THE BILL COMES DUE AGAIN
British Prime Minister Tony Blair made much of the
fact that his great pal former president Bill
Clinton waived his speaking fee to present his views on
the world to Labour Party loyalists in Blackpool, England.
But Clinton, as always seems to be the case, never comes cheap.
While it’s true that he isn’t charging the Labour Party his usual
European rate of $125,000 (he charges less in the U.S. to get
gigs), Clinton is traveling with a security staff and entourage
that requires a full floor of the luxurious Imperial Hotel, and
given the threat of terrorism, the rooms Clinton, the Secret
Service and Clinton’s staff and hangers-on occupied were paid for
and blocked off from other users for a week of security checks and
daily inspections.
“We’re looking at well over a hundred thousand dollars in
expenses,” says a British journalist covering the event. “And that
isn’t even taking into account the $35,000 in extra police security
for Clinton that the British people are paying out of pocket.
Apparently being a Friend of Bill is a pricey matter.”
Like Americans hadn’t already figured that out.
As always, Bill’s expenses, beyond the lodging, involve food,
drink, entertainment and transportation, all of which are being
covered by the Labour Party. And also as always seems to be the
case, Bill’s fun is limiting the pleasure of others. Labour had to
cut back on the brands of booze and the per-plate cost of some
meals because the cost of having Clinton’s crew attend Blackpool
had pushed the budget for the event past its $2.8 million
limit.
MR. NO NEW TAX CUTS
If nothing else, Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill
is a focused guy. While everyone else is worrying about Homeland
Security and Iraq, the former corporate CEO is busy trying the
simplify the tax code.
O’Neill plans on presenting President Bush with a wide-ranging
and specific set of recommendations on how best to simplify the tax
code for both individuals and businesses, part of the Treasury
Secretary’s pledge more than a year and a half ago to cut the tax
laws down a bit in size.
As part of O’Neill’s proposal, there would be no cuts in tax
rates, and no “fairness” issues addresses, such as the marriage
penalty or elimination of the so-called Death Tax.
“This is just about making the tax laws understandable and more
commonsense-like for everyday people,” says a Treasury policy
staffer. “It shouldn’t be an overly controversial set of rules
changes, but in this environment, who knows? We’re ready to fight
if we have to.”
PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
Sen. John Edwards likes to call himself “The
People’s Senator” when he’s down-home in North Carolina. And he
likes to play the part, hiring traditional bluegrass bands to
entertain at parties, and really hamming it up with his corn pone
accent when speaking to the crowds.
Well, darn if the Sen. Edwards done bought hisself a big ol’
house for his kin and extended kin to visit when they come to the
big city.
Edwards has just signed a contract to purchase a $3.8 million
Georgetown home. Apparently the house he and his family had been
living in, a $2.2 million four-story red-brick mansion that backed
up to the home of Clinton golfing buddy Vernon
Jordan, lacked something. But the Edwards’s new 8-bedroom,
6,672-square- foot abode is said to come with a see-ment pond
nearby for the children. So next time you find yourself without a
place to put your feet up, come on by now, ya hear?
