Do the Right Thing - Cancel Inauguration Parties

Dec 31st 2004 9:25AM

First, let me get my politics on the table. I’m an independent. I try to look at every issue with an open mind.I don’t have a favorite politician. I don’t donate money to politicians. I think any cause is better than getting a politician re-elected. I try to stay abovepolitics and look only at the issues.

And there are plenty of issues.

As a country we face huge budget deficits. We face a declining currency. We haveservice peopledying. We face responsibilities to help those suffering from the ongoing consequences and devastation from the Tsunamis. Then of course there are our obligations to our own citizens.

Responsibility. As a country we have taken on the responsibility of helping our own, and others around the world. That’s not a bad role. It’s a good role. They are among themany reasons I am proud to be an American.

What concerns me is that our politicians don’t understand that with accepting responsibility for providing financial support for ourselves and others comes the responsibility to pay the bills. As someone who has had more than onecredit card confiscasted and scissored, I understand that its a lot more fun to look like a big shot charging up debt to pay for good deeds, then it is to write the check when the bills are due.

I am all for helping in every single opportunity where it is required. I just want to knowthat our polticians understand that it has to be paid for, andknow how we are going to pay for it.

It would make perfect sense if we, as Americans, would contact our politicians and let them know how we want to pay for obligations. How nice would it be for a community to stand up and say… We don’t need the 100k for a Punxsutawney Phil Museum. We don’t need 25k for the study of Mariachi Music. We don’t need 3mm dollars to help fisherman sell seafood in Alaska.Or any of thousands of otherlow on the priority list items that have been funded with taxpayer dollars. Instead, lets use that money to help the Tsunami victims. Or put that in a fund for the next disaster that is sure to occur.

Of course that’s not going to happen. It’s the culture that we have. We are giving it out, so get yours while you can. Let everyone else figure out how its going to be paid for.

It’s a tradition that can only be changed from the top.

It’s up toPresident Bush to set an example.

How about it Mr. President? Can you take the first step?I can help you figure out where to start.

Start by cancelling your inauguration parties and festivities.

Could there be anything more confusing and shocking than to read that our country was offering $35mm in aid to the areas affected by the Tsunamis, but that the cost of inauguration parties would be about $40mm?

Does anyone else think that this is wrong?

I realize that the cost for the inauguration is being picked up by corporate sponsors and people purchasing outrageously priced tickets. The question is why.

Why are all these corporations and people spending all that money? Hey I love a good party, but there ain’t no party like a $10,000 per ticketparty.It’s a 10k dollar ass kissing.As an accountant, fund raiser when asked about the high prices to attend the Inaugural events told theNYTimes, “its the cost of playing the game”.

Mr President, its time to change the game.

In your re-election campaign, youtalked a lot about leadership.Your ability to lead in times like these. Your ability to set an example.Mr President, it’s time to show that leadership. It’s time to set an example.

Cancel all but the most basicinauguration requirements.

Itshould be the easiest decision of your 2nd term.

You, Laura and the girls can still have family over and appreciate your blessings. I’m sure people who want to get out and have a good time, will still find a way to have fun. But that 40mm dollars can go a long way. Instead of shaking hands all night and being driven from party to party, send them a thank you card letting them know that the corporate and individual donations that had been earmarked for fun, was now going tohelp more people than they could ever imagine. Without the hangovers.

The impact of cancelling thefrills would be staggering. You would immediately send the message that you as President and we as a country, really do know how to prioritize. That we will start accepting financial responsibility.

It would be hard for other politicians to not follow your lead.You could ask them todo the right thing and give up something they can do without, so that there are dollars available for those who really need them.

Leadership starts at the top. Culture change can start with some things that really are easy to do.

And 40mm dollars going to help those really in need can have a huge impact.

Do the right thing. Send the right message. Lead by example Mr President.

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254 Comments

Damn right. This has to be one of the most manifest signs of how sick we are as a society and how far out of whack our priorities have gotten. We have a clear opportunity to show the world what America is really about.

Comment by Andrew Lark — December 31, 2004 @ 11:32 am
I find this article troubling. You yourself say that the cost of the parties is paid by the corporations sponsoring the events and the ticket holders paying up to $10,000 per ticket. The thing you are missing is that it is their money, they can do what they please with it. You have a lot of money, am I not to believe that you have never done anything frivoulous with it? Who am I to tell you how to spend your money.

I would find it outrageous if anyone told me how to spend my money, why would this change if this came from the President. If the corporations and individual donors want to spend this money they can and will. Many of these same corporations are shelling out millions of dollars of aid to the tsunami victims. That is also their choice.

Comment by Jeffrey Geiger — December 31, 2004 @ 11:33 am
Sometimes you have to give to receive in this world. I personally am not a big fan of president Bush, but I do support him as the president of our country. It would greatly increase my support for him if he were to make a personal sacrifice such as giving up his inauguration parties to help those affected by the tsunami.

Comment by Tim — December 31, 2004 @ 11:44 am
I hate to break this to you but the parties are not 10k per ticket parties, more like $125. I may be splitting hairs here but you try to make it look like only the rich go to the parties but that is not true. Also, all the parties are paid for with private money.

Finally, I do agree about getting rid of all the political pet projects that that we pay for, but that is our fault because we continue to elect politicians based on what pet projects they throw our way.

Comment by Chad Hamm III — December 31, 2004 @ 11:55 am
Mark,

Forget the politics, the federal deficit, whether we are perceived as being stingy by the rest of the world. A few days ago, more than 200,000 fellow human beings perished. This is not a time for any sort of celebration. This is a time to pull together with the rest of the world for the betterment of mankind.

Comment by Peter Newton — December 31, 2004 @ 12:12 pm
Mark,

While you have some great posts this one is just silly. You do make some good points on wasted spending but your way off for the most part. Cancel the inauguration party because the money would be better spent on disaster aid? Come on Mark look in the mirror! You spend $90.18 million to pay guys to PLAY BASKETBALL! How about you cancel the Mavs season and send that $90mil to disaster aid? How about the $1mil+ you take in per game from ticket sales you send off for aid?

Mark, look in the mirror before you make a post like this again.

Steve

Comment by Steve — December 31, 2004 @ 12:23 pm
I like your take on this. Wouldn’t it be great if this were that easy? Or… would it create a silent corporate backlash for support of future “fundraising” events, when funds collected by corporations are not used for the purpose that they were “donated” for? I have a hard time believing that the cost of those parties top out at 40 mil. Where does the rest of it go?

Comment by Scott Shoemaker — December 31, 2004 @ 12:25 pm
Not gonna happen. No way. No how. Parties are fun. Exclusive parties are even more fun because you have to “be someone” to get in. Exclusive parties with big ticket prices are even more fun because you have to “be someone with money” to get in. No way do I believe that most people with power and money would rather HELP than party. Just look at the accessories most people attending hold claim to. Thousands for a dress you’ll wear once? Thousands would help a lot. Thousands upon thousands upon thousands jewelry? Thousands upon thousands upon thousands for cars? Millions for a house? All that would help a lot. Stop an exclusive party? Yeah right.

Comment by clover — December 31, 2004 @ 12:25 pm
THAT’S a blog! Indepenedent journalism at its finest. I agree 1000%

Comment by James King — December 31, 2004 @ 12:29 pm
$35mm is that all that the US sent towards the efforts? Wow, not being an American I hadn’t seen any figures. It surprised me that it would be less than the tiny country up north.

Perhaps it is a sign that the government is at least aware of how bad their economy has gotten and that they can’t put up as much money as they could have at one point.

Comment by Chris Roy — December 31, 2004 @ 12:30 pm
THAT’S a blog! Indepenedent journalism at its finest. I agree 1000%

Comment by James King — December 31, 2004 @ 12:31 pm
Right on, Mark! Where’s the online petition to sign?

Comment by Jackie Huba — December 31, 2004 @ 1:01 pm
It was very disheartening for me as an American citizen to learn that our President waited almost a week to even talk about tragic events in Asia and Africa. Our country needs to start to be concerned with human problems rather than religious questions.

When 9/11 occurred we demanded immediate homage for the more than 3,000 lives that were lost. The tsunami has claimed more than 117,000 lives and counting. Those who lost love ones will not be thinking of the total number of lives lost. Instead, they will remember a brother, sister, mother, father, friends, and other relatives that perished.

We must move towards being country of that cares for each victim. I think there is something deeply wrong when men and women to Iraq and hide their coffins from public display when they return.

We saw the President attend more memorial services in New York and 9/11 events around the nation. But, we have not seem him attend an equal number of events of those who made the highest sacrifice for their nation. Will Mr. Bush attend a single memorial for the lives lost in tsunami? I don’t know.

It is easy to be negative and point out the President’s flaws. However, canceling the Inauguration is not out of question. The President should not spend a single dime corporate or the people’s until every American has descent health care, until social security is fixed. The President should not accept a single dime on until every soldier who died in Iraq families is compensated fairly for their lost. I also find it disturbing that we offer Iraqis a few hundred dollars for the lost of their love ones who were accidentally killed in the campaign to take Iraq.

Accordingly, it is no surprise to be that this Administration has put forth little effort to help the victims of the tsunami crisis. Therefore, I am not proud to be an American. I am ashamed to be American. Whenever I travel outside the U.S.,I don’t say I am an American. Would rather be recognized as a Canadian.

Comment by sterling — December 31, 2004 @ 1:02 pm
I wrote the same idea as a letter to the editor at the NY Times yesterday but apparently not well enough to warrant publication. So I put it in my blog:

http://www.billsaysthis.com/blog/blogarch.phtml?archdate=2004_12_26_blog_archive.phtml#110443071933041648

Comment by BillSaysThis — December 31, 2004 @ 1:09 pm
Mark -

As someone who has traditionally supported Pres. Bush I completely agree with your post. The time for the political landscape to change is now. No matter who was elected the need is greater now than ever for that person (Bush) to step and change the game.

Your proposed idea is a good start, but the Tsunami is far from where our world finds its greatest need. There are an estimated 6000-6500 people a day dying in Africa from AIDS alone, in addition to thousands more from famine and war. The tsunami was a terrible tragedy and we need to be helping there, however, at today’s current estimated deaths from the Tsunami it’s around three weeks worth of AIDS victims in Africa.

