I wonder if the American people were shown the sites in many foreign countries where State Dinner's etc. are given if we as a people might agree to what Trump is doing. I believe it's more the way he's gone about it than the structure itself.
I for one think we should have a place indoors for holding such events, rather than a tent on the White House property. but it should have been properly planned and perhaps could have incorporated other shortcomings that can be found in the White House.
As a retired Govt. employee, I've never been to the White House officially, but have visited the Navy's offices in Crystal City. I found high paid employees I'd dealt with for years in cubicles where they were up to their ears in paper. It was no way for such high paid officials to work efficiently, but it's how they work. I'm told the Pentagon is no different. It's penny wise and pound foolish to treat talented people this way and expect the best from them. I suspect that some offices in the White House are little different and if more space and people properly filing the masses of papers would help, perhaps it could have been incorporated into such an addition without even being visible to those attending the State Dinners, etc. being hosted there.
I know the Pentagon has been shown to be run down and in need of much improvement, or was found to be after 9-11, I don't know if much has been done to improve on it. Presidents have always made changes to serve their needs to the White House, but I believe they've done it properly, but don't know that to be a fact. Trump has clearly ignored all regulations and what's being built may dwarf the White House as we know it, it's roughly the same square footage, and while it may be needed, I suspect it could have been designed in a manner that didn't diminish the White House, I don't believe what Trump's doing will meet that criteria, I believe it will dwarf the White House because of how he's doing it. We may not be paying for it, but some are already talking of future Presidents tearing it down.
Done properly, I don't know that it wouldn't be something we all could be proud of, but that would take the architectural boards, etc. who're supposed to do such things being involved, not just one man saying here's the design, put it here.
Gary |
