There is an old idea in American life that in times of national sacrifice, the burden should be shared.

That's when the country asked something of its people and its leaders set the example.

Franklin Roosevelt gave up his presidential yacht after

Pearl Harbor as a gesture of wartime sacrifice. Jimmy Carter famously turned down the White

House thermostats and wore a cardigan during the 1970s energy crisis. During World War II, rationing

applied to everyone, including the powerful. Gasoline, meat, butter, sugar, nylon,

all rationed by coupon book, regardless of wealth or status. Hollywood stars enlisted Clark

Gable, seen here, served in the U.S. Army Air Force. Jimmy Stewart flew combat missions over

Germany. Henry Fonda joined the Navy. Eleanor Roosevelt planted a victory garden on the White House lawn

and served hot dogs to the king and queen of England as a wartime gesture of simplicity.

The idea was, if you are asking citizens to sacrifice, you sacrifice too.

That's a very different reality from the one we're witnessing today. Today,

the president asks Americans to tighten their belts while offering little of value himself.

To be fair, he's contributed something, including shirtless AI selfies, midnight meltdowns, and

thousands of unhinged truth social posts, while working Americans absorb the

cost of this president's trade war and his war of choice in Iran, the people around Trump,

those on the friends and family plan, appear to be doing quite well. Just this week, a sweeping

New York Times investigation reported that FBI director Cash Patel has continued to use FBI aircraft for personal outings involving his girlfriend who lives in Nashville.

As an FBI director, Patel has to fly private. He's supposed to reimburse the cost of a coach ticket for any personal travel.

The report details taxpayer-funded flights overtime costs for FBI personnel and security

expenditures tied to those trips, including a government jet flight to a country music concert in Philadelphia,

where agents reportedly waited late into the night on overtime before flying the couple back to

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