President George W. Bush will be sworn in today, but it will mark the third day of celebratory activities honoring his second inauguration. And, oh, what an inauguration this will be for Bush, whose festivities might end up utilizing $40 million in private donations when all is said and done.
With all of the coverage there's been on this issue, it's entirely plausible you've heard this figure before, but The State News feels the need to reiterate.
Envision seas roughly 20,000 strong of quesadillas, enchiladas and pastries. These are the numbers reported by the BBC for yesterday's Texas State Society's Black Tie & Boots Ball. Envision extravagant feasts, the very best in pyrotechnics and awe-inspiring parades. Forty-million dollars can go a long way toward making a second-term president feel right back at home in the White House.
Meanwhile, we at The State News are finding other things to envision. We imagine ravaged seaside villages and mass graves. We think of water-born illnesses and the victims of the tragic tsunami in Southern Asia. We think about innocent Iraqis killed by their countrymen and others, and a hope for safe elections in that country.
We think about these things and we conclude that there are some dire situations taking place in our world today. Then, we think about how proud we would be of our president if, rather than indulging to the fullest in celebration, he urged some of the corporations that pledged $250,000 to his celebrations - organizations such as Home Depot, Bank of America and Ford Motor Co. - to put that money elsewhere. The relief fund his father is currently sponsoring, for instance.
Sure, the bigwigs of these corporations wouldn't get to enjoy what CNN.com termed a "variety of inaugural packages, including meetings with political VIPs ... and hard-to-get entry into the official inaugural balls and dinners" if they put that money toward helping people, but it would be a nice gesture, nonetheless.
We don't want to confuse anyone. To spend $40 million on inaugural ceremonies is not unheard of. According to CNN, Bush raised that same amount for his last inaugural ceremony, and Bill Clinton spent $33 million for his festivities in 1993. But with so much high-profile tragedy taking place today, we think Bush could afford to tone it down just a bit.
Oh, and we also think he could afford to spring for his own security. There's no doubt Bush is not the most popular leader of the free world we've had in a while, and it's probably a good idea for him to take extensive measures to ensure his safety during this process. It's just a little confusing why the District of Columbia is going to have to foot the $11.9 million bill for what CNN.com says will be the "most intense security operation in inaugural history." After all, it doesn't seem as though DC should be faulted for the bad feelings Bush has elicited in the past four years.
To us, a second inauguration is almost like a second wedding to the same spouse: You never spend as much as the first time around. Particularly when your cousins are being murdered and the next town over just got hit by a tsunami.
