What is real costs of a trip?

07. Nov, 2010 0 Comments

The radio talk shows are going crazy over President Obama’s 10 day trip to India. They say it is costing too much. Every time a president moves or travels it is always a costly operation. We saw that here in Waco with President Bush.

And they say he is going there for political reasons. Everything a president does is usually for political reasons.

But wire reports say he is going for trade. Who knows he might stir up some trade for American businesses back here. Some of our factories could use it.

Some say he is getting out of the country because of the loss of the House to Republicans. These trips are planned months in advance so that is not a credible reason. And in fact one leg of the trip has been putt off several times.

Waco is considered a safe heaven but when president Bush came home it was like moving a whole circus. First there was an advance crew to make plans and checks out everywhere the president might go when he was here. Then a few days before his visit the Choppers were flow in from Washington. A Cargo plane brought in some special bullet proof cars if he needed them in case of rain. Then there’s a funny looking helicopter that always flew when the Marine Choppers did. I don’t know what it did. Drug Dog was always used. What did it cost to fly in Air Force One and have it serviced while here?

Then there’s the question White House press. They had to have transportation to the Hilton or wherever they were staying. This called for some vans. These vans usually carried them to Crawford or the ranch when they were called in.

The Crawford Junior High school had to give up part of their building for a press headquarters. Apparently it wasn’t air conditioned so this was more money for AC.

No telling how much money was spent for communications. By the time the president got settled in we suspect Crawford had some of the most up to date communications of any place in the world. The President might want to call a president or a king of any country at any time he needed to.

Now back to Obama’s visit to India we certainly would not want anything to happen to him while he was in a foreign country. This could start another world war.

We hope he makes some deals that will help companies like Caterpillar here in Waco. His goal was more jobs for America.