Co$t of Obama's innaugration.

[REoL]

Here again, I'm blasting the Republicans, proving my middle-ground status.

I remember that when "Dubya" had his innaugration celebration, it cost about $40M, and politicians are up in arms over wasting the money on such a thing.

So, why is nobody complaining about Obama's $170M pricetag celebration? Republicans were complaining, wondering why it's okay for Obama to spend big money when the economy is terrible, yet Bush was scrutanized for a far less expensive event?

Well, there's one difference: Obama's celebration is done entirely on private funds, including his fundraisers. If taxpayer money was used for the non-essentials, thenthere's definately reasons to complain, but since Obama raised the cash, and got lots of private support from private citizens and corporations, why NOT spend the money? If I'm not footing the bill, who cares? I don't. Let Obama spend $1T if he wants, so long as I'm not footing the bill for unnecessary wants.

[Giftmacher]

I heard he raised most of the money himself and that it was only expensive because there were a million bazillion people to accomodate.

[Nomad]

This is actually something I'm upset about. I don't give a shit that it's related to obama, as much as I'm upset that the money isn't being used on something else.

[Giftmacher]

Plus it was the longest fucking car ride I've ever seen. They had like a mile to go and they stretched it out to like forty minutes.

[+Acyclitor+]

I was sleeping and missed it. story of my life.

[Nomad]

I was awake and just didn't care. New president, same old shit.

[Grazza]

They had like a mile to go and they stretched it out to like forty minutes.That would be pretty good going in London sometimes.

[Aliotroph?]

They don't spend it on something else because they don't want to. I'm not worried about it. Money that big goes down the tube all the time for crap like football. This is just another big party a bunch of guys wanted to throw.

Obama will have a lot of say over what goes on in the executive branch. If he does well with that then more power to him! Some of the things his team has been talking about for that (transparency, respect for science, diplomacy, etc) sound rather nice. Time to wait and see how well that works for him.

Hehe, and I noticed some of the music they played during the ceremony wasn't American at all. I heard an English march in there. :D

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/9461/chanjui3.jpg

[FATAL]

This is actually something I'm upset about. I don't give a shit that it's related to obama, as much as I'm upset that the money isn't being used on something else.
What about trickle down? *cacsad*

[REoL]

I heard he raised most of the money himself and that it was only expensive because there were a million bazillion people to accomodate.

This was what the Republicans FAILED MISERABLY to point out. All I hear is what-a-waste this, what-a-waste that. As I said, if I found out it was his own funds and fundraising, big deal, let him have fun. That was the case, so these people need to shut up, and enjoy.
I wonder what Rush was saying? Then again, there's an elephant (in more ways than one) I don't care to listen to.

[Mystic]

I have done my best to avoid all the hype, yes we are having it all rammed down our throats over here in the 51st state too.
It all reminds me too much of when Tony Blair came to power here, we were all happy and convinced there were big changes afoot but we really just got more of the same conservative economics with possibly more corruption thrown in.

They closed young offenders institutions so that there are loads more young criminals on the streets making peoples life hell so that everyone will want more powers for the police which is exactly what a bad government wants as the police main job is to protect them and their rich buddies.
Dont let all the media arse-licking con you, its pure showbusiness and nothing to do with reality.

[Aliotroph?]

You're not the 51st state! We're closer to being that than you guys will ever be! :D

[Mystic]

they would rather have us, its a bigger market and more corrupt government system. Our government will stoop to anything if the price is right, Bliar even encouraged us to use online gambling.

[Aliotroph?]

But they like us for all our natural resources. We got lots and lots. I bet they dislike our gambling and lower drinking age. hehehe

[Raptor Jesus]

We see you as more of a hat with benefits.

[Giftmacher]

And Mexico is a boot that we can dump our copies of E.T. the video game into. :p

[Aliotroph?]

I thought those were dumped in New Mexico.

[REoL]

I have done my best to avoid all the hype, yes we are having it all rammed down our throats over here in the 51st state too. {SNIP}

You're Puerto Rican???

:D

[Mystic]

yes, good guess.

[Nomad]

Sharp as a tack

[primus1236]

Spend it on something better like what? Creating jobs? Really he did. He spend 170 million that went back out to the citizens who set everything up, and thus they'll have monies to spend to pay others and so on. It's getting money back into the economy. So really it's not hurting at all, it's helping.

If I were president that'd be my plan for America, party the economy back to health! (not really, but it'd be fun :) )

[Mystic]

actually its not far wrong, giving folk money to spend is good for the economy, it recirculates, not just making profits but also paying peoples wages. Stashing the cash into a bank or stocks/shares doesnt really benefit the economy at all, just the institutions that deal in those things. giving more money to the poor helps the economy because they spend all they have, giving to the rich just wastes it, they can already afford to buy anything they want.
Giving to the banks is just plain stupid, those are the main culprits for the collapse of the economy and have already proved they are too greedy and incompetent to be trusted with vast amounts of money.

[Aliotroph?]

Yeah, funny about the poor. I've met a lot who really will spend money as soon as they have it. Or in the case of Americans, they spend it as soon as their credit card allows. Found that at Dell all the time. Scary stuff, really. I wouldn't pay $129 for support on my card if I just put $100 on it towards the $10,000 in debt. I especially wouldn't brag about it.

[Mystic]

thats why its crazy to give those billions to the banks, give it to the folks who owe the banks, after all its their taxes anyway, then everyone gets out of trouble at the same time.

[FATAL]

thats why its crazy to give those billions to the banks, give it to the folks who owe the banks, after all its their taxes anyway, then everyone gets out of trouble at the same time.
This.

Giving money to the banks in troubles is one of the worst possible "solutions" there is to cure depression.

[Mystic]

The current economic crisis is the big British banks (who own most of the worlds other big banks) revenge for being taken to court in the UK for making illegally high charges for overdrafts, late credit card payments etc. The courts gave them some time while they deliberate and come to a final decision. Thats when the banks suddenly went from making record billions in profits to having no cash at all. The bastards did it deliberately to avoid paying millions of customers thousands of pounds they had been overcharged for years.

on the surface it looks like banks collapsing, being taken over, nationalised, whatever but its the same bunch of greedy bastards running things and giving themselves huge bonuses.

[Aliotroph?]

Dude. You're crazy. Business people, by the very nature of their species, are not smart enough to come up with a plan like that. Besides, all conspiracies for the failure of the world are supposed to blame America. ;)

[Mystic]

well, the courts have just given them another 6 month breathing space by which time they will all have changed hands and no longer be liable.

just months before they all started throwing their hands in the air claiming poverty they were all posting massive record profits, record high share prices etc.

[REoL]

The current economic crisis is the big British banks (who own most of the worlds other big banks) revenge for being taken to court in the UK for making illegally high charges for overdrafts, late credit card payments etc. The courts gave them some time while they deliberate and come to a final decision. Thats when the banks suddenly went from making record billions in profits to having no cash at all. The bastards did it deliberately to avoid paying millions of customers thousands of pounds they had been overcharged for years.

on the surface it looks like banks collapsing, being taken over, nationalised, whatever but its the same bunch of greedy bastards running things and giving themselves huge bonuses.

I remember the day when banks only cared about making the most money for their customers, via the high intrest yields on savings accounts. Now, they only care about profits, and their stockholders, hurting the account holders with said fees and penalties.
I remember starting with 5.25% interest on my savings account way back in the early '80's, and now, it's only .002% (and I used to joke about the payout being not even THIS low a few years back).