The Obama "finance team", reports the NYT, is selling four inaugural packages to corporations and other institutions -- read unions and think tanks. Price? For $1 million, you get the "Washington" package; or for $500k, the "Adams" package. The "Jefferson" goes for $250k and the "Madison" for $100k.
For a million, your corporation or union or think tank gets tickets to a "benefactors reception", a children's concert, a candlelight celebration, parade bleacher seats and four tix to the Presidential Ball.
I assume GW, JA, TJ and JM are spinning in their graves.
For "finance team" read access peddlers. For "benefactor" read influence seeker. For "reception" read schmooze time. For the whole magilla, read corruption.
What a waste! A waste of money and a wasted opportunity to send a message about this White House and its serious second term. In these times, when we want banks lending to businesses and businesses innovating, stimulating demand and investing; when we want to close special tax loopholes; when we want people to believe we are serious about shifting the course of our economy ... and to sanctimoniously say "no lobbyists allowed," and then unabashedly sell access to corporations and unions. What hypocrisy!
Wouldn't it be wonderful if the administration and re-election committee announced a bare-minimum inaugural -- because the President had much to do starting Monday, January 21st, and money could be better spent? Just a speech, a small parade back to the White House, one nice Sunday evening concert or dance, and back to work? How refreshing would that be?
Isn't it to be celebrated that we have re-elected a black man President, that it wasn't just a self-conscious affirmative action fluke the first time? Of course; certainly it is. But this shameful display? No. What we need now is the Grinch That Stole the Celebration.
On second thought, maybe that's what we've got, but apparantly he's working in partnership with the Corruption Fairy.
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