The controversy over inaugural spending

[Scrooge McSam]

Originally Posted by NirvanaMan

Did any of you gripe when Clinton spent similar amounts on his fiestas?

He didn't. That's the point of the thread.

[wendybeth]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

Darling, you wern't even alive when there WERE "silly hippies".

Actually, it's the "silly hippies" that are running the world now......

[Jazzman]

Originally Posted by Gn2Dlnd

But it's certainly within my rights to criticize wasteful expenditures by the government. I don't care if it's tax money or private donations, it's still incredibly wasteful spending by our government when a war that the Bush administrastion created has caused so much damage and financial need.

But that's the flaw in this argument. It is not spending by our government. If the spending is derived from contributions made by private citizens, or corporations, it is not government spending, whether the President solicited it or not. Unless the expenditures come from budgets funded by taxes, they are not government spending.

If this gala had been paid for with tax money, I’d be right there criticizing it too. But the simple fact is, it wasn’t.

[wendybeth]

Then why do I have the feeling this gala is going to end up costing us taxpayers, in one way or another?

[Gn2Dlnd]

Originally Posted by Jazzman

But that's the flaw in this argument. It is not spending by our government. If the spending is derived from contributions made by private citizens, or corporations, it is not government spending, whether the President solicited it or not. Unless the expenditures come from budgets funded by taxes, they are not government spending.

If this gala had been paid for with tax money, I’d be right there criticizing it too. But the simple fact is, it wasn’t.

No, you're right. If it was tax money I'd be out screaming for someone's head on a pike instead of just bitching to my friends. I absolutely see the difference between "spending by our government," which is what I said, and "government spending." I'm still appalled that our government solicited and spent 40 million dollars on self-congratulatory parties. "Lead by example" is, apparently, one of the courses Georgie Porgie missed when he was attending President school.

[Jazzman]

Originally Posted by Gn2Dlnd

"Lead by example" is, apparently, one of the courses Georgie Porgie missed when he was attending President school.

Now this is something that I can wholeheartedly agree with. While I personally don't see any cause for outrage over the event, I definitely do see a reason for much eye rolling and disbelief over his seeming arrogance and callous disregard in the face of so many tragedies around the world. This would have been a perfect chance for self redemption by scaling back the events and exhibiting a fair amount of the compassion which he has always sold the nation (and world) on. In this, he failed miserably and only made himself look like a big, rich doofus.

[Gn2Dlnd]

:shakes hands with Jazzman:

Yeah, but I get to be angry 'cause I don't like him.

[tigertail777]

Dont forget he asked police officers from cities like portland to come be task force at his little event. First off with a person, never mind a president with power, do you really think any city asked is going to say no? With that in mind, he unthinkingly and callously asked for this little "favor" from cities struggling already to staff their police force. Portland already is spread awfully thin, and frankly I question the motives of a man that called the portland area "little beirut" because the majority could not be swayed into his way of thinking. As far as I am concerned that IS draining the tax payers coffers.

The party itself, while a selfish and frankly stupid thing to do, let alone showing us what he thinks of the war (obviously its not a real war right? cause we dont have to tighten the belts at all, like oh gee any other war that has happened) I guess was his perogitive. I am pretty mind boggled how the heck you pay that much for a party anyways... I really dont understand how thats possible unless you are giving golden goblets to guests or something? Catering can only be so high (unless you go for the absolute most expensive products, and dont put any capper on how much food is to made) and thats the bulk of a party really... I dont get it at all.. how do you spend that much on a party? Plastic surgery free to every guest or something? That has to be some super duper party favors.... "oh ha ha honey would you look at that, we just won a new summer home in connecticut, what a super party!"

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by Gn2Dlnd

That sure beats the hell out of the 2,752 civilians and 10 hijackers who were killed on September 11.

To belittle this is what lost you guys the election.....

[Jazzman]

Originally Posted by tigertail777

Dont forget he asked police officers from cities like portland to come be task force at his little event.

Do you have any citation for this assertion? I’m not saying that I don’t believe you, I simply haven’t heard anything about it.

Originally Posted by tigertail777

Portland already is spread awfully thin, and frankly I question the motives of a man that called the portland area "little Beirut" because the majority could not be swayed into his way of thinking. As far as I am concerned that IS draining the tax payers coffers.

Not that that is an altogether off-the-mark nickname for Portland. At least in D.C. the police were simply standing guard over happy people celebrating and ballroom dancing. Here in Portland every officer on the force had to be called in for OT, wearing riot gear, because once again Portland protesters couldn't be mature enough to merely protest. They had to vandalize public and private property, disrupt traffic, break out in fighting, and even chain themselves to gas pumps. Yes, much much better than somebody ballroom dancing to honor their President.