We are on the eve of another POTUS hand-off. There’s plenty of talking heads talking, and blogging hands blogging out their opinions and witty repartee. I have absolutely nothing important to say. But, just like millions of other Americans, that won’t stop me from saying something anyway.
In a nutshell, I’m not celebrating.
Here’s why:
1. THERE’S NOTHING TO CELEBRATE:
I’m disgusted with Washington. Not that I have ever been thrilled about it. However, as far as I’m concerned, US Politics are about as low in the toilet bowl as it can crawl these days. And thanks to centuries of ineptness and corruption, the citizens of our fine country are reaping the full “rewards”. Our family has taken a big hit right along with millions of others. My husband has been out of work for months now. He and I wonder how we are going to keep our home much longer and pay next week’s bills, let alone help our daughters go to college, and actually be able to retire someday. SO, when some sort of magical change actually happens, when the recession is solved, and jobs return to our country, and people have real hope restored for their futures, THEN we can talk about throwing a party.
2. THE HYPOCRISY:
Yesterday I watched our incoming Commander in Chief stand on the steps of the Lincoln memorial in his $1000 designer suit, with his $500 silk tie, and his $3000 designer wool coat. He waved to the crowd with his perfectly manicured hand, and flashed his artificially whitened grin, and delivered his carefully prepared speech. All of this was supposed to convince his “fellow Americans” that he truly empathizes with us in these “difficult times”. Please. Here comes more of the same ole rhetoric.
3. THE SELF INDULGENCE:
This Inauguration has the dubious honor of carrying the highest price tag in history, over $150 Million estimated. That’s nearly THREE TIMES the cost of any other prior Presidential takeover. In these dark days of economic collapse, I’m sure I cannot be the only American that views this as a flashing red flag of impropriety! It’s certainly not a confidence booster.
It appears that no one is even trying to hide the hypocrisy on the Hill. For some reason we are all supposed to look the other way, smile, and “enjoy the celebration”. Meanwhile, millions of our tax dollars are being shelled out to ensure that no one forgets what a Godsend the first black POTUS is going to be for our economic recovery, and no one get’s hurt in the process of partying! Irony rules the day.
Do they really think we are all that naive? Hmmm….ok. It appears a darn batch of “us” actually are. Several hundred million are flooding into the capitol city as if this event is Woodstock Revisited. Forget your worries! “Eat Drink and be Merry”! Whoop it up! In truth, it is the media networks and their million dollar advertisers that are doing the real victory dance.
Therefore, in honor of this weeks baton toss, I have designed my own inauguration celebration. I thought it would be fitting, considering the extra historic circumstances, to follow in Martin Luther King’s footsteps, and wage my own silent commemoration.
Tomorrow, as Barry and Michelle are feasting on their caviar and pheasant, waving incessantly at people they don’t know and don’t really care about, and dancing the day and night away in their designer clothes alongside their new $50,000-a-ticket best friends, I will actually be…get this… working.
First, 
I will board my city bus just as usual at 7:10 am. I will ride to the office with several fellow American workers. I will clock into my office. I will sit at my little desk, and go through my daily routine. I will do what is required to try to make my boss happy, so that I can collect my meager paycheck. 
I will then board another city bus, and ride home. I will make dinner for my family. I will spend some quality time with the people I love the most, before we all retire to bed in preperation to get up and do the same thing again the next day.
Let me tell you what I will not be doing tomorrow. I will not be turning on a television. I will not be listening to a radio. I will not be reading the newspaper. I will not be scouring the world wide web trying to find video clips and lap up the latest commentary. I will not care what color Michelle or Malia or Sasha’s designer dresses were! In short, I will be hoping that tomorrow ends as quickly as possible, and the whole embarrasing circus leaves town.
I will also be praying that once all the confetti and balloons and general aftermath of Washington’s “Mardi Gras” has been mucked up(which I’m sure will cost several more million of my tax dollars) our newest Mr. President will get to work like the rest of us.
Latter-day Soprano 
As a foreigner who wants good things to happen in any and all parts of the world, I wish Americans will work more in harmony with their president.
