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Inauguration party Tuesday at TF Brown's sponsored by The Batavian

By Howard B. Owens

Join The Batavian and your friends and neighbors Tuesday for the inauguration of Barack Obama as president of the United States.

Whether you're a Republican, Democrat or independent, you're surely mindful of historic event we'll witness Tuesday as Obama takes the oath of office and delivers his First Inaugural Address.

The Batavian will supply some appetizers/finger foods.  Guests will be responsible for the purchase of any lunches or beverages.

The Inauguration Party starts at 11:30 and will run until shortly after Obama completes his speech.  Obama takes the oath at noon.

We look forward to seeing you Tuesday at TF Brown's, 214 East Main Street.

Robert Drewinski

Why would any honest republican want to attend Bill Clinton’s 3rd term in office party at TF Browns. Obama is just a puppet of the union democrat machine with Bill Clinton pulling the strings along with the national media. This man’s presidency is already a failure in any true republican eye. Unless you are a New York republican, then you just love the union backed democrat party. I find it hard to understand why this business would throw a party for this liberal, socialist president. This is the same party that will tax this business to death over the next 4 years.

Jan 15, 2009, 2:27pm Permalink
Chris Chilano

I believe the post stated : "Whether you're a Republican, Democrat or independent, you're surely mindful of historic event we'll witness Tuesday as Obama takes the oath of office and delivers his First Inaugural Address."

That's all it is, an invitation to come enjoy some good times with people and watch a historic event. Nothing about using this as your avenue to lash out and post your political views!

Either go and have fun, enjoy the atmosphere and event, or not! That's it!

Jan 15, 2009, 2:54pm Permalink
Charlie Mallow

An inauguration isn’t a political event. It’s a celebration of our democracy. The smooth transition of power was a not so common event in human history.

Jan 15, 2009, 4:00pm Permalink
Daniel Jones

Bob-First off, "Democrat" "Republican" and "President" are proper nouns, and are therefore capitalized. Secondly, Obama's economic plan offers more than 300 billion dollars in tax cuts, many of them directed at small businesses such as TF Browns.
www.change.gov

Care to share any evidence to support your claims?

Is someone still bitter over the election results?

Jan 15, 2009, 4:25pm Permalink
Gabor Deutsch

Three things :
I bet mr. obama will be dying for a cigarette after the hoopla is done.
I wonder if mr. obama will be allowed to smoke a cigarette in the whitehouse.
Its always a good thing when people get together and make "merry".

Jan 15, 2009, 4:28pm Permalink
Kelly Hansen

Thanks to the Batavian for the generous offer. I think our family will celebrate at home on Tuesday.

I fantasized for a fleeting moment about driving a bus around the county with a blow horn in hand, shouting: Free food! Just imagine the crowd that would assemble. Talk about diversity!

<a href='http://smileyshut.com&#039; title='Smileys'><img src='http://smileyshut.com/smileys/new/Food/ready-to-eat-19.gif&#039; alt='Smileys' border='0'></a>

Jan 15, 2009, 5:21pm Permalink
Russ Stresing

I concur with those opinions that this is largely an event of historic proportions. But, one line in Bob's post really stumped me. "This man’s presidency is already a failure in any true republican eye." Its seemed almost a dare to anyone who considers themselves a <i>R</i>epublican that they are only a "true" party member if they condemn the coming Administration before anyone is officially installed in any office and before they do anything at all. The post not only preemptively demonizes President-elect Obama, but also unions and (insert your scary sound effects here)<b> the media!!!!</b>. His statement stumped me because I'm absolutely convinced that there is no such thing as clairvoyance, so I don't see how Bob acquired the information he seems so eager to convince us is irrefutable. If Bob does indeed possess these powers, we sure could've used him on Sept. 10th, 2001.

Jan 15, 2009, 5:55pm Permalink
Lorie Longhany

What a nice gesture from The Batavian. I would love to be there, but have a prior commitment.

I will be watching the inauguration and sharing this historic event with students, including a very special 4th grader whose Dad has been deployed to Washington with his Guard unit for this very event.

Pretty good company, I'd say. No partisan politics on Tuesday, just history in the making and a great feeling of personal and profound pride.

