Quote:
Originally Posted by PhiGam
(Post 1767494)
Obama's inauguration may cost up to $150,000,000 and a $500,000 set of China is a problem? If anything its a very nice gesture by the Bush family.
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I mean we could always go cheap on the security and then, BLAM...some kook on the grassy knoll will give us another holiday.
Besides, with all the people in this area that's been here for the past few days spending their money to be here will somehow balance some of that out...
This isn't just a run of the mill inauguration that we have going on...but of course I won't expect some of you to see it that way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alphagamzetagam
(Post 1766022)
OMG this thread almost made it out!
Damn!
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It just wont die.
and add this article BTW
The total cost of the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States will likely top $150 million by the time the galas and streamers and porta-pots are all cleaned up.
The reason it's hard to know how much this - or any of the other 55 presidential inaugurals - costs is that there's no one entity overseeing all of the related events. The $150 million is an estimate, and it is compiled from other estimates, so the figure is fluid.
But the nation's capital has been preparing for President-elect Barack Obama's arrival and one thing is for sure, the price tag for the celebration is going to be hefty.
The nation's capital is expecting more than 2 million people at the swearing-in ceremony, according to a letter from D.C. area leaders to the federal government. Transportation officials were expecting 10,000 charter buses to enter the District of Columbia, and the district's rail system - the Metro - expects more than 1 million riders.
All the parties: The Presidential Inaugural Committee, which is responsible for the events surrounding the actual ceremony, expects that its budget will run about $45 million, but could edge slightly higher, according to Linda Douglass, spokeswoman for the group.
Among the events sponsored by the committee are Tuesday's inaugural parade and 10 official inaugural balls. It has also paid the Smithsonian Institution $700,000 for its museums to remain open longer and handle the crowds on Inauguration Day.
**You may want to pay attention to this portion right here:
But the $45 million comes completely from private donations, not the government. The organization is not accepting funds from corporations or lobbyists, said Douglass. In addition to private individual donors, who can give a maximum of $50,000, the committee has been raising money by selling merchandise.
"The President-elect made very clear in the campaign and continued to emphasize that he is committed to ending business as usual and breaking the grip of the special interests," said Douglass.
The ceremony: The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has a budget of $1.24 million to pay for the actual swearing-in ceremony, according to spokeswoman Carole Florman.
The ceremony happens directly out in front of the U.S. Capitol. The budget, which is $10,000 less than the budget from the 2005 inauguration, is an appropriation, which means it is federal taxpayer money that has been set aside for the event.
http://biz.yahoo.com/cnnm/090119/011...osts.html?.v=3
I, as a taxpayer, knowing what kinda BS Obama has been thru to get elected would rather pay the money to see that tomorrow goes off without a hitch than not pay and have to pick up a paper Wednesday morning and see that some 'unknown assassin' has killed Obama and DC was on fire due to riots...which in the end will cost taxpayers more money...can you think what damage an extra 2 mil. to 5 mil. people in this area will do if some asshole kills the President tomorrow because security was lax?
