I have no idea, I would prefer one with less violence for sure. I'm not up on statistics enough to know where would be a safe place to have it. But it seems every time I turn on the tv something awful is happening in Chicago. It's a lovely place, I'll admit. I just don't like the idea of the world focusing in on it with all the gang violence and teen killings they are having recently.

 

 

So, the city as a whole...not the whole country...should be penalized in 2016 because there has been recent violence in the city.

So, the city as a whole...not the whole country...should be penalized in 2016 because there has been recent violence in the city.

 

I don't think of it as punishment. I don't want to torture Chicago, I just would rather it be cleaned up before it takes on huge tasks like the Olympics.

I don't think of it as punishment. I don't want to torture Chicago, I just would rather it be cleaned up before it takes on huge tasks like the Olympics.

 

 

Interesting.

Interesting.

 

Part of this stems, I was reading that the Mayor wanted hosting the Olympics to be his legacy before he went out. With all the other problems, I would want a mayor's legacy to be ending the violence more than Olympics.

I have no idea exactly how they are paid, but I know logically it takes a lot of extra time and effort to plan trips like this at the last minute. I would venture to say overtime was probably involved, several planes, several motels. It wouldn't take much to add up to millions. If I remember correctly the Obama's spent a cool million just to go to New York for dinner and a show not to long ago. If it costs a million to get them to New York, I feel safe that Europe at the last minute would cost at least double.

 

There's a difference between budgeted expenses and incremental expenses. Salaries are already paid and budgeted. Planes are expensed and budgeted. These dollars that are spent are already "spent" in terms of the budget.

All politics aside, I had to laugh out loud when I saw a woman actually crying after the announcement. :lol:

I was hoping for Chicago to get the nod but I truly doubted they would,

for two reasons; FOX and CNN. Practically every medium to large city in the world carries either or both. Public opinion (opposition or support) and local strife can play a large role in the Olympic selection process. This week, Glenn Beck spent the whole week derailing the bid. CNN spent most of the week talking about the murder of the honor student, and how only 45% of the people

in Chicago supported the bid. I'm just envisioning the selection committee going back to their rooms at the end of each night this week, flip on the TV, and being bombarded with negativity surrounding Chicago. The global power of our press is incredible, especially when it's packaged as news. A typical taxi driver abroad can tell you more about U.S. politics than perhaps most people that live on your street. Many moderately informed people in the world now know of that murder; can we name a single event that's happened lately in the other three very large bid cities? The committee had 3 other very good options with compelling

stories, they didn't need to walk through the mine-field of the much publicized Chicago politics.

There's a difference between budgeted expenses and incremental expenses. Salaries are already paid and budgeted. Planes are expensed and budgeted. These dollars that are spent are already "spent" in terms of the budget.

Then we've got a problem with the budget. Wasting money is wasting money, budgeted or not.

I didn't have a problem with Bush being there, just as I don't have a problem with Obama going to Copenhagen to help Chicago's bid.

 

I do a have a problem with the hypocrisy that characterizes the criticism of Obama, when I never heard anything of the sort concerning the Bushes in Beijing.

 

It was there. Hypocrisy is everywhere.

Does the Secret Service get overtime pay? I always thought they were salaried employees. If so, there is no extra expense as far as payroll.

 

So, I'm curious to know how your math works out that hotel/fuel/food add up to "millions."

 

I would be very surprised if they were salaried employees, unless there's an exemption for them in the FLSA.

Economically speaking, Chicago is better off losing the bid. While some individual businesses would have made some money, the cities/countries that host the games are left with additional debt when it is all said and done.

It was there. Hypocrisy is everywhere.

I remember some criticism about going to China, given that nation's history of human rights violations. But I honestly don't remember him being criticized heavily for the cost of the trip.

 

And I searched the BGP archives ... I sure didn't see anything of the sort here.

I was hoping for Chicago to get the nod but I truly doubted they would,

for two reasons; FOX and CNN. Practically every medium to large city in the world carries either or both. Public opinion (opposition or support) and local strife can play a large role in the Olympic selection process. This week, Glenn Beck spent the whole week derailing the bid. CNN spent most of the week talking about the murder of the honor student, and how only 45% of the people

in Chicago supported the bid. I'm just envisioning the selection committee going back to their rooms at the end of each night this week, flip on the TV, and being bombarded with negativity surrounding Chicago. The global power of our press is incredible, especially when it's packaged as news. A typical taxi driver abroad can tell you more about U.S. politics than perhaps most people that live on your street. Many moderately informed people in the world now know of that murder; can we name a single event that's happened lately in the other three very large bid cities? The committee had 3 other very good options with compelling

stories, they didn't need to walk through the mine-field of the much publicized Chicago politics.

Interesting points, and probably valid ones, too.

The hyperbole I keep seeing from the conservatives these days concerning everything Obama has just about sent me to the other side of the fence. I'm squarely on the fence right now.........any good Independents out there........

:walk:

Let me get this straight.

 

The media touted this as a HUGE deal that BO was going, not just Michelle.

 

Now that the bid failed the other side is making it a big deal that if failed.

 

Whats the big deal?

 

 

I wish Chicago would have got the Olympics, its close enough that I could have taken my son.

 

I also find it funny, yet valid that someone is blaming the media. The same media that almost every Republican feels is swayed TOWARD the Dems and their policies............