Your Tax Dollars At Work …

Posted on by under Humour, Random

It has been good enough for more than sixty years, since 1948.  It was good enough for the Bushes, Senior and Junior, it was good enough for Presidents Obama, Clinton, Ford, Nixon, Carter, Johnson, Reagan.  But it is not good enough for Donald Trump, who is used to his accommodations in Trump Towers where he has gold bathroom fixtures!

It is reported that a few weeks ago, Trump was at his golf club in New Jersey chatting with other members when he explained his reason for coming to the New Jersey club every weekend is that “the White House is a dump”.  He later denied having said it, and since I was not privy to the conversation, I cannot say for sure, but it was reported by several people, including staff members who were present, so I am inclined to believe he said it.

This is the White House
This is a ‘dump’

So, during Trump’s 17-day vacation, while we are paying for him to play golf and eat steak every night, the White House is undergoing a renovation.  To be fair, some of the repairs are necessary, such as repair of a leak in the ceiling, HVAC repairs, etc.  And those repairs were approved before Trump took office.  Other renovations, however, seem unnecessary and a bit frivolous in these troubled times, for example new carpeting throughout the West Wing.

WH-oval-office

Empty Oval Office – 816.2 sq. ft.

The renovations will also include fresh landscaping and a granite curb … now, who needs a granite curb?  Isn’t concrete good enough?

WH-granite curbs.jpg

Workers installing granite curb

Apparently there has been a problem with house flies in the West Wing, and last month Business Insider reported that Trump called Reince Priebus to the Oval Office to kill a fly that was buzzing about. Flies … this is what happens when you fill a space with trash.

WH-trash.jpg

So, you may wonder how much all this is costing us.  The renovations will amount to $3.4 million: $1.965 million for upgrading the HVAC systems, $1.17 million for carpet replacements. and a fresh coat of paint will amount to $275,000.  I hesitate to mention that my carpet is 19 years old, and my home has not been painted since then, either.  My home needs plumbing repairs, and my 25-year-old stove/oven is on its last legs.

Deputy Press Secretary Lindsay Walters said the cost of the renovations is less than what the past three administrations have spent.  Perhaps, but consider the past three administrations’ costs were over a period of eight years each, not 7 months!  And if the past three administrations have each spent more than $3 million, should not the White House already be in pretty damn good condition?

Since the Trumps are not quite the personification of class, grace and dignity that the Obamas were, I had concerns that Trump’s idea of “Making the White House Great Again” might involve such tackiness as gold-plated fixtures, nude paintings, or hot-pink walls.  But my research reveals that any renovations must be approved by the Office of the Curator.

WH-renovation-2“The White House Office of the Curator is charged with the conservation and study of the collection of fine art, furniture and decorative objects used to furnish both the public and private rooms of the White House as an official residence and as an accredited historic house museum.” – Wikipedia

Phew!  That is a load off my mind, for in Trump Towers, Trump has a three-level penthouse  designed to look like the interior of Versailles, complete with gold and diamond accents, and miles of marble and hand-painted ceiling murals. Can we say “hedonistic”?  “Tacky”?

trump-tower-3trump-tower-2trump-tower-1

In my opinion, and mind you this is just my opinion, the thing that most needs to be replaced in the White House are its occupants.

WH-occupants.jpg

 

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42 thoughts on “Your Tax Dollars At Work …”

  2. It’s hard to believe DT called Reince Priebus to just swat a fly. I bet he wouldn’t ask the General to do it. Of course, DT thinks all government facilities including Camp David are tacky. Would he prefer a castle? He enjoys the power that goes with those surroundings though. 🙂 — Suzanne

