The first family represents the United States which is suppose to be the richest nation on the planet.
We can not have the first family walking around representing the United States as poor people wearing hand me down clothes and eating a plate of beans and bread.

Aren't we paying for most if not all politicians lifestyles if that's the case then it should be in the billions of dollars.

Michelle Obama is not a politician. I agree they (politicos) do live and retire like in the life styles of the rich and famous but America is not a kingdom and we all should, if possible, work to make our lives as best as possible for ourselves and families and not off the backs of taxpayers like the politicos do.

Isn't that why politicos choose those careers to server the public and reap the benefits.

four-4me - I think 90% do.

@four4me you nailed it, politics has become a career path, politicians have made for themselves very lucrative companies that cannot fail as long as they can force their customers to pay , and if the customers (taxpayers) don't pay up they'll take their customers assets and throw them in jail. What a great business model!!!! No profit, no product, no innovation, no discovery, no nothing and they will keep doing this until they break the pyramid.   Politics was supposed to be a call to serve, now it is call to steal and self perpetuate.

Term limits and no golden parachutes is the only way to fix this malfeasance.

Yea but didn't most taxpayers vote on the perks they receive as compensation for their years of service.

If you served 20 plus years as a congressman and senator = worked up through the ranks wouldn't you want to retire on an income other than Social Securty.