The time for a change in the way money is shared is now. I am an out and out republican, I am all for people (including computer gurus and basketball players) making more money than they can count and keeping taxes low. My only request is that while it was your ability, skill, hard work and occasional stroke of luck that lead you to the bank account you now find please be willing to share that with those who are born without 1/100th of the opportunity. My desire for a lower tax rate is based solely on the idea that hopefully the wealthiest of Americans would then be willing to donate to causes more than the massive amounts they already give.

I’m sure making a statement like you have in your blog you surely have contributed to the Tsunami cause, and other causes, at an amount you feel appropriate, I just wish more people could decide that 5 Lexus’ are enough and 10,000 square feet is plenty and donate the amount that 6th Lexus would’ve been, or that extra 10,000 SF of house to people who’s lives could literally be saved because of the money.

All the best in the New Year â€“ Go Nuggets!

Comment by Alex — December 31, 2004 @ 1:37 pm
The high cost of the inauguration has been documented in many places, including the mainstream media (example 12/31 NYTimes). It would have been excessive under any circumstances, but to continue to spend this kind of money in light of the tragedy in Asia is truly wretched excess.
You can’t compare this to other things like pro sports or movie premieres or any other activity that may seem excessive. Mr. Bush is the leader of the free world and he should be held to a higher standard than the rest of us. It goes with the territory. Personally, I don’t think he has risen to the occasion.
He doesn’t HAVE to cut his parties back, but what a positive message to the rest of the world it would be if he did. But I agree with a previous poster –highly unlikely.

Comment by Susan Getgood — December 31, 2004 @ 1:58 pm
Well, it’s getting better…

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,143002,00.html

Comment by clover — December 31, 2004 @ 2:17 pm
Waste in government needs to be fixed. It is embarassing for our country, that our leader can not exercise any self-control. It is perhaps not surprising though. How hard is it for an everyday person to maintain a budget? Now imagine you weren’t even spending your own money, but everyone else’s? Then add on that you can just quit and retire whenever the bills come due?

It would take special people to resist the temptation. From our current deficit, it doesn’t seem we have enough of those in government right now.

Comment by John P — December 31, 2004 @ 2:18 pm
Good on yeah, Mark.

I think it’d be great if the western world got together tonight and had a few moments of silence or had a mass candle lighting during our celebrations tonight as a sign of respect and thoughts towards those who are grieving a loss.

It’s also unfortunate and saddens me that this exhorbitant amount spent on the US inaguration only feeds the perception that excess is the American way. On that same line, as your entry was written before the US announced a 10 fold increase on the dollar amount pledged, I cringe when I think that newsgroups are going to start nickel & diming just which country pledged what…. I’ve heard it a few times already on TV. Who cares how much who pledged, it’s the fact that people are helping as they are able.

Btw Mark, did you ever read the personal email I sent you asking for your help? I been waitin’ fer a response or a cheque or an eff off… lol

Comment by Carrie — December 31, 2004 @ 2:47 pm
Many good ideas to consider in the article! I think that we need to think much more globally than we do. This constant”them against us” mentallity sells arms and bombs but is such a destroyer of human lives and the environment - “out of sight, I cannot feel”. How many people say “God bless all of God’s children” (if they are a believer in Christianity). What we hear is “God bless America”… Our policies are very often at odds with sane economic responsibility, environmental responsibility, and responsibility to our own people and future generations, as well as to all of humanity to which we are linked as inhabitants of this earth.
We present an image of opulance and excess to the world of hungry and dying; didn’t we ridicule Sadams’ excesses in Iraq - and a 40 million dollar one-time-event inauguration for us.
Doris

Comment by Doris Knapp — December 31, 2004 @ 3:28 pm
This is a great post if for no other reason than it may help generate a buzz of change. There finally seems to be a bilateral ground swell of American’s looking to change the political landscape. We can only hope initiatives like this can help expedite that process. While I see both sides (cancel the parties v. private spending) of the argument, perhaps there is a middle ground. What if a 100% surcharge were assessed on every ticket and the proceeds of the surcharge were donated/saved/applied to the debt, etc?

Comment by gp — December 31, 2004 @ 4:21 pm
Tickets only $125 when playing billiards with Bob Goddlatte (House Agriculture Chairman) in September was $1k? Also $1k to attend a reception with Nick Clooney and his son, George? Golf with Senator Saxby Chambliss was $1500 in October. Twice that, $3k, to golf with Senator Judd Gregg in Oct as well. What about dinner with Rob Portman back on 9/21? That was $2500 (only $1000 for the reception).

$125 would be a bargain and it might even include a Bush impersonator.

There are 10 price levels over $125 (maxxed out at $2200) of Mavs tickets (btw Mark, why are you using Ticketmaster?). At least $125 can get you the highest priced ticket ($90) for the new baseball team in Washington.

Comment by Bmac — December 31, 2004 @ 5:46 pm
Mark, those idiots at the New York Times will bitch and whine about anything the president does…don’t take your cues from them. As you’ve probably noticed by now, our government is pledging $350 million to the Tsunami victims with promises of more. Really that $40 mil on a party is such a small drop in the bucket its rediculous. That equals something like .000001% of government spending for next year. Meanwhile those fat cats at the party probably own corporations that pay many times what this party costs in taxes. Why the sudden call for Bush to stop his party? Do you think the NYT would really be saying this if John Kerry was elected? Hell no, it would be the biggest hollywood shindig in the world. The NYT would probably throw in one of those fancy million dollar full page ads just to announce it. I would agree that government spending needs to be slowed, but this one event is not the place to do that. The same media that is critizing this party would never stop critizing the president if he tried to cut funding to education, the arts, gang programs, etc or the many other porkbarrel initiatives that suck so much of our government money away. Pay attention if Bush DOES decide to start saving our government money, because the only reason half of these stupid programs get passed are because bleeding hearts like the NYT complains when they are not. There are many places to cut out excess besides this party. Maybe we should look first at NASA, where single missions cost multi billions of dollars. This event happens once every four years, and I think republican or democrat they deserve the event after all the stress they are put through, especially in an election year.

Comment by Phil — December 31, 2004 @ 6:01 pm
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,143002,00.html

Only $35 million? Really? Oh, you’re still talking about that first number that solely gave the uninformed something to complain about. However, you’ve now effectively slowed the aid process with your complaints. Now that this country’s political opponents have shown that they’re willing to use a global disaster to make hay in the papers, there won’t be a first $35 million next time. That money will sit right there until the “right” number is determined. What a proud day for the country.

Cancel the Mavs’ season. Another few million. What if the Democrats hadn’t run a candidate at all? What if we liquidated IBM?

If you want to do something useful, go to http://www.amazon.com, make two mouse clicks, and donate the money yourself. Quit whining about meaningless crap.

Comment by Darin K — December 31, 2004 @ 6:03 pm
Is it possible that the most relevant and needed blog post of 2004 come in it’s waning hours? Excellent idea Mark. Steve also made a good point, but from reading your plea to President Bush I get the feeling you (or your organizations and businesses) have already made sizable contributions, and that you passed up the opportunity to toot your own horn during this post in a “Look at how nice a guy I am” sort of way.

Good Show.

Comment by Charles Starrett — December 31, 2004 @ 6:13 pm
Yup. $125 I know because I am going to one of them, although my ticket was partially subsidized.

Here is a list of balls and the ticket prices, not one of them is even close to 10k.

http://www.affiliatetip.com/inaugural-event-blog/archives/2005_presidential_inauguration_balls.html

Comment by Chad Hamm III — December 31, 2004 @ 6:18 pm
no need to cancel any celebration of our way of life (constitutional republic, capitalism, individual freedoms, etc..)

and does anybody see the hypocrisy of canceling/minimizing new years celebrations around the world so we can ‘pray’ for the victims? pray to who? the all powerful god who put us on a planet with natural disasters?

did god know about the tsunami and not prevent it? or did he not know about it? (theologians dilemma)

it is hypocritic to all that man has accomplished on this earth to ‘pray’ to a holy ghost.

and do you see the hypocrisy in ‘karma’? if you ‘believe’ in karma, then you have to say the victims ‘earned’ their horrible fate.

the U.S. , and other capitalist nations are able to give because we are ‘producers’ , we produce the wealth which provides for the life we are able to live, and if we choose, to provide for others.

U.S. Should Not Help Tsunami Victims

By David Holcberg

As the death toll mounts in the areas hit by Sunday’s tsunami in southern Asia, private organizations and individuals are scrambling to send out money and goods to help the victims. Such help may be entirely proper, especially considering that most of those affected by this tragedy are suffering through no fault of their own.

The United States government, however, should not give any money to help the tsunami victims. Why? Because the money is not the government’s to give.

Every cent the government spends comes from taxation. Every dollar the government hands out as foreign aid has to be extorted from an American taxpayer first. Year after year, for decades, the government has forced American taxpayers to provide foreign aid to every type of natural or man-made disaster on the face of the earth: from the Marshall Plan to reconstruct a war-ravaged Europe to the $15 billion recently promised to fight AIDS in Africa to the countless amounts spent to help the victims of earthquakes, fires and floods–from South America to Asia. Even the enemies of the United States were given money extorted from American taxpayers: from the billions given away by Clinton to help the starving North Koreans to the billions given away by Bush to help the blood-thirsty Palestinians under Arafat’s murderous regime.

The question no one asks about our politicians’ “generosity” towards the world’s needy is: By what right? By what right do they take our hard-earned money and give it away?

The reason politicians can get away with doling out money that they have no right to and that does not belong to them is that they have the morality of altruism on their side. According to altruism–the morality that most Americans accept and that politicians exploit for all it’s worth–those who have more have the moral obligation to help those who have less. This is why Americans–the wealthiest people on earth–are expected to sacrifice (voluntarily or by force) the wealth they have earned to provide for the needs of those who did not earn it. It is Americans’ acceptance of altruism that renders them morally impotent to protest against the confiscation and distribution of their wealth. It is past time to question–and to reject–such a vicious morality that demands that we sacrifice our values instead of holding on to them.

Next time a politician gives away money taken from you to show what a good, compassionate altruist he is, ask yourself: By what right?

David Holcberg is a research associate at the Ayn Rand Institute in Irvine, Calif. The Institute promotes the philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead.

