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."
___
EDITOR'S NOTE: Will Lester covers polling and politics for The Associated Press.
$40m is what?
€30.5m in European currency.
Which in European terms at the moment is the price it costs to build maybe 100 houses in Ireland.
Piddling money.
BTW...these are private donations, not TAX PAYERS money.
Therefore..chill out and enjoy the party.
I'm sure the independent investors on the inauguration party have already coughed up megabucks to the Tsunami disaster.
How you relate an inaugural party funded by private donations to big government Republicans perplexes me. Or is this one of the 'look at all the money being spent on a party for a (US) elected President when so many people have had their lives destroyed by the tsunami' arguments?
"..I must admit that the inaugurations cost too much.."
Well, Alessandro, all ex-presidents MUST have Secret Service protection for the rest of their life. And the ex-president must provide housing for those guards. What do you think about an ex-president who buys a house with an $11,000 monthly mortgage payment, then builds a small house for the guards on the property and bills the government $11,000 per month. Nifty scam, right?
Now let's see, 11K per month is $121K per year, right?
Even if the ceremonies were scaled back, the security expenses would be about the same. The balls and most of the other events are paid for by private donations.
I suppose we could have a subdued event where everyone was dressed in sackcloth and ashes, but then the media and the left would say it was because we were feeling guilty.
The Inauguration should go on as planned, privately funded and full of celebration for the greatest country and government on earth.
It's the old, 'How dare you be happy when everyone is miserable' sickness.
If you don't VOTE, you do not have the right to complain, especially if you aren't a citizen. I don't see any of us complaining about the money Berlusconi spends on Italian suits?
Very good point, rintense.
An inauguration celebration paid for largely by private donations is a fine and shining example of small government, getting out of the people's way and allowing them to enjoy the fruits of their labor (the election of the president of their choice) and a shining example of freedom (actually being able to make a choice involving the leaders of your company) is not only not large government it's a fine reminder to the world of what we are fighting for. Even if some of it will be paid for with government dollars (which is garaunteed) so what, the inauguration of a president is a very important symbolic act in our country. The ceremony of the changing of the gaurd at Buckingham Palace has continued through every crisis England has ever faced, because they understood that maintaining these symbolic traditions is a display of the strength of the fabric of the nation and its people. Never forget that strength can be displayed with joy also.
Guess what?
A Tsunami hit Asia, and I while I have made a big personal financial contriubtion and have re-directed funds from a charity fundraising organisation to that cause, I went out with my friends tonight.
I think I should give myself several slaps of the birch for having a life. Dontcha think?
The whinny Lib's, Always First & Foremost with charges of Excess of Private Funds & Unnecessary Private Funding, Just can't stand it when private citizens do as they please. Never a whimper about excess waste in social programs & it's redundant spending on such. Oh there's Never enough taxpayer money to go around, ...........EEeerrrrr. But their main bitch ? THE children,.......
Think of the Children ! there just isn't enough- Welfare, GA, AFDC, WIC, Food Stamps, Food Vouchers, Food put in Pocket from the School Lunch Program, Moldy Govt. Cheese Blocks, State, County & City Programs, Food of Questionable Source at the Local Shelter, OR a reliable Meals On Wheels For our Precious Little Tax exemptions .....er..... darlings, to even have ONE decent meal. HOW, In the name of all that is precious & holy, can any Tax paying citizen sleep soundly at Night.
Ok, a smigg off subject, but point still made.
Did I sound like John Kerry?
that has nothing to do with discussing the issue. we KNOW its private funds.
No. If I, a private citizen decide to spend my money on an Inauguration Ball, that's my choice. It's my freedom of expression. If others don't like it, I don't care. I never care what others think. Period.
Exactly! Why do we have to feel guilty to celebrate? Should we feel guilty if we eat when people are starving? Or give up our houses because others are homeless?Perhaps we should give everything we have and never enjoy anything again because of the cruelty of the world?
Or maybe there's a time for everything....and this is time to celebrate a wonderful victory for our country.
You need to work on that Bostonian nasal inflect, hon.
I don't feel at all chastised. ;-)
"But there are also $17.3 million security costs of the inaugural. Who pays?"
Uh, that comes out of the $240 MILLION in funds the federal govt has given DC for Homeland Security in the past 3 years. Frankly, most of the security people working on January 20th would be working whether there was an inauguration or not. The overtime pay will put more bucks into their pockets, and this is a bad thing because.....?
PS: What were the security costs for the democrat convention in Boston? Who paid for that? And what did we get out of it?
Before accusing me to be a poseur and a troll, you should have read me previous post. I consider myself a conservative and usually I don't need to tell this to anybody. Besides, you question that I venture to post message like this, signing me up only a day after the Election. What's the authority you have for that? Bye.
_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.
What I've read said we could almost pay for Clinton's inauguration.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.