2 questions. Does it bother anyone greatly other than me that Obama's Fed is printing money like it's endless ? 600 billion more this week.

 

And 200 million a day to go to India. taking 3000 people with him. Rented out the entire Taj Mahal . Prez has a right to travel but dang. 200 million a day ?

The 200 million figure comes from govt officials in Mumbai and the White House has already said they are inaccurate. 34 military ships have been ordered to the area to protect threats from the sea.

Just what does this trip accomplish ?

Not sure how the trip cost compares to prior presidential excursions but I doubt it is much different. India is maybe the largest democracy in the world and is important strategically in many ways so I have no problem with it.

 

Haven't followed the money story so can't comment on that.

Got any links for these numbers?

Being in the international trade business I can tell you that the 1.1 billion consumers in India are somewhat of an untapped market for the US manufacturers. Exporting to India is very complex and expensive and if this “diplomatic” trip could result in some type of trade agreement this would be very beneficial to US manufactures, especially in the automotive industry. I’m not a fan of Obama, but Presidential travel is inherently expensive but very necessary for our foreign and domestic interests.

^ Absolutely agree. This is the world's largest democracy. The number I remember hearing is that the 2004 national elections covered an electorate of 670 million people. This is a democratic nation, the second-most populous nation on the planet and a nuclear power at that. I have no problems with this trip.

So this is being taped for an upcoming episode of Outsourced?

So this is being taped for an upcoming episode of Outsourced?

 

No, the president is just hedging his bets. He'll be signing a contract so that if he loses in 2012, he's going to star in Bollywood musicals.

When I first heard the $200M per day cost I just couldn't fathom how that could be.

 

Who are the 3000 people? How many are with the President vs how many are journalists?

 

Do the taxpayers pay for journalists?

 

Lastly, regardless of what figure they tie to it (and it will not be $200M) I think it's probably misleading. The initial reaction is that we're cutting a check to hotels/restaurants/etc for $200M. No way that's true. My guess is that whatever the actual "cost" is will be an allocated cost. For example, if a Secret Service agent makes $200 per day in salary his/her cost for X days is allocated to this trip. It's not money that hasn't been accounted for already. The agent is getting paid regardless of his locale so it's not "new" expenditures. Same with the pilot of the plane. Same with all of the lower-level govt employees that go.

 

I would like to know how many govt employees are going and what their role is before commenting on the necessity of the expenditures.

 

If we're paying for the journalists we need to change that. I can't imagine we are.

I just saw a quote from the white House saying the numbers are "wildly inflated."

I don’t care what the costs are I only care if Obama is successful in the objectives of this trip and if it benefits the American interests. That will not be determined until well after he returns. I think all Presidents have been criticized for travel at some point, it just a cost of doing business. Again, I’m not a fan of Obama, but I hope he comes back to Washington with a new trade agreement with India.

Just reading an article on this. A few things caught my attention:

 

The White House does not release travel costs for the president. The Secret Service has apparently asked them not to give any indication on what they may or may not spend on protection when going abroad. So this figure of $200 million per day really was conjured up seemingly out of nothing.

 

The trip to India is only part of a larger 10-day trip to Asia. In addition to his meetings with leaders in India, he'll be attending the G-20 summit in Seoul. The G-20 is comprised of the leaders of 20 major nations; these countries account for 85 percent of all global trade. India is also a member. There is a lot to be done during this trip.

Just reading an article on this. A few things caught my attention:

 

The White House does not release travel costs for the president. The Secret Service has apparently asked them not to give any indication on what they may or may not spend on protection when going abroad. So this figure of $200 million per day really was conjured up seemingly out of nothing.

 

The trip to India is only part of a larger 10-day trip to Asia. In addition to his meetings with leaders in India, he'll be attending the G-20 summit in Seoul. The G-20 is comprised of the leaders of 20 major nations; these countries account for 85 percent of all global trade. India is also a member. There is a lot to be done during this trip.

 

The $200M figure came from some cat in India.

^ Yeah I saw that. "Anonymous" from Mumbai is essentially equivalent to "We made it up."

I'm just curious why it needs to be 3000 people, and who these 3000 people are. Hopefully this is a productive trip, but the people who go need to be a necessary part of making it productive, or a necessary part of protecting the president. Not just an hontorage.

 

One of the biggest complaints about this administration is the lack of transparency, when they claimed they would be the most transparent. Right now people are all over every dollar spent in their homes and by their government. Come out and say what it's all about, it's time to try to make the electorate feel like they are a partner in this country.

Sounds like they're taking no chances while in India.

 

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/34-warships-sent-from-us-for-obama-visit-64459