Nearly 29% of inaguration costs to be borne by tax payers.

[stray cat]

12million/52 million total is tax payer contribution.. Since the money is to come from D.C. Homeland security funds - Federally dispatched - it is actually all tax payers and not just D.C. You and I are paying for the inaguration with our tax dollars.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5445086/

Washington, D.C. is getting ready for one heck of a party next week. President Bush's second inauguration will be the most expensive and elaborate in American history. Fine by me. 

But I was thunderstruck today when I saw this quote from the administration's inauguration spokesperson: "We recognize this time that we are a nation at war."

Huh?  Next week's festivities will include 9 inaugural balls, a huge youth concert, a  massive parade, and an unprecedented fireworks display, etc. The cost will be $40 million.

I do find it a bit peculiar, however, that when it comes to the separate security costs of the inauguration... the Bush administration is telling Washington, D.C. that the city is on it's own.

As reported earlier this week in "The Washington Post," the Bush administration wants Washington, D.C., for the first time in inauguration history, to pay all of its own expenses.  This move will cost Washington, D.C. an estimated $12 million. The administration has told D.C. that in order to pay for next week's police overtime, security fences, and bleachers.... the city should dip into homeland security funds allocated for hospitals, firefighting equipment, and transit command centers. 

[BR_Parkway]

1. Well, if left up to DC, couldn't they just send one extra cop and say

"sorry, that's all we're paying for"?

[djeseru]

2. Because 9 out of 10 voted for Kerry in DC?

The BFEE wants to make sure they "pay" for their voting "mistake."

[Zenlitened]

3. So, in reality, the cost of the inauguration is $52 million

$4o million for the parties, $12 million to keep us proles at bay.

Think we'll ever see the $52 million figure referenced in the MSM?

[stray cat]

4. Nearly 29% of inaguration costs to be borne by tax payers.

I'd like to see that in the main stream media.

[Zenlitened]

6. That's quite a contrast with the way it's being framed currently.

The meme out there now is that the inauguration is "being paid for by donations."

:grr:

Think I'll head over to the ol' DU Media Blaster.

Anyone care to join me? :)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/cu/cu.php?az=blaster

[stray cat]

7. Thanks for the invitation. I'll join the party

[oneold1-4u]

5. Crawford TX

The inauguration could have been held right at the ranch, where he will be hiding out for most of the next 4 years. All the money for security should have been paid for by Crawford and Texas.
They could have opened the gates to Mexico and invited all who would willingly enlist in US army, and give them a ringside seat on the south pasture!
52 million could give every Mexican enlistee a couple of grand to send home to family and help their countries economy too.