Senator Dianne Feinstein is reaching out to websites such as eBay and Craigslist looking for a promise that they will not sell tickets to the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration online. Apparently outraged that tickets could go for as much as $40,000 a piece, Feinstein argues that:
[T]hese tickets are given for free to people. This is a major civic event of the time, and no one pays for their tickets, and we believe no one should be required to pay for their tickets.
In addition to appealing to websites, the senator is writing a bill to make sure that tickets are only distributed for free through congressional offices. She also cites security concerns as the motivation behind the law.
While I can understand that lawmakers would be sad to see citizens paying ridiculous sums for otherwise free tickets, I can't help but think this law is just a way for them to control who attends. If it wasn't against the law, how much would you pay for a ticket to Barack Obama's inauguration?
Cultbeauty
Balmain
Stella McCartney
That's how I was going to make my extra money. I swear, a law for everything. Back to the drawing board.
1I have requested tickets from all of my congress people and am just keeping my fingers crossed. It makes sense for people not to able to scalp tickets.
2I wouldn't pay for a ticket... not just to Obama's inauguration but to any presidential inauguration. I really do think it should be a free venue to the people. Heck, they elected the president. And I think selling tickets to the inauguration is just plain tacky.
3I would pay for it, a hundred dollars max though, i think I wouldn't wanna miss it. I would probably cry if I were there.
4definitely tacky to sell them, plus it makes Obama sound more and more like a celebrity. Let's get over the celeb image and treat him with integrity as President of our country.
5very true Laurel!
6Its nasty that they want to resell them!
Whoa hard to believe that those 3 tickets I have would fetch a total of $120,000. Even stranger is how I'm not even remotely tempted to try. Besides the fact that it's so vulgar, I think the experience is going to be priceless!
7I thought scalping was illegal anyway?
8"I swear, a law for everything."
That sounds very libertarian of you!! Come to our side!
9Bella - You can still get around this. You give the tickets away, but Request a gratuity...
10Capitalism at its best.
11I am going, but I won't have tickets. I am just going to be on the mall living in the moment.
12I'm with liberty on this one, some say it is disgusting and tacky to scalp these tickets, but it isn't as if these tickets are freely given to just anyone. I highly doubt the selection is at random. I say let the wealthy fight a bidding war for these tickets, it's not as if I were ever in the running for them anyway.
13GS - I have a side?
14I agree you shouldn't have to pay...hell I voted for him that should be enough to get me in ahahaha! I should automatically get to see the inaguration because I'm a citizen of this Country.
15It was just a joke telling you to become Libertarian.
16mm ok. I was just asking if I had a side. Ohh well.
17I don't understand
18Never mind.
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