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Obama goes to India/3000 people, 40 airplanes, $200,000,000 a day!

post #1 of 60
11/2/10 at 3:09pm
Thread Starter 
http://riffenberg.wordpress.com/2010...million-a-day/

Is this REALLY necessary, or can we unite and say "BOONDOGGLE"? How many people could be employed with $2 BILLION DOLLARS, the amount he will spend on this trip?
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post #2 of 60
11/2/10 at 5:11pm
It sure sounds like you didn't read the links in the article you posted. He is booking rooms for 2 days, not 10. They've booked roughly 200 rooms (I can't see how they will hold 3000 people). And the amount in the main article said $200,000 a day, not $200,000,000 a day.

As far as booking the Taj Mahal hotel? When the executives in my last company traveled to India to negotiate a deal with an outsourcing company, they stayed at the Taj Mahal. It's where a lot of U.S. companies stay when they give away our jobs to India. Oh, and they get their pictures taken riding elephants for fun. Yes, I've seen these pictures.


btw.....did you know that U.S. companies pay roughly $25 an hour for IT staff in India when they work through a contracting firm, but can get the rate down to $4 an hour when they hire people directly? And the government gives the hiring companies tax breaks for giving the work away to India. IT jobs alone make up close to 30% of all outsourced work. Laid off IT people in the U.S. can't always find IT jobs in the U.S., and have resorted to either extended unemployment or find jobs that cut their income by sometimes over 90%. And they wonder why foreclosures are so high.


So Obama is trying to discuss economic issues with India? Good for him!! Maybe he'll get some of our lost jobs back into our country.
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post #3 of 60
11/2/10 at 7:30pm
Thread Starter 
Oh, but I do read the links and listen to the radio!

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...ow/6797379.cms

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...ured-cars.html

Quote:
Forty planes and six armoured cars: Obama visit to India the 'biggest ever by a US President'
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Heavily protected: President Obama will have six armoured cars and 40 aircraft for his three-day visit to India
Barack Obama's trip to India next month will be the biggest by any US President - with a staggering 40 aircraft and six armoured cars.
Details of the elaborate arrangements for the tree-day presidential visit on November 6 were leaked to Indian newspaper earlier this week.
Forty aircraft - including the Air Force One military plane - and six heavily armoured cars will follow the president around the country.
The huge security operation comes days after a suspected bomb was found on a cargo plane at East Midlands Airport.
The entourage will be the biggest ever in terms of logistics and manpower for any US president.
The president himself will be ferried around in a black Cadillac - dubbed 'Barack Mobile' - which has its own built in communications centre - to enable Obama to be in touch with the White House, US vice president and the US strategic command
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...#ixzz14BMkVom3
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post #4 of 60
11/2/10 at 8:49pm
If you noticed, I didn't correct you on the 40 planes. I did correct you on the $200,000,000 a day and the 3000 people.

And why is it a bad thing that Obama is trying to address economic issues with a country that is a major source of outsourcing for U.S. corporations?
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post #5 of 60
11/3/10 at 9:01am
I don't care how much money he's spending, it's a total waste of my tax money!
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post #6 of 60
11/3/10 at 9:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by stephanietx View Post
I don't care how much money he's spending, it's a total waste of my tax money!
I wonder if you'd feel the same if it was a President you liked.
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post #7 of 60
11/3/10 at 9:49am
Thread Starter 
What is the purpose of this trip? What will he accomplish? I believe it's a care of just because he can, he will. The "dude" is a joke.

I am truly sorry that Obama had to be the one that broke the color barrier in Presidental politics, when there are many other men and women of color that would have brought honor instead of disgrace to the office.
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post #8 of 60
11/3/10 at 12:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dusty's Mom View Post
What is the purpose of this trip?
That's simple: ensuring jobs and money.
India: the second fastest growing market in Asia

Quote:
The Indian market with its one billion plus population, presents lucrative and diverse opportunities for U.S. exporters with the right products, services, and commitment. India’s requirements for equipments and services for major sectors such as energy, environmental, healthcare, high-tech, infrastructure, transportation, and defense will exceed tens of billions of dollars in the mid-term as the Indian economy further globalizes and expands. India’s GDP, growing at 6.7% (for 2008-09), makes it one of the fastest growing economies in the world and the second fastest in Asia. India has potential for a sustained growth of 8-10% for the next couple of years. Now is the time for U.S. companies to enter the rising Indian market.
Five Ways U.S.-India Trade Can Improve

