Hope Biden Enjoyed Himself - And Response (6)

  • Tuesday, March 26, 2013

According to Monday's Huffington Post, Vice President Joe Biden is watching out for taxpayers as he only spent $585,000.50 for one night in a Paris Hotel.  Only slightly more than the one night in a London Hotel at $459,338.65.  Must have been one heck of a room service tab.  We all understand that the Vice President can't merely skip down to McDonald's for a couple of burgers.  

I didn't vote for this administration.  Hardly know anyone around here who did.  But I am comforted to know that he's watching out for we taxpayers, whether we be Democrats or Republicans. 

Jim Holcomb
Harrison

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I hope Biden did enjoy his trip, I would have too if I got a chance to go on the taxpayers' tab. You would go too if given the chance.

The dollar figures you quoted may or may not have been right. Did you check with Fox News or is this where you got your information? Most Republicans do or just make them up. Are you going to check on the cost of the upcoming trip for Mr. Corker, where he is going to Japan, China, and South Korea on a mission to find more trading partners? This was announced on this website by Mr. Corker himself on March 21. I guess he will be staying at the Economy Inn and eating at McDonalds if they have one in each country and I guess he is going to foot the bill himself to save taxpayers money.

 Why don't you quit your whining about anything the Democrats do. They won the election and I tried to help them, but my vote didn't carry because Tennessee went Republican. Just try and remember the two wars and stimulas that Dubya did on a credit card or all the big bucks Cheney made for Haliburton while he was in office. I don't hear you raving about that, not a peep. 

Gary Dixon
South Pittsburg 

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Mr. Holcomb,
I am not sure why THP posted the story the way they without any context. Maybe just to stir up some controversy,  which is always good for the news media. What they left out was that most trips like this involving the President or Vice President cost this much...whether it is the current administration or previous administrations.  

It makes a great headline to give the impression that Uncle Joe is wasting the taxpayers' money, living it up. The fact is, on these trips, there are typically several hundred people that have to be accommodated and fed. There is military involved, Secret Service and other security as well in addition to support staff.

I did vote for this administration...twice and I would again if a third term were possible. This administration has on average, spent less that previous administrations. The President has even paid for some vacation costs out of his own pocket. 

George Bush spent $20 million, just on Air Force One trips to his ranch in Texas. More than any previous or current administrations. But I didn't here anyone complaining about that. 

Vice President Biden, just like his predecessors, is doing his job for the country, not living it up on taxpayers' money.  

John Fricke
Chattanooga 

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Dear Mr. Holcomb,
It's a mighty funny thing how the cost of  travel by both the President and Vice President, as well as their vacations, only became a cause for concern after the 2008 election. How quickly we seem to have forgotten that Saint Ronald Reagan flew home to California almost every weekend - on Air Force One. How quickly we forget that "Dubya" was the most vacationing President in U.S. history. 

Let me suggest that if you really are concerned with bringing economy to Washington and getting a handle on outrageous perks, you try this: 

There are about some 50 members of the U.S. House of Representatives that belong to the Tea Party Caucus, and about 22 U.S. Senators who claim Tea Party support. The average cost of maintaining a congressional office - salaries, travel, postage - is about $1.2 million a year. That's some $80 million a year (give or take a few million) that the U.S. taxpayers spend to support these members. Since, as far as anyone can tell, the only thing these officials do is obstruct anything and everything anyone wants to get accomplished, along with traveling home in order to gin up folks waving guns and placards into a collective rant, why don't we start there. 

Vice President Biden is at least trying to get something accomplished. His $500,000 is peanuts when compared to the $80 million these Tea Party nihilists are squandering. 

Lonnie Hatmaker
Chattanooga 

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To John Fricke,
Sir, you wrote:  "George Bush spent $20 million, just on Air Force One trips to his ranch in Texas. More than any previous or current administrations. But I didn't here anyone complaining about that." 

Vice President  Biden "The Gaffster" has only one job as defined by our Constitution, to be President of the Senate. He is not to be a globe trotter on the public's dime. 

How about this... in just four of Obama's vacations: 

"The total cost to taxpayers of Obama’s [4] vacations to Hawaii since becoming president is likely in excess of $20 million, and possibly much, much more. During a time of budget deficits that threaten the nation’s security and its future, the Obamas have chosen to  maintain a 'family tradition' and vacation halfway around the world instead of finding far cheaper alternatives closer to home." 

"The $20 million figure is based on estimates of the cost of the four Hawaii vacations the Obamas have taken during Christmastime 2009-2012. According to a detailed breakdown by the Hawaii Reporter, the annual excursions in 2009, 2010, and 2011 cost about $4 million, much of it attributable to the expense of taking Air Force One, at an hour rate of about $180,000, on an 18-hour roundtrip journey to Honolulu and back." 

Bill Gardner
Cleveland

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The Hyatt Regency in London? Blimey.  Say it ain't so, Joe.  Mr. Fricke is right on the mark with his suggestion that the Biden spendathon needs a contextual background. Biden has once again embarrassed the U.S. by his lack of tact and consideration.  

Let's consider, shall we, the fact that France is still not terribly popular with most Englishmen, let alone the rest of Britian. Some of this emanates from issues regarding WW II and the less than valiant stand taken against Hitler's onslaught. Earlier historical events, culminating in a little something called the Norman Conquest, add to this rivalry.  

So, for Joe Biden and his tactless entourage, to blatantly outspend in Paris his modest outlay of U.S. dollars in London just isn't great diplomacy. Okay, Keynesians, he was trying to help the Euro, trickling down a few dollars, "makin' it rain" a little on the Left Bank, perhaps.  

With the exercise of foresight and diplomacy, Biden could have tipped up around the corner from the U.S. Embassy, not that far from the Hyatt, at The Connaught and left a tab at least four times larger than the Hyatt's bill, showing a little class at the same time as convincing Londoners that he really is cool.     

Hutch Smith
Signal Mountain

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Are folks ignorant enough to think Dick Cheney never went anywhere? When he did, he had to take half of a hospital with him.

Look up the figures before you fly off the handle; Vice Presidents and heads of state travel all of the time and the figures cited were actually normal, at least according to some folks in the Bush administration. I am so tired of the "crisis of the week" as promoted by the GOP and Tea Party extremists.

Just when you think you've heard everything, we now have Muslim foot washing rumors in our state government.  

Herb Montgomery
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