I realize that this article is going to sound like whining.  I apologize for that–but I am whining.  The amount of time and money this President has spent on recreation and vacations is staggering.  If the economy were in better shape, it might not be so obvious, but the excesses in the President’s Hawaiian vacation and the excesses in the First Lady’s Spanish vacation were in sharp contrast to the current financial situation of many Americans. 

Now the Democrat Party has chosen to follow that example.  ABC News reported yesterday on the recent Democrat and Republican retreats.  Last month, the Republicans held a retreat at the Library of Congress.  Meanwhile, the Democrats have left town for a three-day retreat at a swanky 573-acre resort outside of Charlottesville called the Boar’s Head Inn. 

Mitch McConnell chose to be tactful in his comments on the retreat location, saying that where the Democrats chose to retreat was their decision.  However, not everyone was so charitable. 

The article reports:

“”Just because they’re super-wealthy and don’t have a problem taking off to a four-diamond resort during the middle of the work-week doesn’t make them out of touch. What makes them out of touch is that they think it’s a good idea to raise taxes on jobs and energy during the middle of a recession,” sniped a senior GOP aide.”

Being elected to a national office should not qualify you for a life of luxurious retreats at other people’s expense.  The location of this retreat at a time when America is in the middle of a recession and has an unemployment rate of over 9 per cent is totally unacceptable.