Who Pays for the Inauguration?
With the Presidential Inauguration just around the corner next week (and with my tickets en route to my house) I thought it would be beneficial for me to touch upon the misinformed ideas regarding who pays for this costly event. I've read on various blogs and political websites complaints that $40 Million dollars in tax payer money is going to waste on the Inauguration set to take place next Thursday.
This is a common complaint made by the public, especially from members of the losing party, to make our re-elected President seem like a selfish fool (something he is most certainly not). In actuality, the entire inauguration, including all of the fireworks, parades, parties, and events are paid for by donors. Not one cent of tax payer money goes to paying for the events, and in this inauguration the only tax payer money even being used is D.C.'s homeland security money to cover the increased security measures (something the city would be responsible for anyways). So efforts like Alternet's "Not One Damn Dime" are fruitless, mislead attempts to make a point that is already moot.
In fact, it's no secret as to which corporations, businesses, groups, and private citizens donate to the cause. The inauguration planning committee plans on raising $40-$50 million dollars for the event, and so far they are right on track. For a list of all the major donors (who can't donate more than $250,000), visit the Official Inauguration Donor Page on the Inauguration website.
I am quite interested to see how all of these events are going to play out next Thursday, when I drive down to D.C. with a friend of mine. The events should be televised on all the major media stations, unless CNN finds footage of a cat in a tree. But for you liberals out there freaking out about paying for an inauguration you don't want... rest easy, this one's on me.
Posted by MikeRubino at January 12, 2005 10:37 PM | TrackBack