"I Need To Address Trumps Frequent Visits To Mar-a-Lago"

[babylonsister]

From 'a chick on the right'...

I Need To Address Trump’s Frequent Visits To Mar-a-Lago
Mockarena COTR
April 11, 2017 07:26pm


So, this may be an unpopular opinion with die-hard Trump supporters, but it needs to be said. I’m getting sick and tired of Trump’s constant trips to Mar-a-Lago.

According to the sourcelink, at the rate Trump is traveling to his private club in Florida, he will spend more on travel THIS YEAR ALONE than Obama did during his entire 8 years as President, and if you recall, there were plenty of us bitching about Obama’s travel as it happened.

In fact, one of the folks who bitched the loudest about it was Trump himself. He tweeted during Obama’s tenure, “President @BarackObama’s vacation is costing taxpayers millions of dollars – Unbelievable!”

He also went after Obama (as did a lot of us) for the amount of golf Obama played:

In October 2014, he tweeted: ‘Can you believe that, with all of the problems and difficulties facing the US, President Obama spent the day playing golf. Worse than Carter.’

He said: ‘You know what – and I love golf – but if I were in the White House, I don’t think I’d ever see Turnberry again, I don’t think I’d ever see Doral again, I own Doral in Miami, I don’t think I’d ever see many of the places that I have.

‘I don’t ever think that I’d see anything, I just wanna stay in the White House and work my ass off, make great deals, right? Who’s gonna leave? I mean, who’s gonna leave?’

He also told supporters in Virginia: ‘I’m going to be working for you. I’m not going to have time to play golf.’

So yeah. Trump is a total hypocrite on this issue, and frankly, I’m getting tired of it not being addressed.

Before you go all, “But he’s not taking a salary!” let me just remind you that a presidential salary is less than 500k annually. It costs us, the taxpayers, in excess of THREE MILLION DOLLARS every time Trump goes to his fancy resort. And so far, even though it’s not even mid April yet, and he wasn’t inaugurated until late January, Trump has managed to spend SEVEN WEEKENDS at Mar-a-Lago. He has played 17 rounds of golf, despite all of the proclamations above that he’d never have time to play because he’d be “too busy working for us.”

I’m sorry, but that’s indefensible. Unless he’s paying the $3.3 million dollars PER TRIP it takes to travel to Mar-a-Lago out of his own pocket, I fail to see how he can defend this after being so critical of the former president.

more...

http://www.chicksontheright.com/need-address-trumps-frequent-visits-mar-lago/?utm_source=FED&utm_medium=FED&utm_campaign=FED

[Bluepinky]

1. Wow, a conservative with an independent thought.

I didn't think they existed anymore.

[ret5hd]

2. Independent Thought Alarm!

[JHB]

10. ...but not enough to have noticed Bush's vacations and golfing...

Obama took about a quarter of what Bush did, and about half of what Reagan did.

So why was he bitching about that? Why is he bitching now?

Hopefully his independent thought will progress to "jeez, I just swallowed every horseshit claim that came down the pike, didn't I?". But I'm not making any bets on it.

[Volaris]

25. Dont worry, they dont. They thought he was just a regular joe who was sticking it to the Dumb Rich

by owning those 'fancy clubs' and overcharging for a round of golf and cheap steak. No sympathy for supposed Capitalists too stupid to understand how the Free Market works.

They voted for a con of a businessman, and now they have a sad when he doesn't know how to act like a President?

Nope no sympathy. WE ALL knew what you were voting for, because we aren't abject morAns.

Enjoy the Debt Ceiling fight your GOP puts on this year, guys, this time they might actually pull it off.

[treestar]

4. One who sees the hypocrisy?

Miraculous!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

20. No. Just unable to ignore the glaring hypocrisy and still keep a straight face.

Like someone said upthread, the time to call out hypocrisy was when President Obama was being criticized for taking a fraction of the time Bush took.

[Lone Star]

5. In addition to the Federal taxpayers getting socked for the extra expenses,

the citizens of Florida are also having to pay more money from their pockets because of Trumps frequent visits to Mar-a-Lago.

[calimary]

32. Welcome to DU, Lone Star!

I find that fitting. Didn't Florida go for trump?

And this, even while his lavish lifestyle and his throw-caution-to-the-wind business deals and many bankruptcies have all been WELL-KNOWN for HOW MANY years now? I was covering his very public foibles with his SECOND wife, Marla Maples, while I was still working at the AP - from which I retired more than two decades ago.

