All Americans should resent Trump’s excessive golf costs

[corbe]

All Americans should resent Trump’s excessive golf costs

by Quin Hillyer

May 23, 2019 12:04 PM
 
My esteemed colleague Tom Rogan writes that “liberals are wrong to complain about President Trump’s golfing costs.” I guess that gets me off the hook. As a conservative, I hope other conservatives join me in complaining about Trump’s golf costs.

And I make the same complaint as an avid golfer.

The problem isn’t that Trump likes golf, or that he finds at least some time to play it. Rogan is right that presidents need relief from the stresses of the job, and golf is a salutary diversion. And the problem isn’t that presidential golf costs more than golf by anybody else, because of course security and other considerations make it so by necessity. Everything done by the president costs more than it would cost anyone else. That’s just reality.

Where I disagree is with this statement of Rogan’s: “We should defer to the president's preference of vacation location, regardless of distance or costs applied.”

<..snip..>

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/all-americans-should-resent-trumps-excessive-golf-costs

[corbe]

   Whereas I was very reluctant to post this (really) because it just adds fuel to the Trumpers assertion that I only post Trump negative articles, which I believe is an unfair characterization but so be it.  I rationed my concerns away with two important facts:

A: The author is a guy who claims to like the President (It is after all the Washington Examiner)
B:  Someone else was gonna post it anyway

 

[Victoria33]

It's our money not his, so he doesn't care what he spends.

[truth_seeker]

"As a conservative,"

Orange Man Bad

Wash, rinse, repeat

Conservative Hub

#Nevertrump Hub

[corbe]

   I could not disagree any more with your statement that TBR is a #NeverTrump hub @truth_seeker I run across many articles at sites I frequent that are too inciteful for even this Forum so in spite of the steady protestations of some here in my defense I do show some discretion and upmost respect for Myst and her Mods.

[Applewood]

"As a conservative,"

Orange Man Bad

Wash, rinse, repeat

Conservative Hub

#Nevertrump Hub

Bull!  Many of us complained that Obama used to run off to exotic locales at the drop of a hat -- on our dime.  I'll bet you didn't like it either.  So why is it suddenly ok for this president to do pretty much the same?

Presidents are entitled to take some time off sometimes, but they should not be excessively running up the expense for the taxpayers.  At least this president has used Camp David once in a while, but I don't remember Obama using it in his 8 years of rule.  What's wrong with it? 

And I feel the same about these never-ending campaign travels too.  Do these guys have to run around the country telling everyone how wonderful they are?   How about staying home and maybe posting a You Tube video? 

[jmyrlefuller]

How much does it really cost, though? Especially considering he has the funds to pay for it himself.

[mountaineer]

I never will be mistaken for a Trump devotee, but give me a break.  We endured that idiot Obama,  who spent more time shooting hoops and learning golf than doing his actual job. At least Trump plays his own courses and doesn't kick members of the military out while he plays courses meant for them.

[dfwgator]

Shall we talk about the Obama's travel bills?

[EasyAce]

Bull!  Many of us complained that Obama used to run off to exotic locales at the drop of a hat -- on our dime.  I'll bet you didn't like it either.  So why is it suddenly ok for this president to do pretty much the same?

@Applewood
Didn't you get the memo? Today's Republican Party mostly (but not exclusively) gazes upon a careless, witless, amoral (not because he likes playing golf, whatever you think of the sport), big-government, executive-supremacist president and says, "Yes, but he's our careless, witless, amoral, big-government, executive-supremacist president!"

[Sanguine]

So, that's 1.5 golf games per week.  The article doesn't say, but implies that there are the additional costs associated with golf playing.  Not sure what they would be.  Doesn't he have SS protection whether he's playing golf or not?  Are they saying that he flies out to golf courses as the reason for the trip and doesn't conduct other business?

[Right_in_Virginia]

It's our money not his, so he doesn't care what he spends.

What's YOUR money?   

Haters always ignore the fact that the President doesn't take a salary. 

[Right_in_Virginia]

@Applewood
Didn't you get the memo? Today's Republican Party mostly (but not exclusively) gazes upon a careless, witless, amoral (not because he likes playing golf, whatever you think of the sport), big-government, executive-supremacist president and says, "Yes, but he's our careless, witless, amoral, big-government, executive-supremacist president!"

Oh, do be quiet. 

But first tell me the name of another US President who did not take a salary,

[EasyAce]

President Tweety may not take his presidential salary, but our money pays the freight for his travel and the security attached to the fact that he is the president. The estimates appear to be that his golf habits cost us, among other such jaunts:

* $81 million for his two dozen trips to Florida.
* $17 million for fifteen trips to New Jersey.
* $1 million for his trip to his Los Angeles resort.

The total cost to us for President Tweety's golf habits appear to be 255 times the presidential salary he doesn't take.

[EdJames]

So, that's 1.5 golf games per week.  The article doesn't say, but implies that there are the additional costs associated with golf playing.  Not sure what they would be.  Doesn't he have SS protection whether he's playing golf or not?  Are they saying that he flies out to golf courses as the reason for the trip and doesn't conduct other business?

