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People act as if this money is being thrown away. It is being spent and therefore distributed to thousands of workers! Sounds like a great way to stimulate the economy.

With the state of the economy in such dire straits, it' s unbelieveable that so much money will be wasted on the inauguration.

dude, the president won't stick you with the check.

Cue the negativity from "former" Obama supporters and neo-cons in 3.....2.....1

Please, people, read the entire article before you start complaining. Much of the additional cost is attributable to the hundreds of thousands of people who will flood D.C. and its environs to witness this historic event.

have you ever worried about cost for the other 43 president, so is it just the black man....

I don’t think there is anyway to down play this event. The state is just going to have to come up with the money. Either way I think it’s going to cost a lot they can either provide for the large crowd and pay willing or don’t provide and then pay in the damages that the large crowd will cause if not accommodated properly. It’s their choice I hope they choose wisely!

We can afford it, just pull a few billion out of Iraq. Jan. 20th dosen't happend everday in America. Send the bill to Palin in-laws, there might be quite a bit of money from their drug sales.

This will be a historic day and I want it to be special...I say spend all you need for it. Better to spend on this than send it on down the toilet in iraq.
BTW let's not forget that Bush is the reason our countyry is in the crapper roo

If Washington can't handle it, maybe we should put the capitol somewhere that can. Bejing has shown some proficiency at hosting large crowds.

They are going to need the money..... you will not be able to stop all the people from coming into the city..... I am one of them from Atlanta

the money will be more than made up by the 2.5 million people who buy lunchs and t-shirts and flags and all the gimmicky stuff that will be down there

When was the last time we felt so good!!! I say spend it up, this is HISTORIC... it's been a long eight years. so everybody let's thank PRESIDENT BUSH FOR THIS WONDERFUL ECONOMY,TWO WARS,10;000 HOMES LOST,TWO MILLION JOB'S LOST, TEN TRILLION IN DEPT , AND SEP 11,WOW !!!!! BANG UP JOB BUDDY...

The reason more money is needed is because people want to be there - they want to be a part of this historic occasion. It's for us - for this country.

There are also so many benefits: This is going for something real as opposed to nebulous purposes in mismanaged businesses. There will be accountability. We will know what was spent and who received it. The money will go for salaries and work will be created especially for this occasion. Real people will benefit - especially the services like police, fire, and rescue. January is the slowest time for tourists in DC so this will benefit all levels of the local economy as well as northern Virginia and Maryland.

Most of all, I appreciate the celebration for PE Obama, who offers us hope and a willingness to seek real solutions when we need it.

The working people are suppose to take wage hits. Doctors and drug companies keep raising their prices. Congress gives themselves a pay raise. This auguration is going to cost billions. Something is really wrong here. Again, it is the little people who are expected to take the hit.

President Elect??? What does that mean? Barack Obama!....
He is Young. He is Black. But a leader? No! You have lost your status in the world.... Black!!!!! The World is sick..... But you? You are sicker than most...... Get an Arab! Get a Black! In the Western World....
No! America you lost.,..... Black, Pink.Green... Larry the KInko.....Is the Scream.

wheeeee!!! blow cash to celebrate this farce of an election. what a joke america has become. but the left is joyous that finally socialist europe approves of who we elected.
america is a laughing stock.

I would not want to be in DC for this.. if there will be another terror attack the risk of it happening here ..just too much in this day n age. I'm watchin it on tv.

This is a President elect that campaigned on responsible spending and the same person who spent tens of millions on his convention acceptance speech and now places D.C. on the road to bankruptcy due to the cost of his coronation. What is the difference between CEO's who fly in to ask for government bailouts and a president elect who encourages spendthrift spending on his inauguration?

What an incredible waste of money.

How about Obama contributing millions for his extravaganza inauguration that he collected from his fan club and didn't spend on his run for the presidency????

I didn't vote for Obama, (I voted for Hillary) but since he is in, I want to support him, and have been pretty pleased with most of his choices for his cabinet. However, I think it is the worst kind of stupidity to be spending the kind of money that is being spent, for the inaugeration. If they think that many people are going to want to see it, they should do it in private, on television, and broadcast it all over the country. Then everyone could see it, and save 30 million dollars. NOT the way to start out, the shape our economy is in, in my opinion.

