I disagree that my point was silly. The telecommuting point is virtually moot because you're not actively working when you're playing golf, clearing brush, or just walking 'round the ranch. All of these things are perfectly OK... a president lives at his office, and needs to get out periodically just like any other working person. I'd have issue with a "lover's retreat" if it was say, to Rome, Paris, etc for a week or two. That would be in very poor taste given the recent requests for people to make some sacrifices. But... there is a world of difference between going out for an evening and taking a trip "back to the ranch" and (effectively) telecommuting for days or weeks at a time (which also cost the taxpayers a pretty penny). We see the cost of the trip at say, $24k, but what would the cost have been should he opted to stay at the White House during that time? You'd still need a large security detail to monitor the grounds, or you'd see the costs of loading up a motorcade to go out to a dinner in DC. $24k seems like a lot of money to us common folk, but some of that cost was offset by reduced costs at the White House while the president is out. I was intending to focus my point on the hypocrisy present in the reporting of this story, and my opinion that it is really not newsworthy. Sorry to have taken us down a rat hole :-)

Forrest says "By Labor Day 2001, Bush (remember, he inherited a recession also) had spent 54 days in Crawford, 4 days at Kennebunkport, and 38 days at Camp David."

Bush was still working while at these locations (except maybe Kennebunkport). Call it telecommunting if you wish. He and Laura weren't on a "lover's retreat" or something similar. He had heads of state visit him there and most of his cabinet staying nearby at Baylor.

I think where so many have an issue with this "date night" is after Obama has ridiculed executives for their extravagant outings and his night out cost is right up there! It's the timing that is questionable. He is always going on about "us" sacrificing, he needs to do a little himself.

When times get better (if) then he can go jaunting about.

When you add up all the pork and discretionary spending, it factually isn't that much in the grand scheme of things... somewhere on the order of 2% of all money spent by the fed. Realistically, that isn't breaking the bank, and while I don’t like Schumer’s off-hand remarks that it doesn’t really matter, he does have a point (unfortunately). What is killing us is the amount of money that is being spent on defense and entitlements. Defense spending in the US is 4x what the next largest nation's defense budget is. Just because we spend a lot of money on it, doesn’t mean we're getting our money's worth. We have lots of people with personal vested interest in keeping the costs of say, a fighter jet, at astronomical prices. Instead of building them all at one location, they put small sub-factories that build components in nearly every state so that representatives in Congress won't shut them down (for fear of being portrayed as job-killers). That increases cost in the supply chain of said aircraft, and that cost is passed on to the government (us). Imagine how many billions are wasted simply by inefficient manufacture processes; processes whose inefficiencies are in place to line the pockets of the corporations contracted by our government to build our fabulous toys. I think we could have a vastly superior defense system in place on half the budget allocation, but our representatives are in the pocket of all of these large defense-oriented corporations, and we refuse to bring down the ax on projects which don’t work or are wholly unnecessary. Congress won’t touch defense waste and risk being accused of being weak, just like they won’t touch social security or Medicare etc… Our Constitution never was intended to justify our government spending money to protect other nations to serve our interests, yet that is what we do. Until we can get a grip on this kind of irresponsible spending, we’ll find the Hannity’s and Limbaugh’s making a spectacle out of a $24k date night for the president instead of focusing on the Pentagon buying steel washers for $1000.00 a piece. Compared to what the real problems are, this date night ‘controversy’ is just an unnecessary political distraction that the Right is trying to use to attack the president.

1. Your holdings of U.S. Dollar assets are safe.
2. The check’s in the mail.
3. I’ll respect you in the morning.
4. I’m from the government, I’m here to help.
5. No, those pants don’t make your butt look big.

What's really sad is the stupid socialists in the MSM actually believe what this cast of clown administration says. The US is on the fast-track to banana republic status and the rest of the world is laughing.

As Gov. Sanford said, this is nothing more than "Mugabe economics" by the Obozo administration.

Dude, Lance Boyle from Mega Race. Totally forgot about that game. SOLID reference LOL!

seriously, who monitored every dime that Bush spent going back and forth to Texas to clear brush, or to go play golf, or fly to a photo op showing himself reading a book upside down to children? No one. It doesn't matter. Presidents are people too and deserve to have some personal down time. It wouldn't be a $24k trip if he didn't have to have a security detail, which he will have anywhere he goes, so what does it matter whether he goes on a date or goes for a jog? Having a president comes with its costs to the taxpayer, and $24k, or even $100k is inconsequential. At $24,000.00, this 'date night' cost each American $0.00008. That is a sacrifice I'm willing to make. In fact, I'll make that sacrifice a hundred thousand times over, which would cost me $8.00. Get real, people.

Remember Lance Boyle from that old video game Mega Race? This guy could be him! Great commentary.

Great video!

But on a side note, I don't find anything wrong with Lara Croft ;-)

because we are serfs because of the federal debt imposed on us by the federal reserve bank.

None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.
Goethe

Thought I'd throw my own little "reading assignment" in here today. Have a look at how out of control (read: ridiculous) the rules, regulations, and permits have gotten for British pubs.

http://www.reason.com/news/show/133827.html

Some examples: you can't drink while you're standing, no playing dominoes (without permit), no dancing (without proper paperwork), on and on it goes.

And here I thought the greatest place on earth to have a beer would be a British pub.

Very Funny and very true.

http://www.pjtv.com/video/Klavan_on_culture/Klavan_on_the_Culture%3A_Night_of_the_Living_Government__DC_Zombies_Will_Tax_You_To_Death!!/1695/

Why are conservatives so mean? Broken link.

http://www.pjtv.com/video/Klavan_on_culture/_Why_Are_Conservatives_So_Mean%3F/1949/;jsessionid=abcybdvbQ23-ofhyJ_Ggs

That should work if it doesn't...well, I tried to help.