First Lady Spent $10 million in Taxpayer Money on Vacations Last Year

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@rich4eagle said:

and bushes two useless wars only cost 2 trillion and his useless bloated defense budget only cost a trillion and his tax cuts only cost four more trillion including sending six million jobs overseas................................you are right Michelle Obama's vacation is the problem in the USA

Says Rich the ex Defense contractor who made big bucks off of Defense. Hypocrite.

@mr.-t said:

Michelle Obama's vacation will cost taxpayers $400000 and the president isn't even with her.

Michelle Obama today faced a fresh wave of attacks over her lavish break in Spain with 40 friends, which could easily cost U.S. taxpayers a staggering £50,000 ($79825.00) a day.

The First Lady has been lambasted for her extravagance at a time when the economy is still struggling. One blogger went so far as to brand her a modern-day Marie Antoinette.

And her critics will be further annoyed when they learn that the president's wife had a Spanish beach closed off today so that she, her daughter and their entourage could go for a swim.

Spanish police cleared off a stretch of beach at the Villa Padierna Hotel in Marbella after the Obamas had finished a busy day of sightseeing.

Police used palm trees and police tape to mark off the boundaries of a 100-yard expanse for the American delegation. On either side, onlookers gawked - and police occasionally stopped and searched sun lovers if they strayed too close to the private party.

It is unclear whether the police presence was paid for by Spain - or whether a nasty invoice could be landing in the lap of the American taxpayer.

The exact cost of the trip is unclear as Mrs Obama, 46, and her friends are footing personal expenses themselves - which is just as well.

For a start, they will be paying for the 60 rooms booked at the 129-room Hotel Villa Padierna. With basic rooms starting around £380 ($606.67) each, the nightly bill will be no less than £22,800 ($36,400.20).

Meals will also be picked up by the Obamas and friends.

Spanish newspaper El Mundo detailed the Obamas' dinner on their first night in Spain. The tapas menu for the delegation included sea bass tartare, strawberry gazpacho and sardines, followed by a main course of lobster with seaweed risotto.

The meal cost about £40 ($63.86) a head, according to El Mundo - which means a bill topping £1,600 ($2554.40) would have hit the table if all 40 friends dined together.

Stretched over five nights that's £8,000 ($12772.00) for dinner alone.

Whether or not the taxpaying American will be paying for meals, they will definitely be footing the bill for the First Lady's 68-strong security detail, her personal staff - and the use of presidential jet Air Force Two.

The per diems for the secret service team runs at around £172 ($274.60) each, which amounts to nearly £60,000 ($95790.00) for the length of the summer break.

Use of Air Force Two, the Air Force version of a 757, comes in at £91,900 ($146,718.35) for the round trip. This does not include time on the ground.

Mrs Obama's personal staff, of which there are an unknown amount and who might cost considerably more per day, also have to be taken into account.

The American public will also cover the cost of the only official part of the holiday, a visit to the Spanish royal family on the island of Majorca.

This will involve transport there and back for the entourage - as well as travel, accommodation, food and expenses for all while on the island.

Conservative estimates already put the total cost at £150,000 ($239,475.00). With Majorca to come, the bill will be more like £250,000 ($399,125.00).

Back in the U.S., anger was mounting - especially as it has emerged the First Lady will have enjoyed eight holidays by the end of the summer.

Live Leak Article

and bushes two useless wars only cost 2 trillion and his useless bloated defense budget only cost a trillion and his tax cuts only cost four more trillion including sending six million jobs overseas................................you are right Michelle Obama's vacation is the problem in the USA

John Hinderaker: “I think the Obamas’ tone-deafness, which was on exhibit long before Michelle’s Spanish vacation, more likely results from their inexperience and the fact that if you are a factor in Democratic Party politics, you spend a great deal of time with rich people. That can skew one’s perspective.”

She’d make a great weak-side linebacker.

You would have gone ballistic if the Bush's had done the same.

But now, you wuss out and can't bring yourself to blame the Obamao's.

Baloney.

@kosar_for_president said:

The argument is about SPENDING THE MONEY period. Not who they need to have with them or what kinds of food they HAVE to eat. The money shouldn't be spent in the first place.

And I completely agree with you, but that's not why this thread exists. This thread exists to bash Michelle Obama, which is completely missing the point (which you obviously see) that our government has been and continues to spend lavish amounts of our tax money on bullshit.

@vaportrail said:

Do you boneheads realize that any time the family of a president goes on vacation, they will have an entourage of secret service agents along with people preening them? This isn't something new. You're only outraged because her husband isn't a Republican.

The argument is about SPENDING THE MONEY period. Not who they need to have with them or what kinds of food they HAVE to eat. The money shouldn't be spent in the first place.

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and she is enraged that he hasn't declared himself dictator for life yet.

If it was the Bushs who were doing all this extravagant crap, the left would be going berserk, screaming and gnashing of their teeth.