The year is 2005, and Bush just got reelected to every Kerry
supporter's chagrin. In the news recently was armor for humvees
and the cost of war. Courtesy of
Newsbusters, we can now remember that the Associated Press,
in the guise of an impartial observer, reports, as Bush prepares
for his second term, "The questions have come from Bush
supporters and opponents: Do we need to spend this money on what
seems so extravagant?"
Fast forward to the present. It is 2009, and Barack Obama is
preparing for his inauguration as the first black president in
American history (something about the word "historic" comes to
mind). There's cause for celebration. There is also a recession
on. And the wars obviously. Yet the Associated Press, in this
time of widely accepted economic bust, goes all out:
So you're attending an inaugural ball saluting the historic
election of Barack Obama in the worst economic climate in three
generations. Can you get away with glitzing it up and still be
appropriate, not to mention comfortable and financially viable?
To quote the man of the hour: Yes, you can. Veteran ballgoers
say you should. And fashionistas insist that you must.
The people want to celebrate (as they did in 2005). So
they should. But why was the AP so intent on spoiling all the fun
when it was a Republican?
Anyway, come to think of it, it may actually be an urban legend
that DC will be overcrowded, and that everyone is making way down
to Washington. From Kashmir Hill in the
Orange County Register:
But the turnout now looks likely to be less than two million,
with enthusiasms dampened by the expense and difficulty of
traveling, the crowds, the economic downturn, the cold weather
and the scarcity of swearing-in ceremony tickets. Despite early
reports of area hotels being sold out, as of Jan. 7 there were
still 627 hotel rooms available in the city, and over 12,000
within a 400-mile radius, according to the official tourism
organization, Destination, D.C.
Tour organizers across the country have discovered that
inauguration enthusiasm has faded. GotoBus.com, an online bus
tour company with one, two and eight-day inaugural packages
from Boston to Washington, still has tickets for sale on every
trip.
Obama supporters in Florida had planned a "Yes We Can 2009
Cruise," with over 300 people to sail from Ft. Lauderdale,
Fla., to Baltimore, Md. But the cruise was cancelled, due to a
lack of demand. Now the group will just send two buses, said
Obama campaign volunteer Karen Phillips.
Two buses is a long way off from a luxury cruise. But that would
explain why my apartment, only 5 blocks from the White House,
hasn't had any takers for what is clearly a good rate. Don't you
people want to enjoy
the Rapture?!
"The excitement seems to have died," said Neal Kellman, owner
of SolidPlanIt, a tour and events company in Brooklyn, N.Y. His
56-person bus was only half full by Jan. 13, though the package
had been discounted to $175 from $233. "This was supposed to be
a big deal. Everyone said they were going to go...But now
little small issues-'It's cold. There will be a crowd.'-seem to
be making people decide against it."
Look people. My plan is for all of you to get in the same frigid
windtunnel (we call it the National Mall) and endure the cold
chill of your government getting bigger. In the meantime,
I wanted to appear smarter for going skiing or swimming
on a beach. Are you telling me that my comparative advantage is
being diminished at this very moment?
A comparative advantage deferred is a comparative advantage
denied.
And guys, Moby is totally doing a monster set at 9:30 Club on
Sunday night that I totally need to get in on.
