The Irony of Inauguration

It's no secret that both the Canadian and U.S. economy has entered a recession. We have been bombarded by notions that our economy is in the toilet.

That being said, I am appalled at the amount of money spent on the inauguration of president Barack Obama.

I am not anti-Obama. In fact, I think he is the perfect man for the job. He is an inspiration and a role model. I could not be happier to see power restored to the hands of the Democrats. I am thrilled to have been able to witness such a historical landmark. Change is coming. Change is good. Change was definitely needed. Change deserves to be celebrated. However, change is expensive.

It can be argued that the inauguration of Barack Obama was a perfect opportunity to celebrate; to boost the morale of the American public. While I agree, the irony of the elaborate nature of the ceremony has left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I wondered if I was the only one who felt this way. I mean, the swearing in of Obama into office was a huge deal; the whole world was watching in celebration.

I surfed the net, and quickly came across this article among others. I was relieved to see the headline. I was not the only one who felt this way. $170 million is a lot of money. In fact, it is more than triple the amount spent on past presidents' inauguration ceremonies.

The concerts, the hooplah and the donations made by Wall Street excecutives and employees contradicted the very nature of the state of the economy and the very words spoken by Obama himself.

"Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered..."

The above quote was taken directly from Obama's inauguration speech.

If a $7 billion bail-out isn't enough of an indicator of a recession, then what will be???