Subject: Re: SWEET
I'd love for someone to explain why we should continue to host state dinners and important diplomatic functions outside under a tent and in the mud.

We don't have to. But that's up to Congress to decide. If Congress doesn't allocate funds for something, it doesn't matter whether that's a good idea or a bad idea - they haven't allocated the funds, and the President doesn't just get to decide that he gets to ignore that. Similarly, if Congress hasn't authorized the acceptance of outside funds for something like this, it doesn't matter whether that's a good idea or a bad idea - they haven't authorized the alternative funding mechanism, and the President doesn't get to just decide that he gets to ignore that.