Big Big Mi$take Obama (9/11, Kennedy, George Bush, children)
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I am. You've already argued that the logic used by "various media" is flawed because it's not comparing apples to apples. You've cited a lone NY Times article as your basis for the cost of Bush's 2004 festivities. This article was written 4 years after the fact.
Now you're having no problem comparing Bush's post party numbers supplied by the NY Times with Obama's pre-party estimates, from sources previously deemed misleading.
I'm stating that if the NY Times numbers are to be believed true, I have a hard time believing that the current cost of securty and services will not have risen dramatically with the drastic increase in crowd size.
With that said... If the bulk of the $115 million spent in 2005 comes from what it costed to declare this a holiday for Federal Employees, than I can understand why the costs haven't gone up dramatially for 2009. However, if the bulk of the $115 million was for security, clean up, toilets, and services, the costs must be higher than anticipated this time around, if the NY Times' numbers are to be believed.
Obama is not even in office yet and his first BIG mistake is his poor example of spending $150 MILLION on the inauguration during the worst financial crises in my lifetime.
Even if others set the cost, step up Obama and make it right!
OK Bush spent $40 million and that’s outrageous but $150 MILLION? and don’t throw the “things have gone up garbage either.
Politics as usually Obama, the only change that will take place is the change in your pocket you'll have to give to him.
I hope to Buddha he realizes he's the first black president to have the opportunity to make African American’s proud and prove everyone wrong and all Americans as far as that goes.
But $150 MILLION, not now Obama, what will you do next to angry the American public that if you get that high in the political circle you have to be corrupt considering you pick the wrong person for secretary of the treasury that didn’t pay his taxes for YEARS!
I truly hope I’m wrong but come on people use common sense would you be a better steward of your money then this outrageous spending
Not $150 MILLION what’s next Obama ?
Any of you morons have any clue of Bush's spending over the last eight years? ANY CLUE?
So we should expect more of the same from the new administration? I thought he was the candidate of change.
Apples to oranges? You mean like comparing one President's second inauguration (renewing the vows, because it's not like the first oath expires), with another President's first and very historically significant inauguration?
So excess spending this time around is a mini-stimulus package?... and it's likely that the gov't and the District will recoup their money in sales tax generated over a four day period. Now I understand...
P.S.
Most cities lose large amounts of public money by hosting the olympics.
Spending has been key to American economy. Why do you think you were cut tax rebate checks? Not to help improve your savings (the idea of savings has been on death bed since Reaganomics went into effect, and there is little to no incentive to invest in savings in America anymore).
Fundamental issue with our economy is that we no longer create goods, to create wealth. We spend to buy goods (and lately, services) created elsewhere.
And yes, it had to help the US economy, to see that many people travel to DC for the inauguration. You couldn't complain if you ran a business (restaurant, transportation, hotel, shops etc) in the area. Why would you?
And you're right, Olympics are generally an expensive proposition where returns are much smaller than investment. Not applicable in this case. Each person had to spend only $80 in this event to simply make up for the cost. Chances are, they spent several times more, in other words, $160m or so in investment likely resulted in a half billion or so in returns. Not bad, eh?
Apples to oranges? You mean like comparing one President's second inauguration (renewing the vows, because it's not like the first oath expires), with another President's first and very historically significant inauguration?
Would you rather that we compare Bush's 2001 inauguration to Obama's 2009? We can compare it to Clinton's 1993 if it suits you better.
There is a plus side. Bars will stay open until 4AM to allow more drinking and tax collection. That should work out well for security.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EinsteinsGhost
Each person had to spend only $80 in this event to simply make up for the cost. Chances are, they spent several times more, in other words, $160m or so in investment likely resulted in a half billion or so in returns. Not bad, eh?
Not really. If each person spent $80, you'd come nowhere near in tax revenue what the gov't just spent. You might have spent that much in return for goods and services, but it's not coming back to the gov't coffers. You can argue that the money will circulate many times, but it had to originate from somewhere, and that's the tax payers' wallet. That means we're taking money out of the District, only to hand it back to a select few in the District (bar owners, hotels, hair dressers). You're not producing anything, so overall it will have 0 net impact on the national economy... if anything you'll lose money because people will sell T-shirts and bumper stickers that were made in China.
Why not use his popularity for good and ask the 2 million willing to come to DC to honor him by volunteering at home for the day instead of inviting them to watch his oath live. He could have organized a nationwide day of volunteering... think about what good will could have been made, and what projects could have been completed.
Latest, abcnews just said he posted a message asking people not to come... but they came anyway.. so he did do as you suggested above...
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