For those feeling the pinch in these trying times....

[WindyCreek]

With regard to former Presidents Secret Service Protection -- In 1997, Congress enacted legislation that limits Secret Service protection for former presidents to ten years after leaving office. Under this new law, individuals who were in office before January 1, 1997 will continue to receive Secret Service protection for their lifetime. Individuals entering office after that time will receive protection for ten years after leaving office. Therefore, former President Bill Clinton will be the last president to receive lifetime protection, and former President George W. Bush is the first to receive protection for only ten years (until 2019).

[Hew]

Were all these positions created de novo for M.O.? Did Laura Bush wash her own dishes, or did she have some staffers as well? Where was the outrage with other first ladies? From an article I read yesterday the salaries of Michelle Obama's staff is nearly 3X what Laura Bush's was.

How much is Laura and her two girls costing us in SS protection? Or is that somehow different? Yeah, that's somehow different. One is a coterie of strap hangers and flacks and the other is a staff to protect the lives of an ex-First Family from very real threats. One is unprecedented in its size and expense and the other is a traditional expense that is afforded to all ex-Presidents. One represents a near-trippling of frivolous expense in a time of want and wreaks of a "let them eat cake" mentality and the other is an understandable expense that will be spent on every future president's family. Just holler if you need further help wrappin' your brain around the distinctions between the two.

I think those numbers are outrageous. Oh yes, we can tell you're absolutely outraged. Fit to be tied. Madder than a hatter. But so is the selective outrage and hypocrisy. LOL. That's rich coming from a self-proclaimed conservative who can't seem to find much outrage, selective or otherwise, in anything Obama does.

..........

[dnf777]

"Just holler if you need further help wrappin' your brain around the distinctions between the two."

Ok, where does SS protection for two underage girls night-clubbing and drinking fall on your scale of appropriatness? (I'm not picking on children...those pictures are part of the public record, they made availabe.)

Oh, I forgot, they are part of the "Bush can do no wrong" club!
I gotta work, now that we're past May, the money I earn goes to me, not paying down W's massive-gov't debt he ran up, so large in fact, they had to add another digit to the national debt scoreboard!!! There's a fiscally conservative observation for you!

[Roger Perry]

Nearly $100 Million Unaccounted For in Iraq

The United States government cannot account for Nearly $100 million in cash and millions of dollars worth of equipment that were sent to Iraq since the American led-invasion of that country in 2003.

http://www.elitestv.com/pub/2005/May...2eb3ec0b4.html

I'll bet if that money was found, it would pay for staffers for at least the next oh 8 years or so.

[badbullgator]

"Just holler if you need further help wrappin' your brain around the distinctions between the two."

Ok, where does SS protection for two underage girls night-clubbing and drinking fall on your scale of appropriatness? (I'm not picking on children...those pictures are part of the public record, they made availabe.)

Oh, I forgot, they are part of the "Bush can do no wrong" club!
I gotta work, now that we're past May, the money I earn goes to me, not paying down W's massive-gov't debt he ran up, so large in fact, they had to add another digit to the national debt scoreboard!!! There's a fiscally conservative observation for you!

LEt's see kid don't decide dad will be potus do they? Kids do what kids do and kids that age do clubs, pretty sure the same is true for the Carter girl and the Clinton girl. As has been pointed out SS protection is a coast that goes across the board and it not exclusive to either party. A world of difference between protecting the lives of those who serve and their families and spending like a queen on staff, dresses, ........ apples to rocks

Oh and BTW- as pointed out GW is out of office. You should actually be happy that you only have to work till may to pay for the debt.....next year, and for years to come obongo is going to have you working year round to pay for his spending in just his first 6 months

[Julie R.]

Oh, I forgot, they are part of the "Bush can do no wrong" club!
I gotta work, now that we're past May, the money I earn goes to me, not paying down W's massive-gov't debt he ran up, so large in fact, they had to add another digit to the national debt scoreboard!!! There's a fiscally conservative observation for you!

And yet, you seem so sanguine about the fact that the current Dear Leader has already FAR outpaced what Bush spent in 8 years not 6 months into his administration. Correct me if I'm wrong but no one here was defending Bush policies or calling him a fiscal conservative. However, compared to what's going on now, he's beginning to look like one. And I include in that the frivoulous expenses for Club Michele, at a time when many are struggling just to put food on the table.

Same message to Roger: If I was as addicted to surfing the net as you are to show us you can't let go of your Bush-Hate, I'm sure I could find $100 mil. of Obongo cash missing. There's at least that much unaccounted for from the banks he bailed out.

[Roger Perry]

And yet, you seem so sanguine about the fact that the current Dear Leader has already FAR outpaced what Bush spent in 8 years not 6 months into his administration. Correct me if I'm wrong but no one here was defending Bush policies or calling him a fiscal conservative. However, compared to what's going on now, he's beginning to look like one. And I include in that the frivoulous expenses for Club Michele, at a time when many are struggling just to put food on the table.

Same message to Roger: If I was as addicted to surfing the net as you are to show us you can't let go of your Bush-Hate, I'm sure I could find $100 mil. of Obongo cash missing. There's at least that much unaccounted for from the banks he bailed out.

I don't have to spend a lot of time surfing the net. However, you do more than your share of cuting and pasting.

[dnf777]

And yet, you seem so sanguine about the fact that the current Dear Leader has already FAR outpaced what Bush spent in 8 years not 6 months into his administration. Correct me if I'm wrong but no one here was defending Bush policies or calling him a fiscal conservative. However, compared to what's going on now, he's beginning to look like one. And I include in that the frivoulous expenses for Club Michele, at a time when many are struggling just to put food on the table.

Same message to Roger: If I was as addicted to surfing the net as you are to show us you can't let go of your Bush-Hate, I'm sure I could find $100 mil. of Obongo cash missing. There's at least that much unaccounted for from the banks he bailed out.

Quite the contrary. I just don't see the need to voice those concerns here, because they're already well represented. I think the first lady post was a cheap shot, like me complaining about footing the bill for GHWB jumping out of a plane. I said that to make a point.

Like it or not, the American presidency has evolved into an "American Royalty". (and I don't like it) We have, and will continue to pay for our royal families during and after their regimes are up.

And just to set the record straight, Obama has not had a budget approved and signed into law yet. Not one penny of our $11 trillion debt is attributable to him. (yet) Sorry, that's just the facts that we were left with.

I'm not interested in defending irresponsible spending when it comes from Obama, and I"m not willing to gloss over the world-record economic turnaround that Bush subjected us to. We'll be feeling it for generations, and that's NOT what conservatism is about. Is it?

And I'll apologize yet a third time, for not fitting the perfect little conservative stereotype. But be as it may, if I don't fit perfectly, kick me out and label me liberal....look where that attitude got the GOP in NOvember.

[Julie R.]

dnf, and Roger Perry, I didn't label either of you anything, I didn't even dispute the title of conservative you applied to yourself, dnf. Although I'm sure I'm not the only one who wonders why whenever anyone (not just me) posts anything negative about Obongo and minions wasteful spending/buffoonery/inept bumbling both of you go back and start trashing Bush. Bush is the reason both of you voted for Obongo and you won, you got your man, now enjoy him: the good and the bad.

[Hew]

And just to set the record straight, Obama has not had a budget approved and signed into law yet.

Got Google?