Comment by karl meisenbach — December 31, 2004 @ 6:55 pm
Mark you made some good points about cutting down on the pet projects. One project after another the money starts to add up fast. I do not know what all of you are saying now….we have pledged another $350m so we are at 385 in tsunami relief efforts, not to mention the helicopters and all of the other equipment we are using to help. Save this post so you can refer to it because by the time this is all said and done the U.S. will give over $1 billion. The United States funds 22 percent of the UN regular budget, as well as more than 27 percent of the peacekeeping budget. No matter if you agree or disagree with the foreign policy of President Bush you cannot deny we are the most giving country in the world. Not just abroad but here at home, with the millions of dollars worth of personal contributions to charities each and every year.
President Bush had to play the hand that he was dealt….9/11, Afghanistan & Iraq….and the mini recession because of all of the dot com busts. Afghan elections took place, the country is fairly stable, and we are now moving towards the January 31st elections in Iraq. Most wars take 10 years+, but we are transforming Iraq so that they will able to experience freedom and democracy for the first time. We removed a brutal dictator who killed over 300,000 Iraq’s in one way or another. That is a large number….now step back for a second and realize that these were real people.
Mark you also mentioned about the declining dollar, which is good for large international companies, for the stock market, and is bringing a lot more tourists to the country. Although, the one thing that could be devastating is if the international currency (everyone pays for things in relation to the dollar) if this changes to the Euro or something else then we will have a problem. I predict that sometime early in 05 the dollar will hit its bottom; Wall Street will realize a bargain and start investing in the dollar again and driving it back up.
I do think that President Bush and the politicians in Washington do need to show better fiscal responsibility now and in the future. A good start as Mark mentioned is cutting all of these BS projects that cost us hundreds of millions each year. President Bush has both the Senate and House of Representatives on his side….so in his 2nd administration I think it is important that he focuses more on the problems we face here at home. The inauguration party is expensive, but I agree with a previous poster, in that people can spend the money how ever they choose.

Also, for the post that said “The President should not spend a single dime corporate or the people’s until every American has descent health care, until social security is fixed.” “The President should not accept a single dime on until every soldier who died in Iraq families is compensated fairly for their lost.”
Sorry….it is going to take more than 4 years to fix the healthcare problem…it was a problem under Clinton also. SS is also a problem but President Bush has it on his agenda, and these are two very difficult problems that there is not a perfect solution for. These are both decade old problems…. so you must give the President props for dealing with it because previous administrations have not even touched the surface. Also, are men and women in Iraq are serving so that we can be free here at home. They are courageous people and I am glad Mark that you have set up a fund to help assist them. They serve knowing that there is a possibility of injury or death, but they do it because they want to help the country, so paying the families because they died… is a misguided statement. The person who said he is ashamed to be an American….MOVE IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT HERE! I realize this was a very long post, but I think that it was important to put all of this in context and realize all the country has been through in the past 4 years. Happy New Year to everyone.

Comment by Aaron T — December 31, 2004 @ 7:43 pm
Karl… you make me glad I’m a Canadian. Your ignorance, arrogance and textual diarrhea is repulsive and an insult to all decent Americans. I’m truly sorry you drank that piss in your cornflakes that day because it seems to have stayed in your system since you discovered objectivism. How unfortunate it is that you are related to HDTV… fat chance in hell I’ll ever encourage anyone I know to buy or invest.

Comment by Carrie — December 31, 2004 @ 8:58 pm
You’re going all Jimmy Carter on us. Jimmy counseled austerity and modesty for America, then Reagan took office and showed how silly Jimmy had been. Stagflation and Misery Index out; Celebration of American Values and Democracy in!

There are peripheral benefits to a big bash– which some will scoff at– but I think they are important:

1) The nation needs some regularly scheduled pomp and ceremony. It binds us together. It builds our confidence. America, democracy, and free markets are all ideas which depend on the confidence of the people. The minute we lose confidence in those ideas, we are toast. Lavish ceremony and celebration have their place in tangibly demonstrating America’s economic power to her people, and thus keeping the people’s confidence high. Ceremony is important for societies. You want the Dow to take a big hit? Cancel the lavish inaugural parties and see what happens.

2) We benefit from sending extra reminders to the world that someone is firmly in charge in D.C., and that the American people stand firmly behind President Bush’s foreign policies, and that President Bush has a lot of political power. The more political power Bush is seen as having, the easier it is for us to get what we need out of international diplomacy. In this sense, $40 Million is a drop in the bucket for the advertising and the propaganda value alone. We will reap more benefit than that in foreign policy negotiation. IMO, the closer the election is, the more the nation should spend on the Inaugural festivities.

3) The peaceful transition of power is a tenuous and miraculous thing– one which should NEVER taken for granted. In a sense, the nation is celebrating a peaceful transition of power. Emerging democracies benefit from seeing a celebration of the success of the American democratic process.

4) The inauguration is economically analogous to the Super Bowl. It will undoubtably have a positive economic impact on D.C. We don’t need Jimmy Carter austerity– we need economic synergy! SOMEONE is taking that $40 Million home! They will pump it back into the economy in thousands of ways. The $40 Million is not wasted.

Also, amounts really are not integral to my argument, but I’m compelled to point out that the government is paying for around $15 Million of the Inauguration’s cost, while currently designating $350 Million for Tsunami relief, not including the tens and tens of millions we will spend to support the military assets we are sending, including an Aircraft Carrier, and AWACS Air Traffic Control planes.

Comment by Greg Cotharn — December 31, 2004 @ 9:14 pm
from the Chicago Tribune
http://www.columbiatribune.com/2004/Dec/20041231News029.asp
WASHINGTON - Soldiers will dance free of charge at President George W. Bush’s second inauguration, a record $40 million-plus celebration for “a nation at war,” financed by some of the same big donors who bankrolled Bush’s re-election campaign.
The fund-raisers are asking corporate donors to purchase a $250,000 “underwriter package” that includes tickets to all inaugural events, 20 tickets for one of three candlelight dinners that the president will attend on the eve of the inauguration and two tickets for a more intimate lunch with Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

They are courting individual donors with a $100,000 “sponsor package” that includes fewer tickets to one of the candlelight dinners.

Comment by d.b — December 31, 2004 @ 9:18 pm
Well said.

Comment by Tony — December 31, 2004 @ 9:44 pm
Mark,
That was a bold statement. I really wish that this would happen. Let’s have a little get together in the White House, feed the TV coverage to all the media, and get back to work. The tsunami in Asia is a terrible tragedy. I wish there was more that I can do to help, however funds at our house are short. We’re not poor, but we’re paycheck to paycheck, which is mainly due to my diabetes, and the cost of my healthcare. But I’m going to do the right thing. I’m taking care of my family by getting a full time job in radio (my career for the past five years), hopefully with benefits. I’m also going to start taking better care of myself then at the same time I can take better care of my family. We just need a little financial shot in the arm to get things going, and we’ll be on our way.
Thanks again for your incredible statement and here’s to hoping.
-Dave Johnson
p.s. Thanks for HDnet and HDnet movies too. I really enjoy the programming.

Comment by David Johnson — December 31, 2004 @ 10:34 pm
Mark -

Instead of ranting on this topic and those who posted about it (in the name of Ayn Rand? How can anyone speak for someone who is dead?), let me just say that I would be tickled to read about a bunch of NBA players getting together with owners and come up a contribution plan.

I’ll spend the rest of this post wishing you, your family, your co-workers and everyone who reads this blog a “happy Gregorian New Year”. BTW, as an astronomer and physicist, I personally think the Persian new year makes the most sense. You can wish me a Happy New Year on Naw Ruz, the first day of Spring, when the Mavs will have the best record in the league.

Mark, have a fantastic 2005 in all of your ventures and thanks for being so generous with your time.

Comment by greg — December 31, 2004 @ 10:43 pm
When you look at it this hole story its funny , first of all The US is bankrupt , this means you owe other country and money lender more money then what your country can pay. This is going to byte you real hard eventually.

when the Florida tornado happened there whas no money to be sent to the people of Florida.

Suddenly out of nowhere you suddenly discover 350 + million you forgot you add ? I guess the stealing of Irakis oil and the kickback bonus from haliburton just came in right ?

Or , whats worst the current Leader of the US ( I am not going to call him president , too much respect for its predecesor even do he is not even the leader of my country ) diverted Fund from another account to pay for this 350 million , wich one , you will eventually find out, and its gonna hurt.

But really do you really care that your country is sending your money for other will asking you to footh the bill ? absolutely not you have been paying 5 billion to Israël every year since there creation , its a gift and you pay 3 billion to there neighbors so that they dont attack them. That money would come handy to help Etats-Unians … So dont go ranting about a 40 million party it kind of an hypocrisy.

Thats you governement part , the other part is your chief of enterprise attending those celebration.

Do you really think that they are paying those ticket with there own money ? No they are taking this money right out of the profit of there company , wich mean that some shareholder are beeing screwed out of there owed income.

You whant to do something about it ? well get the list of people who are going and get a thousand share in all the company they run and sue them for diverting fund. Send the clear message that its the shareholder that own the company not the CEO and CFO they are just employee.

Frankly this smell big time fraud like the marshall plan , where going to give you 35 billion ! oh yes on second tought where going to give you 30 billion ! , no really whe mean to send you money where going to send you 25 billion its been aproved by congress ! at last count only 13 billion where accounted for ! you lost 12 in the titanic ? and out of those 13 billion only 5 where actually paid for real help.

and think about this : when you have no electricity , no food , no house , and your getting sick , do you realy think that 350 million pledge by some guy who is known to make bad check is going to make you feel warm safe and secure ?

You whant to help send some of your army to secure the area and to help with burying corpse before it become an epidimy and help with the clean up of the area. Thats how you help a friend in need not by sending money ,when the bank is floating in the ocean on its way to china.

Comment by Moulinneuf — December 31, 2004 @ 11:26 pm
BEST BLOG EVER! THANK YOU MARK! What a waste of valuable money that could go elsewhere and have an impact on the unfortunate Tsunami victims. I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH CUBES ON THIS 1000000000%. BEST BLOG EVERRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!! AND I URGE ALL OF US TO DONATE to any organzition possible. It’s not how much you give, it’s if you give. If we all give what we can we will make a difference! And we need to! Between wars and natural disasters there has been enough loss of innocent life this year around the world.

Comment by Omar S. — January 1, 2005 @ 1:36 am
“From each according to ability, to each according to need.”

