GEORGE BUSH: Donate your Inaugural Funds to Disaster Relief

[Stephanie]

SHAME on you if you waste $40 million on yourself, at a time like this.

SHAME.

[politicasista]

1. BOOOOO!

People in Southeast Asia are dying every five seconds while he spends 40 million on his coronation. What a joke! :puke: :puke:

[illflem]

2. Many of the companies

that donated to the coronation have donated an equal amount or more to the disaster relief.
GE has gone beyond the call and donated $1 million plus will match any donations made by employees. Their donation for the inauguration was $200,000

[jackster]

4. its the perception as well

gwb and the rethugs party while 400,000 people have just been wiped off the face of the earth???????

[Stephanie]

5. Not the point

He's throwing a massive and expensive party for himself in the midst of the worst disaster in memory. It's offensive, gross, greedy and disgusting.

[tk2kewl]

7. and besides the tsunami victims there are millions more

starving and dying around the world and here in US.

[Old Mouse]

8. That is not beyond the call

That is public relations money.

Let them put even 1% of their annual marketing budget, or better yet take their entire illegal campaign donation masquerading as an non-partisan inauguration donation and donate that directly to the aid effort.

I know people who worked for GE in Thailand. A living wage for the last 10 years or so would have grown modernized infrastructure, roads and communications instead of spread shantytowns and slums.

I do realize multinational corporations are not required to give aid at all, but we shouldn't delude ourselves as to their motivation or what public perception they expect in return, or the fact that they should not be allowed to donate to the inauguration event at all.

[Merlot]

11. No they're not required to give aid

But if they don't get these people back on their feet and back into the factories to produce cheap goods, they will have an even bigger problem. Not to mention how many multinational companies have a stake in the tourist industry.

They're just contribuing to their bottom line, as usual. Plus the fact that they get the free advertising for touting their "charity."



Yes, I'm cranky and cynical this morning.

[heidiho]

3. He Would Never Do It Unless Rove said it would make

him look better in the polls.

This man and his entire family don't have a generous bone in their bodies. Greedy, selfish pigs.

[AwakeAtLast]

6. It is also disrespectful in the face of war.

Add this tragedy on top of it, and any official with an ounce of dignity in their bodies would make it low-key and tasteful.

Not this President. :(

[Kingshakabobo]

9. Chimp should take a hint from FDR

No fanfare in a time of war.

http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/P/fr32/speeches/n_fdr4.htm

>The fourth inauguration was conducted without fanfare. Because of the expense and impropriety of festivity during the height of war, the oath of office was taken on the South Portico of the White House. It was administered by Chief Justice Harlan Stone. No formal celebrations followed the address.<

"Cooley Hurd" pointed this out in another thread.

[The Blue Flower]

10. What FDR did

An elderly friend told me that FDR skipped an inauguration celebration entirely at the beginning of his second term. He felt that he could not in good conscience spend the money during war time, nor would festivities be appropriate. He held a simple swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office.

[louis-t]

12. Unfortunately, most of that money is already spent

and was so before this tragedy happened. I'm sure things were paid for in advance. Still, this coronation is way too gaudy for the world right now, and * is showing his true colors. Not a compassionate bone in the whole cabal.

[Stephanie]

13. That's simply not true

They have not even completed fundraising for the inaugural, but they estimate the cost will be $40 million.

*edit* Here it is:

________________________________


Most of the money for ceremonies such as the elaborate balls and the parade through Washington after Bush's swearing-in at the west front of the Capitol will come from a private committee with a stated budget of $30 million to $40 million. However, it's likely that Bush, who raised a record $270 million for his re-election, will surpass the $40 million he spent on his first inauguration in 2001.

By comparison, President Bill Clinton raised and spent $33 million for his inauguration in January 1993 and $23.7 million for his second term swearing-in in 1997.

A crew of campaign-honed fund-raisers, including Bush "Rangers" who were responsible for raising $200,000 apiece for his re-election, is raising the money for the inauguration.

