Comments on: Inauguration Extravaganza

By: Interested

Interested — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:49:14 +0000

is it possible to soften up rules on who can contribute more than Obama already has? I would be surprised if any Presidential campaign was less lax than his was.

Claudia, do you really think that the inauguration would not already be a bonus to the city? That the magic number to become a bonus is 150 mil and not a penny less?

By: C Stanley

C Stanley — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:14:47 +0000

Well, Claudia, it looks like indirectly a portion of the private donor money was from the taxpayers as well:
http://bluecrabboulevard.com/2009/01/19/this-will-cause-chapping/

There’s also the typical hypocrisy of the media- I don’t recall which blogger it was but I read a post comparing the press coverage of Bush’s 2004 inaugural celebrations (along the lines of ‘how many Humvees could have been armored with that money?’) to the current explanations of how necessary this extravagance is to mark tomorrow’s occasion in spite of the tough economic times.

By: Claudia, Assistant Editor

Claudia, Assistant Editor — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:16:34 +0000

Though still a valid point, I do know that not all of that bill will be footed by the tax-payer. The Obama inauguration team has accumulated some 34 million dollars in donations towards the event. The inaugural committee (a separate entity) is also accumulating funds (and has softer rules than the Obama team for who can contribute) but I haven’t found the figures of how much they’ve accumulated. I know the Obama team keeps pestering me about donating towards the inauguration, as well as participating in the day of service.

Also, you have to keep in mind that while the city of DC will be incurring a lot of costs in putting on the event (overtime for police, clean-up, traffic control etc) the event itself is going to be a huge (and much welcome) business bonus for the town.

By: Michael van der Galien

Michael van der Galien — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:30:47 +0000

Pete: fixed that.

By: Hero of the Times | Open_Secrets

Hero of the Times | Open_Secrets — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:14:17 +0000

[...] as a demigod by a great many. Certainly this historic event is worth a some idealization and idolization. The man himself, seems dedicated to trying to keep things balanced and in the realm of a practical [...]

By: Pete Guither

Pete Guither — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 18:55:21 +0000

Kind of bizarre that you’d use, as the basis of your article, a link that refutes your point.

By: Crimson Politics

Crimson Politics — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:55:36 +0000

The idolization is troubling. Eventually it will be Obama’s downfall.

The price is expensive, let’s hope a majority was used to pay workers and will funnel into the economy.