Obamas Are Personally Paying For White House Renovations

New York Magazine:

At a time when people are having trouble holding on to their houses, Barack and Michelle Obama have sensibly decided not to use taxpayers' money to renovate theirs. New presidents are allotted $100,000 to overhaul the White House residence and the Oval Office, and the Obamas hired Hollywood decorator Michael S. Smith (known, per his site, for mixing "Old World classicism with very contemporary settings"). But the First Couple isn't spending that money. They "are not using public funds or accepting donations of goods for redecorating their private quarters," says Camille Johnston, director of communications for the First Lady.

Read the whole story: New York Magazine

Comments

[CitizenFarmer]

They state that what they will spend is private; however, their tax return is public. Because Michelle's mother lives with them, it is only right that they fork over a couple of bucks. And, because it is private, they could spend $25 or $2,500,000.

[quindy]

They should at least invest some money in getting the drool out of the carpet and I don't mean dog's drool.

[MizLiz]

I guess you're talking about the one in the Oval Office?

[joycehelene]

I have to give the Obamas a lot of credit for going to pay for their own redecorating their family quarters in the White House and not use tax payers funds which the are entitled to. Since the public quarters of the White House get a lot of use for receptions and other functions, these funds can and should be used for those rooms, this is the People's House and it should be kept in excellent condition.

[azcamp]

This is a message to CEOs who asked for taxpayer money to prop up their failing operations. This example should be clearly understood by decision makers in banks and other corporations. Now is not the time to "beautify" your offices using government dollars.

[gottobejoking]

Audaciosityofhope, get a life. No, a real one!

It is incredibly selfless of the Obamas to pay for their renovations. Despite the "elitist" tag the Right attempted to stick on President Obama, he shows time and time again that he doesn't feel entitled to anything because of his job.

Being so petty and bitter must be hard; why don't you try to get some rest so you'll be able to sendibly address a real issue one day.

[gottobejoking]

"sendibly" = sensibly. Please excuse the typo.

[WhitneyKyle]

When conservatives use the word "elitist" in reference to Obama, they are really saying "uppity". Its their racist and class attitudes. Its their clumsy effort at being politicaly correct. Conservatives have the market on elitism. The Republican base adores their elitist leadership. Few Republican leaders socialize with their base. They don't want to get dirty. That is the main reason I quit working for Bush Senior years ago. The whole family was just too "uppity" (I really mean elitist.)

[joceeco]

Good job Obama family, but since ya'll will not use the $100K, you can send it to me. I will use the h^ll out of it!

[WendyInCA]

The Obamas not taking advantage of financial privilege...imagine that. Refreshing.
GW can't relate, I'm sure. He separated the world into the "haves" and the "have nots". And in doing so lost our respect.

[quindy]

No, he separated the world in 'haves' and 'have more'.

[WhitneyKyle]

No. He further separated the have's and have nots. The "have nots", "haves" and "have mores" have always been separated. America is a class segregated society. Some "haves" don't realize this because they are segregated into their own classes and don't mix with the "have nots" or the "have mores".

[Javida]

So Limbaugh says "If Obama fails America wins," well just how will casting aside Obama's frugality be a win for America? Obama is freezing salaries among his cabinet staff, tightening criteria for bailouts and curtailing bonuses and forfeiting the spending of the $100,000 WH renovation allowance. So how are these choices indicative of failure in our efforts to emerge from our economic crisis and how, if these objectives fail, is it a win for America? How is it failure to root out the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan and support those govts' action to do so? Need I go on? Limbaugh is in primal scream therapy all by himself. It's what baby's do when they can't get their way.

[HoosierRadical]

The Obama Family class act alllllll the waaaaaaay!

[militarymomforobama]

Not a surprise to me. The Obama's are self-made people. I am proud of our first family.

[MAragon]

It's things like this that I really like about the Obamas.

[ilovevegas]

He talks the talk, and walks the walk! Impressive.

[Lionsden]

ilove: if he walked the walked he wouldn't sign a budget bill unless it slashed government spending. Obama can afford to pay for this himself because he already lives in opulence.

[xstevejx]

Wait for the next budget bill...if he still doesn't address wasteful spending, then EVERYONE should complain and question his honesty.

[MIVOTE]

Lead by example! President Obama is great! This is what those Bank CEOs should do when they want to redo their offices.

[Lionsden]

MIVOTE: It is amazing that you believe the things you say. LOL

[LaughingMan]

Lionsden: It is amazing that you can put a sentence together. LOL

[WhitneyKyle]

Lionsden- Its amazing how rude you are. No lol.

[jadamind]

The Obamas are amazing people. If everyone had their sensibilities and integrity, it would be amazing.
How many people would do this. Those pimps in the last administra­tion...wit­h all their family money and granting contracts to their friends...those people stole from the American public in historic proportions. The greed and arrogance they displayed was so shocking, and these couple of people are the polar opposite. Yes, alot of money needs to be spent in this stimulus package, but Obama has foresight, something I haven't seen in the White House for quite some time.

I applaud you, Barak and Michele. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being inspirations for us all to marvel over.

[roshni]

I second your emotions. The Obamas are decent people and yes, they inspire a lot of people.

[Lionsden]

If Barack had integrity he wouldn't be a democrat.

[Raybee]

You must be talking about George and Laura, the pillaging professionals. Republicans have no integrity, look at Palin, the self righteous "Christian" that approves of lying and stealing, funny she must be a Bush, maybe just a shrub.

[WhitneyKyle]

Lionsden- Again, amazing how rude you are.

[in4success]

can you imagine bush doing something so virtuous?

[Lionsden]

in4: it is funny that democrats think virtue only lies in the area of money and not, say, in the arena of sexuality (abortion, promiscuity, porn, homosexuality)

[MadeinAmericaProud]

listen up pussycatden,

the republican party only think of money that brings profits. when whitewomen left homemaker/wife duties in the suburbs, they wanted to be free of motherhood, let someone else take care of their children, they wanted a career. NOW TAKE A GOOD LOOK at the results.

their children are on drugs taken from the medicine cabinet at home, myspace pornshows, cellphone pornshows,­sexonschoo­l buses, and college girls gone wild has been around for over 20 years. the pastors, or other religious leaders cannot to their jobs therefore, they want the politicians to make morals laws. the parents failed doing their jobs they get on web sites and point the finger. Abortion is safe for now otherwise there would a lot of girls in allies the CSI forensic units would called in to investigate.

[rgblue]

Abortion is between a woman and whatever her God is. No one in this country is forced, but of course they are forced in the slave jobs in Saipan where Tom Delay (R) proudly said the best of corporate america really lies.

Promiscuity and porn are 2 bedrocks of Republicanism; indeed, many of them are proud of it and get STANDING OVATIONS from the Repug brethren when they get caught (Vitter - R).

And your problem with homosexuality is........ ?

[in4success]

it's funny that you repugs believe they actually give a sh*t about any of that and aren't using it to persuade your support only.

grow up clown.

[jingles32]

You really want to go there? With your party's history regarding, ummm, "personal" matters? You know, from your pre dator y Senators to your preachers, hy pocrites ALL!