Canterbury Tales: $40M could buy textbooks, food
A lot can be accomplished with $40 million. You don’t need to pay a CPA to tell you that. For instance, we could hold an inauguration.
For yesterday’s minute, that’s right minute, of inauguration, private sources donated approximately $40 million. Some of those private donors are listed along with the size of their contribution on a Web site www.inaugural05.com.
I made a phone call to the inaugural committee number listed on the Web site to ask just what they plan to do with this money.
I may have interrupted their hour-long break because three transfers and a lot of holding later my efforts yielded this, “If I knew the answer, I couldn’t tell you the answer, but since I don’t know the answer, I really can’t tell you the answer.” Just exactly what do you need to work at this place, a face and a pen?
Let us just assume, for argument’s sake that the money actually went to pay for the inauguration, the swearing-in itself.
Is it the cost of TV time? No, networks cover this garbage for free and even George W. Bush cannot take that long to recite the oath. Laura’s up there with him. I am sure she will offer assistance with the big words.
Is it the clothes? The cars? The makeup? George’s ventriloquist? Liquor for the twins? What?
Since the alleged inaugural committee doesn’t want to tell us where the money is going, we should tell them. I came up with a few ideas, feel free to call them at (202) 863-2005 and share your own. Here is what I have so far.
Tsunami victims. Clearly they need it and if these private donors have that much extra laying around in their bank accounts, it is a match made in heaven.
Homeless shelters. It is winter right now and cold throughout most of the country so plenty of our fellow Americans could use a warm place to sleep. Soup kitchens, food banks, battered women’s shelters, any place where victims of circumstance seek help and relief could sure use a few extra bucks.
If poor people aren’t your bag, how about textbooks, school supplies, gym equipment, musical instruments, art supplies, new desks, lockers, library books, scholarships, computers etc. for our schools, to motivate and educate our future presidents. It is too late for George W. but I believe the children are our future.
If you are not into education, how about old people? They need proper health care, help with their bills, someone to drive them to Canada to refill prescriptions once a month. Many of them choose between eating and their health at great personal risk every day. In this country where there are people with an extra $250,000 to donate for one minute of inauguration, no citizen should ever have to make that decision.
What if all of those contributors who own and manage businesses took their money and gave it to their employees in the form of bonuses, bigger paychecks, health care supplements or other benefits? People would have more money to spend and we might just end up with a better economy than we had.
Donors, listen up! No matter what your politics, $40 million is excessive and wasteful when spent on one minute for one man who has all the money he needs, all the minutes he deserves and then some.
Be smart! Keep your donations and your loyalty in your communities and use it to improve the lives of those around you. I guarantee you’ll feel better and see a more valuable return on your investment.
Ingrid Canterbury is a reporter for the Standard. She can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].