Bush creeping up on Reagan as the 'Vacation President'
Don't get me wrong, all of Congress is on "recess" right now, as is typical in August (wouldn't want to give us voters the wrong impression and call it vacation). And of course, the Iraqi Parliament is on "recess" as well. But Ronald Reagan has held the dubious record of the most vacation days as president, at 436 days, and Bush seems on track to dethrone him, with 418 and counting.
On Thursday, Bush left for a weekend in Kennebunkport, Maine, and his family's summer compound, Walker's Point. On Monday, he heads to his Crawford, Texas hideout, for his 65th trip.
And this should be a sore point to American workers, who recently have been labeled 'vacation deprived' due to working to increase productivity as well as keep their jobs in a global economy where outsourcing is around every corner. When compared to our European counterparts, or to our representatives in the government, we are sorely in need of a rest.
14 comments:
No wonder our Country is upside down, with a president that ignores that terrible reputation that we have abroad due to the lack of leadership. I can't hardly wait untill the next president arrives expecting that he will change many things among others several international policies.
I to look foward to Bush leaving office how ever it may be a good thing he is on vacation, Maybe he should vacation the rest of his term and take Dick with him... I long for a true leader,
What's with you people? This is about excessive vacation time.
Assuming you can add- putting his predecessor's vacation time with time spent with Monica (which is non-productive, from a Presidential standpoint), and you'll find a record that Reagan, Bush or few others could beat.
A lot of Presidential "vacation" time is used for "company business" (i.e., briefings on current events, monitoring those situations of importance, and entertaining domestic & foreign dignitaries. He can't go to Colorado & forget counting beans for two weeks. Fer Real, people.
Isn't time to get over Monica. We can guarantee that act didn't take much time.
Give the man a break he's had a tough year. I'm sure he can use a vacation from all the whiners, and Monday morning quarterbacks.
Those of you with J.O.B.s take a good look at your Boss. I'm sure there are some things you don't like about them, but the business keeps rolling because someones making decisions, and you have a place to go everyday. (more places thanks to Bush)
The ones with drive and initiative will rise to the top, and the rest will sit around figuring out who to blame.
I am one of those fortunate - or unfortunate - people who "work from home." I've done it for years. While it has its advantages ... it also has disadvantages - like you work all the time!
Well - so does the United States President. He's on call 24x7. Wherever he goes his assistants go, the "morning briefing" goes, the "football" goes, the "red phone" goes ... Unlike you or me, the President of the United States doesn't really get a 'day off' or even a 'vacation' where he can unplug. Going from the White House to Kennebunkport or Crawford only means that he gets to spend is precious little "free time" fishing or riding a horse instead of staring out at the Rose Garden.
One more thought - on "leadership," for those who don't consider Bush a leader. A "leader" is "a person or thing that leads." Or, "a guiding or directing head, as of an army, head or political group."
Bush is a leader. He makes decisions and takes decisive actions, confident in his beliefs, principles and decisions.
Now ... that said, so were Attila the Hun, Winston Churchill, William the Conqueror and Adolph Hitler. All with different styles, agendas and morals.
You may disagree with where President Bush has lead us ... but lead us he has, and decisively.
Whether you agree with Iraq or not, he lead us there. Whether you like it or not, the decision had a 90% approval rating when it was done. And, 1965 to 1972 we lost over 50,000 men in Vietnam. From 2000 to 2007, we've lost fewer than 5000 in combat - 1/10th the losses in Vietnam, which, we tend to forget, was started by the first American Idol and democrat, John Kennedy, expanded under Lyndon Johnson.
Ok. You have a point, but of course the president must have free days too. How many days of vacation have we took for the past four years? I'm betting at least more than 137 days. Yeah, yeah I know, he took on the responsibility of being president and he shouldn't be taking so many days off. Fat luck, he's human too. He's not some robot who can work for 24/7. Think about it, will ya?
on the bright side, we've got triple digit temperatures here in Texas right now so hopefully that will keep him away from here.
"Assuming you can add- putting his predecessor's vacation time with time spent with Monica (which is non-productive, from a Presidential standpoint),..."
I disagree about all of Monica time being non-productive. I distinctly remember that Bill held phone conversations during some of their meetings. The man truly knew how to multi-task.
Albert writes Bush is a leader. He makes decisions and takes decisive actions, confident in his beliefs, principles and decisions.
He certainly claims to be "The Decider," but nothing in his explanations of his actions suggests this to be the case. Perhaps the word you ought to be defining is "figurehead." Given his self-admitted ignorance on issues of foreign policy and domestic policy (which leaves little but "brush clearing policy"), it seems pretty clear that he has abdicated his decision-making to others in his administration.
That does not mean, however, that he has abdicated his responsibility for when those decisions are proven to be stunningly wrongheaded.
Albert...
"Oh boo hoo, poor old W, never gets a day off. He has to spend all his time staring out at the rose garden. All work and no play..."
Gimme a break. The man is the President of the United States for crying out loud. He should be busting his ass 24 hours a day, every day for 4 straight years, trying to make this country a better place. He signed up for this, remember? That is of course unless you're implying he had other aspirations regarding the presidency than being a civil servant.
"No president who performs his duties faithfully and conscientiously can have any leisure." - James K. Polk
THE FISH UPON THE POND
Without electric, without water,
There is no end to daily slaughter;
So after lecturing our allies
Let´s grab our poles and catch some walleyes--
How great is our democracy,
Vacation time from sea to sea.
What´s that? Some people have to work?
Now hush yo´ mouth, don´t be a jerk!
It´s lazy work, as with some briefing
The press and others hail-chiefing,
A dullness, as from smoking reefers,
Pervades--but who must brief the briefers?
A vicious circle: all deriders
Of common law, and all deciders,
Therefore be quick, all wrongs a-Righting,
The fish upon the pond are biting.
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