Another Budget Destroyed: Michelle Obama, UC Merced, and a Whopping Million Dollars
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on July 7, 2009
Commencement speaker Michelle Obama: Cost struggling UC Merced a million dollars
What’s a little debt during a recession if you can have what you really, really, really want? I’m becoming increasingly frustrated with adults who don’t understand the reality of the math that, when you have only a dollar in your pocket, you can’t be stupid and spend ten dollars. Is that just another dimension of Obamanomics that eludes conservatives, but liberals want to believe?
Just like everything else the Democrats in Washington “touch and torch,” the final price tag is never within range of the promised original budget… which explains beautifully why Obama and his minions have plunged America into so much historic debt.
They just don’t get that money doesn’t grow on trees (or can be fleeced nonstop from taxpayers), and just because you really, really, really want something, if you can’t afford it, poof, end of convo. At least, that’s how it is when children beg for their parents to overspend on something. Children are taught the value of a dollar and that there distinctive differences between “needs” and “wants.” Obama’s administration and university directors are less controlled with staying within a budget than are many of America’s children. For now, anyway.
Associated Press: Michelle Obama’s UC Merced visit cost school $1M:
MERCED, Calif. – The final price of the University of California, Merced’s commencement ceremony featuring first lady Michelle Obama was more than $1 million — surpassing the original estimate tenfold.
Private contributions and interest on a private endowment fund have helped cover the cost. UC spokeswoman Patti Waid Istas said that nonstate dollars and other contributions will be used to cover the remaining balance of around $362,338.
The school had budgeted $100,000 for the May commencement ceremony. The price tag ended up being $1.04 million.
The address attracted about 12,000 visitors, requiring additional transportation, audiovisual and multimedia needs and other items. Obama was neither paid for her appearance nor compensated for travel and security.
From PunditPawn:
UC Merced students (one of the Left Coast’s smallest universities) demonstrate that going to a school in California can actually make you less intelligent than if you had stayed home. Some of them got the bright idea that if they begged Barack’s bag to move her lips for them it would magically make their lives better. They would have been far better served by Gingrich, who actually has a clue, than some Chicago liberal mouthpiece whose only claim to fame is tripling her salary overnight by marrying into power. This is the same woman who documented that Barack Obama “Has not done anything, yet” months before he was named King by the media.
Related reading:
Michelle Obama Watch: Complaints About FLOTUS Delivering Commencement Speech at UC Merced
The Daley Gator: Michelle “Guns” Obama to grads, GIVE BACK!
Scared Monkeys: Michelle Obama… It’s in the Shoes… Especially Those $540 Lanvin sneakers… Nice Image in Face of Depression… Let them wear Keds
Patriot Burr: Brownshirts, Anyone?
Michelle Malkin: Recessionista: The cost of MichelleO’s commencement appearance and Michelle Obama’s graduation advice and To GIVE and to SERVE: the $6 billion National Service boondoggle
Bookworm Room: FLOTUS gave all right *UPDATED*
Fresno Bee: Is expense of first lady’s visit to UC Merced appropriate now?
Hot Air: Aw: Stingy president stiffs daughters’ school with weak charity gift and Obamateurism of the Day
Courtney Hazlett, MSNBC: Obamas prove stingy with school auction
Jim Blazsik: Nice Purse Michelle!
Danishova: In graduation speech, Michelle Obama perpetuates myth of underprivileged childhood
Geoffrey Dickens, NewsBusters: Matthews Chirps Groovy Cool Obamas Gave Him Another ‘Thrill!’
Bloodthirsty Liberal: Dispense with the Commencement
Iowahawk, Big Hollywood: Fans Flock to Mourn California, 1849-2009
Fire Andrea Mitchell!: Irony of Ironies – Michelle Obama tells UC Merced graduating students to ‘give something back’
Frugal Café Blog Zone: “Blame Bush and Buy a Puppy”: KFYI 550 NewsTalk’s Spoof on Pres. Obama’s ASU Commencement Speech and Snub the Brits – Embarrassing “Change” We Can Count on in Obama’s White House
Jim Blazsik: Notre Dame honors a pro-abortion President and arrests a pro-life priest
Bloomberg.com: Obama Says U.S. Long-Term Debt Load ‘Unsustainable’ (Update2)
About the author
After reading this piece, I highly recommend Glenn Beck’s book; Common Sense.
Buy some duct tape before you read it because your head is going to explode when you find out where our hard earned money is going, and to whom, and why.
Read this before we revolt.
2010…we vote again.
Redstate.com has an interesting article on the cost to the taxpayer for Obama videos, when and if he/she wants them.
Hmmmmmm, transparency ?