    Liked by 1 person

    • In all honesty, I question the veracity of that story, but … with him, anything is possible. Y’know … I used to, in the early days when I still thought he had absolutely NO chance of winning the GOP nomination, let alone the election (smack me for being a fool!) refer to him as “the man who would be king”. Now, I realize just how spot-on that was. I think he very much sees himself as a ruler rather than a leader. This makes me nervous, for in truth, I am not sure how much pressure our Constitution, our system of ‘checks and balances’ can take before it crumbles. This is why, in my opinion, he needs to be removed from office SOON. I’m truly not trying to be an alarmist, but … that is just my concern. I hope I am wrong.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Yes, I did see the article, but didn’t quote it from there, for I still wasn’t 100% convinced of the veracity, though I DO believe he said it. To me, his ostentatious apartment in Trump Towers would make me ill …

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Dear Jill,
    DDT’s taste runs along the lines of ostentatious, like with a Liberace flair. This design taste would suit Liberace but it does not belong in the WH. I describe this taste as what would be befitting a high class Italian bordello.
    Hugs, Gronda

    Liked by 2 people

    • Maintenance is one thing … I certainly agree that it must be kept well-maintained. But he has gone beyond maintenance, and granite curbs??? Sheesh. He is not, hopefully, going to be in it that long, after all! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

      • Hopefully. But where I live (FL), a lot of people think Trump is doing a great job. The KKK used to be very active here, and the spirit lives on — mixed up with Southern-style Christianity. We cannot underestimate the attraction of the white (male) supremacy movement to those who feel they are losing ground.

        Liked by 1 person

        • You are quite right, JoAnn! I try not to refer to the ‘southern mentality’, because I know a lot of really good people who live in the south … I even have a nephew in Atlanta. But in reality, there is a noticeable difference in the level of racism in the south vs. say, New England, New York, or California. The midwest is becoming more ‘southern’ in its thinking, though I don’t completely understand why. But to your point, yes, he has a base and they are positioned such that he maintains a 36-39% approval rating. Our best hope is two-fold: that Mueller’s investigation is able to connect Donald Trump directly to illegal activities with regards to Russia, and that Congress has the will to act appropriately. Interesting times, yes?

          Liked by 1 person

  8. “Since the Trumps are not quite the personification of class, grace and dignity that the Obamas were”

    This is satire, right? Like The Onion?

    The carpet’s probably getting replaced to get rid of all the cigarettes put out in it. That’s what I heard from a pal who has a friend who does carpets. Which makes my statement just as believable as yours.

    Maybe in the next election if you liberals can get EVEN MORE illegal aliens to vote, you might have a chance at winning. In the meanwhile, the stock market is WAY up, illegal immigration is WAY down, jobs are WAY up, Food Stamp rolls are WAY down.

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    • I understand that you, being a bigot and a racist, hav a problem with people like myself who believe ALL HUMANS are created equal and deserving of equal opportunities regardless of skin colour, religion, ethnicity or any other criteria that people like you believe make you superior. But thankfully, you do not represent the majority in this nation, nor, I think, will you ever. Enjoy your economic situation now, for it will not last long. The rise in the stock market has no real foundation, and the dollar remains weak. Study your history … this situation is untenable.

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    • Oh dear, I am sorry to see your comment Robert. You obviously like your new POTUS.
      Do you also like to see the riots that are emerging now in the US? Do you like to see that healthcare should be taken away from the poorest in society? Do you like to see the threat of Nuclear war hanging over your head. Do you think President Trump cares about you? I think you must be wearing rose coloured glasses not to see the cloud of doom settling over the current government.
      As for the stock market being ‘way up,’ yes you are correct. But markets are fickle things. The prospect of war temporarily boosts economies as new weapons are made. Oil companies are happy because they know that there is no alternative to many plastics and chemicals (yet). But there is a downside to any ‘boom’ and that is ‘bust.’ If actual war with N.Korea were to break out, the hardships, market failures and senseless deaths would take a terrible toll. Your rhetoric is misguided. Even if you are a staunch supporter of the GOP, you have to admit, that America has lost its esteem on the world stage, and President Trump cannot plate that with fake gold!

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      • PS…my husband has just put all our investments into cash…. Temporarily. He is expecting a big adjustment of the markets very soon… Can’t keep going up! Cos all that goes up, must come down again!

