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Washington taxpayers bear the burden as Trump’s ego infiltrates national Fourth of July celebration
The District of Columbia's time-honored Independence Day traditions are being squeezed to the side for the sake of the president's unquenchable thirst for self-aggrandizement.
Washington, D.C.’s Fourth of July celebrations have played out roughly the same way for decades.
This year, though, the longstanding security, logistics, and crowd management practices on the National Mall are
being recrafted in the image of President Donald Trump.
The nation’s birthday party won’t be a first-come first-serve egalitarian gawp in 2019.
It’ll have
tiered, ticketed entry,
some form of militaristic performance art, and
a speech by the divisive and twitchy current occupant of the country’s highest political office
.
Trump’s plans include cordoning off a special “VIP” area stretching from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to halfway down the length of the Reflecting Pool.
The velvet-rope ethos is an essential part of the gaudy, ostentatious luxury image Trump long ago made into his own personal brand.
But it’s alien to D.C.’s fireworks night, which has traditionally been a partisanship-free occasion.
... shrunk the actual, tangible resources that city has available to do things for people. The extra security measures required on Thursday by Trump’s decision to inject himself into the festivities
will reportedly force the city to dip into its emergency fund.
D.C.’s government still has not been reimbursed for a $7 million debt incurred by Trump’s approach to his inaugural weekend festivities in 2017,Trash still stiffing all of his suppliers
Though Trump has branded the politicized, militarized version of the national fireworks display as a “Salute to America,”
the way he talks about the plans indicates its about gratifying his own ego.
“Major fireworks display, entertainment and an address by your favorite President, me!” he tweeted in February.
https://thinkprogress.org/washington...-b0a123bc53c5/
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