Where's the Shared Sacrifice?

I will admit that I about blew a gasket when I read the RNC's snide press release about Obama's big night out in New York City. I was willing to cut the president a break (which I rarely do) and let him enjoy his evening in peace. I did, and still do, think the RNC's release was dumb and certainly not the way to attract new voters.

Today's GM press conference made me rethink the trip (though not the RNC's release). I ran this earlier, but here again is what Obama told GM and other autoworkers about the coming sacrifice:

But I want to be honest with you. Building a leaner GM will come at a cost. It will take a painful toll on many Americans who have relied on General Motors throughout the generations. So I want to say a word directly to all the men and women watching today, wondering what all of this will mean as far as their own lives are concerned.

I know you've already seen more than your fair share of hard times. We saw 400,000 jobs lost in the auto industry in the year before this restructuring even began. I will not pretend the hard times are over. Difficult days lie ahead. More jobs will be lost. More plants will close. More dealerships will shut their doors, and so will many parts suppliers.

But I want you to know that what you're doing is making a sacrifice for the next generation -- a sacrifice you may not have chose to make, but a sacrifice you were nevertheless called to make so that your children and all of our children can grow up in an America that still makes things; that still builds cars; that still strives for a better future.

Now, let's juxtapose that last paragraph with this:

The romantic jaunt is estimated to have cost the taxpayer more than £45,000 in transport and security costs - because the date was in New York.

The President used three planes, one to carry the couple and two to ferry aides and reporters all the way from Washington.

The cost of each flight was thought to be nearly £15,000.

The bill was pushed even higher with the use of two helicopters, one to take the Obamas to catch their plane in Washington and another to zip the party into Manhattan from JFK airport.

Police also shut down New York streets for the motorcade to pass through so they could get to their date on time.

Rush Limbaugh offered this:

"I don't think people understand that this kind of pain and suffering fits Obama's master plan. It's hard to convince them. What president would want citizens to suffer? Well, it's been five months now, and we have employed every 'fix' Obama told us to, and it's only gotten worse." -Rush

I'm not sure how well an extravagance like Saturday night's trip to the big city is going to look when compared with the sacrifice of others that Obama is demanding. It doesn't seem to match up well with Glenn Reynolds's law:

I'll believe something is a crisis when the people who tell me it's a crisis start acting like it's a crisis.

Indeed.