Nice Work If You Can't Get It

No doubt one thought going through most Americans’ minds today is, “Damn, I don’t think I’ll ever get a FIVE WEEK VACATION.” For most Americans, in fact, the closest thing they’ll get to a five week vacation is...unemployment. And yet, off the President goes to his ranch.

For the entire month of August.

Now, I understand this is supposedly a working vacation. Ostensibly, he’ll be taking meetings and making calls. I get that. But am I the only one who can’t seem to reconcile the grand canyon of cognitive dissonance I feel when people with much more important jobs than I have manage to score much lengthier times off? (And never mind that President Bush’s choice to take such a lengthy respite is very decadent. Very luxurious. Very...French. Just ask Paul Krugman.)

Isn’t there something to be said for keeping up appearances?