        Liked by 1 person

      • Your words are all quite true, my friend. This country is in a state of chaos right now, as is our federal government. Fortunately, some state governments are stepping up to the plate and trying to do the right thing, the so-called leadership is a hornets nest. And the stock market? There is no solid foundation, it has risen to fast based on speculation. Combine that with the weak dollar, the political unrest, and it is a wreck just waiting to happen. But, as we have failed to learn the lessons of history, we shall be doomed to make the same mistakes we have made in the past. Sigh.

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    • You’re not even American. Worry about your own Welshie Welsh government and let us Americans worry about ours.
      Not that I’m worried right now- my investments are WAAAAY up and the values of my houses improve right along with our economy. Live is good over here on this side of the Atlantic.

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      • I beg your pardon, but I was born and have lived my life in the U.S. and have voted in the past 10 presidential elections. My dear friend David is a Welshman who has an excellent grasp of U.S. politics, better than most who live in the country. Now, sir, while I welcome all comments and opinions on my blog, I DO NOT tolerate disrespect toward myself or my readers, so if you ever again comment here, you need to clean up your act, otherwise don’t bother.

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      • I have to worry, as what your President does has a deal of influence in Europe like his threat to withdraw from NATO and having reneged on the promise with the Paris agreement on Global warming.
        I’m glad you’re enjoying a bonus at the moment but boom could become bust just as easily so I hope you’re prepared.It seems with white supremacists at the helm life is only good for some.
        Hugs

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        • I’m not sure which white supremacists you say are in charge. President Trump isn’t one. Pretty sure Pence isn’t either. How do you feel about Black Lives Matter and their violent tendencies? Or ANTIFA for that matter? Their modus operandi is violent demonstrations, riots, and destruction of property, and assaulting anyone in their way. The media just gives them a free pass. That’s exactly what happened in Virginia. They were the ones that started the violence. Now don’t get me wrong- the white supremacists are ass hats. I don’t see how they can believe what they believe and still say “We’re for the Constitution and America!” because what they believe is diametrically opposed to what’s in the Constitution.

          If we withdrew from NATO, it would collapse. I can’t see that happening. During Operation Unified Protector, I was the G2X for US Forces at the NATO HQ in lovely Naples (if you’re not familiar with that position, Wikipedia explains it). In almost every meeting I would hear our partner countries say “We’re out of ordinance!” or “We’re out of money!” The US foots the bill for the majority of NATO operations, and I agree with the President that the US needs to stop doing that. America First. Which, if you’re in charge of America -which he is- is a pretty good plan to have.

          In any case, I hope you have seen the error of voting for Hillary or Sanders- they both belong in Jail. I was actually 30 days out from being in Benghazi. After OUP, the opportunity came up for me to go to Libya. After seeing a lot of the country through drone feeds, I jumped at the chance to get on the ground. About 30 days out, the logistics for what I was going there to do fell through and I went on leave to Florida instead (to buy another house, actually). I watched the entire murdering and leaving-out-to-dry of our fellow Americans on the news and couldn’t help think “Huh, wonder where in the compound I’d have been before they killed me, dragged me into the street, then raped me on camera.” Hillary isn’t high on my list of people to send Christmas cards to.

          SAY! New subject! How’s that Brexit thing working out down at your level? I ask because I was stationed in Germany when Europe went to the Euro and it was a debacle. The papers all said (I read German) “Fear not! ALL prices will be re-figured with the new exchange rate. To do otherwise is illegal!”
          In the restaurants we were regulars at, they just put little Euro stickers over the DM, effectively doubling prices overnight. All while the papers said it absolutely positively wasn’t happening. It made me wonder where the politicians were eating. Or if they ever looked at a bill. So what say you?

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    • Actually, my hope is that he never returns from golfing … but, sigh, that is a pipe dream. I figure that once we finally get rid of him, in whatever way possible, we should burn the White House to the ground and start over, for I do not believe we would ever be able to get rid of the horrid stench.

      xxx Cwtch Mawr, dearest David xxx

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