BY MALIA ZIMMERMAN – KAILUA, Hawaii – The now familiar signs that President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia and First Dog Bo will be arriving in Hawaii for Christmas are appearing in the close knit beachside community on Oahu’s windward side.
Coast Guard officials have contacted boat owners in the area to remind them the canal and popular surf spot fronting the private beachfront homes where the President will vacation beginning Friday are off limits for 17 days. The Coast Guard also has released information on the temporary security zone that will be enforced from 6 a.m. on Friday to 10 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2014.
Black SUVs and government issued vans are parked along the street fronting homes now occupied by the U.S. Secret Service, Navy SEALs and Coast Guard.
By the time the President arrives, concrete blockades and security will bar direct entrance to Kailuana Place where the President stays. Coast Guard on armed boats will patrol the canal and ocean. All airlines will be barred from flying over the island.
The First Family has spent every Christmas since the President was first elected in 2008 in Kailua, a community built around stunning white sands and turquoise seas of Kailua beach that boasts fiery sunrises over the Mokulua Islands.
The First Family is a two-minute drive from Kaneohe Bay and the Marine Corps Base Hawaii, where they can access private beaches, a military gym and bowling alley, and five minutes from a variety of restaurants, stores and water sports rental shops in quaint Kailua town.
Obama is popular in Hawaii, however, there are people critical of the cost to taxpayers and the inconvenience the President’s presence causes.
The President and his friends pay for the private home accommodations that rent for $25,000 per week, however taxpayers – both federal and county – pick up the majority of the bill for the rest of the trip.
Michael Tasselmyer of the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, estimates the 18-hour roundtrip aboard Air Force One, which he said costs $179,750 per hour for flight and operation, will total $3,235,500 for the roundtrip. A Congressional Research Service report released in May 2012 matches that figure.
There are reports the President might also stop on the island of Maui, a 30-minute flight from Oahu, which would add additional expense.
The cost for USAF C-17 cargo aircraft that transports the Presidential limos, helicopters and other support equipment to Hawaii has never been disclosed, but the roundtrip flight time between Andrews Air Force Base and Hawaii is 21.5 hours, with estimated operating cost of $12,000 per hour. (Source: GAO report, updated by C-17 crew member).
The U.S. Marine Corps provides a presidential helicopter, along with pilots and support crews for the test flights, which travel on another C-17 flight. That is $258,000, not including costs for the 4-to-6-member crew’s per diem and hotel.
U.S. Secret Service, Navy Seals and Coast Guard rent homes along the canal and ocean for $250 per room per night, according to residents renting their homes. Real estate source said the delegation rents at least 7 homes in the area, and arrive ahead of the President, costing taxpayers more than $183,750 for the length of the visit.
White House staff who do not stay in Kailua secure hotel rooms at the posh Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa on Waikiki Beach. Hotel rooms typically rent for $670 a night, but the hotel offers discounted government rates for about $255 per night, according to hotel public relations manager Diana Su. The hotel does not disclose information about The White House visit. However, estimating prices for room, as well as Transient Accommodation Tax and General Excise Tax, for about two dozen staff, totals more than $100,000.
The President is accompanied by 22 vehicles, whether he goes golfing and to a basketball game with friends at his Punahou alma mater or to body surf at Sandy Beach and local favorite restaurants such as Nobu’s and Buzz’s Steakhouse.
Honolulu Police are on special duty, paid $250,000 by city taxpayers, and another $10,000 is spent on around-the-clock ambulance detail.
There are several costs the White House annually refuses to release, citing security.
- For example, The White House rents an entire floor of an office building in Kailua on the canal during the President’s stay
- Security upgrades, such as bulletproof glass, and additional phone lines, are added to private homes, while existing security systems are disabled.
- Rental cars and fuel for staff and security, as well as additional travel costs Secret Service and White House staff traveling ahead of the President, are kept secret.
The White House has not released expenses, citing security concerns. However, the most conservative estimate, based on what is known, for a 17-day vacation in Hawaii for the President and his family and staff and security is more than $4 million.
