To me personally, the inauguration glut is just par for the course.  But even in my overt cynicism, it seems that Obama has really gone over the top in lavish extravagance.

And now, even though I first mentioned this days ago, it is starting to make national headlines:

Obama hosting pricey party in a dicey economy

Unemployment is up. The stock market is down. Let’s party.

The price tag for President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration gala is expected to break records, with some estimates reaching as high as $150 million.

Lately the estimates range from 170-250 million.

Despite the bleak economy, however, Democrats who called on President George W. Bush to be frugal four years ago are issuing no such demands now that an inaugural weekend of rock concerts and star-studded parties has begun.

Obama’s inaugural committee has raised more than $41 million to cover events ranging from a Philadelphia-to-Washington train ride to a megastar concert with Beyonce, U2 and Bruce Springsteen to 10 official inaugural balls. Add to that the massive costs of security and transportation — costs absorbed by U.S. taxpayers — and the historic inauguration will produce an equally historic bill.

Yup, the tax payers get to pay the bills for this exercise in insensitivity.

In 2005, Reps. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., and Jim McDermott, D-Wash., asked Bush to show a little less pomp and be a little more circumspect at his party.

“President Roosevelt held his 1945 inaugural at the White House, making a short speech and serving guests cold chicken salad and plain pound cake,” the two lawmakers wrote in a letter. “During World War I, President Wilson did not have any parties at his 1917 inaugural, saying that such festivities would be undignified.”

Of course, McDermott sings a different song now:

What’s hypocrite “Baghdad Jim” McDermott’s camp have to say in response to the news of the price tag for Obama’s days-long inaugural?

“Those at the Obama administration are trying to be reflective of the climate,” McDermott’s spokesman, Mike DeCeasar, said Saturday.

Riiiiight.

The only thing more pathetic than McDermott’s hypocrisy is the fact that so many Obama worshipers who continue to descend on the Capitol in advance of PEBO’s inauguration are the same types who slammed John McCain as an out-of-touch rich guy living off his wife’s mega-wealth, so out of touch that he couldn’t remember how many houses they owned, and also criticizing Gov. Palin for spending decisions on her’s and her family’s wardrobes that she did not make, while at the same they painted Barack Obama as a humble guy who “gets the common man.” How many of these same people (including those in the mainstream press) would be looking the other way if it had been McCain/Palin holding this big, expensive Lincolnesque inaugural ceremony in the middle of this bleak economy?

I hope someday we can finally admit that the democrats are the big money party.

Obama and his people are not worried either:

Obama’s inauguration committee says it is mindful of the times and is not worried people will see the four days of festivities as excessive.

“That is probably not the way the country is going to be looking at it,” said committee spokeswoman Linda Douglass. “It is not a celebration of an election. It is a celebration of our common values.”

I doubt the average person is being invited except to watch vicariously on TV.

Douglass said the campaign sought to keep costs down by having the same decorations at each of the 10 balls, eliminating floral arrangements and negotiating prices on food.

So with the 150+ million price tag, we are supposed to believe they are being “thrifty”?

Security and transportation costs are being paid by taxpayers. And with millions of tourists expected to descend on Washington for Tuesday’s inauguration ceremony, Bush declared a state of emergency, allowing the district to recover some costs for the event.

I will ignore the obviously one liners about the emergency….

The inauguration committee is paying for 10 stadium-style screens to broadcast the inauguration ceremony on the National Mall. It is also hiring garbage and recycling services and renting thousands of portable toilets for what one supplier called “the largest temporary restroom event in the history of the United States.”

Even though they are being sued for not having nearly enough.

While the town of DC is effectively shut down, the only other winners besides cab drivers, street sweepers and caterers are security:

As many as 2 million people — double the number for any previous inauguration — are expected to fill the Mall on Jan. 20 to witness the swearing-in of the first black president.

While officials said they haven’t received any credible threats, they have prepared an unprecedented security effort. It will be overseen by the U.S. Secret Service and will include 7,500 active-duty soldiers, 10,000 National Guard troops and 25,000 law-enforcement officers, security officials said. Federal officials haven’t projected the total cost, though Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia said they are spending tens of millions of dollars.

Of course, some other unlucky workers will have to take the day off…pity, they would have fit right in at some of the parties.

The bottom line here is that this party, this gross display of wealth and privilege, is not seen by the political elite as being insensitive or hypocritical.  It is seen as being his just due as a celebration of the historic qualities of his campaign and election.

They cannot see past the fulfillment of MLK’s dream and see that perhaps hope and change would be just as well served with humility, frugality and sensitivity.

Politicians hold themselves as the chosen, the elite, and their arrogance and egotism bears that out.

And as congress spends us into oblivion, it appears Obama is willing to not just go along for the ride, but to lead the charge into insolvency.

Caveat emptor.

Trackposted to Nuke’s, Blog @ MoreWhat.com, Rosemary’s Thoughts, Political Byline, third world county, Allie is Wired, Woman Honor Thyself, Walls of the City, The World According to Carl, DragonLady’s World, The Pink Flamingo, Leaning Straight Up, Wingless, and Wingless (BBC Parody, Hilarious!), thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.