Monday, December 22, 2008

The Ball - and the band plays on

Should Obama really have an extravagant inaugural Ball? YES, HE SHOULD!
Should the President buy $300 a bottle wine for a state dinner? YES, HE SHOULD!

Note to the Media: Enough with the negative vibes, already! I am tired of the media’s broken record, “in these tough economic times, should (fill in the blank) be spending so extravagantly:

Yes!!! They should spend it if they have it. If the haves of our world hoard what they have, the times will get tougher. I assure you of that.

Too many are too quick to judge badly the extravagance of a person, event or thing. Why? They envy the thing, and the people who can afford it, so they assume that ‘holier-than-thou posture’ I so hate.

Consider how many people, who drive the economy, benefit from the Ball.
• The entire food industry.
• The wine industry.
• The liquor industry.
• The florists.
• The venues for the Ball and peripheral events.
• The caterers.
• The truckers that deliver everything.
• The servers, bartenders, cooks.
• The retailers that sell the gowns, shoes, tuxedos, jewelry.
• The cab and limo companies and their drivers.
• The police officers on overtime.
• The extra security staff.
• The maids and janitors that clean the premises when the party’s over.
• And on, and on,
• etc.,
• and on…
Consider further that every person who earns spends, so the ripples go far beyond the pool of jobs directly involved in this historic event.

By all means, spend it and bless you for not hoarding it. Give people the opportunity to earn their way and most will take it quickly and gratefully rather than put their hand out for a dole.

I often think the naysayers who denigrate extravagance are just jealous that they have neither the means nor the inclination for such generosity. They want to take from the haves of the world and give it to the have-nots, as if being wealthy is a crime and poor a virtue.

I am unemployed at the moment, but I don’t now, nor will I ever want a redistribution of wealth. I want the right to create my own wealth. It’s the American Way.

© Perle Champion