"less than barry's will be." Ever heard of inflation? Things are more expensive than they were 8 years ago.
On Jan 18, 8:56 am, Ohio mark <[email protected]> wrote: > the dems went nuts over President Bush's price tag, which was less > than barry's will be. so why is it OK with you libs for barry to > spend during tougher times. can you say double standards? again > > On Jan 18, 8:49 am, wncs <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I wonder how many people will receive a paycheck because of security, > > transportation, full hotels, banquet set-up, food service, etc.... If > > this puts people to work and they are getting paid for providing such > > services, then I don't have a problem with it. > > > On Jan 18, 7:27 am, Cold Water <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Obama hosting pricey party in a dicey economy > > > By MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Writer Matt Apuzzo, Associated Press > > > Writer Sat Jan 17, 1:23 pm ET > > > WASHINGTON – Unemployment is up. The stock market is down. Let's party. > > > > The price tag for President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration gala is > > > expected to break records, with some estimates reaching as high as $150 > > > million. Despite the bleak economy, however, Democrats who called on > > > President George W. Bush to be frugal four years ago are issuing no such > > > demands now that an inaugural weekend of rock concerts and star-studded > > > parties has begun. > > > > Obama's inaugural committee has raised more than $41 million to cover > > > events ranging from a Philadelphia-to-Washington train ride to a megastar > > > concert with Beyonce, U2 and Bruce Springsteen to 10 official inaugural > > > balls. Add to that the massive costs of security and transportation — > > > costs absorbed by U.S. taxpayers — and the historic inauguration will > > > produce an equally historic bill. > > > > In 2005, Reps. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., and Jim McDermott, D-Wash., asked > > > Bush to show a little less pomp and be a little more circumspect at his > > > party. > > > > "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 lawmakers wrote 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." > > > > The thinking was that, with the nation at war, excessive celebration was > > > inappropriate. Four years later, the nation is still at war. Unemployment > > > has risen sharply. And Obama pressed Congress to release the second half > > > of a $700 billion bailout package in hopes of rescuing a faltering > > > banking industry. > > > > Obama's inauguration committee says it is mindful of the times and is not > > > worried people will see the four days of festivities as excessive. > > > > "That is probably not the way the country is going to be looking at it," > > > said committee spokeswoman Linda Douglass. "It is not a celebration of an > > > election. It is a celebration of our common values." > > > > Douglass said the campaign sought to keep costs down by having the same > > > decorations at each of the 10 balls, eliminating floral arrangements and > > > negotiating prices on food. > > > > "Those at the Obama administration are trying to be reflective of the > > > climate," McDermott's spokesman, Mike DeCeasar, said Saturday. > > > > The festivities began Saturday with a speech at Philadelphia's historic > > > 30th Street train as Obama's trip began. > > > > Sunday's concert at the Lincoln Memorial includes performances by Sheryl > > > Crow, Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks and others. Denzel Washington and Queen > > > Latifah will read historic passages. HBO paid $2.5 million for the > > > exclusive rights to broadcast the concert. > > > > Monday, the inaugural committee is hosting a national day of service, > > > followed by three "bipartisan dinners" and a concert at the Verizon > > > Center honoring military families. The Disney Channel will broadcast the > > > concert, which includes performances by teen stars Miley Cyrus and the > > > Jonas Brothers, as part of a $2 million deal that also gave ABC the > > > exclusive rights to broadcast one inaugural ball. > > > > The television deals allowed the committee to recoup about $5 million of > > > the $15 million production costs for the televised events, Douglass said. > > > > Security and transportation costs are being paid by taxpayers. And with > > > millions of tourists expected to descend on Washington for Tuesday's > > > inauguration ceremony, Bush declared a state of emergency, allowing the > > > district to recover some costs for the event. > > > > The inauguration committee is paying for 10 stadium-style screens to > > > broadcast the inauguration ceremony on the National Mall. It is also > > > hiring garbage and recycling services and renting thousands of portable > > > toilets for what one supplier called "the largest temporary restroom > > > event in the history of the United States." > > > > Obama has pledged transparency in his inauguration fundraising. He has > > > disclosed inaugural donors as the fundraising continued, though he is not > > > required to do so until after the ceremony. > > > > Many of the fundraisers are well-known moneymen and women in Democratic > > > circles. Those leading the list raised at least $300,000. They include > > > two of Obama's top campaign fundraisers: Louis Susman, who retired this > > > month as vice chairman of banking giant and government bailout recipient > > > Citigroup, and billionaire Hyatt hotel heiress Penny Pritzker. > > > >http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090117/ap_on_go_pr_wh/inauguration_spend...- > > >Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
