<\/a>We have learned a great deal about our former presidents from what they have done upon retirement. Democrats Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton have committed themselves to addressing global issues and have used their presidential libraries as a valuable resource for the valuable work of their foundations. The libraries offer excellent learning experiences for the public in general, and special windows into the presidency for historians.<\/p>\n Republicans Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush have had libraries built in their honor, but none of them seems to have a mission much beyond painting their own presidencies in a positive light.<\/p>\n George W. Bush\u2019s library was the most recent to be built, and it cost $300 million, residing on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Two years after its completion in 2013, President Barack Obama began discussions on his presidential library, which will be located in a yet-to-be-determined site in or near his hometown of Chicago. We often think of Democrats as being more modest and cautious in the spending of money, particularly for items that do not have direct benefits to the needy and the middle class in our society. But initial estimates are that the Obama Library will cost in the neighborhood of $1 billion. This is a 233% increase over the previous presidential library. It reminds us of how Barack Obama raised $778 million for his presidential campaign in 2008, twice that of Republican John McCain, as well as Democrat John Kerry in 2004. In the process, Obama blew away the option of public funding, and this was all before Citizens United<\/a>.<\/p>\n There are several important considerations with regard to the Obama presidential library:<\/p>\n President Obama began discussions last February with friends and advisers about the presidential library. If his goal is moderation in the planning for the library, he has given no indication of such. If his goal is excess, as a $1 billion price tag would be, then his initial planning seems headed in that direction. Among the guests at the White House for that first planning meeting were hedge fund manager Marc Lasry and Silicon Valley venture capitalist John Doerr. In fairness, others in attendance included novelist Toni Morrison and writer Malcolm Gladwell. But why does a presidential library need to cost $1 billion? It doesn\u2019t have to be stocked with stacks and stacks of books and other printed material, because most everything will be digitized. Yes, conference rooms for historians are important and perhaps an auditorium for special events. But can\u2019t this be done for no more than the $300 million that was the cost for the library for our most recent former president?<\/p>\n\n