$160,000,000 for an inauguration? WTF......

[nimbus]

But the district of columbia and outlying states still have a pretty massive tab as well (security, traffic, etc. etc).

so are you going to come right out and say that this tab comes close to 100 mil? are you still trying to argue that the 160 mil figure is valid?

 

[mrplunkey]

so are you going to come right out and say that this tab comes close to 100 mil? are you still trying to argue that the 160 mil figure is valid?

Well the federal number is published at around $50M+.

The city of Washington kicked-in it's allocated $15M, then allocated $15M more and have stated they'll need about $50M total to cover the event.

I don't know how much the private parties will cost.

So the answer is $50M+ and another $50M + I don't know.

But wouldn't that make $160M close to the actual number?

 

[nimbus]

Well the federal number is published at around $50M+.

The city of Washington kicked-in it's allocated $15M, then allocated $15M more and have stated they'll need about $50M total to cover the event.

I don't know how much the private parties will cost.

So the answer is $50M+ and another $50M + I don't know.

But wouldn't that make $160M close to the actual number?

ok so i just looked into this. the 50 mil for the festivities themselves is actually paid for by private money (In Pictures: The Inauguration By The Numbers - Forbes.com).

The same source projects the cost to d.c. to be around 50 mil. It also estimates security costs at 25 mil. So I think the MOST the federal govmnt would be paying is 75 mil..but really i doubt the fed. covers all of D.C.s costs so the number is probably lower.

I don't think private/corporate money should be considered in this discussion, since it's THEIR money and they should be free to do with it as they please.

 

[mrplunkey]

ok so i just looked into this. the 50 mil for the festivities themselves is actually paid for by private money (In Pictures: The Inauguration By The Numbers - Forbes.com).

The same source projects the cost to d.c. to be around 50 mil. It also estimates security costs at 25 mil. So I think the MOST the federal govmnt would be paying is 75 mil..but really i doubt the fed. covers all of D.C.s costs so the number is probably lower.

I don't think private/corporate money should be considered in this discussion, since it's THEIR money and they should be free to do with it as they please.

I think DC costs and fed costs are separate buckets of money. The district pays for crowd control, part of security, setting-up the square, etc. etc. I believe the inaugural events and official parties themselves are paid for directly by the fed.

I could be wrong on this one, but I don't see DC paying for the inauguration ceremony and inauguration ball.

 

[nimbus]

I think DC costs and fed costs are separate buckets of money. The district pays for crowd control, part of security, setting-up the square, etc. etc. I believe the inaugural events and official parties themselves are paid for directly by the fed.

I could be wrong on this one, but I don't see DC paying for the inauguration ceremony and inauguration ball.

Right, what I was trying to get across in my last post was that private money pays for events and official parties. not the fed. So the costs to the fed itself really isn't THAT high, and imho people are bitching way too much about this.

From Forbes:
"$45 Million: Amount Spent by Presidential Inauguration Committee
The Presidential Inauguration Committee is the group in charge of the Inauguration balls, the event at the Lincoln Memorial, publicity and much more. While $45 million appears to be a huge sum of cash, it's viewed by the committee as basic funding for necessities. Inaugurations are financed by private money"

 

[mrplunkey]

Right, what I was trying to get across in my last post was that private money pays for events and official parties. not the fed. So the costs to the fed itself really isn't THAT high, and imho people are bitching way too much about this.

From Forbes:
"$45 Million: Amount Spent by Presidential Inauguration Committee
The Presidential Inauguration Committee is the group in charge of the Inauguration balls, the event at the Lincoln Memorial, publicity and much more. While $45 million appears to be a huge sum of cash, it's viewed by the committee as basic funding for necessities. Inaugurations are financed by private money"

Yes -- and take that amount of money and add $50M more of DC money and you will have the total taxpayer outlay for the event which appears to be $100ish million.

 

[Bikini Mod]

Apparently the price of cocktail weenies has soared as well!

 

[mrplunkey]

Right, what I was trying to get across in my last post was that private money pays for events and official parties. not the fed. So the costs to the fed itself really isn't THAT high, and imho people are bitching way too much about this.

From Forbes:
"$45 Million: Amount Spent by Presidential Inauguration Committee
The Presidential Inauguration Committee is the group in charge of the Inauguration balls, the event at the Lincoln Memorial, publicity and much more. While $45 million appears to be a huge sum of cash, it's viewed by the committee as basic funding for necessities. Inaugurations are financed by private money"

And don't get too excited about that other $50ish million financed by private contributors. Those aren't charitable individuals -- those are investors. Those investments will easily pay off 10 to one and will probably pay off more like 100 to one. So there's another $500M to $5B going out the door. Citigroup gave $35,000 to the inaugural committee. That's good business isn't it? $35,000 for $20+B taxpayer dollars?

 

[BNG]

FOXNews.com - Price Tag of Obama's Inauguration - Special Report w/ Bret Baier

160,000,000? seriously people try to be a little less stupid/lazy and check your sources

The $160M was on NBC. Not exactly a "conservative" news source. Washington Post was one of the sources listed, they're liberal in most every article. And you are sayin' I'm stupid/lazy for not checking my sources? Maybe you need to cure the severe case of cranium rectumitis you seem to be suffering!
I don't give a shit who's coming into POTUS. Wasting this much money on self glorification should be shameful in EVERYONES eyes.

 

[Cardinal Slin]

Thanks for the link

You are worried about this $160m for Obama's inauguration but I think you should focus more on how much Iraq is costing you each and every day. Why should Bush get all the benefits and no one shout about how much they cost. Although I must say nonetheless 160m is a little high and Obama could raise concerns over this.

Perceptions