Extravagance

As the recession continues to wreak havoc on the U.S. economy and inauguration celebrations ramp up, a lot of people are asking: "How much will this shindig cost?"

The short answer? Likely more than $150 million — and yep, that's the most expensive ever. By comparison, George W. Bush's 2005 inauguration cost $42.3 million. Bill Clinton managed with $33 million in 1993.

I could be wrong, but it strikes me that the money Obama spends on himself and all the extravagance - both throughout the campaign, and even now - could have been better used and gone a long way toward helping the folks cope with the bad economy.

If he has so little regard for how money is spent, how can we expect him to deal effectively with the economy?

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