Platform Item 37: Taxpayer Funded Presidential Visits
The political party or political candidate who benefits from the president's participation shall fully fund presidential campaign visits.
Argument
Historically, every President of the United States has made campaign visits to communities to assist himself or herself or another candidate. It is always difficult to prove whether the visit to that city was a matter consistent with the President's duties as POTUS or more simply, a campaign stop.
Premises:
The POTUS deserves to travel on Air Force One with full Secret Service Protection.
The POTUS must be completely secure whenever and wherever he or she travels. The country benefits from this protection.
Solution
Every presidential visit with the public, every rally, convention, or visit with a candidate seeking state or federal office, every fundraiser (including charitable events), shall be considered a campaign visit. The US Treasury shall recover the full cost of Air Force One, other direct transportation costs, and all costs of secret service protection. This shall include all related travel expenses including advance trips by Secret Service personnel. The election campaign of the individual candidate or the President's political party shall reimburse the US Treasury for all costs incurred and enumerated herein. Money shall first be recovered from the individual campaign coffers of the candidate, including the President himself or herself. If the campaign lacks the ability to reimburse the government, the President's political party shall reimburse the Treasury. Approvals shall be made in advance. Alternatively, the President shall not attend.
If the POTUS attends a dinner those sponsoring that dinner shall be required to reimburse the US Treasury.
If the POTUS attends a State Fair, a Convention, or any other public activity, the political party of the President shall reimburse the US Treasury.
If the POTUS attends an event in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles or any other domestic venue en route to or from an international summit or state visit, the government shall prorate the cost with the President's political party. At no time shall the charge to the party be less than one day of the cost of Air Force One including normal round trip transportation using Air Force One standards to estimate the cost from Washington to that destination and back. Economies of combining trips shall accrue to the benefit of the taxpayer, not the politician.
Impact
Our current president exacerbates a continuing problem by traveling around the country to attend campaign events and push for his Jobs Bill. I can certainly make a case for his promotion of legislation as being in the normal course of business for the POTUS, however it is also apparent to even the most casual observer and supporter that Obama is pandering to crowds to gain support for his reelection. This legislation would remove the subjectivity in making such a judgment. The very fact that he is attending a public event or attending a $7,500 per plate event to raise campaign funds is evidence enough to interpret the trips as having a political purpose and to require the Democrat Party or the Campaign to Reelect the President to be responsible for all costs incurred.
Ridiculous! The President has a right and obligation to travel and visits the people of America. This is an expense that as Americans we should be glad to pay. Every time the press is there one could say he was campaigning, so? One advantage of whomever is The current President. Some times a few who dislike our President tend to go overboard.
We need to respect th President whether we voted for him or not and that means whatever party is in office. We must remember that we are ALL Americans first.
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You will note that I made no distinction between political parties in this platform item. The American taxpayer should not have to subsidize the election campaign of the president or any other candidate for public office.
There was no measure of disrespect in what I have offered. To the contrary look at the two major premises. They include the recognition that we must protect our president. I'm simply reluctant to pay for multiple trips that could and should be paid by someone else.
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