I couldn’t disagree more with your collectivist mentality. I don’t think our government should give a single penny of aid. The aid should come from private individuals like yourself that have a conscious. Not because it’s the right thing to do, to help the needy, but because of the individual’s character.

However, using your own logic will show that you are a hypocrite. You approached this from a collectivist mentality, but your actions assume that you approach life from an individualist mentality. For example, take your reality tv show. You gave the winner 1 million dollars simply because she could pass your tests for success. No one gives gives someone else one million dollars for the hell of it. You gave her the money for one reason, to promote yourself (which, I agree with, but this is using your logic). Using your own logic, spending money that way is worthless. If you rank the museum, the fishermen, the music, and giving someone 1 million dollars for the hell of it, would rank last. Using your own logic, wouldn’t it be better to save that money for a disaster that might happen some day, rather than paying for someone to impress you, and then giving them 1 million dollars?

There is no better example of a hypocrite than a liberal millionaire, let alone a billionaire.

If you haven’t already I suggest you pick up a copy of Atlas Shrugged.

Comment by John — January 1, 2005 @ 5:38 am
I read most of the comments above and agreed with some of their sentiments. I agree that countries shouldn’t go in debt to provide funds rather provide relief efforts. The amount of the contribution shouldn’t be a factor, it’s more the thought that counts. Though, cancelling the inauguration party might be extreme. I think a better way to reduce debt is to reduce the extraneous items (ie arts & entertainment) and minutely reduce the relevant items for the long run.

And I disagree with Karl, natural disasters happee and are inevitable but no one earns tragedy in that sense despite how karma works. Saying so is very insensitive to the victims that were already in dire situations prior to the event.

Comment by Parscel — January 1, 2005 @ 7:18 am
When you’re not yelling at referees, you make alot of sense. Nice Job, and Happy New Year.

Comment by Michael Zambotti — January 1, 2005 @ 10:12 am
Mark,
I enjoyed hearing your perspective on this. There is tremendous room for improvement in our government starting with the top.
thanks,
Mary

Comment by Mary Winser — January 1, 2005 @ 2:40 pm
Sign the petition to demand a revote in Ohio and Florida

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/Revote

Sign the petition to stop social security privatization, increase the minimum wage,and repeal the faulty Republican prescription drug benefit and replace it with a simple 80 percent coverage of medication under Medicare Part B.

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/progressive

Comment by maximus — January 1, 2005 @ 5:36 pm
Mark,

If the Mavs win the NBA championship this year, will forgoe the victory parades and rally’s and donate all the funds that would have gone to such celebrations to the tsunami victims, or other disaster relief efforts.

I should watch what I type, knowing you, you would.

Comment by Jeff Geiger — January 1, 2005 @ 7:57 pm
I’ll just respond to a few posts that seem like they were written by idiots. First, people that say the money is private and can be done with what the spender pleases: you’re missing the point–the suggestion is that rich poeple give a g apiece which is nothing to them and there ya go. whoever said we need a massive candlelight ceremony or whatever–are you f-ing kidding me? it was that kind of sentiment that did so very little after 9/11… leave candlelight crap to countries that can’t afford to help financially. whoever said anything about mark’s spending on the mavs eat a d***–mark gives money to charity and aid–and the money he pays his players gets given out by them (the players) by the millions and the big-time taxes they pay on their money goes to foreign aid as well. We’re talking about basketball, something that is damned close to being the nation’s pastime, not frigging worthless inauguration parties that benefit no one. It’s a P-A-R-T-Y. 35 million could change a lot of peoples’ lives forever rather than pumping booze into poli’s stomachs for one night. He’s just pointing out how g**damned rediculous it is to spend millions upon millions of dollars for a PARTY! about the only person that said anything true was the guy that said the U.S. in bankrupt. We are. Ther are third world countries that are technically in better financial shape than we are because they don’t have debt coming out of there ears. I’m tired of writing about this–over one hundred thousand people are dead. America expected the whole world to weep for us when we lost a very small fraction of that. Boo Hoo

Comment by Eric M. — January 1, 2005 @ 9:16 pm
Mark,
I totally agree that would send a big message!! Now on that note, can you talk the talk and walk the walk? I only make $50,000. a year and donated $1000. Can you match that in %? If your the person I think you are,you can!!
P.S. Remember where you came from.

Comment by Mike Peterson — January 1, 2005 @ 10:01 pm
I agree, Mark. Let’s cancel the inauguration festivities and send the $$$ to South Asia instead. GW’s re-election is NO reason to celebrate, anyway!

-Queen of Sky

P.S. I made my own humble donation to the Red Cross, even though I am a poor unemployed blogging flight attendant (http://queenofsky.journalspace.com/).

Comment by Queen of Sky — January 1, 2005 @ 10:35 pm
That “candlelight crap” has nothing to do with money. It has everything to do with respect and thoughts of those who are hurting… a gesture from those who can AND can’t afford to give bucks. That you choose to call me an idiot speaks volumes… roflmao.

Comment by Carrie — January 2, 2005 @ 3:07 am
The American Red Cross yesterday received $10 million in cash and pledges — raising its total tsunami relief aid to $28 million.

Money for the emergency relief effort in South Asia is coming in as quickly as generous donors can write checks — with some estimating the amount has topped $1 billion.

The Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services had to shut down its Web site for 36 hours because it couldn’t cope with the overwhelming volume of online donor hits. Its site is up and running again, with an outsider vendor handling the overflow calls.

Amazon.com has even amazed itself. It’s collected $4.8 million since Monday, and it looks like it will soon surpass the $6.8 million raised after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Save the Children reports that it’s getting 1,000 calls a day from donors — five times the usual volume. And its Web site has pulled in $2.5 million — half the $5 million it’s raised so far.

Of that $5 million, $713.50 came from the piggy banks of a couple of generous siblings who donated their savings and Christmas cash gifts to the relief effort.

Another $750,000 came from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which yesterday pledged a total of $3 million to South Asia disaster aid.

http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/37441.htm

The money is being sent. By the government and by the private sector. The inauguration has nothing to do with it and if it were cancelled would mean nothing to these people. I’ll agree with the part of your post where you say government spending should be cleaned up, but you kind of blow your own argument out of the water by saying that the party is being paid for completly by private entities.

Comment by Drew — January 2, 2005 @ 10:48 am
While I agree with some of the people who have posted that it’s an individual’s money, and if they want to spend the money for a ticket, so be it. But I think what’s at issue, here, is leadership and image.

There’s no doubt that Bush has made it on image. The images of “compassion” and “faith”.

Just imagine how much that image would have been bolstered if he stood up and said, “You know, as much fun as this shindig’s gonna be, over 120,000 people are dead. We’re going for a much more subdued inauguration party, and I encourage my backers and even those who don’t have my back to band together and do what we can to assist those in need in South Asia.” Imagine if he took a few moments to hop on TV and encourage every American to pitch in and help–to show the world how compassionate we are.

Instead, he initially offered 15 million, then 35 million when called out. That 35 million was coming from a fund already allocated for this kind of relief; it’s not like we dug deep into our pockets to help. The inauguration bash is estimated to cost 40 million, and we spend 35 million in under 10 hours in Iraq.

This doesn’t send a very positive message about the compassion and faith of our leadership…

Comment by Christopher Gronlund — January 2, 2005 @ 10:54 am
Mark, I could not agree more with your personal invitation to the president to be a leader about taking a stand on spending money for the sake of spending money. Watching the movie DAVE should be a requirement for any politician. They have a part that goes over stupid budget line items that offer no value what so ever and prove that an average person can recognize this and save the country money or reallocate funds. The president should be f’n grateful that he was lucky enough to have the mayor of Flipperville on the other side of the court cuz that is the only reason he got re-elected.. on his sheer confidence alone.. regardless if he is right or wrong.. at least he takes a stand and sticks to it. Maybe he should take a stand now and be what a true leader is all about.

Comment by j! — January 2, 2005 @ 7:34 pm
Is anyone remembering that the inaguration party is funded by corporate donations? Do we all honestly think that those corporations are going to donate that money when they find out it is going to tsunami relief? Great idea in principle, but it would never work in practice.

Comment by Todd — January 2, 2005 @ 8:14 pm
$35 million is or isn’t a lot of money, depending on how much you need. I think the *gesture* is as important as anything else. We don’t even need to cut out the parties entirely; just a tasteful scaling back would show the rest of the world that we’re not insensitive to the pain of those who lie outside of our borders.

I, too, blogged about this (and sent out emails to my list):

http://www.communicatrix.com/blog/2004/12/citizens_of_the.html

If you feel strongly about the message we’re sending the world, might I suggest a POLITELY worded, non-partisan note to the President and your representatives in Congress. You can find their email addys here:

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/

Thanks for the post and the lively discussion. Peace and good wishes to all in 2005.

Comment by Colleen Wainwright — January 2, 2005 @ 9:05 pm
Cuban, you are a simple mind, and just because you’ve got a few billion dollars due to a dotcom sale doesn’t mean you know shit about what you’re talking about.

Comment by Slavinko — January 2, 2005 @ 9:12 pm
Mark,
Bottomline is everyone in this country has the right to spend their money anyway they choose. All the talk in the world will not change that, and we should all support this relief effort as we see fit. I hardly think that WHEN the Mavs win their first championship that you would/will cancel the celebration and send the money to charity??? No, it is earned and deserved to celebrate your hard work and dedication. GW worked extremely hard for this election and should be allowed to celebrate his victory!
GO MAVS!

Comment by Randy — January 3, 2005 @ 2:18 am
in a perfect world there wouldn’t be any $40mm parties, actually the only parties that would exist are free parties that come from the generosity of the host. but, unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world, instead we live in a world full of greed with the mentality of me first you second. it’s really sad when you read that “our country was offering $35mm in aid to the areas affected by the Tsunamis, but that the cost of inauguration parties would be about $40mm”

Comment by Sang — January 3, 2005 @ 11:43 am
Cancelling the festivities would be a big step in the right direction.

Comment by Paul Goode — January 3, 2005 @ 11:44 am
One of the problems with this logic is that most of the Presidential Inauguration is funded via donations and ticket sales. Congress only allocates $1 million for the event. Since no Goverment money is involved, the President can’t re-allocate it to fund disaster relief. He sent the Navy to do that task. It’s not getting a lot of press coverage because actually doing something benefitial is not as newsworthy as sending cash to the UN.

Did you also protested Clinton spending $30 million for his second inauguration?

