21 million dollars !?

[Itsunari 2000]

Bush and his cronies really have a lot to answer for.

At a total cost of 21 million , Bush's inauguration ceremony has got to be the biggest load of garbage ever. Think what all that money could have done for the Third World , in particular , towards the international relief aid for the South Asian tsunami disaster ... 21 million dollars down the drain in the name of pomp and circumstance while millions suffer from starvation , thirst and disease elsewhere...

I am both disgusted and shocked at this outrageous waste of money.

[Little Miss Awesome]

I agree with you, that money could have made a difference to other people's lives, not a difference to the presidents day!

[Origin]

wow that is sickening..

[Hawkeye]

and since when bush decided to save money?

[Armisael]

Most of the presidents and Bush in this case are so hypocrites..They spend a lot of money thinking only about themselves..
I wonder why still do people "support" them?
It's just so disgusting..21 Millions Dollars could have make a great difference to a thousands poor families...

[Rampala]

21 million? I thought it was 40 million? Not including security costs?
Here's what I found on it, speaks for itself...

Inauguration: Lifestyles of the Rich and Heartless

January 20, 2005
From "The American Progress Report"
by Christy Harvey, Judd Legum and Jonathan Baskin
with Nico Pitney and Mipe Okunseinde

Due to $17 million worth of inaugural security – paid for by the city of Washington, D.C. – the Progress Report is unable to access its office. Never fear – it takes a lot more than that to keep us down. We put this list together for you ahead of time. Your regularly scheduled Progress Report returns tomorrow.

A look at this week’s festivities by the numbers:

$40 million: Cost of Bush inaugural ball festivities, not counting security costs.

$2,000: Amount FDR spent on the inaugural in 1945…about $20,000 in today’s dollars.

$20,000: Cost of yellow roses purchased for inaugural festivities by D.C.’s Ritz Carlton.

200: Number of Humvees outfitted with top-of-the-line armor for troops in Iraq that could have been purchased with the amount of money blown on the inauguration.

$10,000: Price of an inaugural package at the Fairmont Hotel, which includes a Beluga caviar and Dom Perignon reception, a chauffeured Rolls Royce and two actors posing as "faux" Secret Service agents, complete with black sunglasses and cufflink walkie-talkies.

400: Pounds of lobster provided for "inaugural feeding frenzy" at the exclusive Mandarin Oriental hotel.

3,000: Number of "Laura Bush Cowboy cookies" provided for "inaugural feeding frenzy" at the Mandarin hotel.

$1: Amount per guest President Carter spent on snacks for guests at his inaugural parties. To stick to a tight budget, he served pretzels, peanuts, crackers and cheese and had cash bars.

22 million: Number of children in regions devastated by the tsunami who could have received vaccinations and preventive health care with the amount of money spent on the inauguration.

1,160,000: Number of girls who could be sent to school for a year in Afghanistan with the amount of money lavished on the inauguration.

$15,000: The down payment to rent a fur coat paid by one gala attendee who didn’t want the hassle of schlepping her own through the airport.

$200,500: Price of a room package at D.C.’s Mandarin Oriental, including presidential suite, chauffeured Mercedes limo and outfits from Neiman Marcus.

2,500: Number of U.S. troops used to stand guard as President Bush takes his oath of office

26,000: Number of Kevlar vests for U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan that could be purchased for $40 million.

$290: Bonus that could go to each American solider serving in Iraq, if inauguration funds were used for that purpose.

$6.3 million: Amount contributed by the finance and investment industry, which works out to be 25 percent of all the money collected.

$17 million: Amount of money the White House is forcing the cash-strapped city of Washington, D.C., to pony up for inauguration security.

9: Percentage of D.C. residents who voted for Bush in 2004.

66: Percentage of Americans who think this over-the-top inauguration should have been scaled back.

Link here: http://www.americanprogressaction.or...JcP7H&b=296187

[Kathryn]

Australia gave 10 billion to the isunarmi victims

[m4tt]

Australia gave 10 billion to the isunarmi victims

Do you have a link to an article proving this?

[Kathryn]

Hey I live in thwe Australia

[m4tt]

Good for you? I don't, and I haven't heard anything about this. Which is why I asked for a link. No need to get jumpy.

[Kathryn]

I know because it was raised from a concert

[Dingo Jellybean]

Australia gave 10 billion to the isunarmi victims

I think 10 million would be the actual figure. Australia's economy isn't that strong to give away that much...at least I don't think.

The US has pledged 350 mil, the most I know of from any single gov't(not including citizens of that country).

[m4tt]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems...1/s1277477.htm

It's 1 billion over 5 years.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Bush didn't invent the concept of an inaugural ceremony, and he can't be the first president to have "wasted" millions on one. If you're outraged by this one, you ought to be outraged by all the others.

[Lionx]

Bush didn't invent the concept of an inaugural ceremony, and he can't be the first president to have "wasted" millions on one. If you're outraged by this one, you ought to be outraged by all the others.

Agreed, just like how you catch a few police brutalities, theres always more that we obviously didnt catch or were covered up.

But i guess its kinda still shocking because of his war spendings which is over 800billion? I forget...but i know its over in the hundreds of billions, so this is like an add on to it =/