"Well I'm ever upper-class high society, God's gift to ballroom notoriety, And I always fill my ballroom, The event is never small, The social pages say I've got, The biggest balls of all" AC/DC
My what a difference four years makes! At Bush's inauguration there was major grumbling from the left over the cost ($40 Million). Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-NY said "Precedent suggests that inaugural festivities should be muted — if not canceled — in wartime,”. Eight Congressional Democrats wrote a letter to Bush decrying the "Unfair financial burden being imposed on Washington DC". Eric Boehlert, Salon.com, called it "Bush's overblown celebration", the Center for American Progress called it "lifestyles of the rich and heartless".
The London Guardian called the Bush inauguration "an unashamed celebration of red America's victory over blue America". Now the Guardian is estimating the cost of the Obama inauguration at $150 million , although this time they just stick to the facts and leave the blithering to others.
Carole Florman, spokeswoman for the congressional committee on inauguration ceremonies told the NY Daily News (which estimates the cost at $160 million) that " We're always very budget conscious. But we're sending a message to the entire world about our peaceful transition of power, and you don't want it to look like a schlock affair." My guess is that schlock is Yiddish for Republican... since $40 million was good enough for Bush.
You know, honestly, I don't begrudge Obama a $160 million dollar inauguration (might be a tad over the top), but I won't complain about the costs, hell! spend $200 million. I will complain at the obvious double standard of the celebrating party and liberal media. What? Didn't think these words would come back to haunt you?
Change you can believe in!... the only change I'm seeing is who's doing the whining.
To paraphrase: "Let them eat shoe"
Cheers!
~Finntann~
7 comments:
Hey Finn,
It's not the whining--the media right has also been blasting Obama's overspending... The real issue to look at is who's doing the paying, and what will it eventually cost us mere citizens?
According to historian Paul Boller, only FDR ever curtailed inauguration celebrations--we were at war then too, and he was sworn in and gave his speech at the White House, followed by a luncheon for 1000. Then again, it was his fourth and lavish parties are bad press in a nation with food rationing.
The Obama list is public and easily found online, and the Bush list is history.
Among Bush 2004 supporters were Exxon, Mobil, Ameriquest. Over 100 Wall St. firms contributed $100,000to $250,000 each to the 2004 inaugural pot. Not a bad return on their money lately.
Call me cynical but it seems to me that the orderly transition of the world's most powerful democracy leaves one thing to watch ---which chickens come home to roost this time?
Rie
I say let him spend 200 million. We're talking the democrat party here. Without a successful image campaign, the whole world might figure out we have totally empty suits manning the drivers seat!
SteveH
I won't mention names, but take a close look at the list of Obama contributors again and compare the names of the contributors to the names of their employers, and then see if you can tell me that a contribution from "John Doe" of "Doe Brother Investments" is a personal or business contribution?
It doesn't really bother me, but it is naive to think there is a difference between that and a contribution from Exxon. The point was Bush 40 Million, Obama 150 Million. It was also the fact that those who were screaming the loudest about Bush's 40 million are suddenly,eerily, silent.
And what exactly would you consider the "media right" to be? Fox News? A bunch of AM radio stations? Cause it's certainly not ABC,NBC,CBS,CNN,MSNBC... need I go on?
Cheers!
~Finntann~
He's a black guy being inaugurated as president in america!
Security alone costs 200 million.
I mean... one of you aren't planning on snipping the guy? You all are aren't you?
That's America with a Capital "A," Can man! Just like we spell our junior partner's name with a capital C.
Also, Finntann and I are former military, so comments like yours about any US president are out of line here, not to mention ignorant and indulgent in stereotype.
We support the constitution, and God forbid anything should happen to any president, including Barack Obama.
"That's America with a Capital "A," Can man! Just like we spell our junior partner's name with a capital C." Way to tell him Silverfiddle.
OHIO JOE
Thanks, Ohio Joe.
We joke around about a lot of stuff here, but outright disrespect for America and our institutions is out of line.
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