$15 million for tsunami victims. $40 million for Bush's inauguration.

[Cyrano]

I think it was today's NY Times that mentioned these numbers, and I'm sure they've been mentioned elsewhere. Plus, the $40 million doesn't even include security which will be many millions more.

I have a feeling that if this were Kerry's inauguration, he'd have it at a Holiday Inn and allocate as many millions as possible to the victims of this horrible tragedy.

But our "moral values" thugs couldn't care less about all those brown people on the other side of the world. Fuck 'em. Limos, caviar, champagne and the domination of the Republican empire needs to be celebrated.

[latteromden]

1. Fuck! THERE are Republican moral values for you. Screw helping those

in need. We need to have a party!

[Atman]

2. What more can be said, huh?

BushCo. Gotta love 'em.

Seriously, you gotta. It's gonna be the law soon.

[WithStamina]

3. Please...

The $40 million is coming from private donors. If you include private donations in the $15 million figure, it would almost certainly be greater than the inaguration costs. The federal government isn't spending a penny on inaguration.

Please be reasonable... criticize the administration, but don't use distortions of half-truths. It just makes our side look bad.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WithStamina]

7. I didn't say it was right

However, your argument won't get a ton of traction outside of DU. Private companies can give to whomever they wish; they aren't, nor should they be, obligated to give to overseas disaster victims. I'm sure that people would love if they did, but that's not the choice most companies make.

Don't kid yourself. Kerry's inaguration would have been just as grandiose.

[The Doctor.]

12. That is perhaps true...

A Kerry inaguration might have raised even more.

But I think what we're REALLY looking at is how equally proportional the expenditure is to the disaster in question.

[WithStamina]

14. I'll agree that it's far too much for inaguration

However, it's private citizens funding it. The government is paying that $15 million to Asia, and they shouldn't be responsible for any more. Private charities are sending help by the ton over that way.

[flygal]

30. I was just telling my husband

I thought Clinton's first inaguration was a little much. There was way too much hollywood there (I'm just not a Babara Streisand fan - she made the show all about her).

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Where the money is coming from is not the point

Spending it on a party while a big chunk of the globe was just devastated - THAT is the point.

Do ya get it now? :)

[gratuitous]

16. Well, let's see . . .

I'm going to guess that the bulk of that $40 million from private donors will be coming from the well-heeled crowd that gets taxed at 35%. So, writing off their donations (all perfectly legal), they'll rob the Treasury of about $14 million in taxes.

If $15 million is an adequate response to an unprecedented disaster as this administration claims it is, then is the $14 million that will go missing from next year's tax receipts a significant amount or not?

[Sanity Claws]

18. It's not unfair to compare the two

Why shouldn't Bush ask folks who donated to the inauguration or will donate to send their money to relief agencies instead?
$15 million on a party is obscene.

Edited to put in correct monetary amount

[Skittles]

26. I don't give a f*** whose money it is

to have such an extravagant celebration when we are at war is nothing short of obscene.

[Catherine Vincent]

4. I would consider respecting Bush if he did this:

Forgo all the inauguration festivities and donate all the 40 million to the tsunami relief effort. These are all a bunch of parties right? Just have a low key swearing in (gasp!) His approval rating would skyrocket.

[dxdem]

5. I would consider respecting * if he did this:

Held another election, a fully transparent, verifiable election. Like Ukraine. Or crossed over as a result of another faulty pretzel ingestion. No wait. Then I'd just laugh.

[Lisa]

8. plus, if he cornered those big corporate donors onstage ...

... and forced them to empty their wallets, in front of the cameras.

That would be a sight to see. But that would presume that there was a whole different person being sworn in.

[Liberty Belle]

9. Sign this petition: Scale back inauguration/donate more to tsunami victims

The U.N. has called America's paltry $15 million donation "stingy." That's true, especially if we waste $40 million on a lavish inauguration and ball.

