Inaugural
Ball 2.0 (…or...Dancing with the Corporate Stars)
Did you get your invite to enter the lottery for $5
to win a trip to the inauguration for Obama?
I did. Guy Cecil of the Democratic
Senatorial Campaign Committee wishes me luck at a chance to donate $5 and
possibly win an opportunity to “be at” the Inaugural Ball.” I’m just a grassroots supporter, yet I am
made to feel really important in his email invite. Guy ends by saying, “Hope to see you and your
guest in Washington, DC soon – and don’t forget your dancing shoes.” Let’s be honest. My chances are pretty slim, but I know who
will be there to have a conversazione (Italian for influential face-to-face
with VIP’s).
According
to recent reports, President Barack Obama will accept unlimited corporate
donations for his upcoming January 21st Inauguration.
This is not the way it was supposed to be. Remember Inaugural Ball 1.0 (2011) – no
corporate influences allowed?
Although Obama had barred corporations from donating
during the last inauguration, flip-flops in this earlier position were caused –
according to his handlers – by the unequal expenses of this last campaign which
has left donors less likely to be holding extra cash to negotiate into political
play.
Last time around, the 2009 Inauguration Ball cost
nearly $47 million and the short time between election and January 21st makes
“raising that ($) in a matter of six weeks too difficult without throwing open
the flood gates, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity “( http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/obama-to-accept-corporate-cash-for-inauguration-84755.html).
Of course, some politically polite mannerisms will
be observed this upcoming year. Any
corporate sponsorship for the event will not be accompanied by branding
<!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->privileges, so we probably won’t see any corporate
logos visibly present on pennants or banners.
On the other hand, unless they are deemed liable to pose a conflict of
interest, they’ll all be there in physical presence if not in influence.
Politico.com is also quick to remind that the practice
of accepting corporate sponsorship for a Presidential Inauguration is not
nouveau. Unlike his carefully drawn line
during his “Hope and Change” run and original Inauguration Ball in 2009, “in
some ways, Obama is returning to tradition.
Previous Presidents accepted large corporate donations for their
inaugurations. George W. Bush, for
example, took a slew of $250,000 checks from companies that included Bank of America,
Pfizer, and Exxon Mobil” ( http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/obama-to-accept-corporate-cash-for-inauguration-84755.html
).
Defenders of the President’s decision to return to
accepting corporate donations remind that such a civic event as the Inaugural Ball
is no different than others; for example, the Cherry Blossom Festival takes
corporate sponsorships as do many museums and charities. Yikes, even the small animal shelter where I
volunteer would welcome a corporate sponsorship – on the other hand, we don’t
ever get any. Is it because we don’t
federally and locally legislate?
What
if you want to go to the ball?
Check your coin jar.
As donator, $250,000 will get you a top level package called
appropriately the “Washington.” The same
package for a corporate entity – although remember they’re people too – will start at $1 million. The packages come with numerous tickets for
the inauguration, including two tickets to a benefactors reception, an
invitation to the finance committee ‘Road Ahead’ meeting, two tickets to the
children’s concert, two tickets to the co-chair’s reception, and four tickets
to the candlelight celebration”( http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/inaugural-planners-seek-million-dollar-donors-84870.html
). Other lesser packages range downward
into the tens of thousands with catchy names like the “Adams, Jefferson, or
Madison.” One wonders if there is a Fawkes package?
The Inaugural Committee, like every other group in
political Washington, drew lines to eliminate conflicts of interest, which are
flexible if not totally elastic. A
conflict of interest for a corporation might include looking for a federal
contract, but not necessarily trying to secure a large tax subsidy. The same committee bars PAC’s and lobbyists,
but top clients of the same lobbying groups (e.g., General Electric) can
participate. Of course, we may not
actually see a Microsoft banner above the swearing-in, as the committee
outlawed corporate branding, but you might expect that big-package executives
will gladly trade such displays for face-to-face encounters with federal
legislators. Have another drink,
Senator?
Unlike earlier inaugural fund-raising efforts,
Obama’s committee is providing an evolving list of personal and corporate
donors prior to the event – not after as is normally done. With that in mind, it is indeed an
eye-opening journey through the extensive lists of donors already on board and
receiving their special “packages” for attendance
As you might expect, a large segment of the individual guest lists paying $50,000 (Crowns, Pritzkers, etc.) include those in Illinois who
work to promote and influence the undermining of public education or
the destruction of the public sector workers benefits.
You will find the growing guest list of the 1% at the
following site.
In these times of increased unemployment, home foreclosures, poverty and crime, it seems entirely inappropriate to have an "Inaugural Ball." Since it cost $47 million in 2009, that cost will certainly be inflated in 2013. Just think what that money could be used for instead!
ReplyDeleteSounds like the 1% is telling the 99% "Let them eat cake." However, it is the 1% getting the cake; the rest of us get bread and water.
After days of registering voters for him and making phone calls for Obama's campaign, I am deeply disturbed by his asking special people (or as the Supreme Court calls them, corporations) and the very wealthy to give him a lavish party to re-welcome him to office. As widowed teachers over 80 years of age face forced "shared sacrifice" cuts to their meager pensions, and as I passed several unemployed homeless veterans on the street asking for money, An overwhelming sense of wrong washed over me.
ReplyDeleteCharles Dickens could have express it better, but the wrong has just crossed another level this Christmas season.
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ReplyDelete