I think that the difference in costs incurred between him sitting inside somewhere (e.g., Mar A Largo, White House, Camp David, etc.) and being out on a golf course is the number of security personnel involved.  Think about people and vehicles required to escort to and from, number of people that have to be out on the course in advance to secure the facility, people required to be out on the course during the round, etc.

It isn't hard to see how the costs would add up, versus him being inside one location.

[Sanguine]

I think that the difference in costs incurred between him sitting inside somewhere (e.g., Mar A Largo, White House, Camp David, etc.) and being out on a golf course is the number of security personnel involved.  Think about people and vehicles required to escort to and from, number of people that have to be out on the course in advance to secure the facility, people required to be out on the course during the round, etc.

It isn't hard to see how the costs would add up, versus him being inside one location.

It well may be excessive.  I was just trying to understand the variables.

[Cyber Liberty]

Bush 43 gave up golf because he felt it wasn't right after having to order troops into harm's way.  Obastard played golf constantly and laughed while he pushed that into our faces (and spent a lot more than Trump doing it).  Now the big complaint is that Trump golfs.  BFD.

I'm with Coolidge on this.  He said more time he spends on the links means less time spent on ruining the country.  I'd have gladly paid Obastard to stay on the golf course if it meant he'd stop ruining the country.  He ruined it anyway, like he ruined the Greens by jumping on them.

[EdJames]

It well may be excessive.  I was just trying to understand the variables.

I understand and am not making any value judgments on the activity; and I wasn't very thorough in that description above...  securing the facility before he arrives extends well beyond the course itself, the whole facility has to be scoured and locked down to a degree, there are perimeter issues, etc.

It is no small undertaking to have POTUS travel to a large multi-acre facility (with numerous buildings and natural terrain filled with locations that need to be cleared of any potentially hostile actors/devices) that is often open to the public, to an extent, prior to his arrival.  Complicated business.

[EasyAce]

Bush 43 gave up golf because he felt it wasn't right after having to order troops into harm's way.  Obastard played golf constantly and laughed while he pushed that into our faces (and spent a lot more than Trump doing it).  Now the big complaint is that Trump golfs.  BFD.

Apparently, President Tweety has spent more time on the links through the same point in his presidency than His Excellency Al-Hashish Field Marshmallow Dr. Barack Obama Dada, COD, RIP, LSMFT, Would-Have-Been Life President of the Republic Formerly Known as the United States, spent through the same point as his.

Though I will agree that the more time either spent on the links, the less time either could spend making mischief for the country. Which means, unfortunately, that we foot the bill for both. Somehow the idea that we have to pay for the bastards' time spent not making mischief for the country is just a little on the ticklish side.

[240B]

Didn't Obama golf once or twice a week, I mean in the intervals when he wasn't on vacation or partying in Hollywood?
I seem to remember that Obama started the moniker, "Golfer in Chief".

Furthemore, when Trump is golfing he is usually playing on a golf course that he owns, or one which will allow him to play gratis just for the free publicity of it.

Also, Trump takes no salary. So if he ever is charged for playing golf, consider it an 'in kind' payment.

The article is just more "Hate Trump" meaningless blather.

[Cyber Liberty]

Didn't Obama golf once or twice a week, I mean in the intervals when he wasn't on vacation or partying in Hollywood?
I seem to remember that Obama started the moniker, "Golfer in Chief".

Furthemore, when Trump is golfing he is usually playing on a golf course that he owns, or one which will allow him to play gratis just for the free publicity of it.

Also, Trump takes no salary. So if he ever is charged for playing golf, consider it an 'in kind' payment.

The article is just more "Hate Trump" meaningless blather.

I think the part about him owning his own courses is what has the envy pot boiling over.

[Wingnut]

I think the part about him owning his own courses is what has the envy pot boiling over.

The only time in existence where a watched pot boils over.

[Cyber Liberty]

The only time in existence where a watched pot boils over.

I think in this case it's the watching that provides the heat for boiling.

[corbe]

   I think some people are missing 2 important points, SURE obummer did this and most of us bi1ched like hell about it and two, as far as him NOT taking a Salary, HE IS, he just donates it to a Federal Agency or Charity we still pay him and said Federal Agency through our Tax Dollars.  I'm not even gonna bring up that he charges the SS (US) for use of his Golf Carts while we pay to protect him (at least donate that). Take your 8 weeks a year as allocated and stay in the White House and tweet it'll be cheaper for all of us in the long run. 

   Also another point, during his 2016 campaign he himself bi1ched about obummers excessive golf excursions and said he wouldn't have time for that.......another lie......
 

[240B]

There is an old saying, There is nothing in the world that a woman can't stand more than watching a resting man.
I think the Left hates Trump so viscerally and so ferociously that when they see him laughing and playing golf it makes their blood boil.

And I call that sloth
The first big step on the road
To the depths of deg-ra-day--
I say, first, medicinal wine from a teaspoon
Then beer from a bottle!
An' the next thing ya know
Your son is playin' for money
In a pinch-back suit
And list'nin to some big out-a-town jasper
Hearin' him tell about horse-race gamblin'
Not a wholesome trottin' race, no!
But a race where they set down right on the horse!
Like to see some stuck-up jockey boy
Settin' on Dan Patch? Make your blood boil?