington Examiner:

Blue collar Democratic voters, stuck taking depressing “staycations” because they can’t afford gas and hotels, are resentful of the first family’s 17 lavish vacations around the world and don’t want their tax dollars paying for the Obamas’ holidays, according to a new analysis of swing voters.

“They view everything through their own personal situation and if they can’t afford to do it, they can’t enjoy it, they don’t like Obama using their tax dollars to benefit himself,” said pollster John McLaughlin. “In this case, they see him as out of touch. While they are struggling he’s not sharing in that struggle and he’s basically doing what they can’t do on their tax dollars,” added the GOP pollster.

Finally, a new Pew Survey indicates:

Today, just one in three has a favorable view of the federal government — the lowest level in 15 years, according to a Pew survey. The majority of Americans remain satisfied with their local and state governments — 61 percent and 52 percent, respectively — but only 33 percent feel likewise about the federal government.

Is the tide actually beginning to turn, I wonder. . . ?

BZ