Quote:
USIBC, an advocacy group for U.S. companies in India, is leading the largest-ever U.S. executive delegation overseas to accompany the president on his trip. There will be 200 business leaders representing Fortune 200 companies as well as smaller enterprises, the group says.
“Business is leading the way as it should, as it always has done in pioneering the contours and pushing the envelope of this unique partnership,†said USIBC President Ron Somers. A key long-term goal of dialogue with India, the organization says, is to produce commercial partnerships that spur job creation and wider economic benefits in both countries....The U.S. is becoming a major defense supplier to India as the country looks to spend $45 billion over five years to upgrade nearly every aspect of its military capabilities. On this trip, the U.S. is hoping to close a few big deals including a roughly $4.5 billion to $5.8 billion sale of Boeing transport aircraft....India says it needs about $500 billion in infrastructure investment in the five years ending 2012 and another $1 trillion in the following five years to cope with a growing population and economy.
Do you realize how much trade is already done with India?
Trade with India : 2010
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post #9 of 60
11/3/10 at 1:35pm
I'm sure that the expenditure does help unemployment - not only here in the U.S., but where ever he travels. It's a part of spreading the wealth - our tax dollars at work. no complaints here
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post #10 of 60
11/3/10 at 3:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jcat View Post
That's simple: ensuring jobs and money.
India: the second fastest growing market in Asia

Five Ways U.S.-India Trade Can Improve

Do you realize how much trade is already done with India?
Trade with India : 2010
Thank you for that Tricia!!
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post #11 of 60
11/3/10 at 7:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momofmany View Post
If you noticed, I didn't correct you on the 40 planes. I did correct you on the $200,000,000 a day and the 3000 people.

And why is it a bad thing that Obama is trying to address economic issues with a country that is a major source of outsourcing for U.S. corporations?
Pat Caddell, a DEMOCRATIC pundit, echoed those figures - 40 planes, 3000 people, the entire Taj Mahal hotel, $200 MILLION A DAY. If a Democrat says it, then it MUST be true, right? And this was on TV with Lanny Davis sitting right next to him, and Lanny didn't disagree!

This will be the most expensive presidential trip in history, and this is on the heels of a massive Democratic loss that is translated to "we don't like your SPENDING policy, Mr. President!" What an idiot. Nothing is worth that kind of spending on a boondoggle.
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post #12 of 60
11/3/10 at 9:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yosemite View Post
I wonder if you'd feel the same if it was a President you liked.
Yes I would feel the same way. It's totally inappropriate and poor use of taxpayer money.
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post #13 of 60
11/4/10 at 12:16am
okay, no matter what your political leanings are, these numbers just are too outrages to be true - so, I did a google search, and tried to find an unbiased source -

I don't know who factcheck.org is, but here is their full article:

http://factcheck.org/2010/11/ask-fac...rip-to-mumbai/

here's an excerpt:
Q: Is President Obama’s trip to India going to cost $200 million per day?
A: This highly doubtful claim originated with one Indian news agency quoting an anonymous source in Mumbai. The White House says it is "wildly exaggerated," and there’s no evidence to support such a huge figure.
Read the full question and answer
View the Ask FactCheck archives

The White House is denying the costs - but then ... ? guess we'll find out later.
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post #14 of 60
11/4/10 at 12:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by GloriaJH View Post
okay, no matter what your political leanings are, these numbers just are too outrages to be true - so, I did a google search, and tried to find an unbiased source -

I don't know who factcheck.org is, but here is their full article:

http://factcheck.org/2010/11/ask-fac...rip-to-mumbai/

here's an excerpt:
Q: Is President Obama’s trip to India going to cost $200 million per day?
A: This highly doubtful claim originated with one Indian news agency quoting an anonymous source in Mumbai. The White House says it is "wildly exaggerated," and there’s no evidence to support such a huge figure.
Read the full question and answer
View the Ask FactCheck archives

The White House is denying the costs - but then ... ? guess we'll find out later.
They talked about this unfounded rumor on CNN tonight. That's all it is...a rumor, and untrue.

Why do people fall for this stuff? 200 million a day?
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post #15 of 60
11/4/10 at 4:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by clixpix View Post
They talked about this unfounded rumor on CNN tonight. That's all it is...a rumor, and untrue.

Why do people fall for this stuff? 200 million a day?
If the pundits had just left it as a very expensive trip I could see their point but when you start throwing out the 200 million a day or 2 billion for the entire trip you lose me. Then I don't believe anything they say.

The reality is there has been alot of unrest in certain areas of the world. And the reality is India is a very important economic entity. I am sure security has been increased accordingly. To save costs the President could just cancel the trip. If the thought is the US can't afford or don't have the security personel and know how to protect the President abroad. Or we can spend the money and have people decry the costs. Either way someone is going to be upset.
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post #16 of 60
11/4/10 at 7:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by clixpix View Post
They talked about this unfounded rumor on CNN tonight. That's all it is...a rumor, and untrue.

