So, it's Christmas again at the White House.

[No Elephants]

A 65 foot tree arrives by horse drawn cart, met by the First Lady and the First Kids.

(Not fir nuttin', but I wish the White House, Rockefeller Center, et al. would use artificial trees, at least for their outdoor displays, where fragrance is not a big issue.)

But that is only the tip of the iceberg. Inside the WH are another 18 or so trees. And I don't know how many are in the Vice President's residence.

And, every year, professional interior decorators come from all over the house, donating their time to decorate the two buildings. (Who pays for their airfare and hotels, though?)


There is a 300 lb replica of the White House in gingerbread. (Is anyone actually going to eat it, I wonder?)

And as TV reporters inform us of things like this, they gush "Isn't that cool?"

Did Czar Nicholas turn over in his grave because the Russian peasantry revolted over the lifestyle he had at their expense, instead of gushing over how cool it was?




Someone was talking about the Lincoln movie, which I have not seen yet. He mentioned something that had happened while Abe was picking up wood, noting that no modern President would ever need to pick up anything, thanks to the Imperial Presidency.

We are "treated" to small glimpses of it at Christmas time, but it is not a once a year thing.

http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-207_162-10014725.html



Of course, he Imperial Presidency, in terms of living in luxury, is relatively new to our baby Empire.

When Truman moved into the White House, it was quite dilapidated, even by his poor Missourian standards. Though it underwent repairs during his adminstration, it was in bad shape (again? still? when the Kennedys moved in.

Seems as though there should be some happy medium between collapsing floors and hordes of professional decorators from all over the country hanging tinsel.




We talk about the President's salary, which is a mere $400K a year, plus health insurance, plus security and a pension for life, etc. However, the fringe benefits make that look like pocket change, from the White House household staff AND WH political staff, to Air Force One to the Beast to entertainment by all the top people in the country, if not the world.

[Enthusiast]

1. Bill O'Reilly said, "I am sickened by Obama's Godless war on Christmas."

Really?

I love tees. I am an actual tree hugger. I don't even want specially grown tree used for Christmas trees. But what are you going to do?

[No Elephants]

2. I'm sick of Bill O'Reilly's godless war on facts.

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:32 (KJV)


The White House is decorated to the gills for Christmas and the "national" tree is on the lawn. There is a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and a menorah lighting ceremony. And no one knows what the family does--as it should be.

What on earth more does O'Reilly want/expect be done? And why does he expect government to do it?



Christmas trees--not mentioned in the Bible, except that the OT says not to bring trees indoors as the heathen do.

Santa, Christmas decorations and Christmas presents--not mentioned in the Bible, either, except that the Magi brought a few gifts to Jesus, but the presents in stockings and on and under trees tend not to be for Jesus (well, not directly).

The Puritans who founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony, some of the most fundamental and religiously observant folk on earth at the time, forbade any outward manifestations of celebration of Christmas because the bible mentioned none.

Christmas celebrations in Puritan New England (1620–1850?) were culturally and legally suppressed and thus, virtually non-existent. The Puritan community found no Scriptural justification for celebrating Christmas, and associated such celebrations with paganism and idolatry. The earliest years of the Plymouth colony were troubled with non-Puritans attempting to make merry, and Governor William Bradford was forced to reprimand offenders. English laws suppressing the holiday were enacted in the Interregnum, but repealed late in the 17th century. However, the Puritan view of Christmas and its celebration had gained cultural ascendancy in New England, and Christmas celebrations continued to be discouraged despite being legal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_Puritan_New_England



So, as usual, the whining has nothing to do with the Bible, or religion or godlessness, but about insisting that some big mouth whiner's personal views be imposed upon us all.







But the truth? Yep. In the Bible a lot. And O'Reilly has been highly and persistently disrespectful of it, including his claim that Obama has engaged in a godless war on Christmas.

[No Elephants]

3. The huge trees used in places like the White House and Rockefeller Center

are not specially grown for that purpose.


The only justification I can see for using real trees that old and tall is if they are likely to fall over on their own anyway and therefore posing a danger.