Jan 15, 2009, 6:43pm Permalink
Robert Drewinski

Here we go Charlie the masterful politician and the savior of Batavia. Folks in the town will be thrown under the bus when the city forces the merge of the town with their failed policies of the city. No new business can survive in the city due to the taxes and the red tape involved. If the city was so great why did Kmart build in the town? Wal Mart, Home Depot, BJ`s and many others have all built in the town several years ago. The good people of the town will have to pay for all the mistakes of the city the last 20 years. The city is broke and the unions want more for its employees of a dying city. City of Batavia schools are losing students in big numbers the last few years but it costs us 40 million for 2000 students. Drive down almost any city street and see the number of homes for sale or empty due to the laws and taxes. Only thing positive in the city is our boys in blue, crime is low due to their enforcement and being on top of things. Do we really need fireman making more than police officers. Currently all businesses in our country run by a union are seeking help from the taxpayers, from the auto builders to school teachers and government employees, I only wish our elected politicians would stop feeding their fat mouths from the union donations and be real Americans and save our Country. Oh yea an inauguration is not a political event, then what was Katrina and 9/11 for the democrats against Bush. They used this everyday since to bring down a republican president, Remember the outrage in 2005 for Bushie inauguration at a cost of 45 million, now the Clinton/Osama event will cost 150 million and no out rage from the unions or democrats this time around.

Jan 15, 2009, 9:27pm Permalink
Charlie Mallow

Bob, you would think a “real” Republican like yourself would like the idea of smaller government and consolidation? No one is expecting you to help bail out the city; we are taking care of our own “mistakes”.

If you want to be a “real” Republican, support eliminating government and get behind consolidation. The town isn’t insulated from escalating costs and last time I checked Batavia didn’t have a whole lot of jobs people could support a family with.

Jan 15, 2009, 9:35pm Permalink
Robert Drewinski

You are right I want smaller government but not have to pay for the City of Batavia issues. I sold my house in the city and move to the town because of the fact there are fewer services I should not have to pay for. Many suburbs of Buffalo and Rochester that are 3 times larger then Batavia have volunteer fire departments. We don’t need it in the town or more city red tape here. It sounds good rolling off your tongues to save the city with the merge but in fact down the road in a few years. The public unions will demand more and increase government employment for us town people to pay for. If you council members were really were concerned about Batavia start questioning why it cost us 40 million for a school district with under 1600 students when only a couple of years ago it was 20 million. Save the City and abolish the teachers union and this will lower taxes and keep people from selling and moving out of Batavia.

Jan 15, 2009, 10:21pm Permalink
Russ Stresing

Correct me if I'm wrong, Bob, but it's pretty much unions you're against. You moved out of the city to a higher property tax rate because of unions?

Jan 15, 2009, 10:44pm Permalink
Daniel Jones

Bob, whats with the discordancy and jumping all over the place? It's really hard to follow something that doesn't ever stay on a particular topic for any point in time. Secondly, consolidation details are still being worked out and will have town voices involved in them.

Oh yeah, "Clinton/Osama"....wow man, such a low blow signals serious desperation.

Barack Obama rules!

Jan 15, 2009, 11:25pm Permalink
Robert Drewinski

Ok then, since most people fail to see what is going on with so many issues lets start with one. A home in North Carolina with a market value of 1.2 million pays a average of $800.00 per year in local and school taxes. A home in the the City of Batavia with a $60,000 value pays $2700. per year in local and school taxes. NC is non union should I say more to confuse you.

Jan 16, 2009, 6:33am Permalink
John Roach

None.
In small Cities like Batavia, there is none other than the vote. If the School Board is out of control, you vote them out. But around here, they get reelected almost every time.

Jan 16, 2009, 7:32am Permalink
Charlie Mallow

@Howard
The city government has absolutely nothing to do with the school district taxes. The school district crosses City/Town municipal lines and the voters approve the budget directly.

@Bob
Underneath all that nonsensical partisan banter, I understand exactly what you’re looking for government to be. The problem is that you’re speaking negatively about the only thing that can get us where you want to be, consolidation. How about you wait for the plan to come out and judge the whole thing on its merits instead of your fears.

