Posted on 01/13/2005 7:20:49 PM PST by alessandrofiaschi
WASHINGTON - President Bush's second inauguration will cost tens of millions of dollars — $40 million alone in private donations for the balls, parade and other invitation-only parties. With that kind of money, what could you buy?
_200 armored Humvees with the best armor for troops in Iraq.
_Vaccinations and preventive health care for 22 million children in regions devastated by the tsunami.
_A down payment on the nation's deficit, which hit a record-breaking $412 billion last year.
_Two years' salary for the Mets' new center fielder Carlos Beltran, or all of pitcher Randy Johnson's contract extension with the New York Yankees.
Weeks ago, the inauguration and its accompanying costs were considered a given, an historic ceremony with all the pomp, pageantry and celebrations that the nation had come to expect every four years.
But a recent confluence of events — the tsunami natural disaster, Bush's warning about Social Security finances and the $5 billion-a-month price tag for the war in Iraq — have many Americans now wondering why spend the money the second time around.
While the Presidential Inaugural Committee hopes to raise $40 million in private donations for the balls, parades and candlelight dinners for high-roller donors, millions of government dollars will be spent on construction of the platform and stands at the Capitol, police overtime, military personnel and the tightest security for the first post-Sept. 11 inaugural.
The questions have come from Bush supporters and opponents: Do we need to spend this money on what seems so extravagant?
New York Rep. Anthony Weiner, a Democrat, suggested inaugural parties should be scaled back, citing as a precedent Roosevelt's inauguration during World War II.
"President Roosevelt held his 1945 inaugural at the White House, making a short speech and serving guests cold chicken salad and plain pound cake," according to a letter from Weiner and Rep. Jim McDermott, voting record), D-Wash. "During World War I, President Wilson did not have any parties at his 1917 inaugural, saying that such festivities would be undignified."
Lawmakers representing the Washington area have complained to the White House about the District of Columbia not getting enough federal help to cover the estimated $17.3 million security costs of the inaugural.
Organizers of the inaugural defended the celebration.
"The inauguration of a United States president is one of America's greatest traditions, a tradition that transcends partisan politics," said Tracey Schmitt, a spokeswoman for the Presidential Inaugural Committee. "Our theme is celebrating freedom and honoring service."
She cited the Commander in Chief inaugural ball that offers free tickets to service members back from Afghanistan and Iraq and their family members. That ball is one of nine; the other eight require a ticket.
"Every inaugural there's a really good reason given why you should spend whatever donors are sending in on something else," said Rich Galen, a veteran Republican activist, saying many of the complaints come from the losers of the election.
Billionaire Mark Cuban, owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, voted for Bush — twice. Cuban knows a thing or two about big spending, once starring in ABC's reality TV show, "The Benefactor," in which 16 contenders tried to pass his test for success and win $1 million.
Cuban questioned spending all that money on the inaugural.
"As a country, we face huge deficits. We face a declining economy. We have service people dying. We face responsibilities to help those suffering from the ... devastation of the tsunamis," he wrote on his blog, a Web journal.
Cuban challenged Bush to set an example: "Start by canceling your inauguration parties and festivities."
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Will Lester covers polling and politics for The Associated Press.
DC pays as it should. They received 250 million bucks from HSA for SECURITY If they can't afford it then the DC government needs to be audited post haste.
This cost is borne by voluntary contributions from ciizens, not by taxes.
We are the greatest country on earth and we have to act accordingly.
Mary Lincoln's gown for the 1865 inauguration (held while a war was still going on and Washington DC was in a war zone) cost $2,000 at that time, which would make it, what, a couple million in 2005 dollars. Compared to that, Laura Bush's gown is bargain basement.
Pay attention, I'm not a troll. I'n fact I'm a conservative and a friend of Meek. Sometimes, I wonder why some people are unable to discuss. Please, don't fooling around.
ciizens = citizens
I think it is ridiculous to inaugurate a sitting president. But I don't recall all this kerfluffle when Clintoon had his second.
Perhaps you're not listening/reading. A number of freepers have posted that the $$ is made up of PRIVATE DONATIONS. What do you not understand about that?
"With that kind of money, what could you buy?"
Well, I imagine BJ Klintoon who spent about the same amount while Kosovo was raging, Osama was running around and Mohammed Atta and assorted nasties were having their goat, weak Willie probably spent a lot of his money on lap dances, hiring interns and he DID have a hell of an Inaugural party.
I was answering to Miss Marple, not to anyboby else.
For one thing, all the hoopla isn't really for the President - it's for US - the US in the U.S.
Bush would probably be happy to be home on the ranch clearing brush...
This is a tradition - a celebration of our way of life and our freedom -
The nay sayers are the ones who - like Thoreau would say, would find fault with the morning red - if they ever got up early enough....
You sure you did the math right, hon?
Phew, I feel better now.
This is an open forum. I have the liberty to answer a post w/o your permission. You're quite rude.
An Inauguration is the clearest manifestation of what our government is about ... it is a transition of power ... a transition without bloodshed, by a vote of the people, for 225 years. In this case, the power continues with President Bush. It could have been otherwise (God forbid) but President Bush would have been there, just as his dad stood there while Clinton was sworn in, and as Al Gore stood there when he was sworn in in '01.
So, who is to bitch if people want to celebrate that with $40M of private donations. The security IS a government expense and far beyond anything we've ever known for an Inauguration. Are we to cave into the terrorists and not have a major Inaugural festivity to celebrate our Republic?
It is more important now than ever for us to celebrate this amazing country.
WASHINGTON - President Bush's second inauguration will cost tens of millions of dollars — $40 million alone in private donations for the balls, parade and other invitation-only parties. With that kind of money, what could you buy?
Whatever I want to buy, including a forty million dollar inauguration...why is it yours or anyone else's business?
"But there are also $17.3 million security costs of the inaugural. Who pays?"
Elections are pretty expensive too...should we get rid of them as well?
Get a grip, it's a shining example to the world of the orderly transition of power that's at the heart of this nation...celebrate it and quit bitching about it.
Me or Miss Marple who called me a poseur (message n. 38)?
You do have all the liberty you desire!
Ahmmmm...if you want a "private" conversation, you need to click the "private" box - not the public forum box - otherwise, be prepared to get answered by one and all
Boy the libs have become a bunch of whiney old maids.
Keep the sarcasm about the "recovery"..comment. That's really getting old. I am one of many people ( ie, david Horowitz) who had very different ideas before, and now am a conservative politically and economically.
Just cool down.
I perfectly understand the Inauguration is paid for with private funds. I am just as happy as you are to see this Inauguration. It is not the money issue. It is that we are in the midst of a very difficult war, and it is the sentiment that could be seen as ostentatius partying. Those that raise this issue have a right to have the point brought up without impuning their wanting to have Bush honored, the political victory recognized and capitalism allowed to flourish.
I stand by my point, on the issue of our being in wartime ,it is a tough call and I am sure the adminisitration has considered this also.
" And, please! Mark Cuban, who gave a million dollars to some lame reality show, has a lot of room to complain about how money's being spent."
All NBA games should be suspended.
All birthday parties, wedding receptions, movie premieres, gallery openings, Broadway shows , NFL playoffs, college and high school basketball games and any and all forms of American entertainment, should grind to a halt.
Newspapers and magazines should go dormant.
The Oscars should be cancelled, without a doubt.
Ditto the Super Bowl.
Get Leno, Letterman and the Comedy channel off the air.
No attempts at natural or artificial conception.
And above all, no one should dare crack a smile or laugh, until the liberals give the all clear.
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