Comment by Doug Halsted — January 3, 2005 @ 5:31 pm
In 2000, they told Bush to tone down his inaugural because of the election scandal. In 2004, they’ve conveniently found another excuse to put a damper on his inaugural. I find it odd that no one suggested Democrat Bill Clinton should not enjoy either of his inaugurals in full. And I doubt any Democrats would’ve missed the opportunity to celebrate a Kerry win.

To bring it around to the main topic, everyone does things with their money that others would consider a “waste”. Basketball is one of my least favorite sports, but telling all those season ticket holders and corporate sponsors to give their money to charity instead of “wasting” it on basketball would be rightly dismissed as silly.

Comment by J3 — January 3, 2005 @ 6:36 pm
Questions that immediately come to mind after reading that whacked out diatribe, er, blog, and the subsequent dumb fvck rants, er, replies:

1) How the fvck did you make over 1 billion dollars? Seriously, I would have thought, with that intellect, you’d be more suited to drying cars at Randy’s.

2) Looks like the “Anyone But Bush” crowd is still firmly entrenched in their apoplectic jihad. Still, it’s hilarious watching these dopes play “6 degrees of George W Bush” when it comes to bad news. Get a life, then get a job you friggin’ chimps…

Comment by Jim — January 3, 2005 @ 7:44 pm
This idea is so stupid and short-sighted that I can’t believe people are actually saying it. With this logic, no one should be able to spend their money as they see fit ever. It should all be going towards some needy cause, because if you think about it, there is always someone out there more needy than yourself, so how can you justify having a good time by spending your own money?

Obviously, Bush can not take this private money and just do whatever he wants with it. And besides, how do you know that the same individuals/corporations aren’t contributing more money than they sent for the ignauration to the relief efforts?

How can you sit there from your perch of billions and tell other people how to spend their money? Why not give half your fortune to the relief efforts then? So you already give to charity, so what, I guarantee those attending the ignauration give to charity as well. What a hypocrite you are.

Comment by Mike — January 4, 2005 @ 11:21 am
I say we should ask Michael Moore to cancel his next movie and use the proceeds of that to fund the tsunami relief efforts. Or how about cancelling the next 100 reality TV episodes to fund a tent city in Sumatra. Or cancel the NBA and send the players salaries to Sri Lanka. The possibilities are endless, and the logic similar.

Comment by Charlie Quidnunc — January 4, 2005 @ 11:40 am
I’ve lost all respect for Cuban now. He has shown that he really is an idiot, and doesn’t have any credibility whatsoever. What, his billions? The billions he got from selling a worthless site during the hay-day of dot-com euphoria? Who gives a crap. He hasn’t had a successful business since… and the intellect of Mark Cuban we’ve seen on this hopeless blog shows why.

Comment by Slavinko — January 4, 2005 @ 1:05 pm
Yes, FIRE ALL THOSE PEOPLE working at the convention. Two weeks notice is good enough.

Ridiculous? Absolutely.

Comment by ion — January 4, 2005 @ 1:12 pm
Wow, that’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard. Please stick to making money and kissing NBA player butt.

Comment by Steve — January 4, 2005 @ 1:16 pm
By cancelling the inauguration party, who are you hurting? Hard-working Americans who are counting on catering the event, setting up the event, serving, etc. And what are they supposed to do about their lost revenue?

Comment by Susan — January 4, 2005 @ 1:31 pm
While we are at it, is there anything worse than having a bunch of overpaid athletes who do nothing else than take a ball and throw it through a round hole continue to play through the tsunami disaster? I didn’t see the NBA canceling any games…I guess that’s cause they would have lost a ton of advertising money that they were planing to send to the disaster victims.

Come on, Mark, I expect something smarter from you…

Comment by Alex — January 4, 2005 @ 1:35 pm
What silliness, Mr. Cuban, and what moral vanity for someone who won’t have the guts to call for cancelling the rest of the NBA season and ask advertisers to donate their money to the relief effort and have the NBA donate all of Ron Artest’s salary to the relief fund, etc., etc. Why pick that event (Innauguration) among the millions of events (just in the NBA alone) that are lavish. This is your idea of entering the political fray? In trying to score big, you have succeeded in making yourself look puny. Nice job.

Comment by Barry Dauphin — January 4, 2005 @ 1:47 pm
didn’t have enough time to check everyon’s response, but this comment from http://www.buzzmachine.com is enough for me

“Mark Cuban, my favorite billionaire blogger, has called for the cancellation of the presidential inauguration festivities so that funds can be diverted to tsunami relief. Huh? Why not call for the cancellation of the NBA season and take all the dollars advertisers have committed for broadcasting it and send those funds to tsunami relief? What, the advertisers won’t do that? Have you asked?”

Sounds like a good idea to me. Is Cuban’s silly reality show still on tv? How about getting those advertisers to pony up their advertising $$$ spent on the show for tsunami relief instead?

Comment by John in AZ — January 4, 2005 @ 1:55 pm
“I’m an independent”…
cancel the parties, etc….

Sorry doesen’t wash. You’re a Dem and I’d bet if it was President Kerrys inaguration you wouldn’t say squat.
Better you come out and say something useful, like “Cancel the contributions to the UN and use THAT money.”

Comment by mike — January 4, 2005 @ 2:00 pm
Just an update in response to some of the stupid, stupid claims of “why dont you just cancel the NBA season, or have all the advertisers or ticket holders give their money…etc, etc.

Last time I looked, I wasnt considered the leader of the free world. I am not the person much, if not most of the world looks to for an example.

The importance of cancelling the Inaugural parties isnt the money, its what it symbolizes.

I do what I can to set an example with the Fallen Patriot Fund (www.fallenpatriotfund.org). Any other charitable contributions I make, I require that my name not be released. I feel obligated to do what I feel is the right thing, and I try to do it for that reason.

I am proud of how our country has supported those who need help.

I am glad that we have increased the support we are providing at all levels.

Im not happy that our President still has not dealt with the other side of the ledger.
All the bills come due at some point. He could be a real leader and explain to the country that to provide the level of support we are committing to, there will have to be cuts in spending.

Leaders are supposed to set examples that reflect reality. Instead we get an example of “charge more on the credit card and rather than save money to pay off the bills, get a bigger limit on the card and charge more” Not just with this, but with everything he touches.

When does this country start trying to limit spending ? I used to lean republican on financial issues because they tried to be a little hawkish on spending. THose days are long gone. Instead we have politicians with the country’s credit cards on a constant spending binge

That has to change.

Changing bad habits can start with the smallest of steps. THe President should be setting that example and he isnt.

We try to teach financial responsibility to our kids. Its a shame we cant teach it to our politicians and our President

Comment by Mark Cuban — January 4, 2005 @ 2:06 pm
Mark, so why use the tragedy in the Indian Ocean to call on President Bush to cancel his ignauration parties and then use that same tragedy to score some political points about spending limits? How crass are you? You’re now using this tragedy to highlight your views on government spending restraint. However much I agree with you on that, and I do, it is utterly disgusting that you would use such an occurence as the deaths of more than 120,000 people to advance your call for more fiscal restraint.

I can’t believe that was your intention, but it damn sure reads like that in your post above and it’s disgusting. Please stick to matters you know, like insulting refs and paying off fines.

Comment by Mike Rich — January 4, 2005 @ 2:22 pm
Wow, Cuban’s 2:06pm remarks are almost incomprehensible. Thank God enough people have come on board to challenge his silliness. Like the Mainstream Media, the UN, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the French, Cuban has been caught flatfooted by the speed of this countrys response (both financially and militarily)to this disaster.

Comment by John in Az — January 4, 2005 @ 2:23 pm
I disagree. You aren’t taking the money from the President. You are taking the money from the workers and vendors and other employees who are paid to set up and put on the inauguration. You are hurting the little guy by doing this. If this made sense, it would make sense to cancel any number of events going on all the time. Why not do this? Because people are paid to put on these events, and it takes the money away from them. Better to let us continue with our economic activity and let individuals decide how much of their own money to donate.

Comment by Dave — January 4, 2005 @ 2:29 pm
Mark,

While your heart is in the right place, your mind is somewhere else. Why ask for others to do what you can do yourself? Stop paying ridiculous sums of money to people that have the incredible skill of putting a small round object into a hole slightly larger than that round object. Stop the All-Star game and everything else associated with the NBA for that matter. Send all monies to the relief effort. Go back to Dairy Queen as a second job and donate all proceeds to the pople of Thailand. At least the inauguration is based around a necessity (argueably) in the form of government. Basketball is a children’s game being played by grown men for astronomical sums of money. Give all proceeds from “The Benefactor” and give it to people that truly need one.

Besides Mark, it’s not the money that’s the issue at this point over there. There’s plenty there. It’s the coordination or lack thereof to get the supplies and treatment to those that so desperately need it. There was not proper preparation by the gov’ts involved. They should have had at least a basic plan in case of an emergency. Anyone on this planet post 9-11 should realize that ANYTHING can happen. Especially when the majority of the places effected by this are ISLAND nations. Just seems foolish to me.

Instead of blindly taking shots that could just as easily be taken at you, why not analyze the problem and see where the real solutions to the problems lie. You’re a smart guy so you probably already knew this, right? You were just trying to stir some friendly debate, I know.

Or if you truly believe that it is our duty to sacrifice our menial things for others put your money where your mouth is. I challenge you to put up $100 million of your own money and not take any of it off your taxes next year. You got the cash, sell off a second string center or something. You know, some useless thing you have sitting around.

Don’t get me wrong, while I think you are just shy of morally bankrupt on this issue I am a fan of what you do in terms of questioning the status quo in the NBA, specifically the officiating.

Comment by Manlita — January 4, 2005 @ 2:34 pm
I agree with Mike Rich. You’re attempt at self-aggrandizement is disgusting. I guess the lesson to your children is that when tens of thousands die in a natural disaster they should run out and try to capitalize on it…

How do you sleep at night?

Comment by ajf — January 4, 2005 @ 2:36 pm
This is a ridiculous suggestion.

As others have pointed out, why not cancel the rest of the NBA season and have all the money spent on the games donated to the tsunami relief? Why not have all the networks and advertisers give their money instead to the relief effort? Why not have all of the overpaid NBA players give 90% of their salaries away to the relief effort?

