Michelle Obama embarks on Africa visit

Michelle Obama embarks on Africa visit

www.google.com

US First Lady Michelle Obama is en route to Pretoria on Monday to kick off a six-day Africa visit, during which she will meet anti-apartheid leaders in South Africa and go on safari in Botswana.

President Barack Obama's wife, their daughters Sasha and Malia, her mother Marian Robinson and two nephews departed Washington late Sunday and are scheduled to arrive in South Africa around 1800 GMT on Monday.

"Youth leadership, education, health and wellness" will be the focus of the trip

(visit the link for the full news article)

Is it really necessary to have an office of the First Lady, other than perhaps a couple of assistants, let alone have the tax payers pay for these boondoggles which are essentially family vacations the "First Family".

The entire business of the First Lady has become a complete joke, starting back in the days of Eleanor Roosevelt when the staff of the First Lady began to become substantial. We have a team of over 20 professionals managing the activities of the First Lady to the tune of $millions.year. Why?

The First Lady is not an elected official, she has not been choosen to represent the country in any legitimate diplomatic capacity. I do not think there should be any official functions for the First Spouse to act in any capacity other than being the hostess/host of state dinners.

As far as this particular trip of Mrs. Obama's where she is taking her message of child wellness to Africa, perhaps her time would be more productively spent dealing with a few of the real issues impacting children on that continent.

Forced female circumcision
Theft of food and medical aid by warlords
Forced service of children in military
Selling of young girls into marriage/slavery

Making a bit of progress on those things might be a bit more effective in the long run than schooling kids to eat their fruits and vegetables.

Why we are paying for the millionaire Obama's to be driven around in Land Rovers looking at lions?


www.google.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

In an ideal world Presidents would travel alone and attend to these things on their own, not have their family accompany them or even have them go without him.

This is a glorified holiday IMHO.

Another reason why I love living in Australia. Although we do have an f-wit of a prime minister here. She's more interested in catching up with Oprah than she is with Australia's budget.

:/

hope she doesn't come back.

Wonder if she'll give any speeches about how SLAVERY is still practiced in Africa. Black Africans are still buying and selling other black Africans. I'd bet someone a box of donuts that it won't happen. She's got her mommy and kids and they are going on a tax payer paid vacation.

Like was said earlier ... hope they keep her.

Hopefully, NATO will mistakenly bomb her big bus like they do in Libya.

reply to post by drsamuelfrancis


It certainly is a glorified holiday under the notion of it being something important and in the nation's interest is a joke and everyone knows it. Just because they can do it does mean they should. In fact it is because they can do it, that when they don't it is a demonstration of empathy and leadership. It is also in bad taste when folks are out of work and here we have these folks jetting around the world under the guise of national business.

There is a whole rock/movie star element of the Obama's that I find disturbing. Its narcissistic, wasteful and frankly undignified.

using tax payer money for this c u n ts trip is unacceptable ! But who cares right ? stick it to the tax payer and let them whine about it to someone who cares right?


one day justice will be served right religious people?


well the earth, with her unjust history of people sticking it to the tax payers is still waiting on this "justice"



im glad the obama administration has time for golf and little vacations like this while americans still face foreclosures and unemployment .


who cares its for the good of the country right propagandists?
,

Sending the first lady to Africa is a strategic decision, for a head of state in many of these countries getting a visit from Michelle Obama is a diplomatic coup. You see the United States is currently competing with China for resources from Africa. You use ambassadors for day to day diplomacy, but when you want to shore up support with our African allies a visit from the first lady works nicely. Its not the president wich would be ideal, but it is a step up from the secretary of state. It makes our allies in the region feel important receiving such a prestigous visitor as the President of the United States's wife.

reply to post by lokdog


Were that the case, she certainly would not bring her daughters and would visit more than two countries, one where they are doing nothing more than vacation.

Most Africans don't consider themselves members of a continent, they consider themselves members of a nation. This business about there being this tremendous solidarity amongst African nations that does not exist in other parts of the world is frankly insulting. A visit to South Africa means nothing to Nigerians nor the Nigerian government. It matters no more than a visit to Canada means in the US.

Its a boondoogle. A tax payer funded boondoggle

reply to post by dolphinfan


Did you even read the link? Besides a couple hour safari everything she has planned is as a representative of the United States.

As far as bringing her children along it's considered normal, you'll also note that the ambassador's children were also present and she was meeting with the South African presidents second wife.

You may not remember but both the Bush twins and Clinton's daughter attended foreign trips with there respective mothers. You see thats what poloticians do they meet each others famillies thats how personal relationships are formed it's called diplomacy.

