Obama sure is taking the US financial crisis seriously- and he's leading by example by saving the taxpayers as much money as possible...wait...only kidding, he's actually spending over twice as much as George Bush on his inauguration.
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.
It wouldn't do to show some fiscal restraint during the crisis he claims is the worst to face the US since the Great Depression. Nope, the One must have his big event.
1 comment:
I think the money spent on the inauguration was a bit much, but included in that has to be:
1) accommodation for the huger-than-ever-before record crowds who showed up for the inauguration ceremony
2) security for the first black president, in a country where there have already been serious, if ham-fisted, threats against him, and in a place where (see 1) there are huge numbers of people
3) security for those huge crowds of people.
I don't think it's as if Obama is throwing a huge party and sitting around drinking brandy and eating arugula and smoking Monte Cristos with fat cats. Most of the cost of the inauguration has to do with security and organization required because he's so damn popular and so many people came out for the ceremony.
Also, there probably has to be a slight allowance for inflation in these figures for 2009-2005-1993.
The other side of the media has responded thus, with some good points:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200901190004?f=h_top
http://mediamatters.org/columns/200901170003
But, enough of that... you really have to hear about the greatest inauguration ever.... Andrew Jackson's. Now THAT was a party:
http://www.thesmartset.com/article/article09300801.aspx
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