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Thu 30 Dec, 2004 02:29 am
I have a suggestion for George W. Bush. Why don't you simplify your second term inauguration with a simple oath taking ceremony and send the $40 million dollars you would spend to the earthquake-tsunami victims? ---BBB
Bush inauguration fever hits Washington
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
WASHINGTON?- Holiday parties look tame this year compared with the grand events planned in January for the official inauguration of President George W. Bush's second term in office. The US capital is already busy gearing up for the pomp and ceremony. Four days of festivities will culminate January 20 with Bush's swearing in ceremony at the US Congress, his parade to the White House and nine inauguration balls. The final bill for all the celebrations will be a cool 40 million dollars ?- a record in US history ?- mostly financed by donations.
Before Christmas, wealthy private donators, industrial, financial and lobby groups, Republicans and Democrats, will have turned in their checks for 50,000 to 250,000 dollars to the inauguration committee tasked with organizing the events. In return, the donors will receive sought after tickets to the inauguration events, which they can then offer to their friends and favored clients.
The biggest contributors (250,000 dollars) include oil giants ExxonMobil Corp and Occidental Petroleum Corp, and computer maker Michael Dell, officials said. "It was more a case of political extortion than political generosity," said a Washington lobbyist who spoke on condition of anonymity about his donation. "When someone high up in the inaugural committee gets you on the phone and solicits you for 100,000 dollars for an administration that is going to be in power for the next four years, what was I going to say? Certainly not ?'no.'" In addition to the 40 million dollar inauguration bill, slightly higher than in 2001 when Bush first made it to the White House, there is the undetermined cost of the biggest security operation for the first post-9/11 inauguration.
The tax payer will pick up that tab. The most popular events include the January 18 "Saluting Those Who Serve" gala honoring the US armed forces and the January 20 "Texas-Wyoming Ball," where country singer Lyle Lovett will perform and a proper attire of tuxedo plus cowboy boots is recommended. Tickets for these events are already fetching several thousands of dollars at internet auctions. A more formal event, the "Commander-in-chief's ball" with about 2,000 guests, "will be a special celebration for active troops and their families focusing on those who have recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan or (who) will be soon deployed there," said Greg Jenkins, executive director of the Presidential Inaugural Committee.
The sprawling lawn behind the White House will host on January 19 another service honoring US troops called "celebrating freedom."
The most spectacular events will be fire works and a grand parade through Washington of 10,000 people, including musical bands from 50 US states and close to 300 horses. Rooms at Washington's top hotels are completely booked up despite their requirement of reserving a minimum of four nights and a no-money-back policy.
The richest and luckiest will have the run of a presidential suite at the Ritz-Carlton costing 150,000 dollars that includes a personal butler to tuck away the guests' belongings and a 20,000 dollar gift-set of luggage. "We are sold out. The package (presidential suite) has not been sold yet," said Ritz-Carlton spokeswoman Coleen Evans. Security at the inauguration events will be very tight.
The tens of thousands of ordinary citizens who want to see the parade up close will have either have to be frisked or pass through metal detectors. To reinforce thousands of local police patrolling the events, some 4,000 troops will be deployed, as well as bomb-sniffing dogs and hazmat units capable of dealing with chemical, biological or radiological attacks. And completing the inauguration picture, tens of thousands anti-Bush and anti-war demonstrators are also expected.
Yes, that sounds like a nice thing to do, but remember that a lot of people are actually working and that the inauguration will put food on their plates and pay their bills.
The US gov't has money for disaster aide.
What you want Bush to miss a photo opportunity? He needs it to feed his ego. I would add with American kids dying in Iraq fighting his war it seems to me that the festivities planned are entirely inappropriate. No matter who is paying for it. His inauguration should be held in a closet.
McGentrix wrote:Yes, that sounds like a nice thing to do, but remember that a lot of people are actually working and that the inauguration will put food on their plates and pay their bills.
The US gov't has money for disaster aide.
Why not give them all the day off with pay and send the other 39million 500 thousand to the victims then? Of course Ted Nugent and Toby Keith might keep their deposits.....
I saw we don't send any money until it is asked for. Then make sure we are going to get a scratch on the back later.
At
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/29/quake.aid/
Quote:The United States is offering $35 million, Japan $30 million and the United Kingdom $28 million. Australia and Germany have pledged $27 million, France $20.4 million and Saudi Arabia $10 million.
What exactly are you blaming Bush for, aside from the fact that you just don't like him? His sin now is that he is going to be innaugurated?