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Wow—here I’ve always though MoSop was pretty apolitical. Guess somebody just needed to push the right button.
For what it’s worth, the $150M price tag on the inauguration is not even pocket change compared to what the Democrats owe the lobbyists who have placed them one senator short of complete, unfettered power. Obama is already talking about spending about a trillion (non-existent) dollars propping up our failed debt-driven economic model (and sadly, the Republicans wouldn’t have done any better). If there is a politician who has a policy that doesn’t involve taking money from me and my children and giving it to very wealthy people, I’d like to meet him.
With everything wrong with Washington, here’s what I do know. One way or another, the Lord always takes care of those who love Him and serve Him. Whatever the politicians decide, the Lord has promised that those who are prepared need not fear. I look forward to the day when we will truly be a Zion people—when there are no poor among us, not because we subsidize laziness, but because we all labor diligently together, and those who have more help those who have less. In the meantime, when I pay my fast offering every month, I like to think that maybe a little bit of that money ends up helping MoSop feed her family during this time of difficulty.
And with all the problems, we can still celebrate little victories, like the fact that one of our most liberal states recently voted to uphold traditional marriage. Or the fact that every Sunday, a few hundred selfless volunteers gather as the world’s most inspirational choir and bring joy to listeners the world over. Now there’s something worth watching.
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I am right there along with you. However, i will have the TV on to my children’s favorite shows. Beyond that, I do wonder what our new Commander-in-chief thinks of this extravagent spending.
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Mosop,
You took the words right out of my mouth. I really don’t find a lot to celebrate right now. And, I don’t see things getting better. Spending more money than I have has never worked for me and I just don’t see it working for the government.
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Oh how I am loving you…sorry is that too forward? 🙂
I found you on Segullah, and had to comment. I really wish I could have read this yesterday (the 19th). You shared thoughts I was having in a funny way I never could. And then your post today…I understood exactly where you were coming from. My posts from yesterday and today followed the same course. So relieved to know I’m not crazy. 🙂
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Ah, MoSop, for the first time I have to disagree with you!
I’m reading your blog almost a week after the Inaguration, so I’m a bit behind, but I have to say that I was really moved by the Inaguration. I didn’t vote for Obama, and I don’t agree with his politics, but still, it was a historic day in our country – the changing of the guard, and I felt deeply moved and very patriotic as I watched it. And I felt so happy for African Americans, who just fifty years could not go into certain restaurants, or who had it sit in the back of the theatre or stand on buses. What a change, what a miracle for them! The only way we can relate is if Mitt Romney had won, being a Mormon, and to think of how we would have felt. For me, it was just wonderful to feel and hear their excitement and their rejoicing. NBC interviewed one African American mother who brought her daughters to the Inaguration, and she said that the morning after the election, she woke up her daughters and said, “Dr. King’s dream has come true, and we’re going to see it!” I was just very touched by that.
Now, I do agree with all you said about the outrageous expense, the hypocrisy, the faulty thinking on the issues – I agree with you on all of that. But are you not at least a little happy for African Americans that their lives have changed so dramatically? I believe the Lord will be able to use even this downturn (and as a Conservative I do see it as a downturn) for good, as many African Americans feel more free to think differently and explore new avenues. I hope many more will join the Church!
I hope I have disagreed agreeably. 🙂
And MoSop, I do hope your husband can find good work soon. I think you had mentioned this before, but I had forgotten. Ours prayers are with you!
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Thanks to all of you for your comments. I was very cranky when I wrote this diatribe. I have since repented, and acknowledge that it is never wise to blog angry. Therefore, I apologize if my words have offended or sound unpatriotic. That was not my intention. Serendipity, Sweet and Lorena have all made great positive points for us to reflect upon. MoSop feels duly chastised.
Elder Ballard and President Uchtdorf (LDS leadership) attended the inauguration. Here’s an important observation:
MoSop will be uniting her prayers along with yours for our new leadership. I believe that despite our problems, the USA is still the greatest nation in the world. Our constitution was divinely inspired. History has already proven that Americans can overcome all their troubles when they stay united in faith and purpose. I’m going to close this comment stream now, and invite you to read one of my more positive posts! – MoSop
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