The Presidency didn't start out costing an arm and a leg. Our first President, George Washington agreed to be the President, in part, because he needed the job. Sure, the campaigns of President Obama and Sen. John McCain spent nearly $1.5 billion in the election of 2008. But campaign costs have technically grown slower than GDP (if you don't count super-PAC money).

Dave Gilson at Mother Jones used resources dating back to 1860 to make the chart below and ask the legitimate question: Is the White House overpriced?

Read the full story HERE and find out if the Presidency really is overpriced.