The Inauguration - by the numbers

A look at this week's festivities by the numbers:

$40 million: Cost of Bush inaugural ball festivities, not counting security costs.

$2,000: Amount FDR spent on the inaugural in 1945…about $20,000 in today's dollars.

$20,000: Cost of yellow roses purchased for inaugural festivities by D.C.'s Ritz Carlton.

200: Number of Humvees outfitted with top-of-the-line armor for troops in Iraq that could have been purchased with the amount of money blown on the inauguration.

$10,000: Price of an inaugural package at the Fairmont Hotel, which includes a Beluga caviar and Dom Perignon reception, a chauffeured Rolls Royce and two actors posing as "faux" Secret Service agents, complete with black sunglasses and cufflink walkie-talkies.

400: Pounds of lobster provided for "inaugural feeding frenzy" at the exclusive Mandarin Oriental hotel.

3,000: Number of "Laura Bush Cowboy cookies" provided for "inaugural feeding frenzy" at the Mandarin hotel.

$1: Amount per guest President Carter spent on snacks for guests at his inaugural parties. To stick to a tight budget, he served pretzels, peanuts, crackers and cheese and had cash bars.

22 million: Number of children in regions devastated by the tsunami who could have received vaccinations and preventive health care with the amount of money spent on the inauguration.

1,160,000: Number of girls who could be sent to school for a year in Afghanistan with the amount of money lavished on the inauguration.

$15,000: The down payment to rent a fur coat paid by one gala attendee who didn't want the hassle of schlepping her own through the airport.

$200,500: Price of a room package at D.C.'s Mandarin Oriental, including presidential suite, chauffeured Mercedes limo and outfits from Neiman Marcus.

2,500: Number of U.S. troops used to stand guard as President Bush takes his oath of office

26,000: Number of Kevlar vests for U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan that could be purchased for $40 million.

$290: Bonus that could go to each American solider serving in Iraq, if inauguration funds were used for that purpose.

$6.3 million: Amount contributed by the finance and investment industry, which works out to be 25 percent of all the money collected.

$17 million: Amount of money the White House is forcing the cash-strapped city of Washington, D.C., to pony up for inauguration security.

9: Percentage of D.C. residents who voted for Bush in 2004.

66: Percentage of Americans who think this over-the-top inauguration should have been scaled back.

When Hillary Clinton is inaugurated, I'm sure you will have the same type list. Nevermind...that will never happen. When the next democrat is inaugurated....wait that will never happen either.

Anyway, An Inauguration is a celebration! Stop being such a sore loser.

Originally posted by Carseller4
When Hillary Clinton is inaugurated, I'm sure you will have the same type list.

You should really pull up a few old posts before you start tossing out insults, Carseller. I've gone on record here saying that Hillary would be the worst possible choice for the Dems in 2008. Although I personally believe that she would do a great job, she's completely unelectable.

When the next democrat is inaugurated....wait that will never happen either.

Yeah, yeah; heard it all before during the Reagan years. At least come up with something new, 'kay?

Anyway, An Inauguration is a celebration!

Of course it is, and I have no problem with the victor and those who've worked so hard on his election celebrating a bit. Everybody loves a party, right? But this display of excess is a bit unseemly, wouldn't you agree?

Oh, that's okay, you don't have to agree with me. 66% of the American population does, though.

Stop being such a sore loser.

Point taken - I am being a sore loser. I'm disgusted by this whole situation, and the thought of seeing Dubya's smirk for another 4 years is enough to drive me to drink.

Since it's only 10:30 AM, I'll stick to tea, though.

Fed employees received today as a paid holiday - at least another $100 M in wages & salary.

They best be thanking the taxpayers for their divine celebration, and that damn fur coat lady best be sending us thank you cards too.

I believe a very sizable portion of the inauguration expenses are covered from private donors. Tacky...definitly, but nothing wrong/illegal is being done. All you can do is just be pissed...and that doesn't amount to too much.

Originally posted by OXmanK
I believe a very sizable portion of the inauguration expenses are covered from private donors. Tacky...definitly, but nothing wrong/illegal is being done.

I refer you back to the $6.3 million paid by the financial and investment sectors; d'you think these folks are ponying up out of the goodness of their hearts? Oh my, no -- they're drooling in anticipation of the fees they'll collect when/if Dubya pushes through his plan to privatize Soc. Sec.

Pay to play, friends.

It was a time went used to be called behind doors lobbying, now is slap in the face bribery and is in the open and public for everybody to see who are the beneficiaries.

If you get a list of the elite friends and contributors all you have to do is link to their businesses and they you go, you will get who is going to get what during the next 4 years.

But trust me ain't going to be you or me for that matter is not even going to be the regular American citizen.

This has been going on for a long time, people, America does not belong to the Americans but to the elite few.

40mil=6.3=Still a big bunch of money paid by tax payers.(33.7mil in case you were wondering)

Well, nice to See Jimmy Carter knew how to par-tay. Well, this wasn't any Andrew Johnson bash where he showed up drunk to his inaugration.