Americans were promised change and yet, as many have asked, where is it? With Congress saving jobs in phantom districts, fake zip codes being used for stimulus funding, and not to mention Obama’s lavish lifestyle citizens have to see the complete disconnect between our sacrifice and the Democrats luxury.  First, it is to be expected that the President of the United States is going to be busy and that 99% of his/her life is going to be on the tax payer dollar.  Most of us get that.  With the speed of information and a good attitude of “dirty boots” leadership one should expect the President to be on the move.  Meals, travel, hotels….the job demands certain things and even a certain level of decorum, yet, the President, as the Chief Executive has a fudiciary and an ethical obligation to maintain a measure of decorum and expectation that he/she is not abusing tax payer dollars.

For instance the White House, in June, held a Laua.  The reason is unimportant, but in a time when the President is asking Americans to tighten up, do more with less, be responsible, he has kobe beef (priced at $100 per pound) brought in. This does not even begin to address the staggering measure of other food stuffs flown in and the entertainment to boot.  Does it not also strike any one as unusual that while the President chides CEOs for thier wages, benefits, and perks, he himself maintains a Chef and is allowed to use government vehicles, offices, and property at his desire?

The president earns $400,000 a year, and has not received a raise from Congress since 2001 (not that I am pushing for one). He also gets a $50,000 annual entertainment expense account (unused money at the end of the year goes back to the Treasury.)  Then there is the use of two private jets, Boeing 747s better known as Air Force One (which when flown overseas both fly to confuse enemy onlookers). There is also of course the security details, drivers,  a country vacation estate, and the rent-free use of a well-known, 132-room mansion better known as the White House.  Of course the office of the President is a full time 24/7 job, but as CEOs have to pay taxes on the flights they take on corporate jets, the President does not.  So while he only techincally makes $400,000, using his own yard stick he benefits a whole lot more, and all this tax free of his income.  This could actually make the argument the President’s salary should be cut since he gets tax free benefits and more often then not has a substantial living once even one term is complete (assuming of course Obama does not some how become King).

So by way of example, most government employees are allowed to maintain the miles and point earned while they are on travel.  It became too expensive for the government to maintain, so civil servants that fly often gain a serious benefit. Yet they are not allowed to fly First Class.  One may ask why cannot they not pay for the upgrade or use those miles they got?  Does not cost the tax payer at all.  Well it actually does.  First civil servants earn an income paid for by the tax payer so one could assume that civil servants make too much if they can afford all those upgrades, that does assume that one bothers to research to see if said civil servant even paid for it themselves.  Each civil servant has has a fudiciary and an ethical obligation to maintain a measure of decorum and expectation that he/she is not abusing tax payer dollars.  Sound familiar?

From now until 2012 we will hear more from the President asking Americans to make sacrifices, and we will watch as Congress  approves more taxes on Americans from once seemingly happy places like the Health Care bill.  It will become strikingly clear that as Americans loose wages, benefits, and dreams of a desired lifestyle, our leadership is gaining more and more.  We will begin to wonder why there is a disparity in what we are being asked to do and what our leaders are doing.  Republicans are not free of this, yet it is more clear with Obama then any other.  So when we hear about how Michelle and Barry decided to enter a career of service  versus one of corporate privilege just remember that today, politics in America is as much as a corporation as any other.