God-Dam Money Hungry Corporations!

[Kritters]

My personal opinion on this is that history is being made, and while if Barak Obama decided to set an example the jesture of foregoing any celebratory expenditures it would be received as such, I for one would not want him to do this. He has been elected the next President of the United States of America and I want to watch him enjoy his moment. God knows he has a major job ahead of him.

Kritters

[tcmgpt13]

“qu'ils mangent de la brioche." Or let them eat cake, loosely translated.

I guess, in the end, it is not important that many people have lost their homes, cars, income along with the ability to buy food. If American car companies fold (and it looks as if they might) then well over 10% of the population is predicted to be jobless. It seems though that the party attitude of the prviledged few in the face of the common folks’ destitution is not unprecedented, even in American history:

Depression Didn't Stop FDR's Inaugural Bash in In The News in History Channel

“Depression Didn't Stop FDR's Inaugural Bash
Newsmax

The Washington press corps is beside itself because President Bush will celebrate his second inauguration with $40 million worth of festivities - at a time when the nation is at war and the tragedy of the tsunami disaster is still fresh.

Instead, they say, Bush should do what Franklin Delano Roosevelt did for his third inauguration on the eve of World War II, and pull the plug on all the ostentatious presidential partying. There's a reason, however, that the press cites Roosevelt's 1941 inauguration instead of, say, his first in 1933 - which was the Great Depression's worst year.

That's because - with the nation facing economic ruin, bread lines stretching around every other city corner, millions of Americans on the verge of losing their homes and a worldwide banking collapse looking imminent - the Democrats' man of the people threw a party that rivaled Hollywood's biggest and best.

In fact, Hollywood's stars turned out in droves to party with the new president - as Stephen Talbott, son of then-Warner Brother's actor Lyle Talbott, recalled in a 2001 Washington Post article.

The famed studio actually chartered a train to take its Silver Screen icons from California to D.C. - and scheduled it to arrive the very day FDR would take the oath of office.

"It was a fabled train, covered in silver and gold, ablaze with lights, awash in forbidden alcohol, and filled with movie stars and platinum-blond chorus girls," he said, drawing on recollections his father had shared with him.

The partying began with the inaugural parade, where America's favorite cowboy, Tom Mix, and a dozen beautiful young women marched to herald FDR's arrival.

"The sparkling contingent of chorus girls rode a carousel float down Pennsylvania Avenue past a smiling president," Talbott noted.

"Mix, a Saturday matinee idol, charmed spectators along the route by performing elaborate horse tricks. When he reached the reviewing stand, the actor paused dramatically and saluted the new president with a wave of his trademark 10-gallon white hat."

If there were any concerns about the economic privations that had crippled the nation, they had been dispensed with hours earlier with Roosevelt's famous "nothing to fear but fear itself" inaugural address.

"That night," said Talbott, "all the actors attended the inaugural ball, where they danced to the music of two popular bands, Rudy Vallee's Connecticut Yankees and Guy Lombardo's Royal Canadians."

FDR himself, however, skipped that night's festivities. Reports at the time said he was anxious to get to work on a remedy for the nation's devastated banking system, which was on the verge of collapse.

A more likely reason, however, was that his presence at the inaugural ball would have highlighted a personal problem that the Roosevelt White House would struggle to keep secret for the rest of his days in office. He was confined to a wheelchair, crippled with polio - a predicament that made it impossible for him to dance the night away with the other revelers.

In fact, the March 4, 1933 inaugural festivities were the last of FDR's four terms in office, a fact that suggests that it was his disability - and not World War II - that turned FDR into an inaugural ball party-pooper.”

Well, to end with another French phase: “Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.”

Translated: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

[Kritters]

I don't believe my opinion reflects that of 'let them eat cake' at all, and we are all entitled to our own opinions.

".....FDR himself, however, skipped that night's festivities. Reports at the time said he was anxious to get to work on a remedy for the nation's devastated banking system, which was on the verge of collapse.

A more likely reason, however, was that his presence at the inaugural ball would have highlighted a personal problem that the Roosevelt White House would struggle to keep secret for the rest of his days in office. He was confined to a wheelchair, crippled with polio - a predicament that made it impossible for him to dance the night away with the other revelers......"

So, obviously there is ambiguity as to why FDR REALLY skipped the festivities. There will always be spin doctors working for both sides.

In addition, IMO skipping the festivities would possibly send a message that he didn't have the confidence to lead our country out of the ills pervading the economy.

Let's see what good he does for our country after the inaugural events, shall we? Let's see if he provides the bread.

[tcmgpt13]

Kritts, I was not discussing you when I quoted “let them eat cake”. It is a symbol to me of the broader picture of government excesses, including the excessively large parties planned for this inauguration. It is not that I am against celebration entirely. I just feel the lavish and extensive parties planned for this inauguration reveal a somewhat callous attitude towards the common people for whom this government is supposed to show such concern. There is something wrong with this picture IMHO.

I do not think the government, and certainly not one man, has enough power to provide bread nor do I feel either should be expected to do this. However it is possible to show some sensitivity towards those who are having a very hard time right now by toning down the excess. Otherwise the platitudes about being for the people sound rather hollow.

Since you brought it up about the issue of why Franklin skipped the inaugural festivities it does still stand that he was guilty of gross deceit concerning his health as he managed to hide from the public the fact he was in a wheel chair and not that well during his four terms of office. Luckily for him the press did not blurt out everything the way they do these days which ensured his success in this. Thankfully it is becoming harder for those running for this office to do this, although there have been some questions at times about other presidents’ health status while serving (thinking here of how well Reagan actually was during his second term and of course Woodrow Wilson).

[Kritters]

Not to mention George W may have Lyme disease, unless he got the 'inside' treatment reserved for government elitists. I watched a video comparing his speeches from when he was governor to this past year when he could barely compose an intelligible sentence. Can you say, major brain fog?

Have you seen the movie, Dave? There are many innuendos I didn't catch when I first saw it, but did later. There's a scene where Kevin Kline who is pretending to be the president (who had a stroke while having sex with one of his employees...(and this was before Clinton I think)....was at a staff meeting and actually balanced the budget at that session while the chief of staff fumed and other members developed a new perception of this president. I visualize Obama doing this. I hope so anyway. Great movie. I think I'll watch it tonite again.