Okay, it's not quite that much...only $485,000.00.
http://www.yahoo.com/s/1012443
And at least it isn't taxpayer's money.
But to spend that kind of money on plates?
I guess if you're the President or his wife, you have to keep up appearances and all that, but still...
Would you spend a half-mil on dinnerware?
[question posted by myklj999]responses and comments:
Hmmmm im sure they didnt really cost that much, the rest is just going to area 51 and wherever else the money goes. Like the 10,000 dollar screw drivers and hammers and all that lol. She is just getting started early lol. Damn thats a lot. Hope its really good china lol. [darkjedi]
are you kidding me? i wouldnt pay half a DOLLAR for ANYTHING from China what are they thinking? gawd only knows what is on/in those plates that might kill the president! [wrathofAnubis]
See you aren't having a bad day..Just a butterfly one..rasp Bet Michaels wondering what the butterfly we are saying..lol.. [Rosekitty]
I wouldn't have even paid what my father paid for the Lenox he bought my mother 35 years ago (which, as I'm going through things to see what's what, is now worth at least $1200). The only thing I can say is that each president has to put their own uniqueness into the White House and there need to be enough pieces of china to cover all dinners they might have, including replacement pieces in case something breaks. So, they would need larger sets than Mom had (service for 8), for sure. Personally, I don't know why they have to get new sets each administration, but it's been done for years. But, a half-mil? Oh, the bills I could pay!! [jerzgirl]
ha ha ha, when I read the title I thought we were buying China! They'd better watch out for the paint on that stuff! [Irishfrndly65]
ohh you bad girl............ [Irishfrndly65]
Oh Great! i wonder what happens to the poor person that has to clean them must go through..Can you imagine the stress if they break one? [Rosekitty]
Hell, I wouldn't spend half of a hundred on china lol [fwidman]
Well, looks like Nancy Reagan spent $250,000, Hillary Clinton $285,000, figuring in the cost of inflation etc (didn't everything get more expensive?) ..it's about in the same league as the last two orders of new China. You have to figure that this is custom made high quality China. Even for non-customized stuff you already pay an arm and a leg. Go have a look at the China stores. That stuff has real gold trim etc. Instead of a set for of the standard 12 most people have for fine entertaining, they have to probably order something like 2,000 for big state banquets. They sort out stuff as soon as it has a little ding scratch because it's not appropriate to have high honor guests eat from stuff like that. Normal wear and tear, I can see how new dishes could be in order after eight years. It's not like they don't still use the old stuff for smaller gatherings. But they need a complete undamaged set for big deal events. $485k is still cheap. They might have gotten a discount for the honor of having the privilege to produces fine china for the White House. They found people willing to pay for it. It's not out of taxpayers pocket... Yep, the White House upkeep costs a lot. [jonesy123]
Lol, we have an eclectic collection of garage sale and hand me down not so fine china. It's good enough for us, especially with small kids around. Although it would be nice to have a complete set of something when we have people over for dinner. I just know the prices because I like to look at them in the store. I know I can't afford the high class fine china but I'll eventually get a complete set of something nice and affordable;) [jonesy123]
It's a long line of ridiculousness! In a veritable twilight zone of ridiculousness we call life as we know it.. [flowerchilde]
Quick mykl..... Head down to the registry office and change your name to "China"! lol This is definitely a tad excessive you would think. I could be a multi-millionaire and I would still never spend that amount of money on friggin' dinnerware! You eat off it, you wash it then you eat off it again. Jeez. confused [James72]
Hi Irish, The video said the money was coming from some private foundation that was set up to pay for the china when Nancy Reagan ordered some after her husband made such drastic cuts in the budget. She got in trouble for spending the money so some private investors paid for it and has been doing it ever since. [savak03]
Hi myklj999, That is disgusting, with so many people starving, I am just so speechless. Tamara [tamarafireheart]
Sure, and then I'd take them to a dinner theater with some sticks and try to spin them for entertainment, if they hit the floor, which they would, and then broke, I'd just ask for another half mil. [gitfiddleplayer]
mykl, In this economy who's counting? Just short of half a mil? I have a sneaky suspicion that our new President and First Lady will accept nothing but the very best every where they go. It doesn't really matter who decided to do this because it's only the beginning. But that's just my opinion. leenie [leenie50]
The Bushes bought it, not the Obamas. [myklj999]
Yeah that was a jaw dropping moment when I heard of that shopping spree. WTF! This country is in such an economic crisis and they have to buy new china. Pfffffff.angry [ElusiveButterfly]
Well they can say that it is not taxpayer money but somehow I believe we will foot the bill anyhow. [savak03]
I wouldn't spend half-a-tenner on plates, never mind half-a-million. It's all b@ll@cks doh [louise99]
Ya right. I'd be paying off the mortgage, the car, the credit cards. Anything left over would go into an emergency bank account. Or the husband would be investing it. Compromise, pay off the car and the cards, pay down the mortgage and invest the rest. China? Hell no! [dawnald]
If I'm ever in the place to be President of the U.S., all guest to the White House will be eating off of the finest paper plates that money can buy. It'll probably be from the Coronet brand Presidential seal collection with matching sporks. I can use that half mil for my gambling spree in Vegas. [mrghill]
LOL, I'd only spend that much on dinnerware if I was the wife of the Chineses President.............sadly, don't think that's ever gonna happen so I'll stick to my Chinet! LOL [sparkofinsanity]
That does seem extreme, but at least they weren't bought with taxpayer money. [6precious102]
Of COURSE, Myk. I'd spend a half a mil ANYTIME for paper plates. After all they're probably about the same quality paper that my new president and his wife are. Memo to self: Barack is gonna sic his mother-in-law on you, RJ. Not a very pleasant thought. (C) 2009 RJScott [rjscott]
Oops! That's what I get for replying to discussions from email. Well, that being the case, George W. should beat his wife severely about the bush! [rjscott]
I would't spend half a hundred on dinnerware...................$50.00lol [camomom]
....and then they will have to be insured...imagine what their total insurance bill is???WooHoo. Just think...you're in the kitchen and you're wiping the dishes and the plate slips from your hands...to smash in a very expensive way, onto the floor. Faaaarrrrk!!! wouldn't you carp yourself?lollol [MsTickle]
that's ridiculous. even if i were filthy rich i wouldn't spend that. all gonna get broken/chipped eventually anyway. [scarlet_woman]