Come to California Mr. President

by CalWatchdog Staff | November 4, 2010 8:02 pm

Katy Grimes: It’s difficult not to acknowledge President Obama’s latest world tour – he booked the entire Taj Mahal Palace hotel and is traveling with an entourage of 3,000 of “government officials,” 40 jet planes, a fleet of cars and 34 warships, talk of costing more than $200 million-a-day – and all charged to the American people. (The $200 million-a-day is incorrect, according to the White House – they say it’s costing $50 million-a-day).

According to The Wall Street Journal, “Mumbai officials have ordered coconuts plucked from palm trees outside a memorial the president is scheduled to visit to ensure there are no bumps on the noggin. In Delhi, the president’s second stop, monkeys have been the subject of a municipal crackdown.”

White House spokesman Tommy Vietor denied the $200 million-a-day figure in a recent Fox news story. “The numbers reported in this article have no basis in reality. Due to security concerns, we are unable to outline details associated with security procedures and costs, but it’s safe to say these numbers are wildly inflated,” Vietor said.

Associated Press writer Erica Werner wrote about the Obama trip, “Rebuked by voters, President Barack Obama is turning overseas, heading to Asia for 10 days of diplomacy, tourism and dealmaking that could boost the battered chief executive and highlight his political skills on the world stage.

Obama risks criticism he’s fleeing the Democrats’ midterm election wreckage for friendlier territory as he sets out Friday on the longest foreign trip of his presidency, a sojourn through India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan aimed at highlighting America’s increasing engagement with Asia.”

Whoa. That’s harsh. Obama and entourage could have come to California instead, and spent much less taxpayer money, and boosted business stateside, if that’s really the goal.

And if there was such a great need to spend the money on a luxury trip, California would not only have accommodated the entourage really well, we have welcomed the $1.2 billion for Obama’s trip. This would  gone a long way helping California’s little debt  problem. Laguna Beach, Beverly Hills, Alpine County [1]or friendly San Francisco[2], would have welcomed Obama. With more than 35 Congressional seats going to Democrats, the Obama administration would be amongst friends, particularly in the San Francisco and Los Angeles[3] regions.

Maybe he should have spent taxpayer’s money in the country, and helped out deficit-ridden states.

Hasn’t anyone in the Obama administration heard that charity begins at home.

NOV. 5, 2010

Source URL: https://calwatchdog.com/2010/11/04/come-to-california-mr-president/

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