People are coming, you can't stop them. In the meantime, preparations must be made. Transportation, sanitation, security, you name it. It's going to be a record crowd and things MUST be ready for them. And yes, during the last 8 years we've seen prices triple, quadruple, etc. many times over. I wonder why.
On Jan 18, 9:09 am, Ohio mark <[email protected]> wrote: > Bush $45 million, barry $150 million. that is some inflation. > > On Jan 18, 9:06 am, wncs <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > "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...quoted > > > > > text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- 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. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