Why do people fall for this stuff? 200 million a day?
The folks that don't like Obama are going to believe and propogate these rumours - that's just human nature. Those that want facts will go to the proper sources to get facts and not rumours and innuendos.

The same happened with Bush - those that didn't like him jumped on every opportunity to bash him. I notice it's even worse with Obama and can only think it's because he is black even though that is often denied.
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post #17 of 60
11/4/10 at 10:00am
I'm not sure what the issue is. 36 to 38 has pretty much been the standard for the International POTUS air fleet for years. Did you know that a full squadron of Eagles fly escort with Airforce One, half on wing and half on "top cover", along with one AWACS. Then you throw in the C-17's carrying the 3 "Marine One" helicopters and the combat escort helicopters, and the one thing a lot of people seem surprised about...tankers. Every drop of fuel consumed by every aircraft in the POTUS air fleet is taken with them on several air tankers. Security forces for all these assets when on the ground are taken along too. The risk of encountering contaminated fuel, either intentional or accidental, is too great in some countries.

You'd only have to add a couple gunships to the helo squadron for additional security to be at 40.
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post #18 of 60
11/4/10 at 10:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yosemite View Post
The folks that don't like Obama are going to believe and propogate these rumours - that's just human nature. Those that want facts will go to the proper sources to get facts and not rumours and innuendos.

The same happened with Bush - those that didn't like him jumped on every opportunity to bash him. I notice it's even worse with Obama and can only think it's because he is black even though that is often denied.
Wow! Just wow.

I was agreeing with you until the last sentence.

It is not worse with Obama, it just feels like it's worse to those who support him.

And I'm so very sorry to disappoint you but the majority of those who disagree with Obama do so because of his policies and politics not because of his skin color. I feel like I've just been called a racist and that feels about the same as getting a bucket of mud thrown on me - dirty.

As to the original post, I would have a problem with the size and cost of a trip like this no matter the president in a time like this. The people are broke; the government is even worse since they are just deficit spending. Is it necessary to bring 3,000 people? Or even 300 people?

I understand that the POTUS will need to make international visits, but the rest of the country (if not world!) has to tighten their belts and find ways to decrease spending. Then I hear about a trip like this, and it makes me wonder if there is any connection between the top of the ladder and those who are holding it upright.
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post #19 of 60
11/4/10 at 10:27am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by clixpix View Post
They talked about this unfounded rumor on CNN tonight. That's all it is...a rumor, and untrue.

Why do people fall for this stuff? 200 million a day?
If it is such a rumor, than why is it that Pat Caddell AND Lanny Davis threw out those figures AS FACT, when they are Democrats and Obama apologists? This I saw and heard with my own ears and eyes.
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post #20 of 60
11/4/10 at 10:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dusty's Mom View Post
Pat Caddell, a DEMOCRATIC pundit, echoed those figures - 40 planes, 3000 people, the entire Taj Mahal hotel, $200 MILLION A DAY. If a Democrat says it, then it MUST be true, right?
Hmmmmm......I'm a democrat and I say it's not true. Who is right?

Sorry, I can't agree with your argument for the validity of this information.
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post #21 of 60
11/4/10 at 10:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dusty's Mom View Post
If it is such a rumor, than why is it that Pat Caddell AND Lanny Davis threw out those figures AS FACT, when they are Democrats and Obama apologists? This I saw and heard with my own ears and eyes.
They must be listening to the government office that knew where all those WMD's were.
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post #22 of 60
11/4/10 at 10:40am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by valanhb View Post
Wow! Just wow.

I was agreeing with you until the last sentence.

It is not worse with Obama, it just feels like it's worse to those who support him.

And I'm so very sorry to disappoint you but the majority of those who disagree with Obama do so because of his policies and politics not because of his skin color. I feel like I've just been called a racist and that feels about the same as getting a bucket of mud thrown on me - dirty.

As to the original post, I would have a problem with the size and cost of a trip like this no matter the president in a time like this. The people are broke; the government is even worse since they are just deficit spending. Is it necessary to bring 3,000 people? Or even 300 people?

I understand that the POTUS will need to make international visits, but the rest of the country (if not world!) has to tighten their belts and find ways to decrease spending. Then I hear about a trip like this, and it makes me wonder if there is any connection between the top of the ladder and those who are holding it upright.
I am also truly sorry that Obama had to the the one that broke the color barrier in Presidental politics, when there are many other men and women of color that would have brought honor instead of disgrace to the office.

