Ballin’ Around at White House

I am not super opposed to construction of a new attached grand ballroom to the White House, especially if it’s being paid for by donations and not the taxpayers. It seems like there is always an interest for new convention spaces and other public gathering locations, and hopefully future presidents will put it to good use for public meetings and events. It always seems kind of wasteful and temporary to have great state dinners and other formal events in a tent on White House Grounds when these events occur year after year and really should have a permanent home. It’s also not like the White House is a pristine building or no additions have occurred over the year – the complex is rather sprawling and unwieldy, and adding this extra needed space at no cost to the taxpayers makes a lot of sense in my mind.