Soaring Inauguration Costs Could Break DC "Bank"

Obama is to big of an elitist and ego maniac to scale it back. He literally acts like the biggest celebrity on Earth. Thats not what we need in Washington... a big head. How about a little modesty to go along with the "CHANGE" eh?!

Not possible. I believe he'll arrive by train. I really think under the current economic circumstances some frugality should be exercised. But, the ostentatious will out.

I'm not a closet racist. If I hated him on color, I'd be a racist against myself then wouldn't I? Hes 50 percent Black, 50 White. I'm white. Now I wonder if Obama getting 90 percent of the Black vote was racist or not. Heh. Gee I wonder...

ElliePhat, you have no right to delete what I just said.  I am going to bring this up to the attention of the Newsvine management.  I have every right to use the word racist!

I have reported it to newsvine and if you hadn't deleted my post you could have understood it was conjecture and not stated in a demeaning way.  What rule did you use to delete it?

Pulling the race card was the Obama team's earliest and most dastardly stunt to shut down criticism.

It is obvious that this post was started by people that don't like Obama or are sore losers and no debate is welcome.  Maybe Michelle can save some money and buy some of the clothes Palin devoted to charity.  Now that was a waste of money.

I feel an obligation to write this article about Obama and the racism that still plagues our country today.  I have read hundreds of articles about Obama and have read the associated blogs and there are a thousands maybe millions of people that just hate Obama.    I received one very nasty email from one Newsvine member that sent me an email after requesting to be my friend that stated the following “hopefully obama will win. then we can have the joy of watching that muslim sympathizing baby killing  idiot gunned down! what a glorious day that will be!”.  I was shocked and appalled when I received this email.  After I received it I did look at this persons profile and previous comments she has made on Newsvine and I found a whole group of people that made it a priority to bash Obama every chance they had.  I challenged some of these people and groups of people if they might be doing this because of closet racism.  I asked this question on a post just to have it deleted by one of the Obama haters club who was moderating a post.  This article was about the impact and cost of the Inauguration.  One individual in particular had been leaving some very hateful post about Obama every chance they had.  I poised this question on the blog “How many people of the people bashing Obama on this post are closet racist?”  Of course the moderator was one of the Obama haters so she immediately deleted the post. 

I was upset about the censorship so I contacted Newsvine only to have one moderator stand up for another moderator.  They stated that the comment was inflammatory and off subject.  I disagree completely, when a group of people are bashing Obama off subject and in an inflammatory fashion that is ok with the moderator and those comments do not get deleted.  This is a double standard and pure censorship.  I hope the Newsvine management will not let this type of censorship take over one of the very best blogs on the Internet.  I am not going to stop and let two moderators silence my voice.  I believe it is a very good question for people to ask themselves if they are not criticizing him because of race.  I think that all of us need to be reminded now and again how some of our maladaptive behavior can effect our lives and those around us.         

Ellie,

I am tolerant of people that criticize Obama when they give a good reason for it.  When they do it just for the fun of it or/and don't give a reason then I point it out to them.  What I don't like is people deleting other people's posts for not being on subject and inflammatory but let others do it if they agree with them.  If you went and deleted all of the posts on this seed that are inflamatory on off subject you would at least be consistent.

ElliePhat,

For the record I have gotten on pro Obama moderators that delete people's post that they don't agree with too.  If you will look at my history you will see that I have gotten on moderators on both sides of this issue about censorship.

What a novel concept.  I think it should happen.  "Change" was elected.  Now CHANGE must happen. 

I certainly agree. This really isn't needed to be a huge ceremony. We know he will be taking office so what's the big deal ? I can see having officials there to oversee his swear-in but over $15 million .... seriously ? As said before, hit up your supporters again and they will pay for it, even though there are much more important issues to be worried about right now. If there is such a huge threat to his safety why on earth would they make this an even bigger production than any other President has ever had ?

I agree too. Scale it back.

It's brazen, as is Obama's decision to surround himself with long-time insiders and lobbyists. This points to Obama's poor judgment.

Just because some of you don't think it should be a big affair doesn't mean the millions of other Americans can't wait to see it.  I can't believe the amount of negative people in this point.

They can see it on TV or the internet and save untold millions, including energy costs.

Backroads,

After looking though your history it is clear that you have made a major part of your life cutting down Obama.  You should have eight years to enjoy it.

So you choose this article to vent? Again, you're just aching for controversy. Hope you don't mind if I don't review your contributions. And no, a major part of my life is not here.

We can just agree to disagree, but in the end you have to look in the mirror just like I do.

Obama is to big of an elitist and ego maniac to scale it back. He literally acts like the biggest celebrity on Earth. Thats not what we need in Washington... a big head. How about a little modesty to go along with the "CHANGE" eh?!

