Bush sets record-longest vacation in recent history

[wvrevy]

Yet again, whine, whine, whine. Don't you guys ever get sick of listening to yourselves??? The presidency isn't a "job". If he were accruing leave based on his "job", I can only imagine the number of vacation hours he'd have. My govt. employee hubby earns 6 wks a year and his job is about 50 hrs a week. Hmmm, the president is "on" 24-7 - you do the math.

Sorry, but you are just plain wrong on this one. THIS president does not go into the office on weekends or holidays. Yes, the job would normally be 24/7...But not for ol' Georgie boy....He's got to have him some fun time.

 

[Viking]

Strange:
After all that talk about the USA being a a 'Country at War' it sounds weird for its 'Commander in Chief' to go on vacation for five weeks

Although I wouldn't mind if he went on vacation for the rest of his life

 

[Towncrier]

I wish I were President ...

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[wvrevy]

Strange:
After all that talk about the USA being a a 'Country at War' it sounds weird for its 'Commander in Chief' to go on vacation for five weeks

Although I wouldn't mind if he went on vacation for the rest of his life

I know...the more I think about it, the more I start believing that I'm on the wrong side of this argument. I mean...it could certainly be worse. He could actually be in Washington trying to accomplish something.

Yep...Now that I think of it, Georgie, take all the vacation time you want !

 

[sodaseller]

Actually, the fact that he takes vacation is one of the few points I like about the man, along with the fact that he owned a Springer Spaniel, our preferred breed. I just wish he would use the bully pulpit or other powers of the office to promote that ethos for the remainder of Americans. We are becoming a nation of workaholics, driven by a ruthless economic Darwinism that his policies promote. His not unreasonable pursuit of recreation while pursuing policies that reduce the possibilities for the working class. That disparity gives the unfortunate impression of leisure class ethos not unlike the Gilded Age, which our current policies seem to promote

 

[bsnyder]

Actually, the fact that he takes vacation is one of the few points I like about the man, along with the fact that he owned a Springer Spaniel, our preferred breed. I just wish he would use the bully pulpit or other powers of the office to promote that ethos for the remainder of Americans. We are becoming a nation of workaholics, driven by a ruthless economic Darwinism that his policies promote. His not unreasonable pursuit of recreation while pursuing policies that reduce the possibilities for the working class. That disparity gives the unfortunate impression of leisure class ethos not unlike the Gilded Age, which our current policies seem to promote

And the alternative? I guess we could always use the French model.

 

[wvrevy]

And the alternative? I guess we could always use the French model.

Maybe not, but how about the Japanese model ? I don't think you can easily dismiss them as competitors in terms of their industrial capabilities, and they average nearly twice the average vacation time that Americans do.

 

[sodaseller]

And the alternative? I guess we could always use the French model.

As a matter of fact , yes, based on what I read here. You cannot worship both God and Mammon. Remember that fairly high in the hierarchy of Divine Law (the Decalogue) is the command to reserve time away from work for reflection. To update it to a new Testament theme, the Market should serve Man, not vice-versa.

There are no perfect systems immune from legitimate criticism, to be sure. The difference is that we think ours is perfect, so we make uninformed ethnocentric shots like yours without understanding the particulars

 

[Patch'sD]

Taking a look at Bush's agenda for next week does not look like a Vacation. Hey but look at the source. If I had listened to most of my college professors, I would be a liberal too. I am just glad Al Gore is on an Eight Year Vacation, and John Kerry continued on his Vacation from the Senate.

 

[bsnyder]

As a matter of fact , yes, based on what I read here. You cannot worship both God and Mammon. Rememeber that fairtly high in the hierarchy of Divine Law (the Decalogue) is the command to resrve time away from work for reflection. To update it to a new Testament theme, the Market should serve Man, not vice-versa.

There are no perfect systems immune from legitimate criticism, to be sure. The difference is that we think ours is perfect, so we make uninformed ethnocentric shots like yours without understanding te hparticulars

I understand the particulars very well, thank you. Which is more than I can say for you if you're relying on Krugman to inform you.

 

[sodaseller]

I understand the particulars very well, thank you. Which is more than I can say for you if you're relying on Krugman to inform you.

