It's Good To Be The King!

Once again the actions of our President have caused me to feel contempt and disgust for him. Some of you are thinking “So what’s new?  You hate him anyway!” but that’s far from the truth.  I don’t care for him, his policies, and particularly some of his actions but I don’t hate him.  He’s a liberal politician and I oppose nearly everything he stands for, sure.  But there are specific things he does that invite my contempt, as it should invite everyone’s – even his fans.

On March 1^st, the sequester went into effect because our elected officials couldn’t reach a budget deal.  The President spent the weeks leading up to that date vilifying the Republicans and blaming them entirely for the sequester.  He conveniently left out the fact that he himself signed it into law.  Funny how that works.  He traveled around the country in campaign mode telling us all how America would fall into immediate crisis on March 1^st because of the sequester cuts that would kick in.  Police, firefighters and teachers would lose their jobs.  Federal law enforcement agents would be laid off and our national security would be diminished.  Jobs would be lost all across the country and seniors would no longer receive medical care.  And it was all the fault of the Republicans.

Problem is – it was mostly lies to appease his base.  After several days when none of those things happened in large numbers (federal law enforcement agencies moved money around and prevented it – imagine…) the President went back on TV and said “We can work through this” as though it was no big deal.  Of course, his followers still tout his earlier words and still blame the Republicans instead of the man who made it law.  Blind faith is frightening.

The President oftentimes has a problem with telling the truth.  He’s on another campaign this week spreading lies about how most people in the country want increased gun control laws because of the Newtown school shootings.  The polls clearly show that the majority does not want all of the increased laws designed to restrict the rights of legal, law-abiding gun owners but the President insists that the majority of Americans agree with him.  And the main stream media backs him 100%, even while admitting that the new proposed laws would have done nothing to prevent what happened in Sandy Hook Elementary School.  (Joe Biden tells the same lies on a regular basis.)

One of the things that irritates me the most about Barack Obama is his unending pursuit of opulence in everything he does, despite the current economic status of average Americans.  Last night’s big White House concert was a perfect example.  The President loves to spend time with celebrities and entertain them in the White House at the taxpayers’ expense.  Last night’s concert, which was done simply for the Obamas’ entertainment, cost the taxpayers plenty.  We just don't know how much.

This is not the first time the President has rubbed his status in the faces of the American people.  A couple of years ago the President went on TV and said that due to the economic crisis many Americans would have to “tighten their belts and maybe not take that vacation.”  Two days later he and his family went to Hawaii for a multi-million dollar vacation.  It was (and still is today) the perfect example of the phrase “Do as I say not as I do.”

I understand that the President of the United States needs to take a break from time to time and relax a little.  I don’t necessarily begrudge him that.  However, this President can’t seem to take a vacation without making it lavish.  He has taken four short vacations this year already – one per month.  And in March he sent Michelle and the girls to Aspen while he went to Florida to play golf with Tiger Woods.  And it's not the first time the Obamas have gone to the same place on separate planes.  And while we’ll never know the exact cost to the taxpayers for these lavish vacations and/or separate flights, we do know that Joe Biden recently took a trip to England and France and racked up hotel bills (for two nights) of over $1 million.  Clearly the Obama administration is projecting the attitude of “Let them eat cake.”

Obama supporters (and other Bush haters) like to say that George W. Bush took far more vacations than President Obama.  That remains to be seen – Obama is still in office – but George W. Bush spent nearly all of his vacations at his ranch here in Texas, relaxing by clearing brush and driving around the ranch.  (Interestingly, Ronald Reagan enjoyed doing the same thing.)  I don’t remember a single incident when Bush and Laura took separate vacations, doubling the cost of security, flight costs, etc.  In fact, even lodging costs were minimized since the Secret Service and any guests of the President stayed on the ranch. 

There is a huge difference between the way President Bush conducted himself in the public eye and the way President Obama does.  At the risk of using too many clichés in one post – to the public President Obama projects the attitude of “It’s good to be the king.”  And for the life of me I can’t understand why his followers, particularly those in financial crisis at the moment, put up with it.

The sequestration budget cuts may have halted public tours of the White House but they didn’t stop President Obama from partying the night away at a celebrity-filled private concert in the executive mansion last night, with taxpayers footing part of the bill.  Last night’s event — featuring a large makeshift stage in the White House’s East Room — was dedicated to Memphis soul music.

Once again – he’s not the first President to host parties like this nor do I begrudge him doing it – except that I would bet he spent enough money on that party last night to open White House tours for at least a week, probably two or three.  The President just has his priorities wrong.  Instead of his priority being the well-being of the nation it seems to be the well-being of his celebrity status. 

With the economy in the condition it’s in, how can he justify sending billions of dollars to countries that hate us and spending millions on lavish vacations, parties and concerts?  And how can his supporters, many of whom are suffering financially because of the poor economy and yes – even because of the sequester – continue to turn a blind eye to such blatant narcissistic behavior?