TCTI: Too Crazy Too Ignore
 Dave Ross
whitehouse_canceled_ak980.jpg
One of the casualties of the recent budget cuts is that the White House tours have been canceled. Spokesman Jay Carney knows that a lot of tourists will be disappointed. But someone from Fox News wants to solve the problem. (MyNorthwest.com Photo/Alyssa Kleven)

The rich step up

BY Dave Ross  on March 8, 2013 @ 11:57 am (Updated: 12:28 pm - 3/8/13 )

One of the casualties of the recent budget cuts is that the White House tours have been canceled. Spokesman Jay Carney knows that a lot of tourists will be disappointed.

"The Secret Service presented options. The White House made the decision that we would unfortunately have to temporarily suspend these tours."

Well, on the Fox News Channel - Eric Bolling, former commodities trader turned talk host - proposed a solution.

"Word is, it will cost around $74,000. If I can get the White House doors open, I will pick up the tab. Mr. Carney, you know this is an offer you can't refuse. Give me a call."

Bolling hosts a show called "The Five." His other four panelists seemed stunned.

"I think we just realized "The Five" isn't your primary source of income!" laughed one.

"If Kimberly and I volunteer to do the tours, can we get in on that scratch?" asked another.

But he's serious. "I will absolutely write the check."

And if that's what it takes - if well-off Americans would rather pay a la carte instead of the additional taxes the President wants, why not take the deal?

In fact, since Congress can't pass a budget, since the President is so desperate he's started treating the members to fancy meals, plying them with Lobster Thermidor - a pox on them all!

They had their chance. We have the Internet now. The White House can post a list of the cuts, and anyone with money who feels strongly about them can use one-click ordering to put it on their Pay Pal account.

It's no more arbitrary than what's going on already.

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
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Comments (46)


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  • mnpat wrote...
    "White House Blames Cuts for Nixing Tours, First Family Keeps Traveling"
    March 8, 2013 11:40 am
    Very selective cutting by the administration, trying to make it hurt. A U.S. park ranger, who did not wish to be identified, told FoxNews.com that supervisors within the National Park Service overruled plans to deal with the budget cuts in a way that would have had minimal impact on the public. Instead, the source said, park staff were told to cancel special events and cut "interpretation services" -- the talks, tours and other education services provided by local park rangers. "Apparently, they want the public to feel the pain," the ranger said. Now I know the KIRO folks don't like FOX News and prefer the Huffington or msnbc but this whole doom and gloom thing didn't provide the doom and gloom so I guess the administration needs to help it along.
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  • HLC wrote...
    Maybe Buffett the blowhard will step up.
    March 8, 2013 11:54 am
    He takes all the tax breaks he can then complains he's not paying enough taxes. Heres a chance for him to step up or shut up.
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  • William Lawn wrote...
    The White House tour
    March 8, 2013 12:57 pm
    No guide, you get to walk though a few rooms.

    Some people get dressed up like they are going to actually meet the President.

    It is a little heart breaking seeing them in their "Sunday finest" when they are going to spend 20 minutes in there.

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  • AtheisticallyYours wrote...
    WH tours are not worth it!
    March 8, 2013 1:13 pm
    I have been to the White House, and it really is NOT "all that" (I visited it in 1996-long before 09/11). I came away rather disappointed. Its SMALL (remember-it was originally built to 18th century specifications!), and you only get to see half a dozen rooms. There is more "pizazz" at Congress, and the Library of Congress. Even the Smithsonian Musems were worth the trip to DC. But to just go to DC to see the White House? Let the budget cuts send the tourists elsewhere!
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  • William Lawn wrote...
    Congress has changed a lot since 9/11
    March 8, 2013 3:13 pm
    I was there in the mid 90's and you got to just wander around. Popped into the Senate and House galleries, walked around the office buildings. It was on a weekend and nobody was around.

    My wife and I kept on thinking we'd get the boot, but we saw security and we weren't bothered a bit. Mail stacked at the door of Senator's offices, I peed where they did.

    Now there is this huge "visitor's center" with all kinds of security. Even with a staffer from my Congressman's office on a private tour we couldn't get where we did in the 90's.

    Our reaction to 9/11 made our government so much less accessible. Too bad.

    Good news is, the air and space museum is better than ever. They bought up a bunch of stuff from the Russians and it is just over the top. Yuri Gagarin's space suite, how cool can you get?

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  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    The White House, as a residence, is an anachronism anyway.
    March 8, 2013 1:19 pm
    In Europe, they would call any similar looking building a "palace".

    Let's move the president and his family to an extremely secure office building. Something more efficiently designed for whatever actual work is supposed to be done within the walls.

    Preserve the White House as a historical relic. Something left over from the last shadows of thought when we just assumed that our presidents deserved to be treated like rulers of the people, instead of servants of the people.

    Charge the tourists whatever it takes to keep the place up. Heck, they can keep Graceland going to tourist money all these years after Elvis died, shouldn't be much of a trick to do the same at the Presidential Palace.

    Need to entertain heads of state or put on a fancy dinner? Contract with a local hotel.

    The era when we had money to waste of stuff like the White House is long past.

    No doubt my idea will get a lot of support from my Republican friends who are counting the hours and minutes until Obama moves out of the White House, anyway. :-)

    Only difference is; the next president (Democrat or Republican) won't be moving in either.

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  • mnpat wrote...
    what! Elvis is Dead!
    March 8, 2013 3:23 pm
    say it ain't so!
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  • cdbtx wrote...
    Messiah - have you taken the new pot law
    March 8, 2013 2:42 pm
    a little too seriously? Come on.. have someone read your posts to you... and then explain them... and at the same time.. have them explain them to the rest of us.. geeeeeezzzzz

    I've been traveling everyday prior to sequestration and I'm still trying to find those long lines and delays the DHS said were ocurring across the country..

    The apocolypse is here.. it's just that no one's noticed..

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  • jstumbo wrote...
    here at the airport now.
    March 9, 2013 9:45 am
    No lines to speak of. Got here early just in case. Now I find out my flight is delayed by 3 hours. So instead of being here 1.5 hours before my flight, I am now here 5.5 hours before my flight.
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  • rational wrote...
    Or an alternative...
    March 8, 2013 4:46 pm
    Obama's golfing trip to Florida was more expensive than an entire year of WH tours...but then we can't really expect Obama to give a rip about the American pesantry.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    It's Oz compromise. No White House tours, but anyone can still watch the president play golf...
    March 8, 2013 6:53 pm
    except the press.
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  • SickofSeattleite wrote...
    according to the budget office....ever since Obama
    March 9, 2013 7:20 am
    the govt is spending 20,000 per household...that's 10,000 more per household than when he was just beginning in the old stimulus failure days...just pile the debt higher and higher...i am sure it would reach the moon by now.
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  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    The WH tours could be saved.
    March 9, 2013 8:01 am
    There's lots of money. Heck between Barry's frequent golf junkets and his jet-setting Michelle all over for a "date night" dinners, it's millions. Or we could get that $250 mil back from the Muslim Brotherhood; you know the money "Evil Rich" Kerry just handed the terrorist network last week. Gawd Dave. Your bias is so evident, it's no longer laughable.
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  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    .Of course Buffet takes all the tax breaks possible to ensure he pays the lowest taxes possible. But he is making a point
    March 9, 2013 8:05 am
    Another hypocrite (Buffet) and another useful idiot who thinks it's fine and dandy (Assiah). Ah, the left....
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