Obama entourage a symbol of excess

The British press is entranced by the sheer size of President Obama's entourage which traveled to the G-20 summit in London.

Obama arrived with 500 staff in tow, including 200 Secret Service agents, a team of six doctors, as well as the White House chef and kitchen staff with the president's own food and water.

According to the Evening Standard, he also came with 35 vehicles in all, four speech writers and 12 teleprompters. In addition to the presidential helicopter Marine One, a fleet of identical decoys were required to ferry him from Stansted airport to central London.

No doubt a similar huge retinue will be required when the White House moves to Hawaii for its annual vacation. At the start of the Obama administration, the national debt was $9 trillion and it is now estimated to be $20 trillion when Obama leaves office.

The London trip is but one small example of the irresponsible and out-of-control spending that is taking place.

Gary Sheffert

Arlington Heights