Despite Economic Crisis, It Is Still A Gilded Age For Our Two Presidents

On Wednesday, Laura Bush enjoyed a few final moments in the spotlight, while showing off the new White House china, which she has chosen to add to the White House collection, only two weeks before making-way for a new administration.

Though she glowed as she pointed to the gold rimmed plates and the reason behind placing the image of a magnolia leaf in the center of the posh dinnerware, the First Lady failed to disclose the price of this latest extravagance. The price was discovered to be a whopping $550,000.

Of course, the plates were purchased for the benefit of the privileged few who will dine at the White House, by the much beleaguered taxpayers (Many of whom are having trouble buying groceries, much less fine china.).

When asked about the curious timing of the rather absurd purchase, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino told reporters there´s "no time but the present."

Perino´s flippant answer speaks volumes as to the disdain our current political leadership has for working class Americans.

Not to be outdone, President Elect Barack Obama and his supporters are planning the biggest, and most lavish inauguration ceremony that many of us will ever witness.

It was just announced that to date, $27 million has been raised to celebrate Barack Obama´s inauguration. The top contributors to this cause include billionaire and longtime Democratic donor George Soros, actors Halle Berry, and Samuel L. Jackson, movie producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, directors George Lucas and Steven Spielberg and singer Barbra Streisand.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt along with five others Google executives gave $25,000 each. The inaugural committee received $50,000 from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, as well as $150,500 from a handful of Microsoft executives.

The presidential inaugural committee has announced a list of ten official inaugural balls, all of which President Elect Obama will attend. They are as follows:

Youth Inaugural Ball -- Young Americans aged 18-35; Washington Hilton

Obama Home States Inaugural Ball -- Illinois and Hawaii invited guests; Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Biden Home States Inaugural Ball -- Delaware and Pennsylvania invited guests; Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Eastern Inaugural Ball -- CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT, PR, and USVI invited guests; Union Station

Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball -- MD, VA, DC, NY, NJ, and WV invited guests; Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Midwest Inaugural Ball -- KS, IN, IA, MI, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI, and MO invited guests; Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Southern Inaugural Ball -- AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, and TX invited guests; National Guard Armory

Western Inaugural Ball -- AK, CA, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY, AZ, CO, NV, NM, UT, OK, GUAM/AS invited guests; Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Neighborhood Inaugural Ball -- D.C. residents, additional guests; Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Commander-in-Chief's Inaugural Ball -- Enlisted active duty and reserve military; National Building Museum

The fund for Obama´s inauguration celebration, which is still growing, is being raised privately. However, the as yet unknown and enormous security costs for that day will of course, be placed upon the taxpayers. Given our current situation, it is an obscene expense, and while Obama´s admirers so often like to compare him to President Franklin Roosevelt, these folks could use a history lesson.

In 1945, while the nation was sacrificing so many of their sons to war, and the country was still recovering from the Great Depression, President Roosevelt did not feel comfortable participating in a decadent affair.

Roosevelt canceled the traditional inauguration plans and took the oath of office in the White House, gave a very short speech, and held a very modest luncheon. The 1,000 guests were treated to a lunch of cold chicken salad, rolls with no butter, pound cake, and coffee. Afterwards, Roosevelt simply went back to work.

Roosevelt knew, it was obscene to party as if he was a sultan, while directing men into the jaws of death, and asking American taxpayers to forgo such luxuries as new cars, or even butter. Unfortunately, most of us never learn the lessons which history has to offer.

It is more than unseemly to spend half a million dollars on a set of dishes (with public money), while many Americans are being laid-off and losing their homes in record numbers. It is also more than hypocritical to speak so much about the plight of poor people, while spending untold millions of both private and public funds on a one-day party.

It is evident that both Bush and Obama are completely out of touch with working Americans. Unfortunately, it is equally evident that they lack any respect for the value of a dollar, or of a hard day´s labor.

For the price of the new set of White House china ($550,000), 312,500 gallons of gas could be purchased(1), or one month´s worth of groceries could be purchased for 916 families(2).

For the current amount of Obama´s inauguration celebration fund ($27 million), 5,739 Americans could receive health insurance coverage for one year(3), or the tuition for 4,100 college students could be paid for a year(4).

Source Data:

(1) AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report, 1/8/09 (national average $1.76/gallon).

(2) Yahoo Answers, based on $600/month for family of four

(3) Kaiser Family Foundation, $4,704/single coverage (2008)

(4) Collegeboards.com, $6,585/annual tuition (in-state, public university)