Obama: Have Bailout Balls, Not Inaugural Balls

It seems almost obscene in these dire economic times we are living through every day to read and hear about expensive parties and other lavish events being planned around Obama's historic inauguration.

It is wonderful to come to the nation's capital to celebrate the new administration and to take part in the activities, including the inaugural itself if you are lucky enough to find a ticket.

But, let's face it -- it will seem somewhat tacky watching people in their expensive outfits paying outlandish amounts of money for hotel rooms and for their inaugural clothes -- gowns and tuxedos -- when every day we learn of more job cuts, 401Ks being diminished by the hour as the stock markets decline, and more massive bailouts, from the struggling auto industry to the financial sector to who knows what industry that will be asking for money tomorrow or the next day in order to survive.

Obama should say we are going to go the less luxurious road this time around concerning celebrations. He should say it is fine to celebrate but let's not let it get out of hand.

Bailout balls could be the answer. Take some of the $700 billion bailout money and devote it to the balls. There could be an AIG ball and an American Express ball and a Big Three Automakers ball. Let's put the bailout money to some good use where the ordinary taxpayer can see it doing some good -- people having fun with the money. Surely AIG , which seems to know how to throw parties even in these dire economic times, could provide their party giving skills.

At the Automakers Bailout ball, laid-off auto workers from Detroit and around the country could attend free of charge with the bailout money being used for their transportation and hotel expenses. And if the RNC can spend money for a vice-presidential candidate for a few months, the bailout money can help buy inaugural gowns and tuxedos for workers suffering through no fault of their own.

The auto executives can provide the evening's entertainment by providing free rides above the skies of Washington, D.C. in their private jets.

We could have a Sub-Prime Bailout Ball where mortgage bankers and other bankers can explain to the people who have lost their homes why this happened to them.

We could have a Bonus Bailout ball where all the executives entertain the laid-off workers and investors with depleted accounts by explaining why these CEOs deserve their bonuses their year. The keynote speaker could be the head of Merrill Lynch, who had to sell his company to Bank of America to stay afloat. His justification of his bonus in addition to his seven-figure salary would surely delight the crowd.

So, let us move ahead with these theme balls with the bailout money already provided these industries and actually see some positive benefits from our taxpayer dollars.

Dancing at the Sub-Prime Ball, The Automakers Big Three Ball and The Next Big Bailout Ball will keep us in touch with the economic reality of the day.

While we may not have to go this far, it would be a very good idea to tone down the rhetoric on the upcoming balls and lessen the costs and luxuries without doing away with the fun to be had celebrating the 44th president's inaugural.

After all, Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Pierce and Warren Harding did away with their inaugural balls for various reasons.

Bailout Balls -- change we can believe in!

Comments

[Mauimom]

Let's grab that $400 MILLION Citicorp is spending for "naming rights" to the Mets' stadium and spend it instead on a) bringing "deserving" people to DC for the Inauguration [folks like wounded veterans, teachers, health care workers]; and b) applying it to help auto workers.

That's change I can believe in.

I still can't believe there's not more uproar over Citicorp's getting bail-out money and spending it on "naming rights" and sponsoring various Bowl games.

[TallGrrl]

Know what? We've (and I mean not just Black people, but yes, Black people) have waited over a hundred years to see this day and now you want to throw up your hands and yell "No Inaugural Ball!!"???
Oh HELL no!
Barack Obama is the first African American president of the United States.
This is an historical thing and I think they should absolutely have an Inaugural Ball.
What should happen is that the businesses who would be doing the food, etc should donate their services, and the money that would normally go to paying for this event should be donated to local food banks, etc. Whoever is designing Mrs O's Inaugural gown is doing it for free. There are 3 or 4 designers who have apparently already submitted renderings. Hell, the publicity alone is worth millions because there will be knockoffs.
Look. This is an HISTORIC occasion and it SHOULD be celebrated! No, we don't have to go all Republican and start yelling "Let 'em eat cake!" We all know that we're in a recession and that times and we're all going to be tightening our belts for a little while, but to have no Inaugural Ball? For THIS occasion?
Oh, HELL no!!!

[ruedeseine]

Everyone has worked very hard and this is truly an historic occasion. No one should be made to feel guilty because they want to party. The new administration will have a lot of hard work ahead of them. Let them have one night of fun. They earned it and I want the pleasure of watching them have fun!!!!

[larry278]

Let me be the 1st of many to say give the jobless former auto workers cash to live on rather than send them to DC to attend an innagural ball for Obama.

[McBushMcSame]

Scrapping inaugural events to bail out big business will hurt countless small businesses in Maryland, DC and Virginia who weren't robbing us blind for many many years. Many of whom have mortgages to pay.

[Yohomegirl]

Oh, I thought the title was suggesting 'testicular fortitude' in dealing with the bailout. My friend's and I have a room, volunteered our asses off, and now probably won't get tickets.

[VikingQuest]

Get some money.

[darthdarcy]

Clinton had The Blue Jean Ball...The Band and the Allman Brothers Band played among others Bob Dylan too can't forget Bob, sorry Bob...

Maybe Obama can have, The Overall Ball...

[BabsfromKansas]

The orchestra can play this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55xJnIqq9ZI

[23000Days]

Excellent!!! Thank you, Babs!

[GeorgeP922]

It did NOTHING for Carter.

Don't forget, we might call ourselves a democracy but we are truly an empire.

Bush got to run roughshot over the constitution and grab unprecedented power, at the least let Obama have a party.

Also, if you were the least bit informed, you would know this is an impossible request as there are countless third party innagural balls (even a DKOS one) as well as thousands of DC business expecting a flood of business those 5 days.

[Charmed]

There hasn't been much talk about the balls except for people talking about Obama shouldn't have them.....how about reporting about the black man from VA that paid one million dollars to treat the less fortunate to the event and he will be buying them gowns, tuxs and getting there hair done. He will be doing something for the people in his community.....what are you going to do for the people in your community? Will you be working at a homeless shelter or a food bank?

[nomobull]

THAT'S TELLING HIM GOOD FOR YOU.