Obama Vs Bush Vacations and Trips

[ivwshane]

Well, from what I've been hearing from the right, it's not so much how much time Pres. Obama takes on his vacations what with his Repub predecessors taking as much or more being the cork in the bottle.

Rather, it's how much they cost the taxpayer and when he chooses to take vacations that is the issue as far as I can recall.

Splitting hairs is a fine art that the Repubs have mastered and something that's worthy of envy and platitudes.

So with that, I tips me hat, take a deep bow and fart in their general direction.

Lol, like that's even better! The right has already tried to play that game at least once and they lost. Just google "Reagan end vacation early" for some hypocrisy laughs.

 

[Oldgamer]

Who cares.

Really? The fact that every right wing news station, and news media is carrying oh about POTUS taking too many vacation days, or "there he goes golfing, when he should be doing X, Y, Z".

So yea, it pays to show the truth of the matter since right wingers aren't willing to show the truth or acknowledge it. The chart shows POTUS isn't as nearly as lazy as his predecessor.

 

[werepossum]

Considering the insane amount of vacation time Congress takes, I think the problem is how to make Congress only go on vacation if the President is on vacation and at no other time. They're on vacation about 5 times as much as the President, and when they're in session they spend little time actually doing anything.

Considering what Congress does when it's NOT on vacation, that's a good thing.

Really? The fact that every right wing news station, and news media is carrying oh about POTUS taking too many vacation days, or "there he goes golfing, when he should be doing X, Y, Z".

So yea, it pays to show the truth of the matter since right wingers aren't willing to show the truth or acknowledge it. The chart shows POTUS isn't as nearly as lazy as his predecessor.

Well, the golfing thing stings some people since the mainstream media excoriated Bush for golfing while there was a war on, to the point that Bush gave it up, yet Obama gets a pass.

Personally, if they are golfing then they aren't screwing up my life.

Probably. Maybe . . .

 

[ivwshane]

I get seven weeks vacation a year.

7 x 8 = 56

And there are still two steps above me at my company.

What's it feel like to take more vacation than the president? I assume you take your work with you while on vacation as well?

 

[Smoblikat]

Of course even with proof this won't shut the traps of the Republitards.

If I added up every day I missed in school and work together, I guarentee its still less that what obama has taken. So, sure, you win, Obama has taken less vacations than Bush.......who cares? He still took too many!

 

[bradley]

The US is an oligarchy. Who gives a damn about the vacation time of someone not actively running this country. With every Administration it matters less, unless you do something to stop it.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Every right wing blog and media service in the United States and those who follow them, apparently.

Yes they do care, and much was made of Bush's vacations as well by the opposite parties. Yeah I'm making an equivalency, but it's not complimentary to either side. Presidents do take vacations but it's really less structured work in an informal setting. They also need to take breaks because no one can take 4 or 8 years of being President without some relief.

I don't think I'd say "who cares". Instead I think we should be less critical and more supportive of vacations regardless of who is in office. Vacation? "Good for him".

 

[MomentsofSanity]

Yes they do care, and much was made of Bush's vacations as well by the opposite parties. Yeah I'm making an equivalency, but it's not complimentary to either side. Presidents do take vacations but it's really less structured work in an informal setting. They also need to take breaks because no one can take 4 or 8 years of being President without some relief.

I don't think I'd say "who cares". Instead I think we should be less critical and more supportive of vacations regardless of who is in office. Vacation? "Good for him".

Wholeheartedly agree. I don't for a second believe that the President is ever truly on vacation in the sense that we would all consider it. The current state of criticism of having any kind of downtime or even the appearance of downtime is just a dishonest distraction.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

I think the bigger concern is not that the President gets vacation, it's that so many people in the US get so little. Average Americans get fewer than 10 vacation days a year, and a third of the workforce gets no vacation OR paid holidays. We shouldn't be thinking that 25 days a year of vacation is absurdly high, we should be thinking that fewer than 10 vacation days is downright criminal. If the leader of the free world can afford to take off a month, surely that poor downtrodden sap greeting people as they enter a Wal-Mart should be allowed to as well.

 

[shortylickens]

Dont care. They are both evil shitbags.

I'm just focused on the one currently in office.

 

[dainthomas]

If I added up every day I missed in school and work together, I guarentee its still less that what obama has taken. So, sure, you win, Obama has taken less vacations than Bush.......who cares? He still took too many!

My point with my post was that his vacation time is right in line with an average working American (myself). And as has been pointed out numerous times, presidents don't get real vacations anyway.

 

[networkman]

Thanks for the great example of revisionist history.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

My point with my post was that his vacation time is right in line with an average working American (myself). And as has been pointed out numerous times, presidents don't get real vacations anyway.

It absolutely is not. The average working American doesn't get anywhere near 25 days (5 weeks) of vacation a year, even if you throw in paid sick days and holidays. Just because you get that much doesn't make you representative of the average American. But don't take my word for it; here's the chart from the bureau of labor statistics that shows average Americans getting fewer than 8 vacation days per year. The issue isn't that "he takes too much vacation," the issue is the rest of us get far too little.

 

[ivwshane]

I think the bigger concern is not that the President gets vacation, it's that so many people in the US get so little. Average Americans get fewer than 10 vacation days a year, and a third of the workforce gets no vacation OR paid holidays. We shouldn't be thinking that 25 days a year of vacation is absurdly high, we should be thinking that fewer than 10 vacation days is downright criminal. If the leader of the free world can afford to take off a month, surely that poor downtrodden sap greeting people as they enter a Wal-Mart should be allowed to as well.

Here! Here!

Although I wonder about your figures. My understanding is that US workers do get less vacation time but they also take less vacations. It seems that US workers feel guilty for taking vacations. Then again, they probably can't afford to do anything on vacation because of their crappy pay.


Edit: I just saw your link. 10-15 days? I'm pretty sure sick days are considered part of that so it's more like 18-25 days of paid time off.

 

[trenchfoot]

If I added up every day I missed in school and work together, I guarentee its still less that what obama has taken. So, sure, you win, Obama has taken less vacations than Bush.......who cares? He still took too many!

I don't think comparing your workload and time off with the President's is a strong argument for why you think he took too many. Just say'in.

 

[shira]

Yes, we're all aware he spends most of his free at fundraisers, putting party before country...even when his party wants nothing to do with him at said fundraisers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...d-393-fundraisers-in-his-six-years-in-office/

Of course, you are aware than Ronald Reagan spent 436 days on vacation during his two terms.

That's the equivalent of about 2500 2-hour fund-raisers.

Oh, and George HW Bush spent 977 days on vacation - that's 4 months on vacation every year.

Ridiculous myths about Obama [see myth number 2]