Well then inform us. It's the rare conservative that has the basic command of the facts on issues they opine on. And I have the utmost faith in Krugman. He's consistently correct on the issues he opines on. I appreciate that your side has attempted to attack him unmercifully - telling the unvarnished truth has that effect. But it doesn't make a falsehood true

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

Well then inform us. It's the rare conservative that has the basic command of the facts on issues they opine on. And I have the utmost faith in Krugman. He's consistently correct on the issues he opines on. I appreciate that your side has attempted to attack him unmercifully - telling the unvarnished truth has that effect. But it doesn't make a falsehood true

We could have a whole separate thread on Krugman.

The President's vacation seems mainly just a change in location. Hope he gets some real time to relax.

 

[sodaseller]

We could have a whole separate thread on Krugman.

:

We could. And you would likely be as wrong as you are on every other subject.

Any time you want to go there, feel free. Nothing that hasn't been exposed before

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

We could. And you would likely be as wrong as you are on every other subject.

Any time you want to go there, feel free. Nothing that hasn't been exposed before

No need to be insulting, just because we usually disagree.


Hope president Bush has a great vacation.

 

[Deb in IA]

With the world as in touch with all other parts of the world I am sure he is doing his job from Texas. Seems like on his "vacations" visiting dignitaries and many others come to visit and work. I hate posting on political threads but geesh let the man breathe the Texas air and enjoy some peace.

Totally agree.


And those who are ragging on his "exercise time" are just being petty. Come on, is he now not allowed to eat, go to the bathroom, sleep, brush his teeth, etc. because he's the President and should be working 24/7/365????


So he works out. Big deal. I seem to recall other Presidents finding ways to spend their free time . . .

 

[bsnyder]

Well then inform us. It's the rare conservative that has the basic command of the facts on issues they opine on. And I have the utmost faith in Krugman. He's consistently correct on the issues he opines on. I appreciate that your side has attempted to attack him unmercifully - telling the unvarnished truth has that effect. But it doesn't make a falsehood true

Sorry for the late response....I was "driven by ruthless economic Darwinism" to get some work done.

Your saying that Krugman is consistently correct doesn't make that falsehood true either.

If you don't believe me, how about Daniel Okrent's parting assessment on Krugman, before he left the "newspaper of record" as their public editor.

Op-Ed columnist Paul Krugman has the disturbing habit of shaping, slicing and selectively citing numbers in a fashion that pleases his acolytes but leaves him open to substantive assaults.

So, I take it you're one of his "acolytes"?

 

[snappy]

I seem to recall other Presidents finding ways to spend their free time . . .

:rotfl2

 

[toto2]

And the alternative? I guess we could always use the French model.

What is wrong with the french model ?

They have 1 to 1 1/2 hour lunch break , they dont need to go shopping at midnight , they often have 3 weeks to a month vacation when they start ,they are not running around to go this and that ... and they have a pretty good productivity level , without the stress !

"France, for example, enjoys a statutory minimum of 25 paid vacation days. Add in holidays, and the total can push the number above six weeks. In the U.S., there is no statutory minimum for vacation days or holidays. Paid time off is a matter of agreement between an employer and an employee, and on average is significantly lower than in Europe.

On the flipside, the French pay for their plentiful time off in lower annual income. "The French have 30% less income than the Americans, but correspondingly more time free for spending with their families or on holiday travel," said Paul Swaim, an economist at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. He adds that American workers may be paying a significant price in diminished life quality due to the number of long hours logged in certain occupations and the "24/7 economy." "

"Some economists say because French workers put in overall less time, they perform better than workers in other countries. The problem thus is not lack of productivity, but the amount of hours worked."

 

[Alicnwondrln]

they all take to many days off, get paid to much $$
get to many perks
the politicans make me sick
we have americans dying everyday in the "war" and these people are useless unless they get something outta it

 

[lovemygoofy]

This whole thread is just ridiculous. He is not on "vacation". He just moved the office to Texas for a few weeks. When the troops go on vacation they really go. Someone else does their job when they are gone. The President is the President 24/7/365. He never really goes on "vacation".

Really?? Someone must not have passed that memo onto my dh's unit. When we go on vacation and that does include the 30 days of leave when he comes home after being gone a year, I can PROMISE that we get called every day with issues. We just took a week's leave the first week of July. We were a thousand miles away and they stilled called us. The younger soldiers who don't have responsibility can take leave and no problem. When you get older and in charge you just can't drop it and forget it for a week or two.