For that matter, Mr. Cuban, why don’t you give away 90 or 95% of your fortune to the relief effort? You could live without it? Why not sell your nice properties and vehicles and all of the trappings of wealth you possess, and give those proceeds away?

One can always cherry pick any expense that is not an absolute necessity and complain that the money should be given to worthy charity efforts. This is a shameful attempt to politicize the tsunami disaster.

Comment by Thought — January 4, 2005 @ 2:46 pm
What a stupid idea, cancel the presidential inauguration? Why not divert 10% of all the overpaid, over-priveleged NBA players salaries to disaster relief. Cuban, you are a fool. Is it wrong to be paying people 10’s of millions of dollars a year to run around throwing a ball through a hoop when people died in a tsunami? Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is and donate $35 of your own money. God knows you have enough. Cuban you are truly an ass! Not only has this country already pledged $350 million we have countless military personal, cargo plains, and helicopters lifting supplies donated by other countries. We are the only country in the work with the people and ability to carry out any meaningful airlift of supplies. I just can’t stomach people (Cuban) mouthing off about a subject they know nothing about.
If you want to piss about the government spending to much money, you have a point, but you do not understand how the federal budget works if you think that canceling the inauguration would have any effect on the defecit. What hurts our budget is not one time charges, but huge increases in government intitaliments that occur every year. Cuban, you’ve got to read a little before you mouth off. Anyone with any clue of how this counrty works can only laugth at comments because they show a complete lack of understanding of how our budgets works in this country.

Comment by Tony — January 4, 2005 @ 2:50 pm
Mr. Cuban writes, in response to suggestions to cancel the NBA season and such as a similar way to redirect wealth to the relief effort:
” I am not the person much, if not most of the world looks to for an example. ”

No, but that is a cop out. We all set a small personal example at the very least for those around us. And your position as a highly visible billionaire, entrepreneur, and sports owner do make you a personal example for many people. In fact, you have far greater influence than the average citizen owing to your stature.

So why can’t change begin with you? When we see you living like Ghandi or Mother Theresa, then we can take your call for sacrifice seriously.

Comment by Thought — January 4, 2005 @ 2:52 pm
>

I’m sorry, but how exactly does this set an example of spending restraint? The money is still being given away.

And why is the President the only one who can “set an example” in this regard? Would it not set an example in the sports and entertainment world if you made an enormous sacrifice such as that which you call “stupid”? There is quite a bit of money floating around the sports and entertainment world.

Oh, but I guess the idea wasn’t to set an example of generosity towards the tsunami victims, it was to set an example of cutting out some government frills.

So ultimately, this is purely a political post about government spending, not about making sacrifices to help other people.

Nice job Mark.

Comment by Dave — January 4, 2005 @ 2:56 pm
Here’s a good rule:
Never listen to a billionaire call for sacrifice from others, until that billionaire has given at least 99% of his wealth to the cause for which he demands the sacrifice of others (that would still leave the billionaire with at least 10 million dollars).

As long as I see the billinaire live in posh mansions, ride around in luxury vehicles, etc…(not to mention the enjoy the luxury of owning a professional sports team), that billionaire has very little credibility to call for sacrifice. Change begins with the individual calling for change.

Comment by Thought — January 4, 2005 @ 3:00 pm
My last post was messed up. I was quoting Mark:

“Last time I looked, I wasn’t considered the leader of the free world. I am not the person much, if not most of the world looks to for an example. …The importance of cancelling the Inaugural parties isnt the money, its what it symbolizes. “

Comment by Dave — January 4, 2005 @ 3:02 pm
I wish Mr. Cuban would lead an effort to reform the thinking of the selfish, overpaid players in the NBA. Talk about a sport with a lack of roll models…there are some, but they are few and far between.

Most NBA players blow money on needless luxuries left and right, and maybe make token appearances for the sake of charity. I am sick of seeing an NBA player give away a few thousand dollars to a charity at holiday time, or giving maybe an hour or two for a PR charity event, and expecting me to be impressed by that, when I know they hoard the vast majority of their money for themselves.

Mr. Cuban get your own house in order before preaching to others.

Comment by Thought — January 4, 2005 @ 3:06 pm
Excellent response in Post # 73. Cuban is certainly not as influential as the POTUS, but within in the NBA, now a hugely global organization, he is one of the most visible non players around. Could we imagine him, through the influence of former Presidents Bush and Clinton being the focal point of not just the NBA, but all of this countrys professional sports teams response to this disaster. I recommend that he work to get each professional sports player in the US to contribute 10% of their 2005 pre-tax salary to disaster relief and that all professional teams contribute 10% as well. I would anticipate owners, team GM’s and presidents, etc contributing 10% as well

Can you imagine the goodwill engendered by this action after such actions as the Danny Fortson viscious attack on Zarko Carbocaja and the Pistons/Cavaliers incident.

Can you imagine the status of Cuban if he pulls this off…. instead of the whine ass his original post makes him out to be

Comment by John in Az — January 4, 2005 @ 3:07 pm
Canceling or scaling back the inaugural festivities would be symbolic and that is the problem. The move would no provide no lasting benefit. If you want to affect government spending, maybe you should focus on the way government spends the tax payer money and then advocate alternatives. Perhaps you could have a discussion about why the government is spending more and where it is going. For example, you may look into what programs are receiving the increased spending. The majority is going to defense and homeland security, not to the inauguration. Since you already admit that the inaugural festivities are paid for by private dollars, why start out blasting pork barrel spending?

If your problem is spending money on a party when there are so many people in need of aid, maybe you could contribute to the many different organizations providing relief and encourage your readers to do the same. I do not doubt your level of generosity. While canceling the inaugural may look good symbolically, it probably would not do anything the change what you seem to want changed.

Comment by Kimberly — January 4, 2005 @ 3:24 pm
I agree with John in #79: Mr. Cuban should lead an effort to get each player in the NBA to donate 10% of his pretax 2005 income to the relief efforts…now that’s a powerful symbol.

Then, of course, each team can kick in 10% of their earnings, and of course, each owner, GM, coach, etc can kick in 10% of their earnings.

So if symbolism is important, that would be a very nice symbol to the world of what the NBA can represent.

And you’d also be talkinga about a huge sum of money…10% of billions…

Comment by Thought — January 4, 2005 @ 3:25 pm
First, I want to take up for Mark Cuban vis a vis his own charitable works: From my perch in Ft. Worth, I can see that Mark Cuban is a wonderful citizen who makes huge and significant charitable contributions in many areas. I appreciate this greatly. I am proud to be an American with Mark.

Second, if Mark had said: “I think it would be a great thing for Bush to show leadership and sensitivity by scaling back the inaugural festivities,” then few of us would’ve had a quarrel with him.

However, Mark basically said: “Bush SHOULD scale back the inaugural festivities.” This SHOULD was only reinforced by Mark’s recent follow up comment, and this is where most people, including me, have a big disagreement. Its ok to have ideas or suggestions for where and how people should spend THEIR money, but its not ok to assign yourself expert status as to where and how they should do so. Probably no one can understand this better, if he thinks about it, than Mark himself, as– even in this comment thread– many people are telling him how he SHOULD spend his money.

3) I was the first to mention this(in comment #30): the $40 Million for the inauguration is not wasted!
1– Pomp and ceremony binds a nation together and builds its confidence. And, frankly, what’s good for America is good for flooded Indonesians.
2– Inaugural pomp and ceremony is free worldwide advertising of America’s economic power, and of Bush’s political power. This will help us achieve diplomatic goals.
3– Its good for emerging democracies to see a celebration of the peaceful transition of democratic power. Taken in this light, the pomp and ceremony has an actual(if small) impact on our national defense.
4– As stated many times here– the $40 million makes an economic impact for the area, the big guy, and the little guys! That money is a little economic engine. It is not being wasted!

I’ll add something else: Americans being the generous nation that we are– some of the $40 million that goes home with the little guys will end up being donated to the Tsunami victims.

All in all, it might be a neat idea for Bush to lead by scaling back the inaugural festivities– but I don’t think it would be the best idea. Anyone who is cocksure that it would be the best idea needs to think long and hard about what he/she is proposing.

PS: I agree that switching the subject onto government overspending is inappropriate and crass.

Comment by greg cotharn — January 4, 2005 @ 3:29 pm
The backtracking begins. Tell me what’s more “stupid”:

1. Spending $40 million on a Presidential Inaugural Party

2. A guy who made billions on a fluff company who purchased a team in a fading, thug sport wringing his hands over the $40 million party?

Cuban, you’re a real piece of work. Hell, even Sandra Bullock gave $1 million, I’m sure you have a billion to spare, no? I mean, you have the gall to give $1 million on a fluff reality show, why not give $1 billion to people in a real crisis? Is it perhaps the thought of the money getting into the hands of the U.N. to be spent appropriately (ala oil-for-food)? Maybe that’s it, since you such the go-getter on the national debt. Yeah, that’s gotta be it.

Don’t get me wrong though. I applaud your ability to forsee the dot.bomb era and dump the soon to be worthless broadcast.com at the height of the mania. I also believe that in America, you should have the right to spend your money, no matter the amount, on what you want. Hell, you should also be able to make moronic criticisms of the current Administration as much as you want (see Cuban’s comments above).

The question is, when you’re shown to be fool that you are, will you handle the heat, or will you revert to even more moronic statements of the “symbolism” of it all?

Yeah Mark, with people like you, it’s always the symbolism, always the thought and never the action. You’re the type that criticizes President Bush for “acting to slow” on the tsunami (Translation: Bush needed to do a photo op).

Instead, while the ankle biters were clamoring about symbolism, a carrier and aid was on its way to the region. Action, instead of words. Still, not good enough for the Bruckenheimer Club….

Comment by Jim — January 4, 2005 @ 3:29 pm
The backtracking begins. Tell me what’s more “stupid”:

1. Spending $40 million on a Presidential Inaugural Party

2. A guy who made billions on a fluff company who purchased a team in a fading, thug sport wringing his hands over the $40 million party?

Cuban, you’re a real piece of work. Hell, even Sandra Bullock gave $1 million, I’m sure you have a billion to spare, no? I mean, you have the gall to give $1 million on a fluff reality show, why not give $1 billion to people in a real crisis? Is it perhaps the thought of the money getting into the hands of the U.N. to be spent appropriately (ala oil-for-food)? Maybe that’s it, since you such the go-getter on the national debt. Yeah, that’s gotta be it.