Also if you had read the article you would see that this is a diplomatic trip to help patch up some rather rocky relations the United States and South Africa have had lately. With South Africa being one of the strongest nations in Africa they are very important allies to the United States.

reply to post by dolphinfan


Heres a link I've fished up that goes into alot more detail of the event. Since one of your main criticism's was the millions it was costing the taxpayers, here you'll see that with the exception of the plane all expenses are being payed privately.


www.msnbc.msn.com...

reply to post by lokdog


Sure looks like a diplomatic coup. You might think they would have had this business ironed out prior to wasting the cash.

"the Africa President Jacob Zuma has snubbed the visiting Michelle Obama by sending his prisons minister to meet the first lady at the airport and failing to see her during her three-day stay. "

www.telegraph.co.uk...

The entire business was a joke to begin with and now its an embarrasment as well. Well it was probably good for Zuma's popularity.

As far as the "private funds" go, those are related to the lodgings. The real cost is in the advance teams, the security, the plane, etc. Having the hotels and food picked up is nothing.

Originally posted by lokdog
reply to post by dolphinfan

 

Heres a link I've fished up that goes into alot more detail of the event. Since one of your main criticism's was the millions it was costing the taxpayers, here you'll see that with the exception of the plane all expenses are being payed privately.


www.msnbc.msn.com...

edit on 20-6-2011 by lokdog because: (no reason given)

Security/secret service, the entourage, the armored vehicle, etc etc etc are all paid for privately, huh?

In any case, she isnt an ambassador or there in any official capacity... and the "speeches" and garbage are just that.. garbage to cover a selfish vacation when we are suffering economically as a country. Sorry, a little humility and forethought in her vacation decisions would suit her well considering that we are in a mess here. SHe might just have to curb her wants and habits.. like every one of us has had to do in the last 4+ yrs. She is a presidents wife, not a dignitary or royalty.

Ive been sick of first ladies acting as if they are the queen of the US since Reagan. Its high time they learn their place.. and its not ambassador. Just happening to be married to the guy who became president doent give her some special function other than "wife". Perhaps Michelle hasnt figured out that we have issues with education, homeless hungry kids, etc right here in the US. Why is she in Africa and not here advocating for her future voters? Have your little pet projects and your little special interests, but for Gods sake.. stop pretending you hold office yourself.

It certainly is a glorified holiday under the notion of it being something important and in the nation's interest is a joke and everyone knows it. Just because they can do it does mean they should. In fact it is because they can do it, that when they don't it is a demonstration of empathy and leadership. It is also in bad taste when folks are out of work and here we have these folks jetting around the world under the guise of national business.

reply to post by dolphinfan


I was just browsing the MSM and saw a photo array of her and daughters all decked out with flowers and blankets. I thought "What the HELL is the first lady doing, or Obama for that matter, jetting all over the freaking globe when our own country is in a SHAMBLES!! This really chaps my cheeks. Flooding beyond living memory, unemployment, etc etc (we know)....it's shameful and embarrassing." Are they so out of touch as to not realize this? WHO are they trying to impress?!! He should be impeached and tossed out on his ear, along with his fam, just for that wasteful spending and inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars.

FREELOADER. That is what I would call someone living off my resources and jetting around. For crying out loud. I've had it, I'm ready to disengage from my part in this ridiculous "dance." If we the frustrated stop dancing the steps, then they have to change their steps, too. It works in one-to-one relationships, it would work if only the public would demand it. STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


If I were invited to go on a "vacation" or diplomatic mission or humanitarian propaganda campaign or whatfreakingever you wanna call it, while my home was being submerged, my own family was on the brink of becoming homeless, and billions of dollars of crops worldwide...at home and abroad are being destroyed....

I would not hesitate to say "Sorry, I can't go on a visit anywhere right now, THERE ARE PROBLEMS I MUST DEAL WITH AT HOME, and it would be IMPRUDENT for me to ignore it right now."

This makes me so angry I can't even really communicate it. This country has become disgusting.
I am disgusted. I am ashamed, embarrassed, horrified, and feel utterly DEMORALIZED by this whole charade of "POWER." And what the hell are foreign powers doing inviting them when they KNOW what is happening here?
WHAT THE BLOOMING # IS GOING ON HERE! It's insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I give up. What little hope I was holding out for our homeland to be protected, and nurtured, and cherished, has died.
(I hate using emoticons, but my temper is demanding that I try to get across my very strong feelings about this.)

If it's being paid for by private funds, why are those discretionary funds not being used to HELP THE PUBLIC?
Second line to add how angry I am. Really. Really, really angry.