Jan 16, 2009, 8:21am Permalink
Howard B. Owens

John, Charlie ... thanks ... that's the point I was trying to make ... can't blame the city for the school taxes ... and consolidation has nothing to do with that nor will it change it.

Jan 16, 2009, 8:32am Permalink
Robert Drewinski

Come on John you you are smarter than that. The way school budgets are set up in the State the voters are only voting on sports and arts spending. Put the teacher salaries and all school spending on a budget for a vote. Its not fair to the taxpayers to not to be able to vote on the total budget. Why do you think so many people are moving out of the State for.

Jan 16, 2009, 10:01am Permalink
Daniel Jones

Bob-Why are you complaining to the City Council President, whom has no control over the school district about the school district.

Barack Obama rules!

Jan 16, 2009, 10:32am Permalink
michael barney

Barak obama rules? Mr. Jones, I know you are excited but come on! Your writing (while I do not always agree with it) is way better than comments like this.

My concern is that $160 million dollars is being spent on the inauguration. The Democrats and media screamed when Bush spent $40 million. Media has been pretty quiet on this. $160 million could feed a lot of people.

Jan 16, 2009, 4:48pm Permalink
Daniel Jones

Michael-An estimated 4 million people are going to be there, this is a big increase from 2004 and 2000. More money has to be spent to provide security and accommodate for such a large crowd.....he can't help that he's a popular President!

Jan 16, 2009, 7:29pm Permalink
Russ Stresing

The Democrats screamed about Bush's $40 million. Republicans, however, not so much. Republicans scream about Obama's $160 million. Democrats, however, not so much. It would seem a much more valid point if you included examples of Republicans berating the incoming Bush administration at that point in time. Otherwise, its just an exchange of shoe-wear.

To this point, the federal spending is expected to be in the neighborhood of $50 million. The city of DC is asking for an additional $15 million. Denver and St. Paul rec'd $50 million each from the federal government for the Republican and Democratic conventions, respectively. Denver's mayor estimates that the convention benefited their metropolitan area to the tune of $266 million. I'm just guessing the the inauguration will do even more for the DC metropolitan area, beyond even the financial windfall.

Although I agree that the money spent on the inauguration, the conventions, and politics in general has been ridiculously inflated over time, viewing things in a relative light might provide some perspective. Playing the "feed the children" card is much like when people say how much we could have done with the money we spent on Iraq. Since we are borrowing most of the money needed for the war, that money wouldn't have been there to spend on other noble causes. Much like this $160 million.

Jan 17, 2009, 9:19am Permalink
Robert Drewinski

Same old tunes with the democrat party always the victims or blaming others. The talking heads of TV and print media 4 years ago demanded Bush from spending any money for his Inauguration. The dems have for 8 years brained washed the masses with claims of starving school kids and the worst economy in 80 years and Osama is spending 150 million, so cool for the party of victims. Remember you people voted for change what is changing Bush 41 Clinton 42 W Bush 43 Clinton/Obama 42.5 You dems have to admit one thing its all Clinton people in the White House again.

Jan 18, 2009, 12:26pm Permalink
Daniel Jones

Bob-People like you make me chuckle, the fact is that an exponentially larger number of people are showing up for his inauguration, more money has to be spent.

I'll take the Clinton years over the Bush years, I remember the days under Clinton when the job got done.

At any rate buddy, Barack Obama rules!

Jan 18, 2009, 2:00pm Permalink
John Roach

Bob,
Don't be a fool. You made a mistake by tying the City taxes to the school taxes. You goofed. Buck up, admit you made a mistake and get back on track.

People vote for the School Board, just like they do for City Council. While School Board elections do not have political paarties as such involved, if people do not like the taxes, they can vote the Board or Council members out.

Jan 18, 2009, 3:11pm Permalink
Gabor Deutsch

Mr. Obama should be entitled to the same hoopla and spending as any other president. This is a big deal for everyone in many different ways. The cost is a drop in the bucket compared to many other things crippling our economy. I say let it be, treat him good, and hope he can do half of what he sets out to do. The President of the United States of America is our hope for a brighter future.
A Proud Democrat !

Jan 19, 2009, 12:31pm Permalink

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