Don’t get me wrong though. I applaud your ability to forsee the dot.bomb era and dump the soon to be worthless broadcast.com at the height of the mania. I also believe that in America, you should have the right to spend your money, no matter the amount, on what you want. Hell, you should also be able to make moronic criticisms of the current Administration as much as you want (see Cuban’s comments above).

The question is, when you’re shown to be fool that you are, will you handle the heat, or will you revert to even more moronic statements of the “symbolism” of it all?

Yeah Mark, with people like you, it’s always the symbolism, always the thought and never the action. You’re the type that criticizes President Bush for “acting to slow” on the tsunami (Translation: Bush needed to do a photo op).

Instead, while the ankle biters were clamoring about symbolism, a carrier and aid was on its way to the region. Action, instead of words. Still, not good enough for the Bruckenheimer Club….

Comment by Jim — January 4, 2005 @ 3:33 pm
Let me get this straight:

“Deficits are too large so as a symbolic gesture to show that we will crack down on spending, we should cancel the inauguration and send the money to Asia.”

Pure genius. Mark doesn’t know if the point is to be generous or to cut spending, but he figures there must be some way to exploit the disaster to make a political comment.

Comment by Dave — January 4, 2005 @ 3:40 pm
Mark,

While your heart is in the right place, your mind is somewhere else. Why ask for others to do what you can do yourself? Stop paying ridiculous sums of money to people that have the incredible skill of putting a small round object into a hole slightly larger than that round object. Stop the All-Star game and everything else associated with the NBA for that matter. Send all monies to the relief effort. Go back to Dairy Queen as a second job and donate all proceeds to the pople of Thailand. At least the inauguration is based around a necessity (argueably) in the form of government. Basketball is a children’s game being played by grown men for astronomical sums of money. Give all proceeds from “The Benefactor” and give it to people that truly need one.

Besides Mark, it’s not the money that’s the issue at this point over there. There’s plenty there. It’s the coordination or lack thereof to get the supplies and treatment to those that so desperately need it. There was not proper preparation by the gov’ts involved. They should have had at least a basic plan in case of an emergency. Anyone on this planet post 9-11 should realize that ANYTHING can happen. Especially when the majority of the places effected by this are ISLAND nations. Just seems foolish to me.

Instead of blindly taking shots that could just as easily be taken at you, why not analyze the problem and see where the real solutions to the problems lie. You’re a smart guy so you probably already knew this, right? You were just trying to stir some friendly debate, I know.

Or if you truly believe that it is our duty to sacrifice our menial things for others put your money where your mouth is. I challenge you to put up $100 million of your own money and not take any of it off your taxes next year. You got the cash, sell off a second string center or something. You know, some useless thing you have sitting around.

Don’t get me wrong, while I think you are just shy of morally bankrupt on this issue I am a fan of what you do in terms of questioning the status quo in the NBA, specifically the officiating.

Comment by Manlita — January 4, 2005 @ 3:41 pm
Wait, what about these ideas?
1. Cancel the Mavs’ season and donate the salaries.
2. Continue the season and donate any of your profits (oh, wait a minute, I forgot; you don’t make a dime on the Mavs, do you?).
3. Better yet, why don’t you call up the Billionaire Asshat Club (there’s at least you, Soros and the Waltons; Gates has already donated), and shake loose some change, eh?

How typical: full of pontification about other people’s money. Asshole.

Comment by Jumbo — January 4, 2005 @ 4:03 pm
Mark,

I agree with the idea of toning down the Inaugural parties and balls, but not purely from a financial standpoint. Seeing as those parties are sponsored by Bush’s “base”, the money couldn’t be diverted. My reasoning is that we are in the midst of a war, the country is going broke and the administration is completely out of touch with fiscal reality. Other wartime presidents did without the balls and parties, citing respect for the soldiers. Sure, some soldiers are going to get to dance at the ball, but there are far more who will still be in Iraq.

I’m sorry to all you people who do support this grand expression of conspicuous consumption, but I’d love to hear a good, solid reason for spending $40 mil on a party when the country has little to celebrate.

Comment by SnowyBiscuit — January 4, 2005 @ 4:06 pm
Someone check my math on this

Guesstimate of average NBA Salary = $2.5MM (from star to 12th man could be a lot more)
Number of players on a roster = 12
Number of NBA teams = 30
10% pretax contribution

2,500,000 x 12 x 30 x 10.0% = $90,000,000

And that’s just the NBA players!!!

Comment by John in Az — January 4, 2005 @ 4:08 pm
Mark,

As much as I admire you and your accomplishments, your latest clarification post is the most disturbing. You are a democrat, I am a repulican that voted for Bush. You are using a tragedy that claimed the lives of over 150,000 people to make a political point.

I know you are a very smart person, but as much as I am sure you hate President Bush, this is the wrong time to chastize him.

Mark, one suggestion, if you keep your monetary donations private, may I suggest you keep your political agenda private too. There is quit a large fan base of Republicans in Texas.

Comment by Jeffrey Geiger — January 4, 2005 @ 4:48 pm
Mark,

While your heart is in the right place, your mind is somewhere else. Why ask for others to do what you can do yourself? Stop paying ridiculous sums of money to people that have the incredible skill of putting a small round object into a hole slightly larger than that round object. Stop the All-Star game and everything else associated with the NBA for that matter. Send all monies to the relief effort. Go back to Dairy Queen as a second job and donate all proceeds to the pople of Thailand. At least the inauguration is based around a necessity (argueably) in the form of government. Basketball is a children’s game being played by grown men for astronomical sums of money. Give all proceeds from “The Benefactor” and give it to people that truly need one.

Besides Mark, it’s not the money that’s the issue at this point over there. There’s plenty there. It’s the coordination or lack thereof to get the supplies and treatment to those that so desperately need it. There was not proper preparation by the gov’ts involved. They should have had at least a basic plan in case of an emergency. Anyone on this planet post 9-11 should realize that ANYTHING can happen. Especially when the majority of the places effected by this are ISLAND nations. Just seems foolish to me.

Instead of blindly taking shots that could just as easily be taken at you, why not analyze the problem and see where the real solutions to the problems lie. You’re a smart guy so you probably already knew this, right? You were just trying to stir some friendly debate, I know.

Or if you truly believe that it is our duty to sacrifice our menial things for others put your money where your mouth is. I challenge you to put up $100 million of your own money and not take any of it off your taxes next year. You got the cash, sell off a second string center or something. You know, some useless thing you have sitting around.

Don’t get me wrong, while I think you are just shy of morally bankrupt on this issue I am a fan of what you do in terms of questioning the status quo in the NBA, specifically the officiating.

Comment by Manlita — January 4, 2005 @ 4:50 pm
Amen, the hard part would be getting the rest of the politicians to follow the president’s lead. They are mostly in the business of helping themselves and not looking out for the little guy. I think the president would start the ball rolling but congress would end up kicking it right back in his face.

Comment by Bradley Varcoe — January 4, 2005 @ 5:04 pm
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SPORT/01/04/tsunami.relief/index.html

This link provides even a better reason for Mark Cuban to become the focal point for giving among US professional players/teams. Notice the reference to the NBA was having a collection bucket out for the fans to give.

Comment by John in Az — January 4, 2005 @ 5:41 pm
This is not a sign of manifest sickness, or any other sort of sickness. We are offering, as of now, $350 million in aid. The inauguration is not simply pissing $35 million in the wind - it is a demonstration of the orderly transition (in this case, continuation) of power in the greatest democracy in the world. As far as wild pork barrel spending on ridiculous projects, it is absurd, but it is not the root of the nation’s financial difficulties. We are the most generous nation in the history of the world, and we will continue this noble tradition in the midst of this tragedy.

Comment by Joe Magliolo — January 4, 2005 @ 6:02 pm
#91 John has a great point:
It is interesting how the money the NBA has collected so far has come from the fans…I wonder when the multimillionaire players and the multimillionaire or even billionaire owners will pony up?

Comment by Thought — January 4, 2005 @ 6:22 pm
Up front, I would like to note that around lunch today I wrote a perfectly searing criticism of Mr. Cuban’s post and after a little more thought, canned it before I clicked the email approval link.

Of course I think that there is a certain amount of hypocrisy in pro-sports owner criticizing Presidential giving. Right here in D.C., pro-baseball is getting citizens of the city to pay for a stadium to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars (raised from taxes on small businesses) to subsidize the salaries of billionaire owner and multi-millionaire players who are receiving government handouts in the form of half-billion dollar stadium subsidies. The hypocrisy is obvious. Forget charity, these people won’t even pay the price of their own business.

Also, in a world in which basketball players and owners engage in more criminal behavior than ex-cons, drive $200,000 vehicles (and own dozens more), and assault fans—it is fun and easy to bite into an owner when he states an opinion on matters of charity and goodwill. Most of the guys in pro ball are jerks. That’s a given. But here Mark Cuban is a blogger. It seems we should judge his arguments.

It is clear that he should not legislate the expenditures of private inauguration donors. But Cuban does not advocate that. He says the president should set an example by demonstrating frugality in fiscally trying times (at home and abroad). Is he wrong? Several commenters have noted that the catering etc. will benefit workers but this is the equivalent of saying that hurricanes benefit builders. They do, but there is still a net loss to society. Lobbying and partying transfer wealth from corporate donors to event planners and restaurants, but they are just that—wealth transfers not wealth creation. Money spent butt-kissing is not money well spent. It could be better spent rebuilding homes and covering medical expenses in Asia.

Look, Mark is a billionaire and I have no doubt he wastes money on fancy parties, too. But HE IS NOT THE PRESIDENT. The President of the free world has a higher level of moral responsibility than a billionaire basketball owner. That is why Clinton got impeached for his sexual flippancy and Colin Farrel gets publicity for his. Whether or not the money spent on the ball would go to tsunami victims or corporate dividends is, on one level, mute. Mr. Correctly states that Bush’s extravagance sends the wrong rhetorical message: while others are unemployed, homeless, and dying, the ceremonial head of state in the U.S. is throwing a party. It may not be wrong, but it looks that way.

And to those who say “How dare Cuban tell others what to do with their money!” Give up the moral nihilism. As long as Cuban isn’t using the power of government to force people to give up their money he is perfectly right to tell people what he thinks they should do. That is why he blogs. To give his opinions. If you don’t like his opinions, disagree. But ad hominem attacks do little to deflate his thesis.

