[Vision2020] FW: NYTimes.com Article: Editorial: Victor's Spoils

[Saundra Lund]

In response to the absolutely obscene amount of money being spent on President
Bush's coronation -- oops, I mean *inauguration*, Pat Kraut <pkraut at moscow.com>
wrote:
"Its private money.  Those who have it have the right to spend it the way they
want...last time I checked."

<sigh>  Yes, Pat, but just because one *can* do something doesn't mean that
he/she *ought* to do it.  I *can* do all kinds of things that common decency
prevents me from doing -- too bad those fools don't feel constrained by *any*
sense of common decency.

For me, the foolishness of those involved is a crystal clear example of where
the priorities lie for those clueless folk:  they obviously have far more money
than they do good sense or taste!

If I had that kind of money to spare, you can bet your bottom dollar I'd be
spending it on something that would actually *do* good -- no matter your
political persuasion, there are plenty of worthy causes where the individual or
corporate max cap could make a *lasting* difference.  But, then, I'm just
another bleeding heart <gasp> liberal who believes to the core of her being that
one person really CAN make a difference.

Oh, so VERY much looking forward to the 49% Rally on Thursday, January 20 at
noon in Friendship Square!


Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.
-Edmund Burke

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On
Behalf Of Pat Kraut
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2005 8:57 PM
To: vision2020
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] FW: NYTimes.com Article: Editorial: Victor's Spoils

Its private money. Those who have it have the right to spend it the way they
want...last time I checked.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carl Westberg" <carlwestberg846 at hotmail.com>
To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2005 9:49 AM
Subject: [Vision2020] FW: NYTimes.com Article: Editorial: Victor's Spoils


No, it's not sour grapes from a liberal Democrat that makes me think the
amount of money being spent on Bush's inaugauration is obscene.  I'd feel
the same way if it was a John Kerry administration.  This is a disgusting
amount of money at the wrong time.  This is from this morning's New York
Times.


                                                      Carl Westberg Jr.
Editorial: Victor's Spoils
January 11, 2005

At the rate President Bush's supporters are giving money, his second
inauguration threatens to stand out in the history books like the common folks'
muddy boot prints on the White House furniture at Andrew Jackson's gala. The $40
million record for inaugural partying set four years ago for Mr. Bush is
expected to be shattered this month. The only limits for this binge of giving
are the private inaugural committee's maximum of $250,000 for corporate donors
(more than 40 have pledged so far) and $100,000 for individuals (60 and
counting).

Ordinary citizens might have hoped that the overriding issue in Washington - the
perilous Iraq war, with its drain on the nation's blood and treasure - would
dictate restraint. But plans for the four-day extravaganza roll forward with
nine celebratory balls being underwritten by the usual corporate and fat-cat
supplicants in the political power mill.

<snip>
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/11/opinion/11tue3.html?ex=1106465317&ei=1&en=efe3
d9753b0ab99e
OR
http://tinyurl.com/5jpdb