To the editor:
In his July 2 column, Robert Lee feinted toward some positive comments about President Obama before resuming his printed version of conservative talk radio. Oh my, it’s time for some clean up following his menu of presidential vacations, Syrian refugees, and liberals.
Complaints about presidential vacations are generally wielded by folks against the presidents they don’t especially like. Never mind that presidential families cover their own food and lodging; never mind that staff and security are paid whether serving in or outside of Washington; and, forget that in the modern age presidents are never really on “vacation.”
Consider some presidential vacation figures over the past 40 years. Obama could end with less than 200 days on vacation. Compare that with George W. Bush’s 500 days, including 77 trips to his ranch. Reagan enjoyed some 390 days, mostly at his ranch. Mr. Lee, then, should love the Democrats – Bill Clinton vacationed a paltry 174 days, while Jimmy Carter tallied a miserly 79 days.
Far from “… push(ing) the Syrian refugees down our throats …” as Mr. Lee complained, the U.S. had accepted less than 1,800 of them by late April. They are still subjected to a vetting process. The Center for Immigration Studies estimates each of those refugees will cost us an annual average of about $13,000, with HHS and State Department costs factored in. That is well below Mr. Lee’s $20,000 figure, but to be fair, and as much as most of us value a compassionate America, our dollars could more efficiently help resettle more of them in their own region over time.
As Mr. Lee complains about liberals, he should at least pause to thank them for initiating a few things that I’m sure he values. Among a very few: public schools, the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Social Security and Medicare that I suspect he will not wish to forgo.
Douglas Smith
Rockingham