I hope someone concentrate their efforts on the stimilus package, I might a get another check. Last one Mr. IRS took it all. I hope this one is send directly to us without stoping at the IRS building. As far as that inauguration goes its a waste of money for some, and lots of money for someone else. And after all that , we going to end with a Barrack Hussein Obama that doesn't know heads of tail of running a country such as this. Good luck for him and I am staying home . Maybe I'll watch it on TV.

Spare no expense for this extravaganza! It's just a drop in the bucket compared to what is goiing down the toilet on a daily basis and the worst by far has yet to come.................

Yeah, Barrack Hussein, show us all your fiscal responsibility stripes and tone down your big inaugural event that is planned. I guess if you do overspend that shows the American people that you are no different than the CEO's from the auto companies that took private jets to D.C. We already saw that Congress has violated their fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayer by taking the $4700 cost of living adjustment they voted to themselves.
Its obvious to me that there is no recession based on the money that the government keeps spending. In the next election do not vote for the incumbent vote for the challenger no matter how bad and lets try to get some fiscal responsibility and ethics back in government.

I'll be there for President Obama! Can't wait!

Biden says the economy is tanking. Two stories down, the inauguration costs are soaring.

I voted for Obama/Biden but I wish they would consider the economy in their inauguration plans and just keep it simple.

Everyone in the government have lost all perspective on the value of money,or in this case, the lack of value of money.Doesn't anybody in the government know how hard we the people WORK to make enough just to get by,"they" take anywhere from 30-50% for fed.,state,& county tax–then out of what is left ,we pay property tax,sales tax,gas tax,import tax,on and on--–Now there SPENDING or GIVING AWAY our grandchildrens tax money--this is all before Obama starts BLOWING our money--

When my daughter was a baby and went shopping with us, she would see something she wanted and we told her we didn't have the money for it. Her response was, "JUST WRITE THEM A CHECK DADDY". Well if DC is going to run short of funds for the inaugurations it's not a problem. JUST WRITE THEM A CHECK.

I WANT TO BE THERE!!!!!!!!

No DC will stick it to the tax payer just like Obama will in about 6 months.....

Not to be rude, but didn't Obama have some dough left over from the campaign that he was going to put toward the Inaguration or did I not understand that part of the news? How about getting some of that Big Money from the Wall St bailout? Those hypergreedy people don't need all that money. Let those CEO's contribute a percentage to the law enforcement cost. It's the least they can do seeings as they likely won't ever see the inside of a prison cell. Call it 'punitive damage' money or how about this? 'Contributing to the RICO fund.' Happy holidays y'all!

Mr. Obama told everyone not long ago that the American family should cut back on their spending because of the economy. Look what they are spending just to swear him in as president after spending millions to buy, I mean get elected. Mr.Obama nor any other politican could give a fat rats butt about the Americian public. It is every man for himself. Root hog or die. Greed and Power are the names of the games and if you don't play to win, you lose. The average American is SCREWED.

We're broke and Congress gets a raise and Obama spends a fortune on a party......some change this is going to be.

Obama raised record breaking campaign funding. He should pay for his partying. People are losing the jobs and house at an all time high.
It shows that he is just like al the others. Forgot were he came from and already lost touch with the people!

Give the bill to Obama. He seems to have lots of cash sitting around or can get it when he wants by just emailing all the millions on his list.

1-20-09. The day the people took back their country.

Obama should spend as much money as he wants on this special day.

If any Republican complains tell them to take the trillions of dollars that Bush is spending in Iraq to pay for this inauguration. We'd be able to pay for this inauguration about 20 times over!!

Obama/Biden 08/12!!!!

I think Eleanor Holmes Norton is right. The city should not pay the bill for a national event that will exceed reasonable accomadations.

And the liberals were just on here a couple weeks ago complaining about how much Bush spent on Thanksgiving dinner. Gee, how many poor liberals could Obama help with all that money he is spending on his inauguration.

This historic election will come but once. It has taken too long for it to get here, so, there should be joyous celebration. Yes this country is in a budget squeeze but if the da*m republicans can give BILLIONS to their banking buddies then certainly this country can afford to throw one hell of a party because we have gotten our country back by electing OBAMA AND BIDEN... It was a hard won victory that calls for vast celebration. So, don't let those da*m republicans cheat us out of it by saying "shame on you democrats for wanting to spend a little money to welcome our first black president". We deserve it so lets just do it.... I am a white voter and I approve this message... WELCOME PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA AND THANK YOU...

By the time they're done, there won't be any Change left.