Another DU member (Sorry, I don't remember who) posted this link earlier to a petition asking President Bush to scale back or cancel the inaugural festivities and send at least a portion of that money to help the suffering people in Asia. Please sign and forward this to others.


The main URL is http://www.PetitionOnline.com/jps4757/petition.html

O8)

[Cyrano]

13. Great idea. I don't believe it will do any good, but it's a great idea.

Too bad the MSM won't take the time or trouble to try to embarrass BushCo into doing this.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. DU this petition

To:  U.S. President

We, the undersigned feel that Since George W. Bush is spending $40,000,000 on his second nomination, and since he claims to be a man of God, he should donate some or all of the 40 million to relief efforts in Asia to help the victims of the recent tsunamis. A true Christian would willingly do this and so we feel that President Bush should set an example for the rest of the world.

Sincerely,
The Undersigned

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/jps4757/petition.html  

[intheflow]

15. $100+ BILLION to invade, bomb, and occupy a country that never hurt us.

Now that's compassionate conservatism!

[RedSock]

17. US ups relief amount

The US has actually upped its donation to about $35 million -- or about what will be spent on Bush's inauguration next month. And while that is coming from private donations, it still looks bad.

Compare that $35 million to the $226 million being wasted every single day in Iraq (650 days and a cost of at least $147,000,000,000) -- or 1/5 of 1% of the total cost of the invasion.

Just what Jesus would have done, I'm sure.

days: http://icasualties.org/oif/default.aspx
cost: http://costofwar.com/

[Ian David]

19. We'll get the blame

All those un-patriotic anti-American commie liberals with their protests are running up the costs of the inauguration, taking money away from the tsunami relief effort.

[mr blur]

20. A thought...

(came across the figures on the J-Walk Blog)

"I saw this Reuters story: U.S. to Pledge $15 Million for Tsunami Aid.

The United States expects to provide an initial $15 million in aid for victims of the devastating tsunami in Asia and has already released $400,000, the assistant administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development said Monday.

$15 million is certainly nothing to sneeze at, but let's put it in perspective...

Let's assume that the U.S. will spend $200 billion for the war in Iraq (a conservative estimate). Further assume that this money will be spread out over a 2-year period. This works out to about $11.4 million per hour.

So when it's put in these terms, the U.S. has pledged (so far) the equivalent of about 79 minutes of war costs."

[kcwayne]

21. Quit bitching about the scumbags and donate

This is not a government responsibility as much as it is a direct humanitarian responsibility. Don't let the government be a proxy for what you are morally obligated to do. Donate.

I just donated to Doctors Without Borders. Pick an organization or two and make a contribution. Even if you can only give $25, do it. This is the time that your ethics and morality should come to bear. Sitting back and complaining about what the government should do is not helping. These people need the entire world to come to their aid.

[Doctor O]

22. This was the first release of funds. more funds will be released as

if becomes funded. The necessary part is not to release funds immediately, but to release funds to the right organizations at the right time. News reports have already mentioned that significantly more funds are going to be made available. This in addition to the millions other groups will be using to help these victims and their countries.

[Cyrano]

23. This would be a great opportunity to pull our military out of Iraq

and send them where they are really needed. But then, our war criminals in the White House couldn't profit from that, could they?

[bvar22]

24. Republican Values:

Republican Party For Rich White Men Only!




Print out 50 and hang in coffee shops, laundromats, grocery store BBs, bus stops, etc.

[hollywood926]

25. Do you mind if I use that in my blog????

Please!

[bvar22]

27. Please DO!!!

Paste them up all over America.
Claim it as your own, I don't care.

MY only goal is to drive a stake through the heart of the evil known as Compassionate Conservatism!!!

[Cyrano]

28. Oh, come on. You must know that "Compassionate Conservatism"

means nothing more than tipping the chauffeur.

on edit: great poster. I will look for appropriate places to hang it. Too bad we can't buy a billboard within viewing distance of the White House.

[bvar22]

29. I'ld kick in for that!

*