Last year, because of emergency budget negotiations, the President made two roundtrips from Washington, D.C. to Hawaii, nearly doubling the cost of the vacation to more than $7.2 million.
Judicial Watch sued the U.S. Secret Service on May 6 to “obtain records concerning use of U.S. Government funds to provide security and any other services to President Obama and any companions on their January 1 and 2, 2013, trip to Honolulu, Hawaii.”
Judicial Watch Spokeswoman Jill Farrell said this week there has been no additional action on the case, Judicial Watch v. U.S. Secret Service.
The lawsuit was filed after the Secret Service did not provide information to Judicial Watch in response to a January 2, 2013, FOIA request.
“As of May 6, the Secret Service had yet to produce any record,” Judicial Watch said in a May 2013 statement.
You betcha.
Why not?
What else is there to do, other than destroy our country , shred our U.S.Constitution, all why hijacking our federal government.
Might as well go hang out with all my old Choomin' friends on the peoples dime.
President Pipsqueak believes we owe him all this.
Oh, cut him some slack. It's hard work getting those guns to the Mexican cartels, and bending over for the Muslim brotherhood, and Putin all the time. All those days he had to wait for Valerie Jarrett to tell him to give the go-ahead to nail Bin Laden, must have been anguishing. Hard work to take a 150 million dollar vacation in Africa, and screw up our health care system.
It's labor intensive to fundamentally transform this nation to a socialist distopia on the ashes of capitalism.
He deserves a rest.
Ah yes…..living like the common folk while 11 million are looking for employment.. LIFE IS GREAT ![FOR BHO] & his cronies.
What a sicko …EVERY potus Every one take vacation and needs security. Maybe we could get him to live in back of the WH in a tent and they could save the million a month on staff …JOKER.
Sure wish he would not come here……traffic is nuts without him, ..yup i agree with the last comment….the great destroyer….
Seems a little harsh to me. BO is the best man to be president since Abe Lincoln, cut him some slack please.
God, I hope your joking. Sarcasm doesn't come out too well. BUT if you actually believe that, you're a moron.
As the racist-in-chief shuts down more small businesses at their busiest time of year. Yep, The Great Destroyer.
Thanks for the early a.m. laugh!
BO is the dog, right? Anyway, doesn't it strike you as odd that all the time Berri spent deciding what to name the family dog resolved itself in the dog being named with Obama's initials? It's either a complete lack of imagination, or narcissism run amok. Probably both. I do have a method to save taxpayers some money on his trip; stuff him in a box, then have the box classified and shipped as freight by UPS. We can insure it based on weight in case something happens to the box.
Hawaii ! why not visit home,kenya
The worst paart of his visit; Honolulu police say the department does not get reimbursed from the federal government for the extra costs of protecting the president. "
So Hawaiian taxpayers pay federal & city taxes for this visit, while losing police manpower & time to protect them from crime while B.O. enjoys screwing us. More at https://www.khon2.com/news/presidents-arrival-mean…
While Pipsqueak is on tour, George "Blofeld" Soros will watch the helm, sipping brandy while stroking his white cat. All while figuriing out his next destructive command, via Valerie Jarrett.
If George Soros had a son…..
Does BO have to go thru that bullshit of Quaratine!
Luckily for most pet owners, if they have cleared their animals ahead of time with the proper shots, they can bring their animals in without a waiting period any more. Reformed under the Lingle administration in 2006 after animals were getting sick and even dying in state custody.
Of course the First Dog is exempt, Obama changed the law
Bo or Mooch is exempt?
chubacca does not need quanrintine
Moochelle is the one that needs to go through quarantine.
Michelle was overheard saying, "let them eat cake!!!" AGAIN!!!
I was gonna use that one. At least can I have chocolate cake?
She's not even that generous — remember her crusade against food she deemed unhealthy? More like LET THEM DRINK V8!!!
Hawaii deserves this buffoon. He's your *native* son. Choom on, brah!
Actually he was born in Kenya
Where should we send the auditors… nevermind, got your address right here.
