Some Now Question Cost of Inauguration

Yahoo.com news ^ | By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer

[Political Junkie Too]

Something tells me that inaugurations are "inside the Beltway" parties that they've come to expect, regardless of who controls the White House. The inaugurations will get bigger and bigger and bigger (remember when Jimmy Carter tried to scale it back?).

This is just a cheap shot at Bush.

-PJ

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Read my post #58.

It's not about the money.

[mrs tiggywinkle]

It would seem that a certain poster *didn't* understand that little fact. :o)

[scottybk]

"That's the message Micheal Savage wants to send"

Savage's real last name is Weiner. He and Anthony Weiner of New York are probably brothers or something. Savage is a fake phony fraud, a Shylock-style Jew with an irritating voice who carves his pound of flesh from the morons who listen to his vile program. Bob Grant secretly hates him.

[Ciexyz]

I feel a certain sympathy for the position that the festivities be muted, in light of the fact we have soldiers in harm's way in Iraq and elsewhere. I feel that would make the President appear more statesmanlike.

[alessandrofiaschi]

I feel a certain sympathy for the position that the festivities be muted, in light of the fact we have soldiers in harm's way in Iraq and elsewhere. I feel that would make the President appear more statesmanlike.

I only hope that we'll be always able to find the money that our soldiers need for their service. That's more important that having an expensive event for a second mandate, isn't it?

[sinkspur]

Perhaps we should give everything we have and never enjoy anything again because of the cruelty of the world?

Always remember this: there are people who are in perpetual hand-wringing angst because, somewhere, somebody is having fun.

[goodnesswins]

$40 Million to show the world that we here in the US are FREE .....and that we have enough people to FORK OVER $40 MILLION DOLLARS to CELEBRATE our FREEDOM!

[superskunk]

Alessandro, my friend.

Sorry. It took me a couple minutes to get caught up with the conversation. I know you're a conservative. Anyone who's gotten to know you, knows that. It's just that the liberals have been using the cost of the inaugural ball as part of their talking points. They'll do anything to mess with us. When reminded of the massive amount of contributions, they bring up the security costs.

Very rarely in our history has this event been canceled or minimized. In the grand scheme of things, the taxpayer cost is nominal. I realize that you're a conservative economist, but sometimes the money should be spent. Just my opinion, my friend.

[highlander_UW]

While I agree that the inauguration is costing a very large amount of money it's oh so typical of democrats to decry what other people do with their private money. Did they ask George Soros about the millions he was dumping into pointless endeavors such as moron.org? Would they say he can spend his money as he sees fit or did they denounce him and say he should have paid for humvees?

[mrs tiggywinkle]

You'll have to talk to John Kerry about that one. He voted against $ for our troops.

I know many people in the US military, including my vet husband and many members of our families, some of whom are currently serving. They are *thrilled* George Bush is our President and are thankful festivities are going to happen.

Have a good night.

[MeekOneGOP]

Howdy, ya'll!

I think the media is really trying to play up this cra* about the
cost of the Inauguration.

FI don't recall this coming up in 1993 or 1997.

[Ciexyz]

I just wish the festivities would take on a more moderate level of spending. I don't care if the money is donated or not. There's a lot of people who are just holding on to their jobs, our soldiers are still dying in Iraq. This is just my opinion, a little humility would go a long way in this matter.

[MeekOneGOP]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Thanks. I agree! See my last post, just above. :^)

[EDINVA]

Glad you raised Chelsea's Excellent World Tour Adventure. It always annoyed me that Hillary always needed to make a junket that just happened to coincide with her daughter's school breaks .. it wasn't just during the last months he was in office.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[alessandrofiaschi]

Dear friend, I underwrite your statement. Yes... sometimes the money should be spent, especially in times of war. Perhaps the noble ghost of Murray Rothbard lives again in me. Who knows?
Thanks!!!

< http://www.mises.org/content/mnr.asp >
< http://www.mises.org/mnrbib.asp >

[superskunk]

Alessandro really is a great guy. I didn't want folks to get the wrong idea about him. He's working on his PhD in economics. Being a conservative economist, he would naturally take a frugal stance.

[superskunk]

Thanks for the links. I'll have to read them in more detail later.

[skr]

Of course, all this money is just being dumped into the Potomac and isn't helping the service, airline or hotel industries and certainly not the D.C. economy in any way. It goes without saying that the event is not going to generate a penny of taxes that could be used for all of the other items that the private donations could've paid for.

As to the security funds that D.C. will have to pony up, the city workers will just have to retrieve it from the Potomac, because none of the visitors will be spending any money at all. It's just too bad that all those people don't just stay home and forget celebrating a hard-fought battle.