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politics
How Much Will the Inauguration Cost?
Joshua ChaneyPosted: Jan 19th 2009 1:43PM
Filed under: US Elections, Politics, Featured Stories, News, Muskingum College
Over the past four years, things seem to have gradually gotten worse.
The economy is in the dumps, we're still at war and unemployment has skyrocketed.
Retail sales numbers are down, and there seems to be only two things that Americans are spending more on - video games and the inauguration.
Obama's inauguration, which includes 10 star-studded balls with megastar concerts, is expected to cost around $150 million.
That is actually relatively small compared to the amount of money Congress and the president have already and plan to pump in the economy. Maybe it's okay because it truly will be a historic moment of change for America.
We've elected our first African-American president.
But do we really need Beyonce, Sheryl Crow and Queen Latifah to help out?
In 2005, Democratic Reps. Anthony Weiner and Jim McDermott called for Bush to tone down the festivities in light of what past presidents have done in tough times.
"President Roosevelt held his 1945 inaugural at the White House, making a short speech and serving guests cold chicken salad and plain pound cake," the two wrote Bush in a letter. "During World War I, President Wilson did not have any parties at his 1917 inaugural, saying that such festivities would be undignified."
No such requests have been made this time around, suggesting a double standard.
Obama's committee spokeswoman Linda Douglass said she thinks Americans will not see Obama's big party as excessive.
"It is not a celebration of an election," she told the Associated Press. "It is a celebration of our common values."
Perhaps it is.
And maybe in some way it will serve as a morale booster for consumers and actually help our economy.
Still, Obama stands to have spent more money on his first day in office than any other president before him, and with businesses failing, jobs evaporating and people losing their homes to foreclosure at record numbers, his big party stands to look a bit "undignified."
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chen hsieh
2:27PM 2:27PM Jan 19th 2009
Undignified is a mild word at the time when the country is at wars as well as in such economy dispair.
$150 million can do a lot of good for the poor and jobless. Obama, please wake up to reality. You are not an idol. You are employed by American citizens.
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Carl R Rafanan
12:08AM 12:08AM Jan 27th 2009
Too expensive inaugauration,but will see this black elected president can do about the country. All us citizens are expecting what he can do about the country
Nobody knows him he was elected because his promises
during his campaign. will see him if not he might be
impeach.
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DC resident
12:34PM 12:34PM Jan 30th 2009
FACTS: Unsure of the latest, exact figures but about 90% of the inauguration expenses were from private donations. Congress allocated $15 million to DC for security (which is supposed to also cover a most of 2009). Geo W Bush asked his friends to limit their donations to his inaug. to $250,000 while Obama set his max at $50,000. (The Texans in '01 & '05 behaved like idiots) All the stars that showed up did so on their nickel as far as we've heard.
It says a lot for the Obama crowd that with 1.8 million jammed together for so many hours there was not a single misdemeanor.
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tim Brown
2:31PM 2:31PM Jan 19th 2009
It would be useful if this post actually included a few facts. How about the percentage of the estimated 150 mil that is paid by taxpayers vs priate funds? Or would that not allow you to be oh so snarky?
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K
5:51PM 5:51PM Jan 19th 2009
How much is "private" funds? They need to show that, if your so sure it has been privately funded. 2ndly, whats wrong with him accepting then?
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rd
5:34PM 5:34PM Jan 20th 2009
i was reading this morning it is about 45m in private. Bush was 42m the balance is for security and such. some sites talking about the diff between GB and BO do not include the security for bush , so they say bo is at 150 m and GB was at 42. they arent comparing the same things. BO is about 8 m over what bush spent last term and about 20 of clinton first term.
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aaazinc
2:47PM 2:47PM Jan 19th 2009
Just hangout for awhile, Next it will be 200 million on airforce one, in order to turn it into a "Fying-crib". Another 2/3 million getting all that white out of, The House. Then all the Non-white staff at the House will need to go, gotta to have, white folk doing the serving.
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Tom
3:12PM 3:12PM Jan 19th 2009
Just how retarded are you?
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curvy gurl
11:37PM 11:37PM Jan 23rd 2009
what disturbs me more than anything is not the prejudiceness of some of ya'll white folk but ya'lls blantant stupidity. you probably one who aint got the balls to state your true feelings aloud and around blakcs chchen sh!thead
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cordlessid
2:56PM 2:56PM Jan 19th 2009
Mr. Brown he has been elected the campaign is over get a life.
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Kate
3:11PM 3:11PM Jan 19th 2009
At a time of financial crisis, the last thing American's need is a 150 million dollar inauguration! This is Obama grand standing because he thinks he is a rock star! If this is an example of how Obama is going to turn our country around, we're in BIG trouble. Oh yeah... Obama wants to go in to debt another 800 billion with bailouts. Well, I guess the over the top inaugration is par for the course with Obama. And please... someone get Oprah a box of Kleenex. She'll need it.
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concerned
3:56PM 3:56PM Jan 19th 2009
did anyone actually think it would be different ?? change is here... they did not say that selfishness, blindness to reality and an entitled attitude were not part of change.. business as usual. typical. margarite thatcher flew on brit air to the meeting of the organization of african states. the president of rhodesia/zimbabwe came in two chartered 747's... "feed them cake" will prevail for this admin
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bob
4:27PM 4:27PM Jan 19th 2009
This is the most demoralizing event in American history. America is down and this Obama person and his party are rubbing our noses in it. As things get worse, this must be remembered as the first insult by an incompotent, arrogant, in your face failure. Jimmy Carter will lose his position as the most incompotent President to B. whatever Obama. $150 million, unmitigated gall.
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CM
5:03PM 5:03PM Jan 19th 2009
Indeed, at this point in time of real economic crisis and growing unemployment,not to mention the rapid succession home foreclosures, to spend $150M for inauration is "undignified"! If President Roosevelt could manage to serve on his inauguration, cold chicken salad and a pound of cake for dessert, would a baked game-hen be more dignified this time around?
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CM
5:17PM 5:17PM Jan 19th 2009
Indeed, to spend $150M for the inauguration at this time of economic crisis, growing unemployment, and home foreclosures, is "undignified". If President Roosevelt could manage to serve cold chicken salad and cake on his inauguration, could not this present inauguration serve baked game hen chicken as well?
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Dennis
5:27PM 5:27PM Jan 19th 2009
You guys can all thank bush for the condition of the country.
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alf landon
5:29PM 5:29PM Jan 19th 2009
...first day in office and already a national disgrace: spending this kind of money on puttin' on a show is a sin, in light of the economic hell most of us are having to endure...
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DC resident
2:35PM 2:35PM Jan 30th 2009
Bet I'm one of the few that can recall that all time loser, Alf Landon and his sun flower. Your demented post maybe a result of age, but it was still mighty dumb.
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Kim
5:46PM 5:46PM Jan 19th 2009
I agree with everyone else, during these times 150 million is EXCESSIVE!!! Why can they just do his Inauguration and a ball, end of story, He is no better than any previouse President. It makes me sick that everyone thinks this man is there savior. He is a politician for heavens sakes. He just put this country 150 million more in debt over what???
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Ben
1:09PM 1:09PM Jan 23rd 2009
Ruth, my you really have a knot in your knickers!! Most of the inaug. expenses and all the balls did NOT come from your taxes NOR was it borrowed. While Bush asked that individual donations to his inauguration not exceed $250,000, Obama had set his max at $50K. Bet that while you did not "watch this debacle" - in your trailer I bet - were you able to think up some other bogus crap to whine about?
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