We all knew this guy. We knew what he was. Certain segments of the population CHOSE to disregard those warning signs and red flags. They CHOSE to do so. It could be traced back to any number of dumb-ass/dingbat "reasons" and rationales - either because they were too young to remember all that long-ago backwash, or wanted to embrace the fantasy, or didn't mind the lies that some of them actually recognized - but it just sounded so good or they just hate Democrats that much, or were so damn desperate to get the White House back that they would have voted for Lucifer himself if they thought he could deliver, and - um - to Hell with the consequences.

The one thing I came to appreciate about Bernie was when he questioned a trump voter in a town hall program well after the election, and he buttonholed her about trump's congenital and pathological lying. She conceded she knew he was lying. And Bernie then followed "so you were okay voting for someone you KNEW was lying to you?" She didn't care. Confronted with that fact, live and on-camera, and she didn't care. They don't care. They really DON'T care. They're either so dumbed-down or so damn Machiavellian that they're okay with that.

So okay then, Florida. Go "right" ahead (haha). Get yourselves stiffed month after month, while this world-class CONman picks your pocket and lives the high life at Mar-a-Lago on YOUR dime. And he's been doing it to you almost every freakin' weekend since he took office! Don't expect any sympathy from me. Because I, too, will be getting stuck paying for his high life now and later. And I resent the fucking HELL out of that, AND out of YOU, too, Florida. Gotta hand it to him. He figured out a right-FINE way to have YOU pay for all of his champagne tastes for awhile. This is an even better scam than trump University.

[Achilleaze]

6. Comrade Casino has an important message for republican voters

[dalton99a]

7. Dollars to donuts she'll vote for him again

[C Moon]

39. No doubt about that.

[Ilsa]

8. And he is taking a salary so he can

Use it for PR. I suspect he uses the next one to pay MaraLago for cake or golf carts.

[livvy]

56. He can skip the payment for golf carts.

The Secret Service is already paying for them.

One purchase order reviewed by CBS News shows the US Secret Service has spent $35,185 on golf cart rentals “for POTUS visit” in Palm Beach County, Florida since the President’s inauguration.


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/secret-service-costs-for-trump-family-protection-continue-to-mount/

[IronLionZion]

9. Trump isn't conservative

we can pick off some of his voters a few at a time with stuff like this. He is wasting tax dollars on stuff that helps no one.

I encountered a Trumper who loves the cuts to social programs but is angered by the increase in defense spending. He wants tax cuts and less spending over all.

[7962]

23. Well, trump said all along he was going to increase defense,

so that guy shouldnt be shocked. It always amazed me how the same folks who were hollering for a true conservative rushed to support a guy who has been a Democrat far longer than a republican!

[angrychair]

11. She wrote herself an escape hatch

She stated

I’m sorry, but that’s indefensible. Unless he’s paying the $3.3 million dollars PER TRIP it takes to travel to Mar-a-Lago out of his own pocket, I fail to see how he can defend this after being so critical of the former president.

You do see that saying "Unless he’s paying the $3.3 million dollars" is the built-in dodge to later praise him and ignore the hypocrisy completely?
She easily transitioned from "indefensible" to a way to excuse it effortlessly.

The man that said he would never have time for golf has already played more golf than Obama did his entire first term. He is on to play more golf in a year than Obama did in eight.

She is no different than all republicans, fuck all republicans.

[7962]

24. How's that an "escape hatch"? He's NOT going to start paying!!

if he does, i may fall to the floor in a faint.

[smirkymonkey]

12. I can't believe the nerve of him.

He doesn't even seem to care that he is costing the US taxpayer so much money while cutting every social program he can get his tiny, grubby mitts on. It's disgusting! Can nothing be done to rein him in?

[dalton99a]

14. Public pressure. The House could cut off funding for his extracurricular activities

but the probability of this happening is approximately zero

[ecstatic]

13. Very disturbing comments from his die hard supporters:

It's his place..he owns it. No he doesn't pay for his stay but secret Sevier and plane cost us but I don't care as long as he keeps doing what he's doing

----

I was told that to Florida he takes his own plane.

----

Since he starts his work day around 6 am and ends after 11 pm, I say taking working weekends at Mar-a-Lago are well deserved. I'm certain he feels his family is much safer there than in D C. He has already accomplished more in less than 100 days than the previous president did in 8 years...all the while facing constant and unrelenting negative attacks from all sides...I AM VERY THANKFUL DONALD J. TRUMP IS OUR PRESIDENT!

----

A lot of unknowns and speculation
here. Do we know the government is paying for these trips? I read that all costs for lodging and food for security are being covered by President Trump. So, we have transportation costs. Secret service gets paid regardless of where they are. Mar Lago has private security but I am sure this is reinforced by secret service.

----

Rather him be anywhere but the backstabbing beltway... At least he is playing golf with leaders and not just celebrities...

