Washington (CNN) - Like Dr. Evil learned in the Austin Powers movies, a billion dollars isn't quite what it used to be.
This weekend's G8 and G-20 summits are expected to top $1 billion in costs. At such a large price tag, it's reasonable to ask if the meetings are worth it. But according to former top White House aides, even with the hefty price the meetings more than pay for themselves in both tangible and intangible ways.
According to David Gergen, who worked for five presidents and has participated in several of these summits, the world has already seen a return on the current $1 billion investment.
From CNN Politics
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If obama is there, I wonder what George Soros instructed him to say and do at the summit?
When George tells obama to jump, obama says "How High Sir"
Hey, it's not their money–every dime of that billion bucks came–by taxation or some other form of extortion–from the people of the countries involved. The governments of those countries don't care how much it costs.
Mark – that money that was sent to Soros?
Fact check it – IT WAS SENT BY G. W. BUSH YEARS AGO.
These summits are as necessary as our relationship with other countries, the buck doesn't stop in the U.S. alone.
Why should we care how much it costs for the leaders of these 20 nations to get together? The US alone is spending half that everyday in Iraq and Afghanistan for no return at all on our money.
This summit will not create one single job for anybody in the USA !!Obama hasn't done much to create jobs in this country other than temporary census workers.I don't see much in the employment numbers in the near future, if anything it will get worse.
Actually Henry...the people of Canada do care!!! And are disgusted with what the money has been spent on.... A FAKE LAKE for journalists??? Gazebos??? New washrooms??? Give me a break....
Anytime you can get the most influential leaders in the whole world together for talks and friendship, it cannot help but be beneficial. These talks are going to affect us all in the future so we should all be following it really closely. I'm pretty surprised how little of it is being covered by the cable networks because it is pretty important. I guess it isn't as important as the anniversary of Michael Jackson"s death though.
That was ONE MILLION dollars, and sharks with laserbeams attached to their heads.
Maybe we can add another billion and they will keep him!
What's the point of your headline CNN? The G-8 & G-20 summits have always been expensive! What do you suggest?
Thor:
George W. Bush created ONE million jobs in 8 years. Fact (look it up).
Barack Obama created from Jan. -Jun of 2009: 682,000 plus.
we live in this world. unfortunatly we have to spend money to be part of it. I know most repos don't see it that way. But then they spend all their time saying No and bashing this administration and name calling. Thats obvious by the comments here from people like Thor ( what kind of a name is that? Sounds foreign maybe we should check and see if he has a birth certific.Or from Mark from Lousianna. He adds a lot to this artical. Henry didn't you write that dirty book?