And is this one of your people debating about the impact to DC of the inaguaration and how we might pay for it?  Silly me

I agree that this does present a problem.  I don't think it is an excuse for people to rip Obama apart.  I would be really happy if people would realize we are all Americans instead of Red and Blue and together without all of this hate and division.

I would be really happy if people would realize we are all Americans instead of Red and Blue and together without all of this hate and division.

Joe,

Did you feel the same way for the last eight years? It seems like so many people who ripped George Bush now expect everyone to embrace Obama.

People were wrong to bash Bush as a person.  I don't agree with many of his decisions but I am sure he did what he thought was right.  It was hard to get behind him because of Roves slash and burn politics.  They did it to McCain in the 2000 primary and it really upset me.  I have a lot of respect for John McCain and I believe he would have been a great President back in 2000.

This is totally off the subject but I was really upset seeing someone throwing shoes at President Bush.  You got to give him credit he is agile.

ElliePhat,

I am sorry but I do believe some of these people are reacting the way that they are because of racism.  Can you guarantee that race isn't causing some of these hate full posts?

When I say the article I knew there would be Obama haters have a field day.  I was hoping I was wrong.  I was amazed how hateful the posts were.  I consider myself to be a moderate and a good judge of character.  I have been hiring people for over thirty years so I have some experience.  I do believe and pray that Obama  will be a great President.  We really need a good one now.  It would be good if people could post without all the hatred.

I'd like it known that I am in fact "not" a racist. I'd be saying the same things, and have the same concerns about Obama if he was white, asian, mexican, or even purple! His skin color has nothing to do with the character of man, experience, and overall morals and ethics. :)

Joe, you're fishing for excuses to be self-righteous and to condemn.

Backroads,

Aren't you doing the same thing right now?

Frankly, I'm deriding you for looking for an excuse to pick a fight.

So now you are looking for a fight?

So intelligent that he's part of a bash that rivals Wall Street excesses? I'd say that's sticking a finger in America's eye, wouldn't you? Will all that excess make him a better president? A super dooper president? This is sheer show.

I bet none of you would be complaining one bit if this was John McCain's Inauguration.  

What do you think Obama should do?  He has no control over the amount of people that want to come to this event.  The majority of America voted for Obama and he did create a lot of excitement.  What would you propose he should do without cutting him down as a person?

 In your post above you say you never attacked bush as a person, but you did so when you said:

Shouldn't we celebrate a new president that will not go to war for the heck of it

Joe,

George Bush did not wake up and say, "I think I want to go to war today." Now, ask the Iraqi people if they enjoy having freedom. Ask the Afghani girls who now can go to school if they are happy the Taliban is no longer in power. 

For eight years you all have simply shredded George Bush. Yet, you say we should honor our new president. Why? Because he is the president, right? In all actuality, that is correct. Now, how did democrats act during the last eight years? What gives them the right to ask a republican to give BO a chance? They gave Bush nothing.

I did not vote for Obama. I do wish him the best and I will fully support him. However, when I question something he does I will do so with passion and vigor. I will ask for accountability, the same way I do with all of our elected leaders. It is my philosophy that we are all Americans, and as such we should respect the office of the president, even if we may not agree with the person in charge. I served in the military under Clinton. I did not fully agree with him in many ways. But, he was the president and our commander-in-chief.

I think the inauguration is becoming too much of a spectacle. Obama should be toning it down, not building it up. He should look for ways to save money, not put himself on a pedestal.

Voice,

I guess you didn't hear that Dick Cheney said he would have going to war in Iraq even without the faulty intelligence.  No matter how you cut it, dice it, or chop it up the war in Iraq was a terrible idea.  Hardly anyone disagrees with throwing the Taliban out but that wasn't a good excuse for going to war in Iraq.  If you watched the news today and saw the riots in Iraq with shoes the Iraqi's don't seem to be to happy with their freedom.  They are not free except in the Green Zone.  They are still not safe and there is not much we can do about it.

Joe - good thing Dick Cheney the VP dosen't have the power to declare war! It wasn't up to him. Was up to the President and both sides of the aisle voting on it. VP really dosen't have that many powers actually. Except maybe a tie breaker at times.

Well many people think that Dick Cheney has been running the country.  Both sides of the isle might have been sold on the war with the false intelligence and the arm twisting.  If you don't believe Cheney has power you are wearing bliinders.

Joe - When is "going" to war acceptable in your mind? I would really like to know. Where you against Vietnam, Korean War, Desert Storm, etc etc. and hated the Presidents / Party involved with those as well?

War is acceptable when it is in self-defense.  Before you judge me you should understand that I am a veteran and I have served this country.  I also don't hate Bush, I just don't agree with the Iraq war.