Celebrating with the Queen

[Sukie1941]

I really like Queen Elizabeth. My grandmother lived half her adult life as an English citizen before she married an American and moved to the US. My English cousins are strong monarchists. I haven't had a chance to go to England, but I am looking forward to seeing what is left of the glorious British empire (castles, pomp and circumstance, museums full of crowns and jewels, etc.)

But I am not happy that we the taxpayers are paying for the poshest State affair that the Bushes have thrown since they came to office. Elizabeth is quite used to all this fanciness since that is how she lives. Maybe she would have been just as happy to wear pants and attend a barbeque or somesuch.

Wonder what the total cost will be?

Bush said today "we" will try our best to help the people of Greensberg, Kansas. The cost of this function would help alot of people. Maybe rebuild a few houses or relocate a few families.

[Sadie5]

1. I had the same thought

Aside from squandering our hard earned tax dollars in Iraq and allowing the oil companies to drain our wallets Bush spends OUR money on the posh event which only the very rich will attend.

[Scooter24]

2. State banquets are common

regardless of the person in office. I sort of enjoy their allure.

I would assume that Pres. Clinton's NATO 50th Anniversary Summit Dinner would be the costliest state banquet ever held.

As for Disaster funding, there already is a fund available for that. It just requires Bush's disaster declaration and then the show shifts to FEMA, however comforting that may be.

[Glorfindel]

3. She's the Head of State of a foreign power on a state visit

The president of France or of China would be entertained as lavishly, just not with so much adulation. There's just something about Her Majesty. I'm a big fan, and I wish her well. And you're going to have a blast when you visit England. It's great. To me, it was like going home.

[rwenos]

7. Her family disgusts me, but that's not the point

A quarter English myself, I'm entitled. The British monarchy is a disgusting institution. Elizabeth is the least disgusting member. At least she had the gumption to put on a uniform and tune up some cars during WW2, while the bombs were falling -- more than the Bush twins have done.

Let's not be ridiculous about the State Dinner. The President entertains heads of state at the White House. Congress appropriates money every year for such entertainment. The Queen is head of state of one of America's 2-3 closest allies in the world, and one of the 10 most powerful countries in the world. These dinners are very important, no matter who's President. Let's not confuse Bush's status as the World's Leading Asshole with the place of America in the world.

[valerief]

4. Well, you can take comfort in knowing Queenie squanders the

hard-earned pounds of the British citizenry. She gets paid like an American CEO for waving.

[melody]

5. Pity they didn't throw the party in New Orleans n/t

[Cleita]

6. I thought the White House got a yearly budget for these kinds

of affairs. In that case maybe it's time the Bushes did do some public entertaining for a change. Some international diplomacy doesn't hurt. I really would rather fault them for spending taxpayer's dollars on the wholesale robbery going on with their wars and crony no-bid contracts that they have awarded to every corporate buddy of theirs.