7 Times You Shouldn't Take a Vacation

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Contract Workers get little to no time off.
I've have been a contractor for over two years now and except for time off between jobs have not had any time off let alone paid time off. I am 57 and I have worked all my life and getting burned out.

Chris of IN 2:13PM September 24, 2010

I misunderstood, and my previous submission was to state that I
could not verify Mr Flynn's statements through the links he gave.
I apologize Mr. Shalosky. Nor do I believe Mr. Flynn's statements to
be valid.

rick of MI 11:57PM August 31, 2010

I am unable to verify Mr. Shalosky's outlandish remarks through the links
that he has given. I sincerely doubt the validity of his comments.

rick of MI 11:41PM August 31, 2010

I think the vacation in Spain was ill-advised, as was/is the one to Martha's Vineyard that I heard about recently. It would be a much better message no matter who the President is for them to vacation within the United States, but not at a known upper class resort. In my view, they should be visiting somewhere in each state in the union as a way not only to get to know those states, but also as a way to indirectly promote a place or two or three in each state which would perhaps/hopefully even attract/enhance domestic tourism to those places. To do otherwise invites criticism of an imperialistic presidency and a president who's out of touch with the common person (not knowing the price of a gallon of milk leveled at then-President George H.W. Bush comes to mind) that's been a valid criticism of every president that I can remember, save perhaps President Carter.

BD of WA 10:01PM August 31, 2010

Dear Mr. Shalosky,
Your critique of President Obama's vacation strikes me as somewhat ludicrous. Were you a fan of the previous administration, the undisputed champion of the presidential vacation? Bush spent 487 days at Camp David and 490 days on his ranch in Crawford. That's almost three years of his presidency on vacation.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-4728085-503544.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20014132-503544.html

James Flynn of NY 6:19PM August 23, 2010

Obama said he wanted one good term rather than two average terms and he has now decided that is all the citizens of the USA will allow him - one term.
His cadre of ultra socialists make all the decisions now and he is not needed at the White House. So he stays in the luxury of his beloved Air Force One or on vacation since he will not have a chance to enjoy all of these folks waiting on him and his family but for a couple of more years.

William Beasley of FL 1:55PM August 20, 2010

Ms. Wolgemuth --
Your acticle really upset me, and I think you and writers like you are the very reason the "mainstream media" gets a bad rap and why magaizines like USN&WR are becoming the dinosaurs of the print media. USN&WR used to have great brand equity, but socialist writers, like you, have seriously harmed that equity. Do you have any clue who your readers are? Do you have any idea how to attract more readership? The Wall Street Journal seems to be doing fine. Maybe you should find out why.
On with the criticism --
First, I love how you minimize the president's vacations. He has taken several by the way, not just a couple. And his wife took up 40 rooms at a 5 star resort in SPAIN. Not in the US; not say 10 rooms, but 40. I'd say this is a little over the top for anyone, including the president. The King and Queen, errr the President and First Lady are completely insensitive to most of the nation's citizens struggling with finding a job let alone taking vacation. A little bit more discretion and a little less spending might be in order here. If you are going to write about the need for vacation for the common person, try writing a piece that doesn't downplay the president and First Lady's over-the-top vacations, and you might consider writing about vacations when unemployment isn't at a stiffling rate.
You also mentioned how other countries workers are entitled to many more days of vacation than US workers. As if we should be "envious" of those other countries. Thank God we are NOT those countries you mentioned. You should be praising the US and US compnies instead of downplaying a President who is out of touch with the American people in a time of economic crisis, celebrating countries who aren't even in the same ball park as the US., and treating US companies with disdain because they don't offer 30 days of vacation.
You want to see real poverty? Go to Russia, Brazil or Lithuania. Most of our truly poor are considered middle class in those countries, and when is the last time a company from any of the countries you listed above, including the UK and France created a great piece of technology like an ipod, iphone, blackberry, anything? Good grief, if you feel the US isn't the greatest, then please move and write from one of your celebrated countries, where you can enjoy 30 days of vacation, but just don't think of being too critical of the gov't in some of those countries, for someone may just shoot you. By the way, the US military soldiers get 30 days of vacation, but it is well deserved and they experience real stress.
Writers like you are a danger to the US. Do you really want the US to become Russia? Why don't you look at the complete picture of these countries before praising them. Does the US need to improve? Sure, but good grief, if it wasn't for the US and US companies, all of the world would be stuck in the 19th century. Make USN&WR a better magazine, and just quit.

Steve Shalosky of TX 12:19PM August 20, 2010

I think as a salesman, if managment would give me more time off to be with family, I would be more productive... They ignore it.

Frazier Hughes of VA 11:34PM August 19, 2010

Is being President of the US a stressful job? Absolutely. However, President Obama has not done anything except make the mess even bigger. How dare he take so many vacations! As the article mentions, you should not schedule a vacation during a crisis. Well, Mr. President, the country is in crisis. Why are you taking so many vacations?

CHLevine of MD 12:20PM August 19, 2010

I don't think it's the fact that the Obamas vacation or the frequency, it's the type of vacations they take that raise eyebrows. If they went to Chicago or Camp David, no one would care. They need to think about the message they send when they vacation like the rich and famous in tough economic times.

Dar of FL 11:41AM August 19, 2010