Obama's Inauguration Costs...

[marlin29311]

http://www.nydailynews.com/new....html

While I understand that a lot of this gets paid by private donors, why is it that Obama's inauguration is going to cost the taxpayers so much more than anyone else's in the past? They've already asked Congress for $15 million more...

Where is the outrage for this? Back in 2005, Bush's received more flak than a WWII plane over Europe...

[Cold_Zero]

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?s=9651905

Daniels' swearing-in will be a scaled-down affair from his first term, when he took the oath of office before a large crowd inside the Pepsi Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Monday's ceremony will take place just outside his office on the second floor of the Statehouse.

I have said this before in a previous thread. The Governor of Indiana shows that he is a class act by scaling back the inauguration ceremony this year to show that Politicians are willing to make sacrifices themselves, when time are tough for the people.

And for the socially conscious Hollywood Elite that will show up to all the after parties. How many people in Darfur or Zimbabwe could you feed with the money that is being thrown around for these after parties? Personally, the money spent on campaigning for the National Elections sicken me. The amount of money that is thrown away in these campaigns could go to help ease the situations for people world wide and do a lot of good.

[OriginalWheelman]

$49 million to get sworn in? And this guy is supposed to save the economy? I had a business partner that liked to spend lots of money on parties. Thanks to his sound money management I don't have a business anymore...

[Cold_Zero]

What ever happened to the concept of tightening your belt during financial hard times?

I know that my family has gone through and cut back on spending and 'tightened the belt' economically to make sure that we are prepared for what ever this economy can throw at us.bud

[Armelius]

I can't stand ceremonies. It's great to be recognized for some accomplishment but to spend so much for something that doesn't last very long seems ridiculous.

If George Washington got to spend that kind of money then I can see why he would have avoided British capture for so long.

The amount spent on the election by all candidates and now the inauguration is just unbelievable to me.

[Eikon]

I agree... no reason to spend that kind of cash on pomp and circumstance.

I wonder though if you were to play devil's advocate.. Could you say that there is great value on public sentiment in our nation right now and making an impressive statement could help spur the economy all by itself. My observation in the past few months is that the state of our economy is heavily influenced by a lack of confidence on a consumer standpoint. It's a big chain reaction... people stop spending money and pull their money our of investments because they are scared. When people pull out, the investment accounts decrease even more, and people get even more scared. It's a cycle.

Obama's election was a great boost for the stock market, and the nation's consumer confidence levels. We could see a similar positive impact from a succesful inauguration. I would wager that the 150mil spend on the inauguration could return billions in value to the stock market by simply making the American public feel better about the state of our nation.

Just a thought....

[480sx]

I would wager that the 150mil spend on the inauguration could return billions in value to the stock market by simply making the American public feel better about the state of our nation.

Just a thought....

Im tempted to agree with you on this, it is a real possibility.

Think about the antithesis of this for a second. Lets say Obama scaled it way down, small party, few guests, a real recession style Inauguration one that hasnt been seen in this age ever. A sparkler here instead of a mortar there, no-name champagne instead of Don Perignon.

I would think that it would send mixed messages, more negative than positive really. Might add to this climate of 'impending economic doom' that some people are caught up in.
Modified by 480sx at 5:41 PM 1/17/2009

[Jesda]

150m is a drop in the bucket compared to the trillions Obama, Pelosi, McCain, and Bush gave away without discretion to corporations.

[Cold_Zero]

It is ironic that the rhetoric during the campaign and the aim to destroy GW Bush was that this economic turmoil is the worst since the Great Depression. Yet, no one is up in arms with this extravagant spending in a time of deep economic crisis.

The other thing I find ironic is that no one is talking about the Environmental Impact of the Inauguration will be. With all the Hollywood elites flying into DC from California on their private jets and then jumping into their hired Limos and SUVs.

[OriginalWheelman]

It is ironic that the rhetoric during the campaign and the aim to destroy GW Bush was that this economic turmoil is the worst since the Great Depression. Yet, no one is up in arms with this extravagant spending in a time of deep economic crisis.

The other thing I find ironic is that no one is talking about the Environmental Impact of the Inauguration will be. With all the Hollywood elites flying into DC from California on their private jets and then jumping into their hired Limos and SUVs.

I know right? If McCain had won we'd be getting a full list of carbon cost and an attack from PETA or something.

[Jesda]

Leftist commentators complained about Bush's 2004 inauguration. "How can you spend so much at a time of war, when so many people are suffering?"

Those same people aren't asking the same question, about how so much could be spent on a party when there is war and economic difficulty.

Either way, I think using tax money for these events, regardless of who is elected, is a waste. It should be a quiet swear-in ceremony. If you want to party, pay for it yourself.

[HashiriyaS14]

Either way, I think using tax money for these events, regardless of who is elected, is a waste. It should be a quiet swear-in ceremony. If you want to party, pay for it yourself.

I agree, I think any "party" aspect of it should be privately funded.

That said, Obama's costs more in certain respects because it will just be so highly attended, and that isn't his fault and thus I'm not sure why he should pay for it. Examples for this are the porta-johns on the mall, the vastly increased security expense, et cetera. He's not asking 4 million people to show up, so I'm not sure why he should have to pay for their bathrooms.

It's a Federal government event, and until such day as they decide to hold the swearing-in indoors where people have no choice but to stay home and see it on TV, people will show up in droves for these things on the Mall.

[Cold_Zero]

Hash,I am sure you are proud of the State Legislator that said it really didnt matter that the State of Maryland was bankrupt. The only thing that really matters was that Barrack Obama is now President. I think that might be Michael Steele's Gubernatorial Campaign Ad.

[szh]

Examples for this are the porta-johns on the mall,

...

He's not asking 4 million people to show up, so I'm not sure why he should have to pay for their bathrooms.

If not, I guess politics and Washington would stink more than usual!

Z

[heliochrome85]

http://www.nydailynews.com/new....html

While I understand that a lot of this gets paid by private donors, why is it that Obama's inauguration is going to cost the taxpayers so much more than anyone else's in the past? They've already asked Congress for $15 million more...

Where is the outrage for this? Back in 2005, Bush's received more flak than a WWII plane over Europe...

HMMMMMMMM..... Looks like that turned out to be false too. Who would have thought?

http://www.factcheck.org/askfa....html

Fox News - Fair and Balanced indeed.

[Armelius]

check this out

http://gigapan.org/viewGigapan...6233c

[themadscientist]

They could have done it at Chuck E Cheese for a lot less and you get 20 free tokens when you book on-line.

http://www.chuckecheese.com/pa...l.php

They have far superior rides and games to the Capitol; it's a no-brainer.

http://www.chuckecheese.com/th...s.php

Hello Dianne Feinstein!

[BoostFab]

http://www.nydailynews.com/new....html

While I understand that a lot of this gets paid by private donors, why is it that Obama's inauguration is going to cost the taxpayers so much more than anyone else's in the past? They've already asked Congress for $15 million more...

Where is the outrage for this? Back in 2005, Bush's received more flak than a WWII plane over Europe...

guess who pays for it?!??!? your ef'n tax dollars.use all that money to help the unemployments

[smockers83]

I was talking to my grandmother earlier today and we got into politics somehow, don't remember. But I never knew how involved or how much she liked politics. Needless to say, she has never seen an inauguration like Obama's. She has also never seen all the hype surrounding Obama with any other president, including JFK.