Monday, August 23, 2010

A Much Needed Vacation

Does President Obama deserve a vacation? I think so.

Many Republican leaders are criticizing Obama for his recent trip with his family to Martha’s Vineyard. But let us not forget that he has spent less time on vacation than his predecessor, George W. Bush, had at this point in his presidency.

According to CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller, Obama has had only nine vacations since taking office, bringing his total days off to 48. In comparison, Bush had about 14 vacations at this point in his administration and spent at total of 115 days off. That’s more than double the amount of “off” time Obama has had.

In all fairness, no president, especially a wartime president handling the worst economic crisis in decades, ever really gets a vacation. There are always advisers and other staff members that accompany the president, along with daily briefings and other presiding issues that he must attend to.

What is important, however, is that the president puts the American people first and does the work he set out to do in his campaign for presidency. Unlike President Bush, who took many more off days than needed with little to show for it, President Obama deserves a few days off.

After all, within his first year in office, he has passed Healthcare Reform, Wall Street Reform, Credit Card Reform, and Education Reform, while also managing to prevent another Great Depression, create jobs, improve our country’s image across the world, win a Nobel Peace Prize, conduct two wars, and nominate 2 female judges to the U.S. Supreme Court, just to name a few.

If that doesn’t require a small “vacation”, I don’t really know what does. By the way, how much vacation time do you get?

10 comments:

  1. You said it perfectly. These Republicans just don't know when to shut their mouths!

    All they continue to do is ruin this country, while failing to take any responsibility. Obama had done more good for this country than the entire Republican Party did in the last 8 years!

    I say have a great vacation Mr. Obama!

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  2. Ofcourse Obama takes a vacation at the worst time possible. At least Bush took off when the economy was prospering.

    But I guess since he can't do anything productive while at the White House, it certainly won't hurt to be at Martha's Vineyard.

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  3. Of course he should get vacation time! people wanted a president who was human, and all humans need a break sometimes. If Republicans are claiming that is is wrong for Obama to be taking to many breaks, that its very hypocritical of them considering Bush took three times as many days off than Obama has in the same amount of time.

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  4. 48 days off!!! listen, i know bush took more days off, but no one, no one should get more than 14 days per year, especially the president. i know investment bankers who work harder and they arent running a whole country. i also think he should have gone to the gulf coast for vacation. it would have been a good sentiment to try and revive their tourist economy. but overall, you're right ashwani. he's done a ton in so much time.

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  5. Yo Beck, read this:
    http://www.slate.com/id/2098861
    and shut up.

    PS:
    Let's not compare Obama's vacation days to that of his predecessors. Reagan spent 41 days vacationing in California during his first year in office. If you recall from your history classes, the economy in 1981 was very, very bad.

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  6. to the anonomous commenter above:

    Actually, Obama did vacation in the Gulf Coast:

    http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/71137

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  7. I know bush took many days off and I know being the President is more stressful than any can imagine but I can understand why it would bother the average working man to see their president take double if not triple as much vacation as him.

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  8. Gonna have to agree with Anuj. I am a proud Obama supporter, but with the current state of the economy and unemployment, 48 days of vacation (although maybe deserved) would seem excessive to the average struggling citizen.

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  9. (What I tried to post yesterday but couldn't):

    I have no problem with him taking a vacation, especially considering how much time off his predecessor took off. And look at what he's doing-- going to the Gulf and Cape Cod. At least he isn't going off on his ranch by himself... He's a "regular guy" (well, as much as you can be if you're president) who is spending time with his family on vacation like so many other families in America do.

    And like you said, it's not like he is really ever OFF WORK.

    If you consider that the President is still working on weekends, 48 days off is nothing compared to the time an "Average Joe" has off.

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  10. Hmmm,this is a touchy topic.Although I agree with your statistics,I don't think any President should take so many vacations within a small period of time.I think he should have spaced them out more, then ppl would say less.

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