(AP)
WASHINGTON — There’s no austerity plan when it comes to President Obama’s inauguration bash.
While the rest of the nation readies for a possible recession brought on by the fiscal cliff, the president is lining up a series of lavish black-tie balls to celebrate his re-election.
One source told The Post there would be at least six or seven elegant balls at a single site — the huge convention center in downtown DC.
And the presidential inaugural committee is still reserving dibs on the elegant Civil War-era National Building Museum — the site of past inaugural festivities where military bigwigs have rubbed elbows with major donors and lawmakers.
There will also be hundreds of thousands of cheering fans on the National Mall for the Jan. 21 swearing-in.
But the big parties will happen the weekend before.
A Senate committee handling the public swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol plans to issue a stunning 250,000 tickets — the same number that went out for Obama’s historic 2008 inauguration.
Critics are calling for the president to scale back, saying the lush displays send the wrong signal.
“Given the times . . . he might want to have a reception — not some big whoop-de-do,” said Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.).