Even the Queens majesty and grandiosity couldn't measure up to Americas version of flamboyance and consumption when our President made his grand visit to Ireland/England.

It is always the story behind the story, that gets the least scrutiny, yet makes the main story possible. Conspicuous consumption is the first thing that comes to mind.

The logistical army that presents our President to the world cannot be understated when it comes to size and ostentation of the presentation.

Designed to impress the locals and anticipate every conceivable "Murphyism", the production brings the splendor, elegance and power of Washington to native peoples everywhere who are duly impressed whenever we send our President overseas.

The local press has been awed by the sheer size of the traveling entourage and I don't blame them.

Obama arrived with 500"staff", including 200 Secret Service agents and a medical team of six doctors. The White House brought along it's chef and kitchen staff with the president's own food and water, evidently warned ahead of time that the local food wouldn't meet Michelle's strict dietary ethic....Are we known far and wide for our gourmet food?

According to local British press, he also came with 35 vehicles, four speech writers and 12 teleprompters." My neck aches thinking of those teleprompters and remembering my pain after watching a long tennis match.

Air Force One in itself is a technical wonder to awe any native population with all of its bells and whistles. But the presence of Marine One, the presidential helicopter, along with its fleet of identical decoys that ferried him from airport to speech location is magnificent.

But among all of those vehicles is the presidential limousine, affectionately referred to as "The Beast". Impressive in its weight, protections and armaments, it is reinforced with ceramic and titanium armor, carries tear gas cannon, night vision devices, its own oxygen and is resistant to chemical and radiation attack. Some refer to it as a mobile "Panic Room"

Of course the president is entitled to every protection we can afford and all support necessary to project his message. But the elephant in the living room is that America is the biggest debtor nation in the world and has to borrow money from the rest of you in order to keep our lights on. But we don't skimp when it comes to projecting our grandness to the rest of you.

Hey Brother can you spare a Euro?

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