The Sky High Cost of Presidential Politickin'

You'll be relieved to know that the Democratic National Committee is reimbursing the federal government for "100 percent of the legally mandated costs" of President Obama's fund-raising trips cross-country in Air Force One.

You'll be somewhat less relieved to know that 100 percent of the legally mandated cost is but a small fraction of the total debt incurred when the president travels, always on some bit of "official" business to justify writing a federal check for the trip.

To be fair, this is a problem that has grown into a monster with all presidential travel since forever. It's just getting worse. Now a president travels with the official 747, a backup "dummy" plane that uses every bit as much fuel -- and personnel -- as the official plane, and a C-17 cargo jet packed with presidential "necessities" like the armored limo and, at times, the official helicopter.

One example from 2006 is illustrative of the problem:

A 2006 report for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform found that during 2002, political campaigns reimbursed the federal government for $198,000 of the $6.5 million in flight expenses racked up by campaign-related stops made by President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. That's 3 percent of the total cost.

Taxpayers paid the remaining $6.3 million.

"The president and vice president can legally participate in campaign and fundraising events for candidates," the report said. "But when they do so, the taxpayer bears most of the cost."

That Obama is raising funds while in office is hardly unusual. Both Bush and Bill Clinton made similar political trips in their presidencies.

No, the problem is that no one seems to have any real regard for the long-suffering taxpayers of this country, and the damage that is being inflicted on our economy because the government, led by the president, has no inclination to save money.

So much for leading by example.