Joe and Jill average 8 hours each 5 days. How many hours of work, days a week f

1. 67

   Perspycaciousposted 12 years ago

   Joe and Jill average 8 hours each 5 days.  How many hours of work, days a week for a President?
   
   Some folks have complained that campaigning is taking the president away from his real duties of office.  Granted he has staff to do a lot, from writing speeches for him to answering his mail.  How much of his time do you feel should be spent attending to his responsibilities as your Chief Executive?  How much of his time should be spent in Washington, DC?  How much of each day should be personal, vacation, and family time?

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2. 74

   Uninvited Writerposted 12 years ago

   Some people can actually do both, a President is never on break from his responsibilities. Are you suggesting he not campaign like every other president has?

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      Perspycaciousposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Not at all.  In fact the question is asking what you vidualize as a president's job and the demands of his office.

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3. 46

   DDEposted 12 years ago

   A President's job is tough too many ties to be met making his job challenging

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4. 73

   Author Cherylposted 12 years ago

   Does it really matter because everyone has all but shoved him in the ground for everything.  He has done his best and any time off he gets I believe is well earned and deserved.  Just because he is campaigning does not mean he is not doing his job.  For what he was given and as Clinton said at the democratic convention:  Not him nor any of his predessesors could have cleaned up the mess in four years that he had when he got there.  And no president in the next 20 will clean up the mess that was made during the Busch term.  Im sure I will get bashed for that answer but guess what?  I don't care.  Rock on Obama and I hope you get four more years!

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      peoplepower73posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You won't hear any bashing from me, just accolades.  I appreciate your comments.

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      Perspycaciousposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There has to be a reason why so many believed candidate Obama could not run on his record of accomplishments in his first term.  That aside, we do judge presidents by what they accomplish.

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5. 67

   conradofontanillaposted 12 years ago

   A president works round the clock, geared for work even while asleep. A president does his job through other people and by the multiplication of his powers.Swimming, like what Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt (a polio victim) did, is a way to ensure good health while playing golf is a ploy to deceive an enemy like what  Pres. Obama did when Leon Panetta coordinated an assault on Bin Laden. read more

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   1. 67

      Perspycaciousposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      He may be "on call" 24 hours a day and seven days a week, but no one except a mother with a seriously sick child works 24 hours a day, and you better believe she is "on call", too!

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6. 41

   ChristinSposted 12 years ago

   sigh.... this again.  People have short memories as Bush spent a whole lot of time on his ranch in Texas.  Clinton took numerous vacations too.  Here we go getting sidetracked by stupidity so that we don't focus on real issues or their solutions(or lack thereof). 
   
   A president doesn't punch a daily time clock like you would at a factory, but they have responsibilities looming over them 24/7 and yes they do have to take time to campaign. (they ALL have) That is due more to a bad system.  If campaigns were strictly publicly funded with a set amount for each candidate and things like lobbyists, corporate donors, PAC's and super PAC's were outlawed for being the flagrant violation of the constitution they are (corporations are people? really?) - maybe presidents could spend less time campaigning and more time solving problems.  Wouldn't that be grand?
   
   While I disagree with several Obama policies I have no doubt he has had to work his tail off especially against the obstructionist crybabies in the house/senate who often vote against what they once supported for the sole reason of wanting Obama to fail.  Do you really think any of these people in DC care about serving you or I or any of the citizens anymore? If so I have a bridge to sell ya... The absolute whining, infantile lunacy of both parties has become too much to take.
   
   Let the man have a break - I'm sure none of us would really envy his job if we had it.  Constant attacks, threats, blaming and crying instead of fixing and working together like adults.  it's pitiful what's happening in this country and yet we are here scrutinizing vacation time.

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      peoplepower73posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Great commentary.  You say it like it is and I appreciate that.

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      YogaKatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Bravo . . . answer well done:)

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7. 71

   d.williamposted 12 years ago

   The president is on call 24/7 for 4 years.  This is just another excuse for people to voice their criticism of this President.  He has done nothing that any other president has not done (with personal time off), but he certainly has done more than any other president in history, at their very minimum,  trying to do something better for this country and its people.  With confrontation and stone walling every step of the way by a party that has vowed to block his every move for 4 years, i would say he has accomplished a great deal. 
   I will be shocked if any one who sounds at least pro Obama will have their comments allowed in answering this questionable question.

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      Perspycaciousposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The question simply asks "what do we expect from a working president?"  The variety of answers indicates some varied expectations.

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8. 51

   Ericdierkerposted 12 years ago

   Wise men do not vacate. They may pause to contemplate matters outside their work, but nothing is vacated. This is not a political issue. It is hard for most folk to really get the fact that all our presidents have been great men (someday soon great women). The intelligence and information capacity and ramifications of policy are hugely complex. We criticize well, only in politicking. But should never be so arrogant that we criticize the man in the Oval Office, especially as a lazy man. It is not a matter of them doing a great job, it is only a matter of us wanting them to do it differently.

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9. 81

   MarleneBposted 12 years ago

   I think a president is always on the job. Everything the president does is part of the job. Even when on vacation the president is not truly relaxing and having a good time with family and friends. People are constantly seeking his attention - even on the golf course. I can attest to the fact that a LOT of business happens on the golf course. I think any president must have a clear concept of what important and prioritize activities accordingly and then fall into bed exhausted like the rest of us only to wake up to do it all again the next day.

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10. 81

    junksellerposted 12 years ago

    I suspect that even after vacations and campaigning that the President puts in a lot more hours than the average worker. Not only that, but they are hard hours. The physical transformation that Presidents undergo (e.g. graying hair) is evidence of the brutally hard nature of what they do. The President is someone who on a daily basis has to send men and women to their deaths. If playing golf once in a while helps maintain his sanity than so be it.
    
    Even so, I have always thought that part of the President's job is talking to the people. Telling them what is going on, what he is doing, and what he hopes to accomplish in the future. We have no shortage of bureaucrats who sit around in offices all day long working the levers of the government machine. I don't really want a President who does that.

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11. 0

    Old Empresarioposted 12 years ago

    Well in theory, a president does not have to do anything at all. None of the early presidents did much while in office. Constitutionally speaking, Congress is supposed to write all of the laws, which he simply signs or vetoes. His main day-to-day duty is supposed to be reviewing applications and filling appointments. But that responsibility has been taken from him to a large degree and given to the government departments ever since the Civil Service Reform Act of the 1880s. I think it's a good idea for him to get daily updates on the war in Afghanistan and from various ambassadors who are supposed to be doing something. I think he should read and answer petitions. I think he should give fewer speeches and should instead submit his proclamations in writing to congress or executive departments--less bluster and more substance.

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12. 66

    SportsBetterposted 12 years ago

    I have thought about this.  The president doesn't really have that hard of a job.  He has many people planted through out government to aid in his decisions and has just about everything taken care of for him. 
    
    All the president really does is listen to where he is supposed to be and maybe sign some bad legislation. 
    
    I think the government in general needs to stop trying to fix things.  They end up making problems worse.  They are the reason the economy is bad, people are out of work, and in debt.  Government provides cheap loans by printing money, which push prices up, creates debt, and causes recession.

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