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Scalp Inauguration Tickets...and Get a Year Hard Time?
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ShareNovember 17, 2008 2:49 PM
ABC's Z. Byron Wolf Report: Say what you will about the laws of the open market in these days of Wall Street, insurance, home loan, and (maybe) auto industry bailouts. If the government is going to get involved where those industries fail, why not get involved in the Presidential Inauguration ticket business too.
Where there's limited supply, demand rises. And what are supposed to be the choicest free seats to the inauguration were supposed to be doled out free by lawmakers, while many more, some guess 1.5 million, less-lucky people will watch along the National Mall.
And around the business of ticketing the inauguration, a cottage industry has sprung up. Some online sites have already banned the sale of tickets. There are seven security measures implanted in the tickets themselves. The members of Congress who get the tickets are inventing ways (raffles) to appear fair in doling the tickets out.
But Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a member of the Joint Congressional Committee on the Inaugural Ceremony, wants to go a step further. She took to the Senate floor Monday and announced legislation she is writing that would make the sale of the tickets illegal. Selling them would saddle a scalper with a "class A" misdemeanor, a fine of up to $100K, and up to a year in jail.
"We've all read the news reports tickets bid on the Internet for $5,000 a piece, some as high as $40,000 each," said Feinstein on the Senate floor. "And 15 to 20 sites today are selling tickets they do not have and will not have unless somehow some way they obtain them. I find it unconscionable."
Feinstein continued, "These tickets are supposed to be free for people, for the volunteers who gave up their weekends walking miles door-to-door to encourage voters to town out to the polls -- turn out to the polls on election day. for members of the African American community to see one of their own take the oath of office for the highest office in the land, for schoolchildren to witness history, and for the American public to watch this affirmation of our constitution. This peaceful transition from one administration to another. this is going to be a major civic event of our time."
Its unclear if Feinstein's tough on scalping approach will catch on. Senators and Congressmen from pre-November 8 Congress are still the nation's lawmakers and they are in Washington this week for a lame duck session to consider a bailout for the auto industry and extending unemployment benefits and, if they add Sen. Feinstein's scalping law to their agenda and pass it, President Bush, whose seat at the inauguration is guaranteed, could sign it into law before he hands off the baton.
November 17, 2008 in Inauguration, Washington, White House | Permalink | User Comments (13)
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Wow this is going to be HUGE problem.
Advice to all who plan to attend. CAMP OUT.
Posted by: Omentum | Nov 17, 2008 6:23:04 PM
Gee, looks like the economy's not doing that bad after all.
Posted by: Grand Old Party | Nov 17, 2008 7:51:44 PM
You can't pay me to watch the inaugration of someone who BOUGHT his way into the White House.
I want to see whoever got elected to do well because this is my country. I just can't condone that this is a greatest thing since the sliced bread - because it is not. I hope for a miracle that this person who is willing to do and say anything to get elected will be a good president. But to be star-struck to watch his inaugration for a hefty price? Thanks but no thanks.
Posted by: Jen | Nov 18, 2008 2:07:35 AM
Gee, why isn't the perpetual Obama Campaign charging for the tickets in the first place?
Posted by: Obama: Buy the Change You Wish to See in the World | Nov 18, 2008 8:52:50 AM
As far as I am concerned scalping for any ticket period should be illegal period. All ticket reselling businesses should be put out of business. It is they who are driving up the cost of tickets to begin with since sports and entertainment managers are guaranteed sales. Ticket resellers buy all the choice seats to all the choice events preventing the general public from getting them. Personally, I would never buy a ticket over face value. By the way....I thought tickets were supposedly free? And how can ticket sellers even advertise for tickets that have not even been distributed yet? It is nothing but a shady business to me...
Posted by: indy_voter | Nov 18, 2008 11:23:18 AM
Gee, looks like the economy's not doing that bad after all.
Posted by: Grand Old Party | Nov 17, 2008 7:51:44 PM
====================================
Grand Old Party
I see you are still out of touch.
The fundamental of the economy are STRONG. Right?????
Posted by: Omentum | Nov 18, 2008 1:19:26 PM
They just said they now expect 3 million and there are only 90,000 hotel rooms available. I don't like crowds myself, so I'll check it out on tv. It really doesn't make a lot of sense. We have heard so much in the past week about concerns for Obama's safety, and it would seem to me 3 million people would be a security nightmare.
Posted by: Melanie | Nov 18, 2008 7:03:50 PM
If people can afford to pay exorbitant prices for inauguration tickets, flights and hotel rooms then, yeah, it does look like the economy is fundamentally strong.
3 million? No problem. Obama Messiah will multiply the hotel rooms three fold.
Posted by: Grand Old Party | Nov 18, 2008 11:23:26 PM
Im very proud of our country and our people for standing up and fighting for change . V.. fighting for our right to vote... fighting for our right to express ourselves ... my grandfather fought for our freedoms...President Obama will restore them for us!!!!!! Thank you America... Thank you Barack Obama...We love you!!!!V!!!!!
Posted by: Deana | Dec 16, 2008 12:45:29 PM
I have tickets and I will do what i want to with them.Use them ,sell them give them away,If you can find me in the crowd and you have 31k there yours.
Posted by: will | Dec 20, 2008 7:42:02 PM
Jen, Mr. Obama set a record for the most individual donations in the history of the United States elections. Almost 4 million people donated $1,$5,$10 up to $200 to his campaign. If that is what you call buying an election I am wondering where your brains have gone. McCain on the other hand took millions from special interest groups, in many cases breaking federal law in doing so. So get over it.
Posted by: Bob Currie | Jan 1, 2009 5:48:05 PM
Soon, Obama will be lounging in the white house, enjoying all the privileges that been the monopoly of the few
Posted by: what667 | Jan 13, 2009 12:06:51 AM
Actually, Grand Old Party, many people are probably spending their life savings to come to DC this weekend against what is probably their better judgement given that we're in a recession. So, no the economy isn't good - a small blip isn't necessarily a sign of recovery.
Posted by: andy | Jan 15, 2009 8:24:54 PM
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