Letters: Your president, brought to you by....

Re “Inauguration flip-flop,” Editorial, and “Obama hasn’t reined in Big Money,” Jan. 10

President Obama shouldn’t be bashed for backpedaling on his pre-Citizens United stance on campaign and inauguration funding. Obama’s reelection campaign faced an enormous challenge from his opponent’s ultra-wealthy backers, whom the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision freed from nettlesome public scrutiny.

To win reelection, Obama had to counter his well-heeled opposition’s newly enhanced monetary firepower. He therefore inexorably incurred many political debts, including inauguration perks for corporate donors.

Let’s hope the ill-considered Citizens United decision is superseded long before the 2016 election. Then maybe the next Democratic nominee can accede to sensible campaign funding constraints, without feeling like he or she is taking a knife to a gunfight.

Edward Alston

Santa Maria

Had Obama made the decision to simply conduct the upcoming inauguration in the Oval Office with a sprinkling of the main characters and a television crew in tow, he would have set an invaluable example that in these troubled financial times, the spending cuts start at the top.

I for one would have been so impressed and encouraged that I would have tumbled off the fence on which I’ve been sitting and changed my registration to Democrat.

Diane McDowell

Los Angeles

We’re celebrating the second inauguration of our 44th president. It’s a party, for goodness sake, and though I’m well aware that everything in Washington has political undertones, I’m disappointed that your editorial put a political spin on the funding for this event.

The people have elected Barack Obama, and I am looking forward to hearing him on Inauguration Day. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain on his parade.

Ellie Berner

San Diego

So fat cats are asked to pay for the inauguration party. I wonder what they expect to get in exchange.

The man I voted for throws principle out the window for a party too big for the public to pay for. He thumbs his nose at those who believe in and work for limited money in politics just to glorify his oath-taking.

I can’t decide if I’m more disgusted with him or embarrassed for him.

I wonder what other “accommodations” he’ll make with the devil in his second term.

Lou Del Pozzo

Pacific Palisades

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