President Neelix's expensive habit

[Yukaphile]

So, yeah... are you just against presidents having vacation time, Fuzzy? I am no fan of Trump, but even I can admit even somebody like him probably needs a day off, given how much negative press there is of him. Either indict him or let him go, I say. This has dragged on long enough.

[Draco Dracul]

So, yeah... are you just against presidents having vacation time, Fuzzy? I am no fan of Trump, but even I can admit even somebody like him probably needs a day off, given how much negative press there is of him. Either indict him or let him go, I say. This has dragged on long enough.

No, but he's taking far more vacations than most other presidents, with about a fifth of his presidency on vacation.

[Yukaphile]

I didn't know you were the personal arbiter of how much vacation time a president should take, what is appropriate and what is not. I'm sorry, but I saw so many Republicans engage in this when Obama was President, I'm disgusted the left is engaging in the same rhetoric. I don't doubt it's higher. But... in all honesty, who cares? If he was a good president, that wouldn't matter.

[Draco Dracul]

I didn't know you were the personal arbiter of how much vacation time a president should take, what is appropriate and what is not. I'm sorry, but I saw so many Republicans engage in this when Obama was President, I'm disgusted the left is engaging in the same rhetoric.

Why are you disgusted by that? Not only is it significantly higher now, but Trump actively campaigned on not taking vacation or playing golf.

[Yukaphile]

Well, then I could see you being upset.

[Dargaron]

I didn't know you were the personal arbiter of how much vacation time a president should take, what is appropriate and what is not. I'm sorry, but I saw so many Republicans engage in this when Obama was President, I'm disgusted the left is engaging in the same rhetoric. I don't doubt it's higher. But... in all honesty, who cares? If he was a good president, that wouldn't matter.

Thing is, no one put a gun to his head and said "You will run for President of the United States." The fact that his vacations are using taxpayer money (and appreciably more than his predecessor) means that it absolutely is our business how much said expenses are. (Well, assuming "we" means U.S. citizens. I guess any British/Nigerian/Japanese forum members don't have any reason to care beyond idle curiosity). After all, the electorate are the closest thing to stockholders, and it's the stockholder's responsibility to check up on how their money is being spent. Trump's been a businessman before: this is basic expectations.

[Yukaphile]

Anyone who thought he wasn't gonna take vacations was just delusional. All leaders need them. Seriously, I get it, he's a bad president, but I'm not gonna be a hypocrite and call him out over something this trivial. It's what the right wing did with Obama, and I HATED that.

[Dargaron]

Except the OP is providing just as many relative figures as absolute figures. No one (I shouldn't say no one, because there's always someone) is expecting the president to go without vacations, but if the vacations are notably longer and more expensive than the previous occupant, then that's a data point and something one can criticize.

[Yukaphile]

Fair. But still, there are other, worthier things to go after in his administration. Even with that argument, it still feels petty. I think, how do you beat the enemy? To quote Sheridan, "Don't become the enemy."

[J!!]