board77

I'm certainly not saying that he didn't do any work, but he was on vacation for 1/4 of his term.

All I know is, that someday I want a job with vacation time like that combined with that pay.

Dawnnamira wrote:

I'm certainly not saying that he didn't do any work, but he was on vacation for 1/4 of his term.

All I know is, that someday I want a job with vacation time like that combined with that pay.

Of course, the president's "vacation" probably consists of more work in a day that any of us do at all.

Oh, that's right, he didn't do ANY work, I Forgot.

Dawnnamira wrote:

I'm certainly not saying that he didn't do any work, but he was on vacation for 1/4 of his term.

All I know is, that someday I want a job with vacation time like that combined with that pay.

Me too! Not saying that I want to play golf and talk to reporters whilst on vacation - I'd rather swim and ignore the reporters, lol

Without looking it up I would venture to say he was likely on par with other presidents and more than likely less than Congress!


freddy

Yeah - congress is the worst for the vacation time they take - no matter who's in.

Try being a senator in Canada.

Actually, I'm READY to try that. But I don't have any pull with any prominent politicians.

Hey, guys. Start a write-in campaign for me, willya?

One of my colleagues asked me if I was going to watch it.
My simple answer was I am Canadian not American.

He goes "So...you're one them."
I go "Yes, I'm one of the 59% Canadien who are not watching. Now, get back to work!"

I watched part of it. I wanted to see him sworn in. It was a historic moment that I didn't want to miss. All the schools here had the kids watch.

I'm a Canadian, all right. But all my life I've lived within less than 10 miles from the US border. Going to picnics at Peace Park, seeing the Peace Arch, those were important parts of my childhood. Being America's neighbour was and is a Good Thing.

The US is a great country, full of good people. Mr. Obama's election might be the change in atmosphere they need, after years of bickering and snarling.

Yeah, spending $175M for an inauguration (according to CNN's Lou Dobbs), it is not consistent with the times we live in. You got people with no jobs, people losing their homes, it's like Nero playing the harp while Rome is burning. Yes, what a historic moment!

In fact, I would have watched it if it was a low key celebration. IMHO, extravagance is a sin in times of crisis.

Lurker wrote:

Yeah, spending $175M for an inauguration (according to CNN's Lou Dobbs), it is not consistent with the times we live in. You got people with no jobs, people losing their homes, it's like Nero playing the harp while Rome is burning. Yes, what a historic moment!

In fact, I would have watched it if it was a low key celebration. IMHO, extravagance is a sin in times of crisis.

I think you miss the point entirely, Lurker. Honestly...I do.

The cost of inauguration you state included security, which is at least 2/3 of the total. Would you have them skimp on that?

People WANT and NEED some pomp and pageantry, especially at a time like this. It IS a historic moment and a lower-key celebration wouldn't serve at all. (And believe me, MUCH more could have been spent. MUCH more.) People want to be shown that yes, things can still be celebrated, even in times of trouble. That yes, things will get better. It was a very optimistic celebration and boy did we need it here.

Remember that Jesus didn't dissuade Mary from pouring the expensive ointment over his feet, even though, as Judas said, it "could have been spent on the poor." (And no, I am NOT comparing Obama to Jesus!) Point is, life is more than bread alone. We need roses, too.

I thought it was closer to $80 million and half of it was paid for by donations. Still, even $175 million is a drop in the bucket compared to the bailout packages.

vison wrote:

The US is a great country, full of good people. Mr. Obama's election might be the change in atmosphere they need, after years of bickering and snarling.

It's intersting, but the bickering and snarling during Bush's term came from the left (naturally). I'm curious to know why you think the bickering and snarling would stop. There are still massive disagreements between different politically inclined groups.

The only reason the bickering and snarling would stop, is because the left thinks everything will be fine, and the right doesn't do the whole "bickering and snarling" thing.

I don't think this will be the case, but I'm intersted in hearing any other reasons people think that may be the case.

Other than the guests, most of the inaguration was probably planned before the election was even finalized. You don't plan something like that in only a couple of months - especially when you're talking about security.

Critisizing Obama for the cost of the inauguration is rather silly, TBH. Yes, he approves and/or chooses the guests, but other than that, it's all based on tradition - what route to take, where to go to church, where to have lunch, how long to watch the parade, etc etc etc.

We all know by now, tradition can be expensive. Just look at the royal family in the UK - that is an expensive tradition for a country, lol.

I wanted to say I am sure much of that money was spent on security as there were many helicopters and one could see plenty of security people on the roofs of the surrounding buildings.
(For those who don't know I went on a school trip to the inaugration. I hope I will ha time to do a mini report.)

Thanks Fredy for starting this thread. I asked my sis to tape the coverage, I'll check if she used cbc,bbc, or cnn.

(Also thanks for your comments on racism, the history is quite different outside the US as slavery was ended in the 1830's for the British commonwealth)

from Halplm

Quote:

The only reason the bickering and snarling would stop, is because the left thinks everything will be fine, and the right doesn't do the whole "bickering and snarling" thing.

Rush Limbaugh


Sean Hannity


Joe Scarborough


Britt Hume


Fox News


most of political talk radio


and in a class all by herself...Ann Coulter


Nah - no bickering or snarling on the right.

yes, that was my point...

Just in case it went by you the first time, every one of those people are the epitome of bickering and snarling and every one of them are rightwingers.

I think the anti-Bush crowd can be proud that it made it though all eight years without doing anything much worse than bickering and snarling.

jewelsong wrote:

The cost of inauguration you state included security, which is at least 2/3 of the total. Would you have them skimp on that?

People WANT and NEED some pomp and pageantry, especially at a time like this. It IS a historic moment and a lower-key celebration wouldn't serve at all. (And believe me, MUCH more could have been spent. MUCH more.) People want to be shown that yes, things can still be celebrated, even in times of trouble. That yes, things will get better. It was a very optimistic celebration and boy did we need it here.

Remember that Jesus didn't dissuade Mary from pouring the expensive ointment over his feet, even though, as Judas said, it "could have been spent on the poor." (And no, I am NOT comparing Obama to Jesus!) Point is, life is more than bread alone. We need roses, too.

Yeah, but Mary used her own money to buy the oinment not the taxpayer's money. You can do what you want with your money not other people's money. IMHO. If he really is for change, then why not make it low key and say that during this hard economic times we must use the money Lead by example, yeah, when Bush said go out and spend your money, people got upset. Yet, people didn't seem to bothered when $175 M (some of it from taxpayer's) being spent on pomp and pageantry.

You know pomp and pageantry is used by dictators so people will forget their problems. People are going hungry, let's have the stars come out and entertain them. Ask anybody from the third world. It's used as a psychological mechanism to forget the "real problems".

Except Obama addressed those head-on.

Sometimes, an important milestone should be celebrated. I regret not celebrating more of mine actually. But whatever. It was our party and our money, not yours, and it's over and something that big isn't likely to happen again for a good long time.