Inauguration Day

Tomorrow is a bright shining moment in American history, the day that we celebrate our new President and swear him into office.

What's that? You mean we have the same President? He's been in office for four years already?

Hmm. I guess it's not that big a deal. No need to celebrate, given that there's a war and all going on, and over 200,000 dead in east Asia.

No need at all... but the Republicans love a big fancy party for their big fat corporate donors to enjoy. So they'll have one alright. A 40 million dollar extravaganza.

A $40 million dollar extravaganza.

Bush originally pledged $35 million to the folks in Tsunami-land. I guess we know what comes first in Bush's mind.

That $40 mil of course, doesn't include the millions spent by the city of Washington D.C. to provide security for the event, which they are doing out of their own homeland security budget-tax dollars.

Where does the rest of the money come from?: Click Here

Your Tax dollars at work are paying for security at not one, not two, but nine simultaneous black-tie balls.

Hey, I appreciate the fact that Georgie wants to celebrate. Who wouldn't after being called an idiot for the past four years, and then prevailing in an election? He has every reason to celebrate.

But what could $40 million dollars buy instead?

800 houses
80,000 TV's
2,500,000 Maroon 5 CD's
1334 years of college education (at NYU)
20,000,000 Mamoun's Falafels

Those are fun, but here's some more important things you could buy:

267 Fully-Armored Humvees for our Troops in Iraq
61538 Bulletproof Kevlar Vests " "

Instead, they get an extravagant inauguration luncheon honoring them. Which none of those currently stationed in Iraq will be attending.

If you're a soldier in Iraq, what would you rather have? A ball and a luncheon honoring you thousands of miles away, or some body armor?

And 40 million is a low-ball figure. By the time the whole shabang is over, it could cost over 50 million.

For comparison's sake, Bill Clinton's second term inauguration cost 29.6 million. In peacetime. With a booming economy and a budget surplus.

50 million celebrating-- what? Things staying the same?

Money well spent?

--For what an inaugural should be like, check out this article--