Wednesday, January 19
Inauguration: Reaffirming Our Capitalist Values
Our public realm should have some ceremonial elements to instill civic pride. I think this applies to government to some extent, but why exactly should this quadrennium's presidential inauguration cost more than almost any other in history, even adjusting for inflation?
Is security the reason? Funny, the pre-9/11 2001 inauguration cost roughly as much as this years'. (I doubt extra security alone accounts for the high price.)
Actually, much of this event is actually privately funded (and if you still disapprove of the price, Rep. James Gibbons considers you a communist). I wonder what top donors AmeriQuest and Marriott expect in return for their contributions.
All this pomp--is the American president "now as powerful as a monarch"?
P.S. The CNN.com headline "Poll: Nation split on Bush as uniter or divider" says as much as you need to know.