----

CHICKSonTheWrong!
It is cheap compared to the $248 Million per day JUST for SECURITY to secure Obama PER DAY, every time he went to his Golf games overseas. Security on Pennsulvania Ave, DC is not that different to Mara largo which he owns and is ALREADY SECURED AND HAS NO DEMOCRAT ILLEGAL SURVEILLANCE THERE FROM
PREV. PUTUS TERRORIST SUPPORTER OBAMA TO LEAK CLASSIFIED INFO. Trump
uses it for a SECURE place to meet with Foreign Leaders but without the
illegal wire taps by Moslem terrorist spy friends of Obama whom by the
way hes decided NOT to retire from Trying to Destroy our Nation is still...


I can't.

[dalton99a]

15. "$248 Million per day JUST for SECURITY to secure Obama PER DAY"

a new alternative fact

[rurallib]

36. that works out to

(if my calculator is correct)
$90,520,000,000 or 90 billion a year.

When you lie, lie big!

[ThoughtCriminal]

43. He's confused

The real number according to some guy on Facebook was eleventy-jillion-gazillion-skazillion dollars.

[Zambero]

17. Who do I talk to

to see about purchasing stock in this particular security outfit?

[Beartracks]

19. So no microwave ovens at Mar-a-Lago?

===========

[7962]

28. Dont they know that if he WAS paying, he'd be shouting it from the rooftops?? nt

[tsuukiyomi]

35. "$248 Million per day. . . to secure Obama"

That's uhhhhh. . .

quite a number that they got.

Probably from where ever Sean Spicer and KaC get their alt. facts from, I'd imagine.

[bdamomma]

46. this comment takes the chocolate cake

Since he starts his work day around 6 am and ends after 11 pm, I say taking working weekends at Mar-a-Lago are well deserved. I'm certain he feels his family is much safer there than in D C. He has already accomplished more in less than 100 days than the previous president did in 8 years...all the while facing constant and unrelenting negative attacks from all sides...I AM VERY THANKFUL DONALD J. TRUMP IS OUR PRESIDENT!


He is living in alternative facts. Rather delusional comments.

[VOX]

48. His "work day" consists of punching the TV remote...

And maybe pecking out an insane tweet or two. He might do a photo-op, then take another in a series of naps.

Delusional is right!

[VOX]

47. I know we're supposed to "reach out and not ignore" these folks...

But Jeezus H. Christ, they are Category 5 Stupid. Stupid on steroids. Extra-super-mega-stupid. Hypnotized cult-member stupid.

Imagine them giving Obama a pass on ANY issue similar to #45's assorted gaffes and debacles. They'd be screaming like the apes confronting the monolith in "2001."

[catbyte]

16. And still the Drumpfcultists are making excuses for it, saying he "deserves it" because he's

"working so hard for all of us." I really wish that stupidity and willful ignorance were physically painful.

[Beartracks]

18. And all the extra expense of protection for Melania's NYC digs. nt

[Generic Brad]

21. Isn't he personally profiting from these junkets?

The U.S. Government must be paying for Secret Service and accompanying government employee accommodations. That money would be going straight back to Trump properties. I want to know what the government is being billed for this and I also want to know if the charges are in line with fair market value.

My gut tells me this is a money making scheme for Trump.

[lame54]

33. of course it is...

steak and lobster for everybody

you got the menu without the prices? don't worry about it

don't be shy with the mini bar

[world wide wally]

34. Now you're catching on

[NewRedDawn]

38. Nail meet hammer.

The Grifter in Chief has figured it out; the more trips, the more he makes from us Tax payers.

[Beartracks]

50. "money making scheme for Trump" - Isn't everything? Ironic how...

... his suckers, er, voters believed that because he is a (supposedly) successful businessman and is (purportedly) rich, that he would be good for the economy and would, in short, make them individually wealthy. (Come on, what else they could they have believed?) But here's the irony: he is continuing to enrich himself (and they think that's just peachy keen)... by hoovering up THEIR money!

================

[Midnight Writer]

51. He is also renting apartments to Secret Service. But no worry. He is donating salary.

I also see lobbyists and diplomat types are checking into his resorts and buying multiple two thousand dollar bottles of wine.



Good thing The President of the United States of America has divested his financial interests so that he can't be swayed by personal financial interests.

[Scarsdale]

22. You know

who needs to address this? The gop, the accounting office, the IRS. All should be putting the brakes on this deplorable waste of taxpayer money. Something else needs addressing - the cost of guarding tRump's entire family. They are not royalty. If they feel the need to be protected, then let them hire their own people.

[Honeycombe8]

26. Trumpers, you've been Trumped! Bwahahahahaha.

He who laughs last, laughs best. Trump is laughing all the way to Mara a logo every weekend.

