I agree, it's part and parcel to the "Office of the Presidency". Not a big deal really. As much as I would like an opportunity to Bush-bash (fun!), it really isn't his doing nor is it a big deal.
I do agree that the price seems steep (politics aside, purely business sense). I always think there are ways to cut costs without compromising safety and quality). But, I am not a helicopter expert so I couldn't tell you if that price is "too high".
By the way, I think the chart above is inaccurate as it does not indicate relation to GDP.
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