Some Now Question Cost of Inauguration

Yahoo.com news ^ | By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer

[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.

[paul51]

If I recall, 40 million is less than the clinton's last junket to Africa when they took along a large entourage including Chelsea

[goldstategop]

I disagree. I'm happy for America. I want to party and to hell with what Will Lester, moonbat Democrats or the rest of the world thinks. For once, its a pleasure to rub it in the libs' faces. Let them go organize their stupid counter-inaugural.

[paul51]

But there are also $17.3 million security costs of the inaugural. Who pays?

The costs would have been lower if the dim wits weren't calling for actions on the streets demonstrating against the inauguration that are potentially dangerous.

[Jimmyclyde]

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.

I don't know what the big deal is about, Ted Kennedy spends $40 million on booze every 6 months...

[pilgrim]

May I ask a question?

 

Did you vote absentee or which state did you cast your vote?

 

Here is another obsessive cost post you may be interested in.

 

Associated Press Leads Democrats with Stupid, Idiotic Story on Bush Inauguration
	Posted by pissant On 01/14/2005 3:46:47 PM PST · 17 replies · 400+ views

 

Regards, :^p ilgrim

[LPM1888]

I disagree. I'm happy for America. I want to party and to hell with what Will Lester, moonbat Democrats or the rest of the world thinks. For once, its a pleasure to rub it in the libs' faces. Let them go organize their stupid counter-inaugural.

I'm happy for America too. Supposedly we've won a battle to fix the financial mess this great nation is in but now the attitude seems to have changed. The new attitude seems to be now that we're in power to hell with being fiscally Conservative.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Meet the new Boss, just like the old Boss.

Why am I not surprised.

[goldstategop]

THE INAUGURATION IS BEING PAID FOR WITH PRIVATE DOLLARS. Sheesh... some people can't be happy. There's nothing wrong with being fiscally responsible but I'm the sort of person who believes in spending to enjoy life and quit worrying what I can't control about tomorrow.

[CyberAnt]

Today on Cavuto, he had one of the NYC idiots "Weiner", and he was there whining about the $40 million the repubs were going to spend on the inaugural.

I sent Cavuto a msg and said, "if the inaugural was for John Kerry - would we be having this conversation ..?? I don't think so!!

[stacytec]

And my tax dollars should be used to pay for fund raising events? I don't think that's even legal. To the victor goes the spoils. Look, security is going to be tight even if it was just one tiny ball. That’s just a smaller target for other political groups to disrupt. I live near DC and this place battens down the hatches for every freak group that invades. I'll be the first person to admit that this inauguration is going a little overkill, but lets think about it this way: There is going to be a whole hell of a lot of people descending on DC without the intent of trashing it. Hotels will be used, dinners will be eaten, movies will be watched. For once the group descending on Dc isn't trying to disrupt something- they instead are celebrating. Security gets called out to DC for lots of protests and the feds (via DC) pick up the tab. Should security be reserved for only the riffraff? . For a change, this will be productive crowd descending on DC that businesses will welcome with open arms. Well - with exception to the orange wearing freaks.

[texasflower]

What the hell are you talking about? I used your own screen name to refer to you. YOU named yourself that. Not me. I also made no judgments about your screen name. I just used it as an identifier.

How else would you like to be identified on an anonymous board? That is the only name you have given us to use.

You have a real problem with this. I noticed you attacked someone else for using your name also.

BTW, I should have copied that message to you but didn't realize I hadn't included it until right as I hit post.

Would you mind telling me what your big problem is? Don't blame others for your choice of screen name.

You need to calm down about your screen name or change it.

I don't need to "get over" anything. You do. Until this silly post of yours I had no problem with you personally. I just disagreed with your opinion.

The fact that you are an ex-hippie evokes nothing in me, as you allege. I did not judge you.

I simply don't agree with you. It has nothing to do with your screen name.

What a weird thing for you to allege.

You have the problem. Not me.

[texasflower]

I don't know of anyone that feels "threatened" by having a discussion about this. Isn't that what we have done on the thread?

Do you feel "slammed" just because we don't agree with you completely? That's not a very mature attitude.

But this is the President's party and what happens at it is his option just like the court told Newdow today.

I would agree completely with you if we paid for the parties. But we pay only for the security.

I am okay with that. Especially for this President who has made the theme of the event honoring our troops and our nation.

The nation needs this.

[texasflower]

This is a celebration of our national identity.

It happens every four years. It is really a small amount of money in the whole picture of our economy.

A tiny fraction. For a national event that will be watched all over the world.

The sort of civil and patriotic thing that most of us love and so do many around the world.

It is part of our culture. Don't watch it, complain about it if you like to your congressman, but PLEASE don't keep trying to push this and try and ruin it for the rest of us.

Please? It is going to happen, so please, let us enjoy this President?

This is a sincere, from the heart request.

Tammy

[anniegetyourgun]

Noticed this morning that CNN did a minute on the "cost of the inaugural" - listed the items the money could "pay for" right out of Lester's article. THIS is what passes for news.....kipe what AP puts out and run with it.

[Quix]

We visited this topic some time ago.

Getting more than a little late.

I wouldn't mind increasing the wages etc. of hotel etc. staff in DC, if more of them were more patriotic.

As it is, I'd rather the troops got at least half this much and the events were scaled way back in costs but not celebration.

[syriacus]

Security costs outside of the immediate White House grounds should be paid from private pockets.

Perhaps that can be arranged for the 2009 inaugural.

[LPM1888]

Security costs outside of the immediate White House grounds should be paid from private pockets.

Perhaps that can be arranged for the 2009 inaugural.

That would be excellent!

[mrs tiggywinkle]

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding...thank you for clarifying your position. :)

[mrs tiggywinkle]

**The other 40 millions come from lobbyists, not from common citizens, and even if I wouldn't make anything to prevent this**

I contributed to the Inauguration Fund. I'm not a lobbyist. I'm a private citizen. Hello?

Did you vote in our election? Are you an American?

I'm quite sure you won't answer the last two questions but I thought them to be important in this discussion.

[mrs tiggywinkle]

**We should stop having "balls" and make the limp wristed pantie wearing sodomite loving liberals have one big picnic on the Whitehouse lawn. BYO of course. **

Don't forget the Ritz crackers with Cheeze Wiz! lol.

[mrs tiggywinkle]

Do you really think he'll answer your question? lol...nope. I've asked him 3x times. Hmmm.