As Trump has said in the past, "I love spending OPM." (OPM = Other People's Money)

Add the savings of his footing the bill for all this travel, plus the travel of his family around the globe to conduct Trump organization business, plus the big profit from the govt paying Trump to rent an entire floor of the very expensive Trump Tower, plus the stays at his hotels by others seeking to curry favor with the Prez, and you've got a textbook case of what should NOT happen: A President profiteering from being President, while in office!

Don't forget that he will push policies favoring foreign countries he owes money to or that he wants special favors to do business in. We don't know which countries those are, since he didn't produce his tax returns, and Congress didn't do its job requesting to see them.

Trump Organization and family will leave the White House MUCH richer than when they went in.

Grrrrrrrrr. In the meantime, he wants to cut food programs for poor kids and the elderly, Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare, not to mention taking billions from the health care program to transfer to the wealthy in the form of tax cuts.

Trump is, and has always been, Trump-centric. His focus is MONEY, GREED, AND HIMSELF & FAMILY. That's it.

[JDC]

27. From the well respected "Chicks on the Right"

i guess it's a start.

[calimary]

29. Oh do tell, "chick on the right." Do tell.

I'll believe it when I see you testify that you didn't VOTE for him. All this soft-ball baloney about "I don't like this.." and "I don't like that..." doesn't impress me. If he's doing stuff you don't like, BUT YOU CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HIM, then your critiques really mean a whole lotta NOTHING.

[Kath2]

30. Right on.

The "Chicks on the Right" usually have it all WRONG!

[teezy]

31. I thought there was squabbling about whether or not he IS taking a salary.

i thought I read that he donated the first $78,000? Or did he just say that he did?

Good for conservatives to acknowledge this out loud, but... How do they not have the brains to see the glaring hypocrisy in every other issue? Like the nepotism after republicans sqwauked so much about the Obama grandmother. And bombing Syria to loud praise after Republicans refused to let Obama go in there while simultaneously complaining that he wasn't doing anything about Syria.

And the list of hypocrisies is endless at this point. How do they not understand this? It's going to cost their party Congress in the coming years... Especially given how cruel the GOP is being to their citizens at town halls and the kinds of things they're passing.

If they want to save their party they're going to have to open their minds and accept the problems its members are causing the country and the world. They're going to have to call Trump out on his bullshit like well-intentioned conservatives do, such as Rick Wilson.

[rurallib]

37. doesn't seem to mention that Trump companies profit from these trips

and i would guess he has already profited far beyond his $400,000 yearly salary.

So not only does it cost US a bundle, a portion goes directly to Benedict Donald in profit.
Not only does he not pay for the trip, he makes a profit every time he goes.

He doesn't make a profit staying in the White House.

[BigmanPigman]

40. I attended the TAX MARCH

in San Diego while the Sociopath/Crook took a special route around the protesters at Mar-A-Lago. Poor guy had to go out of his way and was late for his $3.3 million golf game. #SAD!

I guess next weekend he'll have to be inconvenienced again to go avoid the Science March protesters.

[Initech]

41. Sure, it's perfectly OK when their side does it...

Republican logic in a nutshell:

Obama spends time and money golfing.

GOP response: Obama is wasting time and money golfing when he should be working.

Trump's travel budget to Mar-A-Lago is double what Obama spent in two years

GOP response: Presedenting Is hard! Leave Trump alone!

[warmfeet]

42. Republicans suck.

Evidence and facts do not affect their thought process. From their point of view, they are right and anyone who disagrees with them is wrong. They have a simplistic view of the world which bears no resemblance to reality. Here is what it feels like to have a discussion with a republican; rinse, repeat.

[Orsino]

44. "Total hypocrite" on EVERY issue. n/t

[bdamomma]

45. he keeps on saying

he inherited a mess??? but that is not stopping him from playing golf, what a jerk he is.

[bora13]

49. depends

the mess is in his depends, pretty big one by the looks.

[NBachers]

52. When he's on the premises, or the golf course down there, he's keeping the franchise alive.

More money in his pocket.

"Chicks" didn't say anything about Malignancy taking her own plane down, did she? I didn't want to infect myself with the whole article.

[Lone Star]

53. As far as I'm concerned.....

he can keep his paycheck and live in the Whitehouse.

[OnDoutside]

54. These are simple people, you know, morons. Better to

target moderate Republicans who only voted Trump because he wasn't Hillary. Those other morons are past caring about, other than figures of fun.

[SergeStorms]

55. We all know......

that these things ONLY MATTER when a Democrat is in office. RepubliCANTS have carte blanch to spend taxpayer cash out of their butt holes for whatever purpose they deem fit. It's only those "damned libtards" that can't spend money wisely, dontcha' know.