Publisher's Note: Jim Bispo's weekly column appears in the Beaufort Observer.
It's interesting. It seemed as though every time an AP writer mentioned the Anointed One going to Hawaii for his Christmas vacation, they told us that Hawaii is his home state or that he was born there or both. Could that seemingly singular focus possibly be fueled by doubts??
When Bill Clinton went on Christmas vacation, I certainly don't recall anyone focusing on where he was born. Likewise with George Bush (either "41" or "43)".
Air Force 1 (the Presidential aircraft, AF -1) reportedly costs over $180,000 per flight hour to operate. It is about a 10 hour flight from Andrews AFB in Washington (actually it is in a Maryland suburb of Washington - in case anyone wants to nit-pik) to Hickam AFB in Hawaii. By the time you factor in the additional aircraft to move the vehicles and Secret Service contingent and everything else which accompanies the POTUS when he leaves town, surely the total flight hour costs exceed $500,000 per flight hour for the lot. That means it costs the American taxpayers about $5M to get him to Hawaii and that much again to get him "home". That sounds a whole like $10M. (There are those who believe the first $5M would be a good investment if it weren't followed by the second $5M.) How far do you suppose that much money would have gone to keep the White House open for tours by all the school kids who scrimp and save all year long for a trip to the seat of our Government. And of course, no trip to Washington would be complete without a visit to the White House. But not so much when the Anointed One has a chance to poke his finger into the eye of the American taxpayers just to show us how badly it hurt the Government to take a very small percentage cut in last year's spending increases (last year's sequestration in case you were wondering).
What do you suppose will happen when it's his turn to start picking up the tab for his trips "home" to Hawaii (where he was allegedly born). The first question is, will they still need to go back "home" after they return to Chicago (if they do return there)?? As an aside, I recently heard that they are considering staying in D.C. until both girls graduate from the Sidwell Friends School. (More money available in DC for ex-prezs'??) In Wikipedia, Pulitzer Prize winning Anne Applebaum is cited as describing Sidwell as "the Harvard of Washington's private schools". If the Anointed One does decide to spend Christmas in Hawaii after no longer having AF-1 at his disposal, do you suppose he will be paying for it out of his own pocket?? Don't bet the farm on that happening.
Have I forgotten to tell you that I am prescient?? Here's how it will come down, There will be established a Barack H. Obama Foundation (where contributions are tax deductible), dedicated to improving living conditions and educational opportunities for the poor and downtrodden around the world. He is going to have to "work around" the Barack H Obama Foundation already established by his half brother Abon'go Malik Obama some time ago. (It would seem that being dedicated to doing good with other folks' money may run in the family. Hmmm...) The "new" foundation will be lavishly funded by the same middle class folks (yeah right - surely there are no "one percenters" among the Anointed One's contributors ) who time after time lay out $35k (about the same as the Sidwell tuition for each of the children) for the privilege of "breaking bread" with him. And now you know what "non-sequtir" means. Additionally, I suspect he will take a page out of the Clinton play book and make a significant tax deductible contribution to the Foundation out of his own Federal retirement or book royalties. He and his "bride" and maybe the girls (if it's too soon for Harvard or wherever), will be able to travel the world looking after the Foundation's business and projects... And guess what, that means that the travel will still be paid for by the taxpayers.
And now, here comes a new Clinton twist. According to the AP, "Hillary Rodham Clinton is seeking charitable donations with a one week special offer. (And a Merry Christmas to all.) She says her husband and former president Bill Clinton will personally match any donation made to the Clinton Foundation through Dec. 31." Click here to see the AP article.
All the money the Clintons "donate" to their foundation results in lower taxes for them while at the same time becoming available for them to use in their world travels (in furtherance of the Foundation's mission). Not bad. They "run" their taxable money through the Foundations money laundering machine and it comes out as untaxed money they have available to do with whatever they like (almost). Global travel (and who knows what else) for the family all with untaxed dollars. Would that we could all do that. But I digress....
So why Hawaii?? First you wonder if the golf courses in Hawaii are so much better than anywhere else. The short answer is, "They aren't". But then you have to admit that the military courses on Oahu aren't all that shabby. And, of course there's the Waialae-Kahala course. It is not far past Diamond Head as you go from Waikiki towards Koko Head. It is right on the water and it's a very nice course. Even so, it didn't even make the Sports Illustrated Golf.com top 100 in the country list. Click here to see the list. If you look carefully, you will see that the only course in Hawaii to make the list is Nanea (at #55) which is located near Kailua-Kona on the big island of Hawaii. It's about a 40 minute plane ride from Oahu so if the Anointed One goes there to play it will only cost the taxpayers about $300,000 for transportation. Is isn't clear who will pick up the green fees, cart rental, etc.
Clearly, the anointed One can't play golf all the time. So what does he do in his spare time. How about signing up for Obama Care?? That's what we heard on the TV news. Well, maybe not. It turns out that someone on his staff "signed him up". Well, maybe not - again. Josh Lederman, in a 12/23/2013 AP article gives us the following:
"Obama, like so many other Americans, couldn't use the website."
"The complicated nature of the president's case required an in person sign up," the White House said.
White House officials noted that for security reasons, the president's personal information is not readily available in government databases that the exchanges use to verify identities and check eligibility for tax subsidies."
So if he has to "sign up in person" how can he be signed up?? Maybe he isn't signed up after all. More misdirection coming from the administration?? But it surely must sound good to the uninformed "out there" who make up so many of his supporters. So lets keep saying it. Hmmm...
It is always interesting when the "White House" is quoted as saying something. Surely it isn't the white House speaking, it is someone - always unnamed - being quoted. Perhaps quoting "The White House" lends more credence to the pronouncement than would quoting "an unidentified source" at the White House. After all the "unidentified source" could be just about anyone.
It would appear that misleading rhetoric has become the norm for this administration and is so fully ingrained in the sycophants who surround the Anointed One that it goes on unabated even when it isn't "needed" as a defense for something or other.
D'ya think??
P.S. A Hawaiian Hau'oli Makahiki Hou to one and all...