It doesn't cost 40 million to be inaugurated....I suspect that next people who disagree with the administration will be rounded up to begin moving the stones necessary to start construction on his Great Pyramid
Baldimo wrote:I saw we don't send any money until it is asked for. Then make sure we are going to get a scratch on the back later.
How about some nice cookies to dip into that milk of human kindness?
I nominate this for the nastiest mean spirited and unfeeling post made since the inception of A2K. Very revealing.
Bi-Polar Bear wrote:It doesn't cost 40 million to be inaugurated....I suspect that next people who disagree with the administration will be rounded up to begin moving the stones necessary to start construction on his Great Pyramid
Well, I have never been innaugurated, so I cannot speak authoritatively, but I suspect that some of the money goes to very extensive security.
BPB
I will beg off that detail since my people have already given. :wink:
Brandon wrote
Quote:Well, I have never been innaugurated, so I cannot speak authoritatively, but I suspect that some of the money goes to very extensive security.
How much security is needed in a closet?
Mazel Tov...you are most certainly excused.
au1929 wrote:Brandon wrote
Quote:Well, I have never been innaugurated, so I cannot speak authoritatively, but I suspect that some of the money goes to very extensive security.
How much security is needed in a closet?
In the age of terrorism which we presently live in, any public presidential event requires extensive security both before and during the event. Presidential security became much more extensive after JFK's assassination in Dallas. The idea that a presidential innauguration would not require extensive security is naive, to say the least.
Brandon9000 wrote:Bi-Polar Bear wrote:It doesn't cost 40 million to be inaugurated....I suspect that next people who disagree with the administration will be rounded up to begin moving the stones necessary to start construction on his Great Pyramid
Well, I have never been inaugurated, so I cannot speak authoritatively, but I suspect that some of the money goes to very extensive security.
which, without the giant "I love me" fest...would be unnecessary...tell you what...go to the people working the inauguration and give them the choice to stay home and send the money to the disaster victims and I'll bet what you'll see is a real..not a land on a flight deck pr.... but a
real outpouring of the kind of American spirit bush likes to talk about.....and the majority of the people will opt to take the day off....write off the income...and send the money overseas. Of course there's a world of difference between the faux American spirit bush and his whatever they are he's surrounded with preach about in front of bunting and the true American spirit of our countries citizens....
Bi-Polar Bear wrote:Brandon9000 wrote:Bi-Polar Bear wrote:It doesn't cost 40 million to be inaugurated....I suspect that next people who disagree with the administration will be rounded up to begin moving the stones necessary to start construction on his Great Pyramid
Well, I have never been inaugurated, so I cannot speak authoritatively, but I suspect that some of the money goes to very extensive security.
which, without the giant "I love me" fest...would be unnecessary...tell you what...go to the people working the inauguration and give them the choice to stay home and send the money to the disaster victims and I'll bet what you'll see is a real..not a land on a flight deck pr.... but a
real outpouring of the kind of American spirit bush likes to talk about.....and the majority of the people will opt to take the day off....write off the income...and send the money overseas. Of course there's a world of difference between the faux American spirit bush and his whatever they are he's surrounded with preach about in front of bunting and the true American spirit of our countries citizens....
The bottom line is that you are criticizing him for having an innauguration, which is absurd.
no, I am merely responding to the idea that was put forth by someone else that he forego the pomp and circumstance and donate that money.....that sort of personal and sincere gesture would do a hell of a lot for his national and global stock with people.... Harry Truman would have done it I bet....but believe me this is an academic exercise for me... no one is naive enough to think bush would miss a chance to show everyone how big his dick is.....
Bi-Polar Bear
You have a way with words.
Bi-Polar Bear wrote:no, I am merely responding to the idea that was put forth by someone else that he forego the pomp and circumstance and donate that money.....that sort of personal and sincere gesture would do a hell of a lot for his national and global stock with people.... Harry Truman would have done it I bet....but believe me this is an academic exercise for me... no one is naive enough to think bush would miss a chance to show everyone how big his dick is.....
In fact, I am unaware of any president of the US having done what you suggest.
au1929 wrote:Bi-Polar Bear
You have a way with words.
i thank you...i am humbled...
Brandon9000 wrote:Bi-Polar Bear wrote:no, I am merely responding to the idea that was put forth by someone else that he forego the pomp and circumstance and donate that money.....that sort of personal and sincere gesture would do a hell of a lot for his national and global stock with people.... Harry Truman would have done it I bet....but believe me this is an academic exercise for me... no one is naive enough to think bush would miss a chance to show everyone how big his dick is.....
In fact, I am unaware of any president of the US having done what you suggest.
Thank you Captain Literal....
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