Isn't it silly to spend 160+million on an inauguration when the country is in financial crisis?

yes it is very silly i think, why not just do it in the white house with some media and cameras then it would cost nothing, but that would be smart.

I agree, it was rather silly and I disagree that it lifts morale. I guess for caught up in hype, politics, or events then it can lift morale. For those of us dealing with reality an overdone ceremony just for an exchange in Presidents does nothing for my current situation.

I don't know how anyone's morale can be affected by someone becoming President...even if he is the first Black President. At the end of the day the world is still sorry, humanity still needs a serious evolution/revolution, and society can use some reworking.

http://dark-rage.blogspot.com/

thats peanuts compared to our other spending costs. we'll have that paid back in no time. i didnt vote for him so hopefully all this "change" will actually happen and fast. it was a nice ceremony though. never watched an inauguration before.

Well, it's money spent raising the American morale. I think it's a good thing, even if it does cost ridiculous amounts of cash. A good morale boost is needed, especially when we keep digging ourselves deeper graves.

EDIT: I do agree with you, Shawn, and I was indeed talking about those caught up in the hype. :P

Obama's inauguration was only 50 milliion dollars, while Bush's was 100 million.

No it put a lot of folks to work.