I love the pagentry and historical tradition.

I think the (re)inauguration exemplifies everything that is right and wrong with our system.

Well to start, I said build unity and enthusiasm. I'll stand by that. Second, I think we are victims of our own success. We want what we want and we want it now. Anything less is the end of western civilization. In reality, we agree on far more than what separates us. I think that most Americans share hopes, dreams and values. We have strong differences over how to get there, but we all want to continue the journey toward a more perfect union. You can laugh, but I prefer to smile. There is no where I'd rather be. Life is good. We have problems, but we will fix them. It may take a while. We may not fix them until we are given no other choice, but we will fix them.

That's all very nice, but none of it has a darn thing to do with the inauguration celebration. If anything, it's the politicians and their party affiliations trumping all (including us, our hopes, dreams and values) that continue to divide and corrupt. Yeah, life is good and I hope we can fix things. It certainly won't be because of a silly, overpriced, meaningless, dog and pony show like the inauguration ceremony.

I would just like to add: Each and every time a President is Inaugurated we should celebrate. There is no greater testament to the principles of the freedoms we enjoy, than the vision of the swearing in of a leader chosen by the people of our country through a free election.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner

Great post and I agree. But to the $170,000,000 extent we do? That is really the question at hand. The only thing I hear about is about the economic turmoil we are in.

 

Secret budget meeting: "Let us make sure we set aside $85,000,000 of taxpayer money to chip in on our celebration of 'freedom', you know the inauguration, Tim. (wink, wink). Say what? Oh, just take it out of defense spending. Blow out concert, fine wine, and escargot... You know, the usual. As the Republicans would say, 'WWRD. What would Reagan do?'. Ha ha."

I would just like to add: Each and every time a President is Inaugurated we should celebrate. There is no greater testament to the principles of the freedoms we enjoy, than the vision of the swearing in of a leader chosen by the people of our country through a free election.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner

Disagree. The election covers that. This, regardless of the president being inaugurated, is nothing but excess anymore. Honestly, I've never watched more than two minutes ever. Complete waste of time and money.

Participating in discourse like this makes me realize I am a very happy person.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner

Participating in discourse like this makes me realize I am a very happy person.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner

Or easily amused...

Use that $170M on flu vaccines for all---and there's your shared experience and contribution to national unity.

 

That's one way to help obama care, make everyone sick with flu vaccines.

You guys are all wrong. Ceremony and pagentry build a sense of enthusiasm, shared experience and contribute to national unity. Our peaceful transition of government for over 200 years is well worthy of celebration. While typing, I watched the President review the troops. Proud day all around.

 

Which is gone by the next week.

Never have watched one of these dog and pony shows.

Participating in discourse like this makes me realize I am a very happy person.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forum Runner

 

Let's go back and seach to see how they were saying it was a waste of money 8 years ago... Oh, wait, nevermind!

Let's go back and seach to see how they were saying it was a waste of money 8 years ago... Oh, wait, nevermind!

It's a waste of money every time we have one. Doesn't matter who the president is.

Let's go back and seach to see how they were saying it was a waste of money 8 years ago... Oh, wait, nevermind!

 

Nope, as in everything else, both sides have switched opinions since then.

Let's go back and seach to see how they were saying it was a waste of money 8 years ago... Oh, wait, nevermind!

 

I searched through the archives and could only find back to 2005 (The archives are cool to look through, btw). Again, I think it is cool to watch and it is a proud event we should watch, but you honestly believe that is the best use of $170,000,000? When one of the President's first tasks this term is to get control of the budget by making cuts and narrowing the deficit? I hate when some people get nit picky with some of the costs associated with being President, but I do not feel I am being that in this case.

 

*One archive thread showed that after the 2008 election Congress set aside a $20,000,000 earmark to repair the sod for Inauguration day.

Let's go back and seach to see how they were saying it was a waste of money 8 years ago... Oh, wait, nevermind!

 

I didn't read the article 8 years ago. If I had, I would have posted that it was excessive then, too.

In all honesty, I think Congress (both parties) have become so numb in dealing with figures in the Billions and Trillions...that anything in the Millions is almost inconsequential to them.