From: Mark Steven Heyman (markheyman@infoproconsulting.com)
Date: Sun Jan 23 2005 - 02:27:50 GMT
More on the inauguration of the Force of Freedom...
$40 million: Cost of Bush inaugural ball festivities, which is money
raised by private donors, one of the most glaring examples of how
wealth influences the political system, and a gaping loophole in any
semblance of campaign finance reform. Remember, also, that these
donations are tax-deductible, which means that those corporations who
pay any tax at all, will pay considerably less, passing on their tax
burden to others.
Heavily regulated sectors such as finance, insurance (including of
course private health insurers), energy, tobacco, pharmaceuticals and
telecommunications are as prominent on the list as they are in the
capital's lobbying circles. What do you suppose they are buying with
their generosity?
Among such contributors was the Washington Post, $100,000, a hated
icon of the "liberal" press.
Defence giants Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin each gave
$100,000 to the inaugural committee, and oil companies Chevron
Texaco, Occidental Petroleum, and Exxon Mobil each gave $250,000.
Altria Corporation (formerly Phillip Morris, but a deadly product by
any other name...): $250,000.
Both Coca-Cola and its rival Pepsi gave $100,000. The Marriott and
Ritz-Carlton hotel groups each gave $250,000, as did major drug
manufacturer Pfizer, Inc.
This $40M expense does not include security costs (which are paid by
you know who... ), including $17M from the people who live in
Washington, DC, one of the per-capita highest poverty cities in the
country.
Compare to...
$2,000: Amount FDR spent on the inaugural in 1945…about $20,000 in
today's dollars.
$20,000: Cost of yellow roses purchased for GWB's inaugural
festivities by D.C.'s Ritz Carlton.
200: Number of Humvees outfitted with top-of-the-line armor for
troops in Iraq that could have been purchased with the amount of
money blown on the inauguration.
$10,000: Price of an inaugural package at the Fairmont Hotel, which
includes a Beluga caviar and Dom Perignon reception, a chauffeured
Rolls Royce and two actors posing as "faux" Secret Service agents,
complete with black sunglasses and cufflink walkie-talkies.
400: Pounds of lobster provided for "inaugural feeding frenzy" at the
exclusive Mandarin Oriental hotel.
3,000: Number of "Laura Bush Cowboy cookies" provided for "inaugural
feeding frenzy" at the Mandarin hotel.
$1: Amount per guest President Carter spent on snacks for guests at
his inaugural parties. To stick to a tight budget, he served
pretzels, peanuts, crackers and cheese and had cash bars.
22 million: Number of children in regions devastated by the tsunami
who could have received vaccinations and preventive health care with
the amount of money spent on the inauguration.
1,160,000: Number of girls who could be sent to school for a year in
Afghanistan with the amount of money lavished on the inauguration.
$15,000: The down payment to rent a fur coat paid by one gala
attendee who didn't want the hassle of schlepping her own through the
airport.
$200,500: Price of a room package at D.C.'s Mandarin Oriental,
including presidential suite, chauffeured Mercedes limo and outfits
from Neiman Marcus.
2,500: Number of U.S. troops used to stand guard as President Bush
takes his oath of office. (This people are terrified of SOMETHING,
no?)
26,000: Number of Kevlar vests for U.S. soldiers in Iraq and
Afghanistan that could be purchased for $40 million.
$17 million: Amount of money the White House is forcing the
cash-strapped city of Washington, D.C., to pony up for inauguration
security.
Let Freedom ring-a-ding-ding. Ca Ching!
Mark Steven Heyman (msh)
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