I don't consider him "our native son". He might have been born here and went to school here but, at 18 he left. Other than a few trips here to see friends and relatives, he only started coming here for Christmas after he became president. I guess, why not. If I had the taxpayers paying 4 million plus for my vacation, I would fly everywhere I could. Funny, he never thought about giving the shipyard workers Christmas eve off. That was a "tradition" other presidents did. No, Washington can have him.
The Obama entitlement grifters return for yet another multi-million dollar 17 day vacay at the taxpayers expense.
The hapa Negro is coming home, how lucky Hawaii is !
Home…is KENYA, not Hawaii. No BC was ever verified to be genuine. In Barry's own words in the back of his book, reads " ..born in Kenya, raised in Indonesia & Hawaii". So much for TRANSPARENCY.
With any luck, the plane…well u know.
you mean worthlessniggerbum
WE HAVE 91 MILLION AMERICANS OUT OF WORK
MORE AMERICANS ON FOOD STAMPS THAN AT ANY TIME IN USA HISTORY
17 TRILLION DOLLARS OF DEBT & 100 TRILLION DOLLARS OF UNFUNDED LIABILITIES
I GUESS IT WOULD BE TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR THE OBAMA FAMILY TO BE FRUGAL & STAY AT HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, LIKE THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.
Typical Liberal politician…"Party like rock stars. They're not spending their money, now are they!"
The Liberals' mantra, "HOORAY FOR ME. F**K YOU"
And I thought he and the Mooch were worried about the middle class and jobs.
Silly me.
Just to show you what a gentleman GW Bush was, he stayed at the WH so his staff could go on vacation, and after Christmas, he went to his home in TX = not costing the taxpayers a fraction of 4 million. This guy has no feeling for the average American struggling to make a living and pay taxes – just to be squandered,.
Huh??? https://archives.politicususa.com/2011/12/23/cost-…
How is comparing ONE $ million dollar Christmas vacation to and entire 8 year term even remotely accurate? They listed every vacation the Bush took and compared it it Obama's Hawaii vacation at 4 million…. that's 4 million each year plus 7.2 million last year for a total of at least 27 million. What about all of the other vacations the Obama's have taken? If you're going to post post something from an unknown "guest contributor" source at least have the source accurately compare the info…..
Dorothy, HUH???? Are you freezing? Well B.O. don't care about you or most of USA freezing while he's here in sunny HI, or you don't know how to read?
WHERE'S B.O.'s defenders on this? SCARED?.LGBT's should be backing B.O. up as he's for them marrying. After all, Obama also said he's known to be a "fierce advocate for equality" for gays and lesbians, and will remain so.
Despite majority opposition to the SSM bill,, it's law here. They are one of 526 same-sex couples who received their marriage license in Hawaii. As of yesterday, 248 same sex couples have gotten married.
Now it's stated;"By the virtue of the authority vested in me, by the laws of the State of Hawaii, that you are now married. You may now kiss your bride,
More at; " https://www.khon2.com/news/plaintiff-in-same-sex-m…
Then you need to impeach your CONGRESS….
It's been a couple of years since my young family has been able to afford even a modest vacation. Since i lost my job a year ago, the chances of that happening again grow less every day.
I worked hard, was a conscientious, team leader but in the "new" economy, there are just no openings for older guys…
Obama's family jaunt to Hawaii will cost just under ONE THOUSAND TIMES more than my last family vacation.
And people wonder why his approval ratings continue to slide.
He is fast becoming the most out-of-touch President in history.
It's beyond sad that you and millions of families who can't afford their own vacations are this moron and his family's vacations.
Better thank Bush for that, he's the author of the FREE FALL …BO has brought us back from the – 800 k jobs lost each month.
Your profile certainly has the look of one used by an OFA troll…
The term thatndiscribes this best is "Nigger Rich"!!!!
Obamadontcare
You are so right, John. He has complete disregard for the average citizen.
Very very out of touch or does not care.
this guy really has a big set of balls, too bad he only uses them when screwing the american citizens.
Or Reggie Love
See how tightly he crosses his legs when he sits down? No way…..
@ "Luke John" — We're not too certain that 'he' has any at all. Jesse Jackson said he'd like to cut 'em off.
actually Obama was madea eunuch while a boy in Indonesia.
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