Should the White House be reopened for tours?

2014-08-29T22:23:36-04:00

If the White House belongs to the people of America, can the President arbitrarily decide to keep it closed to the public and open it only to those he invites? Is this really a matter of Economics and National Security?

Response by LCpl Steve Wininger made Aug 29 at 2014 11:10 PM

2014-08-29T23:10:26-04:00

Absolutely needs to be reopened. The White House is more than just the presidential mansion, it is a historical monument that represents all those who have held the high office.

It should have never been closed to begin with. That was just a political move aimed at stirring the division between two parties during a failed budget agreement.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2014 11:22 PM

2014-08-29T23:22:15-04:00

Didn't know the reason the White House tours were shut down were actually Political. From what I have heard the sequestration cut the budget for the Treasury Department which has the Secret Service within it's budgetary worries. Secret Service probably picked the easiest quick fix to ensure there was no lapse in coverage for it's assigned principals.

Response by SGT Richard H. made Aug 30 at 2014 1:14 PM

2014-08-30T13:14:05-04:00

I heard that the reason it's closed isn't political OR financial. Rumor has it that the POTUS saw "White House Down" and it scared the crap out of him.

Kidding aside- Yes, I think any portion of the White House that doesn't require a security clearance should be open for public tours, just as it has for many administrations before the current one. It's a national park.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Aug 30 at 2014 1:25 PM

2014-08-30T13:25:30-04:00

Sounds like Tours are available they have to be scheduled and arranged through your Congressman's Office but that shouldn't be much of an Administrative Hurdle and does offer some degree of Vetting for security purposes and can be done on 24 hours notice.

Response by Col Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 31 at 2014 4:03 PM

2014-08-31T16:03:07-04:00

As a tax payer and defender of freedom, I think we should be able to tour the White House. I don't think military members with a valid security clearance should have to jump through the same hoops as the general public though.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 1 at 2014 9:07 AM

2014-09-01T09:07:31-04:00

The White House is open for tours. It was closed for a mixture of reasons, I don't care to get into that. You do have to schedule a tour in advance through your congressional representative's office, or if you know someone who works there they can usually give you the hook-up with a like a 2 week heads up. But I'll tell you this, I'd rather tour Bill Gates' or Elon Musk's house, those two places are probably pretty sweet.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made Sep 1 at 2014 2:57 PM

2014-09-01T14:57:57-04:00

Evict the current residents and make future presidents live off of the economy. Turn the white house into a national park and open it up to visitors. That is my opinion on this subject.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 1 at 2014 3:01 PM

2014-09-01T15:01:14-04:00

Capt Jeff S., I remember when they closed it back awhile... but it's still closed? Really has not been on the news since it was first announced. I wish it was open because I wanted to show my wife the inside while stationed at Fort Bragg.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 1 at 2014 3:15 PM

2014-09-01T15:15:24-04:00

1) The White House is *not* closed to tours. What makes you think it is?

2) As has been the case for ten years or more, tours of the White House are arranged (free of charge) through a member of Congress (House or Senate). For actual information, not political RUMINT see: http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/tours-and-events; http://www.nps.gov/whho/planyourvisit/white-house-tours.htm; and http://dc.about.com/cs/walkingtours/a/WhiteHouse.htm.