The Inauguration

[Wildtree]

I certainly wasn't claiming American superiority or anything, but the President of the US is objectively the head of the most powerful military in the world, and has veto power in the government that controls the largest single economy in the world. That's more power than any other single individual I can think of. It has nothing to do with ego or nationalism. It's simply a fact.

Absolutely true. Plain facts. The US President is the single most powerful person on Earth as of right now.

[Tinykong]

Yes, I get that too. And all the money from those tickets were to cover the entire bill, which - as you said, didn't cost the tax payer. No tax money has been wasted.
There have been events already on Sunday night with concerts. Those - I assume - weren't free either. But the artists performed for no charge, if I remember correctly what I read in the weeks before the events.
All in all, I think it's fine to have such event.

No tax payer money was spent? Hardly. I'll agree that we can argue back and forth whether or not the money was wasted, but it's pretty widely known that the government picks up part of the tab.

---------- Post added 2013-01-22 at 05:18 PM ----------

IIRC the last time the 20th of an Inauguration year fell on a sunday was Reagan's, where the big ceremony was pushed to Monday

Still don't understand why it's necessary, other than some sort of restriction on alcohol sales/consumption on Sundays, or some other stupid red tape like that.

[Reeve]

IIRC the last time the 20th of an Inauguration year fell on a sunday was Reagan's, where the big ceremony was pushed to Monday

Ah yeah, Sunday being a Christian holy day may have had something to do with it too. I don't think that's a good reason to move it, but there ya go.

[Wildtree]

No tax payer money was spent? Hardly. I'll agree that we can argue back and forth whether or not the money was wasted, but it's pretty widely known that the government picks up part of the tab..

if the fundraiser didn't meet the goal of 50 million, you are correct. But we don't know that just yet. We will know in a few days or weeks tho.

I agree with you why they have to push that whole thing to Monday instead of using the actual day. I'd like to know the logic reason for that.

[Tinykong]

Ah yeah, Sunday being a Christian holy day may have had something to do with it too. I don't think that's a good reason to move it, but there ya go.

Concessions being made to placate religious people, no surprise there.

---------- Post added 2013-01-22 at 05:31 PM ----------

if the fundraiser didn't meet the goal of 50 million, you are correct. But we don't know that just yet. We will know in a few days or weeks tho.

There is no way they are going to raise enough funds to cover the entire event; they aren't even trying. The donations are to cover the parties, the rest of the festivities are on our nickle.

[Ausr]

Concessions being made to placate religious people, no surprise there.

---------- Post added 2013-01-22 at 05:31 PM ----------

There is no way they are going to raise enough funds to cover the entire event; they aren't even trying. The donations are to cover the parties, the rest of the festivities are on our nickle.

Yeah, totally not possible for Obama, the king of raising fundraising money, to raise it. Out of the realm of all possibility.

[Tinykong]

Yeah, totally not possible for Obama, the king of raising fundraising money, to raise it. Out of the realm of all possibility.

They aren't even aiming to raise the total amount, he didn't do it for the first inauguration, why do it this time around? $50 million in donations is a far cry from the estimated $170 million total cost.