Posted on 01/14/2009 7:17:04 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
President Barack Obama's inauguration next week is set to be the most expensive ever, predicted to reach over $150m (£102m). This dwarfs the $42.3m spent on George Bush's inauguration in 2005 and the $33m spent on Bill Clinton's in 1993.
Part of the spending includes emergency funding announced by the White House on Tuesday to help with the soaring costs. Most of this new federal funding will be to deal with the huge influx of people, estimated 1.5 million to 2 million.
A White House statement said that President Bush "declared an emergency exists in the District of Columbia".
If there is snow, the costs will grow higher. The long-term forecast suggests there is a chance of snow on Sunday and again on the day of inauguration, on Tuesday.
Carole Florman, spokeswoman for the joint congressional committee on inaugural ceremonies, told the New York Daily News, which estimated the cost at $160m: "We're always very budget conscious. But we're sending a message to the entire world about our peaceful transition of power, and you don't want it to look like a schlock affair. It needs to be appropriate to the magnitude of events that it is."
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
When I hear how much something costs or execs running up to DC in their private jets I just roll my eyes. Hey people, this country was built on conspicuous consumption. I wonder how the guys who work on the jet assembly line feel about the dis. I wonder what the caterers and carpenters and whatnot would feel about an austere inaguration. This is why recessions go from bad to worse in capitalist societies. The instinct is to do exactly the opposite of what would help, that being consumption, spending, whatever.
I personally don’t want to relive the Carter malaise and hope we can get beyond the anger. He’s obviously backtracking on all his promises to the @#%@#!@ moronic left. they will figure it out soon enough. Today he essentially reversed from his political rhetoric and said Bush got dealt a shit hand with the attack and did exactly what he should have done afterwards. Obama’s going to have his attack too, don’t worry. It’s what these evil enemies do. They set out to destroy the agendas of each succeeding administration. It’s what I would do.
Go for broke now that it's approaching the point of shredding recycled paper is worth more than a dollar, we may as well focus on an empty suit idol and paper him with love and affection.
Some will at least "feel good".
When the economy is at its worst..he just spends money like its grown on trees...what a loser he is..
However, you can bet your bottom dollar that those footing the bill for this CIRCUS will be handsomely rewarded in the next four years...
whoa... that’s a lot of change. he did promise change...
Rush calls this proposed fiasco “The Immaculation”. I’d call it the “Imaculate Deception”..
SHAME ON OBAMA!
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GETTING LAID OFF EVERY DAY!
CHILDREN ARE HUNGRY AND COLD TONIGHT!
HOMOSEXUAL PARTNERS WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE ARE LACKING MEDICINE AND MEDICAL CARE!
INNER CITY ADULTS CAN’T GET TREATMENT FOR DRUG ADDICTIONS!
POOR FAMILIES ARE ABORTING CHILDREN THEY WANT BUT CAN’T AFFORD!
HOW DARE HE PUT HIS CHILDREN IN AN EXCLUSIVE SCHOOL WHILE INNER CITY CHILDREN FESTER IN RUNDOWN BUILDINGS???
HOW DARE HE LIVE LIKE A KING WHILE THE PEOPLE SUFFER???
SHAME ON OBAMA! SHAME ON MICHELLE!
The depression is only for us peasants.
The sooner he's sworn in, the better off we're all going to be because he will bring hope and peace to the world. He's going to take from the rich and spread the wealth around and it will help all of us. We won't have to make house payments or car payments and all of our groceries and gas will be freeeeee! I know this, because he said "we are the ones we've been waiting for", and I've been waiting for a hand out all my life! He's our sugar daddy. Hallelujah! He IS the one! LOL!
The weather is the least of our problems.
Truly outrageous amount of money spent on THR ON E’s ego.
Be of good cheer, FRiends. Being the MYTHSIAH ( I am claiming that one here and now for my own—lol), he only needs on dollar (he'll probably want to use a Five, so he can keep with the Lincoln theme) to cover the cost of his pah-TAY.
He'll just hold it over his head, say a few words, rip it in half, and everyone will get some until he's handed out enough to cover the tab; then he'll pass that hat, count Count DeMonet, and go on an alphabet network to tell the world what generous and civic-minded followers are his sheeps.
“on?” Nuts.
“One” dollar. He only need one: YOURS.
This is just the beginning of the expense. Before Herr Zero is through, we’ll probably all be paying with our blood.
The liberals were all just OUTRAGED at how much the 2005 Bush inauguration cost, yet are just GIDDY at the extravagance of the Obama coronation.
Bear :-)
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