07/29/2010 (4:52 am)
Taxpayers cost of President's Trips Best answer on the web
by the President in the U.S. to raise funds for campaigns of Republican candidates running for office, including use of Air Force 1 and/or other means of transportation,security & lodgings?
However, I found additional commentary that explains more of why a total of expenses may be impossible to find. From an article titled "The Expense of Presidencies" By Randall Dicks, located at Constantian Society:
"Security: The Secret Service is reluctant to provide figures. on the theory that telling how much is spent on security might reveal how much security there is. The Washington Post estimated the amount in 1992 at $140 million for protection for the President, Vice President, and their immediate families (Washington Post, December 3, 1992).
"Air Force One: Costs of air travel by the President (provided by the 89th Airlift Wing of the United States Air Force) are difficult to determine; this is in part intentional, for security reasons, and in part because costs are spread over a number of agencies (Departments of State and Defense, Air Force, General Services Administration). Two new Boeing 747-200B's were purchased for presidential use in 1990, at a cost of approximately $650 million, plus $140 for a "maintenance and support complex" (an enormous hangar) at Andrews Air Force Base. Columnist Hugh Sidey wrote at the time, ""Americans are spending the better part of a billion dollars to get their President airborne, and then it will cost around $6,000 an hour to keep him aloft. That's more than the gross national product of Greenland." (Time, January 15, 1990.) In 1992, the Washington Post reported an estimated annual travel cost of $185 million (Washington Post, October 19, 1992)."
The entire article from which the above was taken offers the total expenses of other countries' figureheads as well as the US. It's an interesting read.
Since the answer to your question seems very elusive, I will continue to look for actual figures though I can understand the security concerns of above. In addition, there would be expenses from taxpayers in specific states the president visited such as receptions, gifts, etc. From what I have found in the public domain concerning your question, it would seem the American taxpayers are the ones being taken for the ride...
SEARCH TERM and LINK:
president US travel expenses
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=president+US+travel+expenses
TCS - EXPENSE OF PRESIDENCIES
http://members.tripod.com/~constantian/expense2.html
"Here's how the costs of a presidential visit breaks down.
"Whether Bush wears the hat of Commander in Chief or head of Republican Party--he is always president. So the Government pays for 100 percent of the President's transportation on Air Force One, regardless of the trip's purpose.
"A ride on the presidential jet costs anywhere from $34,000 to $56,000 per hour.
"The government also pays all of the expenses for air support, security like secret service and communications. Experts say those expenses are hard to track because they're divided among the Pentagon and transportation department.
"Taxpayers also pick up the food, hotel, and car rental tabs for most of his entourage.
"The White House says the average cost runs from $22,000 to $59,000 per trip.
"When it comes to the fundraising portion of the trip like President Bush's speech at Grandover, the candidate's campaign and the national political party pay back the White House for costs like cars and hotel rooms for advance workers."
The Washington Post had this to say about it:
"Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee say the White House has been so aggressive about using travel accounting rules to benefit Republicans that they may challenge the administration during hearings on the treasury-postal appropriations bill, which are expected next month. The administration has requested an increase in the White House travel budget from $1.6 million to $3.8 million. About $1 million is earmarked for Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge.
"At a time when we are desperately trying to put every dime we can into securing our country after September 11th, the president needs to explain why he thinks taxpayers should foot the enormous bill for him to gallivant across the country doing $1,000-a-plate dinners with his friends," said David J. Sirota, the committee's Democratic spokesman.
The text below is from the article "Campaigning on the Taxpayer's Buck" from The Waste Basket, located on a site titled Taxpayers for Common Sense:
"In order for this type of fundraising trip to qualify as "official" and merit taxpayer financing, an additional event is also scheduled where the President drops by a local site to put in an appearance and give a speech. These so-called policy events are rarely picked up by the national news media and it's questionable whether they would have ever been scheduled were it not for their piggybacking onto a campaign event. In many instances, the President's remarks at the official component of the trip aren't really distinguishable from his political stump speeches.
"The real travesty is the fact that this taxpayer waste, as well as the administration's unwillingness to disclose these figures, has increased exponentially with each election year. President Bush has already out-traveled President Clinton on political trips during his first 16 months in office. This year he will be making stops in all of the states where there are competitive Senate races."
I could locate no actual figures adding it all up, and if you need a clarification. please ask. I enjoyed researching this question because I had never thought about the fact of my President spending my money to raise money for a candidate with whose party I am not affiliated.
It is an interesting enlightenent.
SEARCH TERMS and LINKS:
president bush travel cost to taxpayers
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=president+bush+travel+expenses+taxpayers
Waste Basket Vol. VII No. 21: Campaigning on the Taxpayers' Buck
http://www.taxpayer.net/TCS/wastebasket/budget/05-23-02campaigntravel.htm
Taxpayers for common sense
http://www.taxpayer.net
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