RNC chief accuses Obama of campaigning on taxpayer's dime

[OmaHusker]

The Republican National Committee is asking the Government Accountability Office to examine President Obama's "misuse" of government funds to benefit his reelection campaign.

In an official complaint filed with the GAO, a watchdog agency, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus accuses Obama of "passing off campaign travel as official events," using taxpayer money to fund his reelection efforts.

"Given the recent excesses, waste and abuse uncovered in the General Services Administration, the GAO should be particularly sensitive to misuse of taxpayer dollars," Preibus wrote in a letter to Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro.

Priebus said "the most recent example" of abuse took place this week as Obama traveled to North Carolina, Colorado and Iowa, three battleground states to promote student loan legislation. The RNC chairman points out that Obama delivered speeches to "cheering crowds of college students" which resembled campaign events.

The Hill

[FeelLikeAStranger]

Yeah, no sitting president has ever 'campaigned on the public dime.' I'm guessing the RNC chief didn't have a problem in 2003.

[Bamsker]

I don't know if Obama is campaigning or not, but he sure spends a lot of time out of the White House.

[Red Reign]

So did Bush....487 days at Camp David and 490 days in Crawford Texas....almost 3 years....go figure....

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_1...85-503544.html

I don't know if Obama is campaigning or not, but he sure spends a lot of time out of the White House.

[One Man Jury]

When the president travels to fundraisers in battleground states and gives speeches attacking the republican party by name and his opponent, he can pay for the trip.

[One Man Jury]

So did Bush....487 days at Camp David and 490 days in Crawford Texas....almost 3 years....go figure....[/URL]

George Bush is the magic answer to all the failures and bad behavior of B. O.-- and that stinks.

[Pops]

George Bush is the magic answer to all the failures and bad behavior of B. O.-- and that stinks.

dont think anyone said that...it does speak to how its ignored on one side and scorned at on the other...weird

[Warhorse]

When the president travels to fundraisers in battleground states and gives speeches attacking the republican party by name and his opponent, he can pay for the trip.

This has been going on for a long time by presidents of both parties and for just as long the party out of power has feigned outrage over it.

[ChitownHusker]

This has been going on for a long time by presidents of both parties and for just as long the party out of power has feigned outrage over it.

As much as it pains me to do it, I agree.

[One Man Jury]

The thing that is so offensive about Obama is not that other presidents have done it to some degree. this man is above & beyond. He's been in constant campaign mode for as long as I can remember. He was flying out to multiple fundraisers a day many months ago. He's over the top on everything, it seems - over twice the golf outings of George Bush, he exceeded Bush's 8 year deficit spending in 3 years, he's over the top with his czars way in excess of any prior president, he's trying to implement policy by regulation far beyond any prior president, 1st president to take $15 billion from Medicare to give to his wife so she can hire Bugs Bunny to tell us all to move, making recess appointments when Congress not in recess, etc. If there is an award for "above & beyond," I give it to this guy.

[Huskerwirejay]

What do you mean by the statement he's over-the-top in his czar ways?

Would you feel better if he called the person the transportation director instead of transportation czar?

[Prairie Sage1]

I'll play the Bush card again.

It was okay to be playing a guitar while New Orleans drowned?

"You're doing a heckuva job Brownie!"

Just to name a couple.

If the RNC wants to complain about Obama campaigning on the taxpayer's dime, he'd better look at his own Congressmen using taxpayer funds to fly to their districts to fundraisers and campaign events. Does that happen too?

[Huskerwirejay]

1st president to take $15 billion from Medicare to give to his wife so she can hire Bugs Bunny to tell us all to move

Are you referring to the $5 million HHS allocated from the Prevention and Public Health Fund for the CDC's Let's Move Activities?

Sure, 'taking $15 billion from Medicare to give to his wife so she can hire Bugs Bunny to tell us all to move' sounds more dramatic and shocking, but it hardly honest or accurate.

Let's ignore the fact that the current spending for all Prevention and Public Health Fund projects for FY 2012 is about 1 Billion, not $15 Billion.
Let's ignore the fact that Let's Move get's about 1/2 of 1% of that 1 billion.
Let's ignore the fact Let's Move is an extension of what was once known as President's Council on Youth Fitness which was founded on July 16, 1956 by a Republican President.

You are right: someone is being "above & beyond"

[Warhorse]

As much as it pains me to do it, I agree.

And it pains me that simply agree with me pains you.

[ThotDoc]

This is the advantage that the incumbent always has no matter what party is in power. It's one of the reasons why it is so difficult to defeat a sitting President. That said, Obama has a significant campaign warchest at his disposal as well and everything that is done or said between now and November will represent some form of campaigning. It's how it is.

[FeelLikeAStranger]

I wish we'd go to single term, 6 year term presidency. Then no president would spend the better part of the first 4 years playing safe politics to get re-elected while the other party does everything possibly to play political games and stonewall every decent idea to prevent re-election.

[Nishioka]

I wish we'd go to single term, 6 year term presidency. Then no president would spend the better part of the first 4 years playing safe politics to get re-elected while the other party does everything possibly to play political games and stonewall every decent idea to revent re-election.

I've heard that idea pitched before and it's an interesting thought exercise for sure.

[FeelLikeAStranger]

George Bush is the magic answer to all the failures and bad behavior of B. O.-- and that stinks.

Oh, but he was the poster child and savior for all the neocons after Clinton, don't you remember?

[Husker in Spokane]

"The law, the Hatch Act of 1939, was intended to keep improper politics out of the federal workplace. At its best, it prevents people in political power from abusing their positions. It prohibits coercion by a government supervisor — such as pressuring employees to volunteer for or contribute to a campaign — and shields the civil service and the federal workplace from politicking."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/op...w-misused.html

[Huskerwirejay]

I hope one-man jury comes back and explains to us why Obama is the worst for spending only 5,000,000 not 15,000,000,000 on something that every president spent money on since Ike.