If I were elected President of the United States of America, I pledge to stop taking Air Force One on vacation. Heck, for that matter, maybe even stop taking vacations for the four year term.
Yes, it’s nice to get away but I’m not from Washington D.C. and being there for four years would be like taking a vacation away from where I normally live. Yes, I’d be working hard in the White House doing the people’s business but when it came time to take a break (if I even decided to take a break), I’m sure there are plenty of sights to see and places to go within a hundred miles of the White House that would be great to visit. And more to the point, places that wouldn’t require administrative resources greater than the military of a third world country just to take a few days off. What about all those people, the individuals who don’t get vacations? How must they feel when they see the President traipse off on vacation traveling like a king? Where’s the honest representation in that?
Why take Air Force One and it’s huge entourage of security and media to Hawaii? What a waste of taxpayer money. Add to that our current chief executive traveling separately from his wife and the price doubles; why travel separately from your wife? How many vacations to Hawaii do you need? How many golf adventures do you need? This President claims he was elected with a mandate. Well if that’s the case why isn’t he spending more time in the White House and less time on the Greens? If I were President, I don’t really care if everyone else in the office thinks we should take a far away vacation… we’re not going to do it. Besides, there will probably be enough work to keep me busy that I won’t even -go- on vacation for that four years. Add to that, I don’t play golf. Have you ever noticed that major catastrophes always seem to happen when the President is away? Let’s not temp that fate, there will be enough to do as it is. We’ll use Air Force One for proper diplomatic overseas trips as necessary, but domestic travel among the 50 states will be severely cut back.
That pledge extends to no campaigning for anyone, not the President for a second term, not for congress people, not for state or local elections. Using Air Force One to campaign for yourself or other people is an abuse of power; it’s taking tax dollars from the citizens and endorsing candidates the citizens might not even want. If I want to campaign for someone it will be with simple verbal support, not with legions of administrators, Secret Service and military personnel climbing aboard Air Force One to spend hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to encourage people to vote for someone they might not even care about. It’s honestly up to those local people to understand the candidates best suited for them; it’s not up to the President to try and convince people because honestly the President doesn’t live there and can’t really speak to the unique needs of that community, so the President should stay out of local elections.
Save the taxpayers money, reduce the deficit.
Asa Jay for President
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