Contrast

We guard our world with locks and guns
And we guard our fine possessions
And once a year when Christmas comes
We give to our relations

And perhaps we give a little to the poor
If the generosity should seize us
But if any one of us should interfere
In the business of why they are poor

He'd get the same as the rebel Jesus
                       - Jackson Browne, "The Rebel Jesus"

From Robert Remini, Andrew Jackson and the Course of American Freedom, 1822-1832 (1981), describing the events surrounding Old Hickory's first inauguration in 1829:

Never had there been such an inauguration of a President - not even Thomas Jefferson's.  Never before had the ordinary citizen expressed his enthusiasm for a new administration so spontaneously, with such obvious affection and good will.  Few inaugurations since have matched it in ardor and excitement.  The people had massed in front of the Capitol to witness the "triumph of the great principle of self government over the intrigues of the aristocracy" and now they trailed their adored leader back through the streets toward the executive mansion, reluctant to let him out of their sight.  Then it suddenly occurred to a number of ladies and gentlemen who were watching the procession from the safety of their homes that this shouting, "raving Democracy" intended to enter the "President's palace," as they grandly termed the White House.  The "palace" was about to be invaded by the rabble - the people.  What had the country come to!  The masses seemed to think that with Jackson as their President they had a right to attend the inaugural reception, something normally restricted to polite society. ...

By the time the General [Jackson] arrived at the mansion all the rooms on the lower floor were filled to capacity by a mixture of every conceivable race, color, and social standing.  people from the "highest and most polished," said Joseph Story, an associate justice of the Supreme Court, "down to the most vulgar and gross in the nation" poured into the White House.  "I never saw such a mixture," he moaned. ...

A modest White House reception had been planned.  Nothing elaborate, nothing like previous presidential "levees," which had had a regal and elitist tone to them.  But what took place verged on public disorder.  It became a wild, near-riotous scene.  Barrels of orange punch had been prepared, but as the waiters opened the doors to carry them out, the mob spotted them and rushed forward to seize them.  The "most painful confusion prevailed" as waiters and guests collided.  Pails of liquor splashed to the floor, glasses fell and were smashed or stepped on, and such mayhem ensued "that wine and ice-creams could not be brought out to the ladies."  Several thousand dollars in smashed china and glassware were lost during the pandemonium.  To add to the general melee, men with "boots heavy with mud" stood on the "damask satin-covered chairs" in order to get a better look at their President.  It was a "regular Saturnalia," laughed Senator James Hamilton, Jr.  "The mob broke in, in thousands - Spirits black yellow and grey, poured in in one uninterrupted stream of mud and filth, among the throngs many fit subjects for the penitentiary."  One "stout black wench" sat quietly by herself "eating in this free country a jelley with a gold spoon at the President's House."

When Mrs. Smith and her family arrived at the mansion they were aghast at the spectacle in progress.  "What a scene did we witness!" she gasped.  "The Majesty of the People had disappeared, and a rabble, a mob, of boys, negros, women, children, scrambling, fighting, romping.  What a pity what a pity."

Justice Story would undoutedly feel more comfortable if he were to be around for next month's inaugural ceremonies in Washington.  The following is from "Bush's second inauguration will be the most expensive in history" by Tim Reid, Times of London 12/16/04. (The Times has returned to a much more restrictive policy for online access, so I can't link to the article directly.  If you have a subscription or are accessing it from a British site, you can go to the article by clicking on the title here.  You may also be able to link to it here without a subscription.)

Mr Bush appointed Mercer Reynolds, the man who headed the President’s record-breaking $273 million re-election fundraising effort, and perhaps the biggest beast in the Republicans’ prodigious money-raising machine, to mastermind the inauguration’s funding. The results have been spectacular.

The committee has just sent out hundreds of letters to Mr Bush’s biggest campaign contributors, offering packages of inauguration benefits and access to the President for an extraordinary amount of money.

At $250,000, the "underwriter" package being offered by the committee, will get the donor four seats to Mr Bush’s swearing-in ceremony; ten VIP seats at the inaugural parade; two tickets to an "exclusive" underwriters’ lunch featuring Mr Bush and Vice-President Cheney; and twenty seats at candlelit dinners that will take place simultaneously at three locations in Washington, with special appearances by the President, the First Lady, and Mr Cheney and his wife, Lynne.

The package also includes ten seats at the "America’s heroes: a salute to those who serve" gala; four tickets to a youth concert hosted by the Bushes’ twin daughters; ten seats to the inaugural kick-off celebration and fireworks; six passes to their home-state black-tie ball, with appearances by the President and vice-President; and four passes to any of the nine official inaugural balls.

Those who donate $100,000 will be feted at a sponsors’ reception featuring the President and Vice-President, with two tickets to the President’s swearing-in, along with tickets to the candlelit dinners, youth concert, salute to soldiers, balls and other events.

Gee, do you think for an extra ten grand or so that Lynne Cheney would throw in some readings from her steamy lesbian novel?

But there are limits to this, Reid's article explains.  While corporations can give unlimited amounts to the inauguration, individual contributions are limited to $250,000.  This limit was imposed "to avoid the appearance of greed and brazen corporate influence."  Whew!  I'm sure glad to hear that.

Who knows, though, a "youth concert" sponsored by the Bush twins might embarass Justice Story even more than seeing ordinary people acting like they thought the government belonged to the people.

Unlike his pre-9/11 attitude toward terrorism, Bush is "intimately involved in the details" of the inaugural events, says Reid.  They are going to make "a valiant effort amid the frenzy of black-tie balls, fireworks, corporate donors and cocktail parties to remind revellers that America is a nation at war."  Bush "is anxious that US troops be constantly honoured."

Maybe he can wear his flight suit for the swearing-in ceremony.

There will also be a Commander-in-Chief's Ball, with 2,000 free tickets given out to soldiers, supposedly ones who have served in Afghanistan or Iraq, or who are about to be sent there. No word on whether the  attendees will be required to sign a personal oath of allegiance to Bush like at his campaign events.

I wonder if they will have a question period featuring Don Rumsfeld during the ball.  They should do that right at the start, to get all the soldiers in a festive mood.