The reason some would like to perpetuate that these figures are "rumor" is because they are embarrassed by the largess of the trip. The figures are not rumor. They may be approximations, but this will be the largest and most expensive Presidential jaunt in history.
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post #23 of 60
11/4/10 at 10:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dusty's Mom View Post
I am also truly sorry that Obama had to the the one that broke the color barrier in Presidental politics, when there are many other men and women of color that would have brought honor instead of disgrace to the office.

The reason some would like to perpetuate that these figures are "rumor" is because they are embarrassed by the largess of the trip. The figures are not rumor. They may be approximations, but this will be the largest and most expensive Presidential jaunt in history.
And next year, it will be more expensive...and more so the year after that. That's how prices go. How many things are we paying less for now than before?
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post #24 of 60
11/4/10 at 11:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by valanhb View Post
And I'm so very sorry to disappoint you but the majority of those who disagree with Obama do so because of his policies and politics not because of his skin color. I feel like I've just been called a racist and that feels about the same as getting a bucket of mud thrown on me - dirty.
Majority but not all. But if you are part of the majority that disagrees with him because of his policies I am not getting why you would feel you have been called a racist. You may not agree with the statement but it was not personal and not directed at you. I am just not seeing why you would feel dirty. Stay true to yourself.
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post #25 of 60
11/4/10 at 12:02pm
This is supposedly the original Press Trust of India article being cited, and the source is unnamed:
US to spend $200 mn a day on Obama's Mumbai visit
Quote:
"The huge amount of around $200 million would be spent on security, stay and other aspects of the Presidential visit," a top official of the Maharashtra Government privy to the arrangements for the high-profile visit said.
You've got to wonder whether somebody got their dollars and rupees mixed up (1 rupee = < 3 cents) or just picked a figure out of thin air.
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post #26 of 60
11/4/10 at 2:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jcat View Post
This is supposedly the original Press Trust of India article being cited, and the source is unnamed:
US to spend $200 mn a day on Obama's Mumbai visit


You've got to wonder whether somebody got their dollars and rupees mixed up (1 rupee = < 3 cents) or just picked a figure out of thin air.
I'm sure we will know the truth after the trip when the accounting office tallies it up. We know it will be huge and expensive, and probably not worth the money spent. So what else is new? How much did he spend trying to get Chicago on the Olympic agenda? And that was another waste of taxpayer money.
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post #27 of 60
11/4/10 at 3:03pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momofmany View Post
Hmmmmm......I'm a democrat and I say it's not true. Who is right?

Sorry, I can't agree with your argument for the validity of this information.
So what exactly do you disagree with? That Pat Caddell is a Democratic pundit? Or that Pat Caddell uttered those very figures while in the presence of Lanny Davis, another Democratic operative, who didn't challenge Caddell's statement?
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post #28 of 60
11/4/10 at 6:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by valanhb View Post
Wow! Just wow.

I was agreeing with you until the last sentence.

It is not worse with Obama, it just feels like it's worse to those who support him.

And I'm so very sorry to disappoint you but the majority of those who disagree with Obama do so because of his policies and politics not because of his skin color. I feel like I've just been called a racist and that feels about the same as getting a bucket of mud thrown on me - dirty.
As to the original post, I would have a problem with the size and cost of a trip like this no matter the president in a time like this. The people are broke; the government is even worse since they are just deficit spending. Is it necessary to bring 3,000 people? Or even 300 people?

I understand that the POTUS will need to make international visits, but the rest of the country (if not world!) has to tighten their belts and find ways to decrease spending. Then I hear about a trip like this, and it makes me wonder if there is any connection between the top of the ladder and those who are holding it upright.
That is your opinion and I respect that. I just don't happen to agree. As for me calling you a racist or throwing mud on you, that would only be the case if you were one of the folks that don't like him because of his colour. If not, then you have no reason to feel any rebuke.
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post #29 of 60
11/4/10 at 6:58pm
The numbers MAY be correct. Forty planes could easily come up to $40,000,000 per day, assuming they're flying. Not that much if they're sitting, which they will do a lot of.

But since a lot of that cost will be security, at the insistence of the Secret Service, it would cost that much no matter what President did it. And I wouldn't be surprised if a significant portion is paid by the businesses who are hoping to be represented by the President in India.

If I were President, I'd be nervous in India, too. After all, Indira Gandhi was killed by her own security people, and the Taj Mahal hotel must be well-known to terrorists in Pakistan.
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post #30 of 60
11/4/10 at 7:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skippymjp View Post
And next year, it will be more expensive...and more so the year after that. That's how prices go. How many things are we paying less for now than before?
If President Bush had done the same trip two years ago, I'm sure it would have cost proportionately the same, adjusted for inflation.

And if President...whoever...does it two years from now, the same will be true.

And we have to keep in mind that the President is on the way to some summit meetings, etc., and is visiting India on the way.
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