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President Obama's Inauguration May Have Cost $170 Million. Say What?


President Obama's swearing in ended like so many others with the words, "So help me, God."  But we were wondering if viewers knew where that started.  Does it come from the constitution?  Viewer Bob Caudill told us, "I don't know that it does."  And he's right.  It's not   President Obama is continuing a custom started by President Chester Arthur in 1881.

The inauguration of a president is always a gala affair -- a very expensive gala affair.  By some estimates this year's balls cost $170 million to put on which brought us to our final question:  Do you think we spend too much on these parties when we swear in a new president?

Ted Schulte told us, "No, I don't think so.  I thinks it's part of a celebration of who we are as a country and I think we get value for that."  Phlllip Condra wondered if it could be dialed back a notch, "I think we could step back a bit considering where we are.  But traditions are traditions.  We gotta try and keep hold of them I guess."  Bob chimed in on this one, "Maybe we could cut down some if we say we're tightening our belts.  Individuals are tightening their belts, so the government and the president should, too."  But Nancy Hutchison had the line to end this debate, "It's a good way to celebrate being American."  And there’s nothing wrong with that.

By Fred Cantu