Sure, NBA owners and players could do more. But that doesn’t cut the President any moral slack. Sure Cuban is a bit hypocritical for pushing a political agenda in a time of crisis and asking for something he, perhaps, would not do. But hypocrisy doesn’t make someone wrong.

Comment by John Coleman — January 4, 2005 @ 7:19 pm
Well, well Mr. Cuban. Come on, you’ve got billions, you can take a little criticism. I was one of the commenters of the “stupid, stupid” remarks. Not only is your attempt to play with the big boys lame (well, his show couldn’t even beat Trump’s-ed), but you also appear clueless, not an endearing quality for someone with your political ambitions.

The US relief aid is nothing short of inspiring. You need to spend more time doing things besides basketball…like reading, for example. You’re in favor of the “symbolism”? You don’t care about what is literally being done to help people there; you only care about lip biting and appearances. Your response to my comment and others only served to prove my comment about moral vanity. Hey that might be a good idea for a reality TV show-Get a bunch of celebrity billionaires together and see which one cares about appearances the most-the show would never end.

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/009115.php
Most interesting to me was this memo written by Dutch diplomats and circulated at an EU meeting in Indonesia:

The US military has arrived and is clearly establishing its presence everywhere in Banda Aceh. They completely have taken over the military hospital, which was a mess until yesterday but is now completely up and running. They brought big stocks of medicines, materials for the operation room, teams of doctors, water and food. Most of the patients who were lying in the hospital untreated for a week have undergone medical treatment by the US teams by this afternoon. US military have unloaded lots of heavy vehicles and organize the logistics with Indonesian military near the airport. A big camp is being set up at a major square in the town. Huge generators are ready to provide electricity. US helicopters fly to places which haven’t been reached for the whole week and drop food. The impression it makes on the people is also highly positive; finally something happens in the city of Banda Aceh and finally it seems some people are in control and are doing something. No talking but action. European countries are until now invisible on the ground. IOM staff (note: this is a USAID-funded organization) is very busy briefing the incoming Americans and Australians about the situation.

Comment by Barry Dauphin — January 4, 2005 @ 7:59 pm
Or how about…..
or http://diplomadic.blogspot.com/
UN Death Watch . . .
Well, we’re heading into Day 7 of the Asian quake/tsunami crisis. And the UN relief effort? Nowhere to be seen except at some meetings and on CNN and BBC as talking heads. In this corner of the Far Abroad, it’s Yanks and Aussies doing the hard, sweaty work of saving lives.

Check out this interview (on the UN’s official website) with SecGen Annan and Under SecGen Egeland shows,

Mr. Egeland: Our main problems now are in northern Sumatra and Aceh. In Aceh, today 50 trucks of relief supplies are arriving. Tomorrow, we will have eight full airplanes arriving. I discussed today with Washington whether we can draw on some assets on their side, after consultations with the Indonesian Government, to set up what we call an “air-freight handling centre” in Aceh.

Tomorrow, we will have to set up a camp for relief workers – 90 of them – which is fully self-contained, with kitchen, food, lodging, everything, because they have nowhere to stay and we don’t want them to be an additional burden on the people there.

I provided this to some USAID colleagues working in Indonesia and their heads nearly exploded. The first paragraph is quite simply a lie. The UN is taking credit for things that hard-working, street savvy USAID folks have done. It was USAID working with their amazing network of local contacts who scrounged up trucks, drivers, and fuel; organized the convoy and sent it off to deliver critical supplies. A UN “air-freight handling centre” in Aceh? Bull! It’s the Aussies and the Yanks who are running the air ops into Aceh. We have people working and sleeping on the tarmac in Aceh, surrounded by bugs, mud, stench and death, who every day bring in the US and Aussie C-130s and the US choppers; unload, load, send them off. We have no fancy aid workers’ retreat — notice the priorities of the UN? People are dying and what’s the first thing the UN wants to do? Set up “a camp for relief workers” one that would be “fully self-contained, with kitchen, food, lodging, everything.”
The UN is a sham.

American stinginess is saving lives
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml;sessionid=2GW2HQ2B1ZPDNQFIQMGSM5OAVCBQWJVC?xml=/opinion/2005/01/04/do0402.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/01/04/ixportal.html
If America were to emulate Ireland and Norway, there’d be a lot more dead Indonesians and Sri Lankans. Mr Eddison may not have noticed, but the actual relief effort going on right now is being done by the Yanks: it’s the USAF and a couple of diverted naval groups shuttling in food and medicine, with solid help from the Aussies, Singapore and a couple of others. The Irish can’t fly in relief supplies, because they don’t have any C-130s. All they can do is wait for the UN to swing by and pick up their cheque.

The Americans send the UN the occasional postal order, too. In fact, 40 per cent of Egeland’s budget comes from Washington, which suggests the Europeans aren’t being quite as “proportionate” as Mr Eddison thinks. But, when disaster strikes, what matters is not whether your cheque is “prompt”, but whether you are. For all the money lavished on them, the UN is hard to rouse to action. Egeland’s full-time round-the-clock 24/7 Big Humanitarians are conspicuous by their all but total absence on the ground. In fact, they’re doing exactly what our reader accused Washington of doing - Colin Powell, wrote Mr Eddison, “is like a surgeon saying he must do a bandage count before he will be in a position to staunch the blood flow of a haemorrhaging patient”. That’s the sclerotic UN bureaucracy. They’ve flown in (or nearby, or overhead) a couple of experts to assess the situation and they’ve issued press releases boasting about the assessments. In Sri Lanka, Egeland’s staff informs us, “UNFPA is carrying out reproductive health assessments”.
Which, translated out of UN-speak, means the Sri Lankans can go screw themselves.

Or perhaps you could think about US private donations compared to others: http://www.techcentralstation.com/010405G.html
Please, please check the comparison to France. Bon Appetit!

Comment by Barry Dauphin — January 4, 2005 @ 8:00 pm
BTW Setting an example means…you know…actually SETTING AN EXAMPLE…not masturbatory symbolizing. The US IS setting an example. You are setting an example too.

Comment by Barry Dauphin — January 4, 2005 @ 8:19 pm
148 BILLION The United States of America is spending on the War in Iraq, interesting, any comments on Justifing that one?? Anybody answer me this one how many Iraq people (CIVILIANS) that have died in the hands of the Americans? The hypocrisy of the American people. And all you Assholes are justifing an inaguration that I belive mostly rich corporate America has funded in for their own gain. who is benifiting from that, other than Bushes big ego, and corporate America they must be getting something out of that, I wonder what? can anyone with some knowledge tell me. Cause so far the only one who has made a valued point is john Coleman. AND AT LEAST MARK CUBAN IS SOMEONE THAT GIVES A SHIT AND MOST LIKLY HAS DONATED TO SEVERAL CHARITYS, and has some modesty. sorry about the spelling and grammer. just a little pissed at some of the comments.

Comment by d.b — January 5, 2005 @ 12:28 am
oh by the way I’m throwing a huge party and can’t aford it so I’m going to start a fundraser Please send money:)

Comment by d.b — January 5, 2005 @ 12:38 am
“And all you Assholes are justifing an inaguration that I belive mostly rich corporate America has funded in for their own gain. who is benifiting from that”

Who is benefiting? All the employees involved in putting it on. Caterers, contractors, construction crews, security, etc etc etc.

At least your post makes Mark’s post look intelligent.

Comment by Dave — January 5, 2005 @ 12:49 am
Really arrogant telling someone else how to spend their bucks. Can I tell you how to spend my season ticket dollars?

I understand you do charity work, so do I. If you want to talk about budget deficits fine, but taking aim at an inaguration is plain silly. Of course the main people who will be hurt ARE the caterers, cooks, builders etc.

Comment by Danny — January 5, 2005 @ 9:41 am
I disagree with your premise and your suggestion for the President. Canceling a 200+ year old tradition does nothing to benefit victims of any tragedy. We’ve inaugurated presidents in times of famine, war, disease, and global strife; it’s a tradition that binds us all, part of our national heritage.

The United States has been far more generous than any nation on earth in terms of direct dollar assistance, military intervention to actually help those affected, and in terms of leadership (where is the UN in Asia… talking in charming foreign accents and holding meetings while never setting foot outside of the finest hotels). It’s disingenuous and insulting to suggest that the US is not doing enough. Let’s not forget that the United States also funds 40% of the UN’s budget, surely that is not a “proportional” contribution.

Comment by Jeff — January 5, 2005 @ 10:46 am
I disagree with your premise and your suggestion for the President. Canceling a 200+ year old tradition does nothing to benefit victims of any tragedy. We’ve inaugurated presidents in times of famine, war, disease, and global strife; it’s a tradition that binds us all, part of our national heritage.

The United States has been far more generous than any nation on earth in terms of direct dollar assistance, military intervention to actually help those affected, and in terms of leadership (where is the UN in Asia… talking in charming foreign accents and holding meetings while never setting foot outside of the finest hotels). It’s disingenuous and insulting to suggest that the US is not doing enough. Let’s not forget that the United States also funds 40% of the UN’s budget, surely that is not a “proportional” contribution.

Comment by Jeff — January 5, 2005 @ 10:46 am
First I personally believe that the U.S is doing an incredible job with the tsuname anyone who does not belive that are crazy, I also belive they have done a horrible job with Iraq and other countries.
Second They can at least tone the inauguration party down a bit. Its absoulty crazy for people to help fund a 40 million dollar party, were some of them could have helped funded more important things like feeding children in other countries etc helping homeless in your own country etc etc. List goes on and on.
Its not just about the American goverment its about these company that help fund the party. How much have those people donated to the tsunami or any other charity? Does anyone have a list of all the companies that fund it and how much they donate to charity’s? I’m very interested in knowing.
I might be completly wrong but maybe thats all he was trying to say, and also the first comment was mayed before Bush uped it to 300mill, so at that time was appropriat. For the President to lead the way on that would be great. More people would have a little more respect for him.
Third For people to critizes Mark Cuban or the Nba for not giving enough money is absoulty wrong nobody knows how much they donate. My comment’s arn’t towards the people that have done a thorogh job in telling there side and that have been resonable. Its to the people to personally attack him because he has money, and to assume he doesn’t give enough is absoulutly wrong to do. Nobody but he knows were his money goes. Maybe he is a really greedy person