Did you know that the President has spent 416 days (like one-sixth of his tenure) at his Ranch in Crawford (pop 705) , Texas? I know that in addition to clearing brush, biking, clearing brush, hiking and clearing brush he does alot of work. It’s not like the President of the Free World can just duck out. He really doesn’t get a “day off.”

Did you know that in order for him to be able to do this we–American taxpayers–have paid for a SxSW WhiteHouse that includes:

• a carpeted conference room in a trailer equipped with videoconference equipment
• secure telephones installed in his home office
• A cluster of double-wide trailer homes, including 5 bedroom trailers (without formaldehyde) outfitted with secure phones, two-way radios and backup generators
• Newly constructed tornado bunkers to protect staffers in the case of serious storms
• BlackHawk helicopters to protect the air space
• Lots of hotel rooms 20 miles away for the president’s large entourage of personal, military, security and press aides. (Source Wash Post)

I don’t think that the President can do without this level of technology and personnel and their costs when he is in Crawford. If he is going to be there so much, this is required.

This begs the question, though, why we have to spend the money so that he can indulge his desire to be there so much. At least that’s the question that I’m thinking.