Twenty-one companies and individuals already have donated the maximum $250,000. They include companies with an interest in the outcome of the Bush administration's agenda on such matters as oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Among the top donors: Exxon Mobil Corp., Occidental Petroleum Corp., Chevron Texaco and Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens, according to the committee's accounting of about $8 million raised through Dec. 23.

The $250,000 donors also include former Enron president Richard Kinder of Houston; Dell Computer founder Michael Dell of Austin, Texas; United Technologies Corp.; the Little Rock, Ark.-based investments firm, Stephens Group Inc.; and Sallie Mae Inc., the Reston, Va.-based organization that makes student loans.

Another 24 companies and individuals have given $100,000 apiece. These include Northrop Grumman Corp., a leading defense contractor; International Paper Co.; financial services company GMAC; and Al Hoffman, Florida-based finance chairman for the Republican National Committee.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-ainaugtroops28dec29,0,6638002.story?coll=sfla-news-nationworld

________________________________

[louis-t]

18. Thanks, Stephanie, I realize they are still fundraising

but I can't imagine them plopping down $40 mil on the 21st of January. At least some things have been ordered, reserved, deposits, etc. Still, no effort will be made to trim the cost of the coronation. Money is no object when a bush is involved. $35 mil to aid numerous countries devastated by disaster, and $40 mil for a one or two day party designed so that the few who will benefit from his agenda can suck up. America would gain if the idiot would handle this disaster in a compassionate way. Al-Qaida is moving into these countries. * just loves to kick people when they are down. The mark of a bully. He has proven again that his war on terrorism is really a war on Muslims and our freedoms.

[c o f f e e]

14. bush has vomit on his shoes

Well, Well , Well..it is unfortunate that it takes a crisis of
biblical proportions to focus ameriKa's attention on the poor.
Why don't the top 2% in the BUSH tax cut kick in a matching
fund equal to the amount the rest of us give??? you make me
sick ameriKa...150 Billion for WAR and 35million for relief.
I think I will vomit in a ziplock and mail it to USAID. Next
the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders will make a PR appearance
shaking tits and ass for hospitalized victims followed by the
inevitable BENEFIT CONCERT of "has been" rockers
with careers that have one foot in the grave. Of course with
a follow-up DVD for sale. It's all about $$$$

I pray to bush's god that dumba drinks way too much after the inaugural and spends the night wrapped around the marble thrown...excuse me mr. president you have vomit on your shoes.

ameriKa where have you gone?

a cup of 100 mile coffee to go!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. Petition

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

[Stephanie]

16. That petition's been totally freeped

This country's gone completely to hell.

[Jean Louise Finch]

20. That is so depressing

Wow. I had no idea that there could possibly be so much partisan hate in the world. That petition is so shocking. It's impossible for me to understand how people can focus on how much they hate DU and how much they hate Kerry, rather than focusing on what actually should be the priority: saving lives.

I feel sick. I'm totally disgusted.

[ktowntennesseedem]

17. If Bush had a heart... (and a brain that functioned without advisors)...

He would have left Crawford as soon as word reached him of the tragedy.

He would have made a public statement as soon as possible, and made frequent follow-up appearances to update the world and show our continuing support.

He would have quickly pledged unlimited support, monetarily and otherwise.

He would have seen this as a way to repay much of the sympathy and support the world showed us after 9/11.

He would have called on Americans to pray for those affected, and to make sacrifices in the same manner that America as a nation is making and will continue to make sacrifices.

He would suspend any official celebrations for the New Year, and call on Americans to at least curtail their celebrations, with a national moment of silence, national day of prayer, etc.

He would cancel all functions and parties for the inauguration, pledging to send that money to help.

..........

Some of these cannot happen because it is already too late, yet carrying out the rest of this list would go a long way in making up for his previous oversights, both in this tragedy and over the past four years.

Alas, if anyone is holding your breath for any of this to happen, I've got a bridge to sell you.

[Stephanie]

19. That is too much common sense for the Bush admin

The 9/11 comparison is what really hurts me, as a New Yorker. I am so ashamed that Bush has the authority to represent our country in this completely insufficient way, after all that was done for us. Now I am crying.